SO LONG, OL PAL
‘Hand over the baton’ – Rio Ferdinand says it’s time for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to leave Man Utd as he’ll never win title
RIO FERDINAND has told Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to leave Manchester United - because he will never win the title.
Solskjaer is facing growing calls to be sacked as Red Devils boss with his star-studded squad continuing to underperform.
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The team are well off the likes of rivals Liverpool and Manchester City, as their last two home Premier League fixtures have proven.
And former team-mate Ferdinand reckons now is the time for the Norwegian to step aside to allow another gaffer to take over and win trophies.
Speaking on his podcast , Ferdinand said: “Now might be the time for that baton to be handed over to somebody else who can take us on.
“Ole would leave now with his head held high. From when he came in to where he got us, at the beginning of this season, has been positive.
“He has come in and done what he was brought in to do. He has given the fans hope again.
“But is he going to take us to titles and win the Champions League? I have to be honest with myself and I don’t think so, no.”
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Ferdinand, 43, has been one of many former United players to support the Norwegian throughout his time as Red Devils boss.
He famously was a huge influence on Solskjaer being handed the United job on a permanent basis as he screamed 'Ole is at the wheel' live on BT Sport after their 3-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League in 2019.
But Ferdinand has now become the second club legend to call time on the manager's career at United after Roy Keane also said he should step away.
The ex-England defender added: “I don’t see any philosophy or an identity in the Manchester United way of playing.
"The intensity is not right, players aren’t sprinting and hurting themselves in games, and I see that as a disrespect to the manager.
“Every great manager who has won things, they have an element of fear.
“Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp, Thomas Tuchel now, Sir Alex Ferguson, George Graham and Arsene Wenger at Arsenal.
“They all had an element of, ‘If you don’t do what I say, you’ll be on the bench watching’.
“But I don’t see that fear in this squad.
“Deep down, I was always a bit sceptical he could take us on and be champions.
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“I wasn't sure or wasn't convinced, but I hoped that he would be able to do it.
“Ole has been given a good amount of time. This is now his squad. He has had big money to spend but it is not working.”
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