Former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has spoken candidly about the "sad" and sudden meeting with club chiefs that ended his tenure at Old Trafford, while recalling a telling exchange with coaching rival Carlo Ancelotti about the immense pressure of the role.
The Sudden End at Old Trafford
Solskjaer, who was appointed caretaker boss in December 2018 following Jose Mourinho's exit before landing the job permanently in March 2019, was dismissed in November 2021. His departure came after a humiliating 4-1 defeat away to Watford, which left the club seventh in the Premier League table. Speaking to the BBC four years on, the Norwegian legend admitted the termination was warranted due to a poor six-week run of form, but the manner of it left him reeling.
"It was sad," Solskjaer told interviewer Kelly Somers. "We lost to Watford of course and I knew this was more or less the end. I drove my family to the airport, they went back to Norway actually and I was going to work. I got a text, 'Ole, I need to see you in my office', and I knew what was going to happen."
A Summer of Promise Preceded the Fall
The 2021/22 season had begun with great optimism following a significant summer transfer window. The club secured the £72 million signing of Jadon Sancho, brought in defender Raphael Varane from Real Madrid, and orchestrated the emotional return of Cristiano Ronaldo. United won four of their first five league games, but the campaign unravelled quickly with five defeats in seven matches, culminating in the Watford loss.
"You need results," Solskjaer reflected. "We unfortunately had a very bad six-week spell and that's too long at a club like Man United and they made a change which is fine. I think it's sudden but not surprising."
Ancelotti's Stark Warning on United Pressure
Perhaps the most revealing anecdote from the interview concerns a moment shared with the experienced Italian manager Carlo Ancelotti during a match against Everton. Solskjaer explained how the fourth official joked that Ancelotti, who had strayed into the United technical area, must want Solskjaer's job.
"And he said 'no, no, no, too much pressure. That job is too much pressure'," Solskjaer recalled. Given Ancelotti's vast experience managing clubs like Juventus, AC Milan, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, the remark was particularly telling. Solskjaer agreed the role was daunting, but viewed it as a privilege. "You're the face of everyone, everything surrounding Man Utd," he added.
The Norwegian's time in charge ultimately lasted nearly three years, a period he looks back on with mixed emotions, acknowledging the privilege of management but also the brutal reality of results-driven football at the highest level.
