Former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has shared a revealing exchange with Everton's then-boss Carlo Ancelotti that highlights the intense pressure of managing at Old Trafford.
The Technical Area Exchange
During a recent interview with BBC Sport, the 52-year-old Norwegian recounted a memorable incident from December 2020 when Ancelotti, then in charge of Everton, wandered into his technical area during a match.
The fourth official intervened with a light-hearted warning to the Italian manager, saying: "Carlo, do you have to go back to your technical area unless you want Ole's job?"
Ancelotti's response proved telling: "No, no, no, too much pressure. That job is too much pressure."
Reflecting on the United Hotseat
Solskjaer, who spent nearly three years as United manager after his legendary playing career at the club, appeared to agree with Ancelotti's assessment while maintaining his philosophical approach to the role.
"You know that pressure is a privilege," Solskjaer reflected. "He has always said that too, and I felt privileged to be the manager of Manchester United. But of course, you are the face of everyone and everything surrounding Manchester United."
The Norwegian oversaw one of the more stable periods in United's post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, achieving a third-place finish followed by second place in his two full seasons at the helm.
The Inevitable Departure
Despite his relative success, Solskjaer acknowledged that his dismissal in November 2021 was justified after a difficult six-week period saw United slump to seventh in the Premier League.
"Pressure is a privilege because I was allowed to do it and face it in my way," he explained. "That was through having great staff around us, and the atmosphere within and around the club was very positive. But in the end, you need results. Unfortunately, we had a very bad run of six weeks, and that's too long at a club like Manchester United."
During his 168 matches in charge, Solskjaer secured 91 victories but failed to deliver any silverware to the trophy-hungry club.
Facing Football's Elite
When asked if he felt underappreciated for his work at United, particularly given the club's struggles since his departure with only one top-five finish in four subsequent seasons, Solskjaer remained typically humble.
"It's not about getting recognition," he stated. "It was the worst time to be Manchester United manager. You had Jürgen Klopp with his Liverpool and Pep Guardiola with his Manchester City. They were the best managers in the world at that time and probably the two best teams in the world. But we came second and third."
He concluded with a note of realism about United's limitations during his tenure: "So, with the squad, we had something going, but we couldn't take the next step."
