Alan Shearer says it would be ‘really strange’ for Man United to give Ole Gunnar Solskjaer the interim job because ‘they sacked him for a reason’.
Daily Mail Sport revealed on Wednesday that Solskjaer, who managed United from 2018 until 2021, is locked in a two-way fight with Michael Carrick to take the Old Trafford hot-seat until the end of the season.
Both Solskjaer and Carrick spoke to chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox on Tuesday, but it’s understood the club will not make a final decision until they have met both men in person.
In the meantime, Darren Fletcher – who was in caretaker charge for the 2-2 draw against Burnley midweek – confirmed he will lead United out when they host Brighton on Sunday.
And while Solskjaer’s return to Old Trafford would be an emotional one, former Newcastle and Blackburn striker Shearer isn’t convinced.
‘It would be a really strange appointment to go back to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer,’ he told Betfair. ‘I understand Darren Fletcher or Michael Carrick, but I wouldn’t understand going back to a guy the club have already sacked.
‘I know Ole played for the club, has a great history and affinity there, and did well as an interim, but they sacked him for a reason.’
Shearer, who admitted he sees more sense in installing Carrick – who was sacked by Middlesbrough in June – or Fletcher until the end of the season, also urged the United hierachy to proceed with caution.
‘If the interim does well, they have to be really careful not to get stuck in that trap again,’ he said.
‘There will be big-name managers available in the summer – maybe Thomas Tuchel, depending on England’s World Cup, maybe Carlo Ancelotti depending on Brazil.
‘You stop the cycle by getting a really strong, big character in and letting him do the job. It’s no coincidence that the three clubs at the top – Villa, City, and Arsenal – are all basically run by their managers.
‘They have directors of football, but they work in sync. That has to happen at Man United to get them anywhere near where they want to be.’
Solskjaer emerged as a leading contender on Tuesday. A club legend as a player, his success as a temporary replacement for Jose Mourinho in December 2018 led to him staying in charge for almost three years.
Ironically, Carrick stepped in as caretaker for three games when Solskjaer was sacked in November 2021 after the wheels of the Norwegian’s tenure eventually came off.
The 52-year-old, who has been out of work since leaving Besiktas in August, was pictured shopping near his home in Cheshire earlier this week.
Carrick is available being dismissed sacked from his first permanent managerial job. It’s understood that United are giving the 44-year-old former England midfielder serious consideration in what has now become a two-horse race.
It is also believed that Carrick is prepared to be Solskjaer’s No2 if he is unsuccessful.
Both candidates played under Sir Alex Ferguson, who returned to Carrington on Tuesday to have coffee with Berrada and Wilcox at the training ground a week after his 84th birthday.
And it appears Sir Alex’s presence still looms large over Old Trafford, with Fletcher admitting he asked for his blessing before taking on the caretaker role – despite the Scot retiring in 2013.
It has sparked discourse around the influence of their legendary manager, who former United captain Roy Keane said is ‘hanging on like a bad smell’ at the club on Thursday evening.
‘What happens in these job interviews? I’m intrigued,’ Keane – who famously fell out with Sir Alex in 2005 – said on Sky Sports.
‘Why do they keep giving certain people a job? What happens in the interview that they sit there and go, and 12, 14 months later, “he’s not the guy for us”.
‘Do you not suss that out when you speak to them? You look somebody in the eye and go…
‘You see who’s making the decisions at Manchester United… you still have [Alex] Ferguson and David Gill [former chief executive] hanging on like a bad smell.
‘Who’s making the decisions? [Sir Jim] Ratcliffe, [Jason] Wilcox? Who’s coming into this interview process, you’re speaking to a manager, you get a feel for somebody and go “he’s the guy for us?”
‘Almost forget the CV. You need something on your CV, of course, that you’ve won a trophy or managed a long time. But you’ve got to look somebody in the eye and go “are you the man to get us places?”
‘What happens when somebody walks in your dressing room, the top players sit and go, “what have you got for us?” That’s what the top lads do. And if you haven’t got the answers, the players are going to eat you alive.’
He added: ‘The standard of [United’s game against Burnley] was a joke. Everyone after the game was like, “It wasn’t bad, we did well” – nonsense! Absolute rubbish. We’re going around in circles. Any ex-United player has got a chance.’
