Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has suggested he would like to be considered as Manchester United’s next permanent manager but says that possibility has not yet formed part of his talks with the club.
United, who sacked Jose Mourinho on Tuesday, have been heavily linked with a move for Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino in the summer once Solskjaer’s interim spell ends at the end of the season.
But the Norwegian, who will take charge of his first game at former club Cardiff City on Saturday, says his ambitions at Old Trafford extend beyond the next six months.
“When you get a job like this and they ask you to sign for six months you say ‘yes,'” he told a news conference on Friday, while confirming Romelu Lukaku had been given “a couple of days” off.
“I’m happy to help out and my job is to do as well as I can and they understand there are so many managers who would love to be manager of Manchester United, I’m one of them but it’s not something we’ve talked about, they’ll do a process for the next six months.”
After announcing Solskjaer’s appointment in a caretaker role on Wednesday, executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward said he hopes the 45-year-old could “unite” the players.
It was a telling phrase given that sources have told ESPN FC that “90 percent” of the dressing room had lost faith in Mourinho before his dismissal.
Mourinho’s most high-profile bust-up was with Paul Pogba, who was left on the bench for Mourinho’s last three league games, but Solskjaer knows the France international well after a spell in charge of United’s reserves between 2008 and 2010.
“It’s about getting every player to their best,” Solskjaer said. “They are quality players so it will be easier to get players expressing themselves.
“You play with courage, go out there and express your skills. Sir Alex Ferguson said go out and express and take risks.
“The last game he had as a manager [ended] 5-5, that was almost the perfect end for him as a manager and I want the players to be similar. To be the kids that love to play football and go out in front of the best fans in the world.”
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