Sir Alex Ferguson's influence is being felt again at Manchester United - but this is no second coming

 Sport <> Football


Ferguson has been a sounding board for United's caretaker manager 
Solskjaer

The spirit of Sir Alex Ferguson has returned to Manchester United - but not the man, regardless of recent training ground visits and his role as occasional sounding board for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the interim manager who has won six games in a row since replacing Jose Mourinho.

Seasoned Old Trafford watchers have noticed momentum in the coverage of United towards a portrayal of Ferguson as the back-seat driver in Solskjaer’s caretaker reign. 

The reality suggests a much looser arrangement in which Ferguson is not offered a say in team selection or transfers and would not want one. 

Given the turmoil at United since his retirement in 2013 - and Solskjaer’s frequent references to him - it was inevitable a picture would be presented of the club’s most successful manager returning as overseer or elder statesman.

Ferguson, 77, has yet to be discharged following his collapse in May from bleeding on the brain that placed his life in danger. 

He is still officially recuperating from the subsequent operation and has cut back on work and social activities. 

At United, after David Moyes succeeded him, he joined Sir Bobby Charlton in the ranks of distinguished ‘fans’ at Old Trafford games but was not involved in the club’s big decisions, which are taken chiefly by Ed Woodward, the executive vice-chairman, and the Glazers.

Solskajer’s arrival though has restored the ethos of the Ferguson era on the playing side; and the closeness of their relationship is an asset for a young manager who bombed at Cardiff City and was in charge of Molde in Norway when Mourinho was fired. 

Both Solskjaer and Mike Phelan, Ferguson’s former assistant, were hired directly by Woodward.

"I've had him [Ferguson] for 15 years," Solskjaer said recently. "Obviously he's influenced me more in those 15 years than he's done last week, but I keep him informed.”

On Ferguson’s first visit to United’s training ground at Carrington he met the coaches for tea but not the players. 

On the second, before the Spurs game, he drove in to see Giuseppe Rossi, a former player who is training with the club to maintain his fitness. 

"I had breakfast with him at Carrington the other day," Rossi told the Press Association. "We were talking and talking and he still remembers the transfer fee when I got sold. 

It's great to see him in high spirits and great to see him just being about here on the football field.”

Solskjaer was equally effusive about Ferguson’s visit first. 

“He enjoyed his time at the training ground, he had a nice few chats with us and the staff and he encouraged us,” he said. 

“He knows the staff I've got are Man United through and through and he knows we're going to do whatever we can, up to the last second we're here, for Man United to do as best as we can.” 

Before the Tottenham game, Mauricio Pochettino, who is still thought to the United’s No 1 candidate, said it was “massively important" that Ferguson was on the scene again.

Solskjaer’s willingness to discuss his dialogue with Ferguson may reflect a belief that it will help him get the United job full-time. 

It certainly projects a strong message to United’s supporters, who were thrilled by the idea of Ferguson teaming up with one of their folk heroes. 

Moyes, Louis van Gaal and Mourinho were more experienced managers who displayed no inclination to consult an ex-manager, however illustrious. Solskjaer on the other hand needs guidance.

 Solskjaer says he has learned much from Ferguson over the last 15 years

Yet there is no guarantee that United’s owners will want to turn the clock back. They may look instead to the kind of emerging manager who can achieve what Jurgen Klopp has at Liverpool. 

So Solskjaer’s strategy - if it is one - is not without risk. Many of United’s players already support his case to be retained beyond May. 

At root it makes sense for United’s return to positive, attacking football to draw on Ferguson’s legacy. This was their quickest and most obvious route back to happiness after a joyless period under Mourinho. There is however no hotline or major ‘Fergie’ comeback. 

Ferguson is eager to manage the United side who will play Bayern Munich in a reunion match to commemorate the club’s miraculous 1999 Champions League win in Barcelona - where Solskjaer scored the winner. 

The last time he took charge of a team was in Michael Carrick’s testimonial in June 2017, when, amid much dressing room badinage, he told his side: “Anyway, don’t lose, eh? Don’t bloody lose.”

wnt

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