London: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer immediately targeted the Premier League title after being confirmed as Manchester United’s new full-time manager on Thursday, saying the club “can’t wait for too many years”.
The Norwegian, 46, has been rewarded with a three-year deal after reviving United’s fortunes since taking caretaker charge in December with a run of 14 wins in 19 games.
In his short spell in charge he has lifted United back into contention for a top-four finish in the Premier League and is preparing for a mouthwatering Champions League quarter-final against Barcelona next month.
But despite that upturn in form, the Red Devils remain 18 points adrift of league leaders Liverpool and 16 off local rivals Manchester City.
Solskjaer won six league titles in his 11 years as a player at Old Trafford and believes it is his job to make United title winners once more, having not won the league since Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.”To lift the Premier League trophy again is what we expect, what we are used to, what we have done so many times,” he told reporters at Old Trafford.”We can’t wait for too many years, but we have to take it step by step. It’s not going to happen overnight, catching the 18 points we are behind the top teams now.”
Solskjaer, who scored 126 goals in 366 appearances for United, was already a hero to fans as the man who scored the stoppage-time winner in the 1999 Champions League final to complete a historic treble.”This is the job that I always dreamed of doing and I’m beyond excited to have the chance to lead the club long-term and hopefully deliver the continued success that our amazing fans deserve,” he said in an earlier statement on manutd.com.
After Jose Mourinho was sacked following a 3-1 loss to Liverpool on December 16, Molde boss Solskjaer was given the task of reviving United’s flagging fortunes but was expected to return to the Norwegian club following his caretaker spell.
– Pogba transformed –
At that stage Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino was the firm favourite for the permanent Old Trafford hotseat after an impressive few years at the helm at Spurs.
But Solskjaer forced the hand of the Manchester United hierarchy by sheer weight of results, becoming the first United manager to win his opening six league games. (AFP)
