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Cole pleased United have Ole at the wheel

Sportsbeat
Andy Cole is pleased to see Ole Gunnar Solskjaer named as the Manchester United manager
Andy Cole is pleased to see Ole Gunnar Solskjaer named as the Manchester United manager

Manchester United are ready to party like it is 1999 now that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been appointed manager on a full-time basis.

Solskjaer’s former strike partner Andy Cole believes the Norwegian can bring the good times back to Old Trafford – 20 years on from his and the club’s greatest night.

Cole says Solskjaer – who scored the winning goal in the 1999 Champions League final against Bayern Munich to complete an historic treble – says United is more like the club of old under the former striker.

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Solskjaer has guided United to ten wins in 13 Premier League games since taking over from Jose Mourinho in December, while also overseeing the club’s 3-1 triumph over PSG to reach the Champions League quarter-finals.

And despite United losing to Arsenal in the league and being knocked out of the FA Cup by Wolves, former teammate Cole believes his former club have made the right move in appointing the Norwegian.

“They have lost the last couple which was a bit disappointing, but where they were before Ole took over to where they are now it’s a big, big difference and long may it continue,” said Cole at the European launch of this year’s International Champions Cup in Cardiff.

“I don’t think you can expect anyone to have such an immediate impact but the way he’s done it, the way his staff have done it, it’s been a testament to him, his staff and the players.

“They want to get results because they want to try and finish in the top four to have the opportunity to qualify for Champions League football for next season.

“It’s getting more like the Man United of old. Now that he has been appointed, no doubt he’ll have things in place that he will want to try and do to move the club forward player-wise.

“He just wants to get Manchester United back to where they belong. It is good that it has been done now as it gives everyone that peace of mind that he’s going to be here next season.

“It allows the team to push on for the next eight games and prepare themselves for the summer and prepare themselves to come back next season with everything set.”

It is the first time United have been in the Champions League quarter-finals since 2014, while they are just two points off the top four – having been 11 points adrift when Mourinho was sacked.

And that result in Paris, as well as the upturn in results in the league, have seen the United hierarchy – including executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward – hand Solskjaer a three-year contract.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino had also been considered as a possible permanent successor to Mourinho, although he only signed a new five-year deal at Spurs last summer.

But Cole is pleased that United have opted to go with one of their own and hand the Old Trafford keys to Solskjaer.

“Ole has done so well, he’s doing so well at the moment,” Cole added.

“I am not surprised they have appointed Ole as there are not many managers who would go there and start as well as Ole has done and galvanise the place as he has done.”

  • Manchester United face AC Milan in the International Champions Cup at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on 3 August, KO 5.30pm. Tickets available from £25/£10 from www.ticketmaster.co.uk

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