Ole Gunnar Solskjaer timing his run to perfection as Sir Alex Ferguson contemplates retirement
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been a success as manager after becoming a United legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer knew all about timing as a United striker and he could be displaying the same attribute as a manager.
Could he now be manoeuvring himself perfectly to pounce when the big chance presents itself at Old Trafford?
The list of English clubs who have had enquiries for his services politely rebuffed, or have been linked with his name, is ever growing.
Aston Villa, Bolton Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers have all been keen to employ the Norwegian as their boss.
Villa got close last May after the sacking of Alex McLeish. They even hired a private jet to fly the Old Trafford legend to the Midlands for talks.
It caused ructions at his club Molde and eventually Solskjaer decided he couldnt quit his home-town club so early in his managerial career and the moment wasnt right.
Villa chairman Randy Lerner had been attracted by Solskjaers immediate success at the Norwegian club, where he began his route to United in the 1990s.
After leaving his post as manager of Uniteds reserves in January 2011, he engineered Moldes first ever Norwegian League title.
It was the clubs 100th anniversary and the prodigal sons present to his employers was perfect.
His managerial CV may have been limited, but his name began spreading as clubs in England searched for impressive new blood.
Villa were the first to officially make the move in the summer.
Now Lancashire rivals Bolton and Blackburn have also been linked with the Norwegian, but any thoughts they had of attempting to open negotiations have been quickly scotched by Solskjaer.
After the upset caused with Moldes hierarchy and sponsors in the wake of Villas int! erest la st May, he has been quick to nip talk of moving back to England in the bud and avoid fresh turbulence.
There will always be speculation when someone in England needs a new manager, he said. There are surely 20 names who have been linked with Bolton now and its natural that mine is among them.
But its not for me. Blackburn, Bolton, rumours crop up all the time. But Im not that bothered about them.
So instead of either being at Derby County this weekend in a Blackburn jacket or at the Reebok with a Bolton crest on his suit preparing to face Bristol City, Solskjaer will be on his way to the eastern industrial city of Drammen in Norway where his Molde side are due to play Stromgodset on Sunday.
His champions are leading the Tippeligaen by two points from Rosenborg and Sundays opponents are in third place just three behind.
But Molde are favourites to achieve back-to-back titles by the end of the Norwegian season in December and are also in good position to progress from the group stage of the Europa League.
It is all further evidence that Solskjaer is Premier League material.
And the man who went down in Reds folklore for that goal he scored to win the Champions League for United and complete an amazing Treble in the Nou Camp in 1999 does want to return to England to forge a managerial career.
I have an ambition to be a manager in the Premier League, but Im not seeking a new job, he said.
In football, and in life in general, things turn up that you have to make decisions about. I have a contract for two more years and Ill stand by that.
When that present deal with Molde expires in 2014 it could well be perfect timing as far as United are concerned.
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Sir Alex Fergusons retirement is an ongoing matter of guesswork.
But the good money remains on the most successful boss ever calling it quits by the end of the 2013/14 campaign.
It could easily be as early as the end of this season that Fergie, who will be 71 by then, believes hes run his course.
If he sticks around for those two years then Solskjaers experience will be stacking up.
Of course, it wont be on the biggest stage and the Norwegian league is a world away from steering Uniteds ship in the post-Fergie era. But then it was the same chasm he faced as a 23-year-old when he transferred his deadly finishing ability to the Premier League in 1996.
Solskjaer famously plots his careers meticulously and wont seek the next challenge until he feels he is ready.
His former Molde manager from the 1990s and ex-City defender Age Hareide told M.E.N. Sport after last seasons title triumph: As a person Ole Gunnar lives by being accurate in everything he does.
He always knew where he was going. He planned his career. You just know he will have his ambitions as a manager mapped out probably as well.
He wont rush into anything but when he believes the time is right he will push himself on to the next level.
That next chapter might not be too far off and a romantic return to Old Trafford would have the feel-good factor for United fans and the top brass as they face up to the huge headache of replacing Fergie.
But romance doesnt always mean a successful marriage in football and Solskjaer will have rival contenders with far superior CVs at the high! est leve l.
Real Madrids Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola, who is taking a sabbatical after his trophy-laden spell at Barcelona, are among the front runners.
But something tells me that Ole Gunnar Solskjaers United story has not yet concluded.
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Could he now be manoeuvring himself perfectly to pounce when the big chance presents itself at Old Trafford?
The list of English clubs who have had enquiries for his services politely rebuffed, or have been linked with his name, is ever growing.
Aston Villa, Bolton Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers have all been keen to employ the Norwegian as their boss.
Villa got close last May after the sacking of Alex McLeish. They even hired a private jet to fly the Old Trafford legend to the Midlands for talks.
It caused ructions at his club Molde and eventually Solskjaer decided he couldnt quit his home-town club so early in his managerial career and the moment wasnt right.
Villa chairman Randy Lerner had been attracted by Solskjaers immediate success at the Norwegian club, where he began his route to United in the 1990s.
After leaving his post as manager of Uniteds reserves in January 2011, he engineered Moldes first ever Norwegian League title.
It was the clubs 100th anniversary and the prodigal sons present to his employers was perfect.
His managerial CV may have been limited, but his name began spreading as clubs in England searched for impressive new blood.
Villa were the first to officially make the move in the summer.
Now Lancashire rivals Bolton and Blackburn have also been linked with the Norwegian, but any thoughts they had of attempting to open negotiations have been quickly scotched by Solskjaer.
After the upset caused with Moldes hierarchy and sponsors in the wake of Villas int! erest la st May, he has been quick to nip talk of moving back to England in the bud and avoid fresh turbulence.
There will always be speculation when someone in England needs a new manager, he said. There are surely 20 names who have been linked with Bolton now and its natural that mine is among them.
But its not for me. Blackburn, Bolton, rumours crop up all the time. But Im not that bothered about them.
So instead of either being at Derby County this weekend in a Blackburn jacket or at the Reebok with a Bolton crest on his suit preparing to face Bristol City, Solskjaer will be on his way to the eastern industrial city of Drammen in Norway where his Molde side are due to play Stromgodset on Sunday.
His champions are leading the Tippeligaen by two points from Rosenborg and Sundays opponents are in third place just three behind.
But Molde are favourites to achieve back-to-back titles by the end of the Norwegian season in December and are also in good position to progress from the group stage of the Europa League.
It is all further evidence that Solskjaer is Premier League material.
And the man who went down in Reds folklore for that goal he scored to win the Champions League for United and complete an amazing Treble in the Nou Camp in 1999 does want to return to England to forge a managerial career.
I have an ambition to be a manager in the Premier League, but Im not seeking a new job, he said.
In football, and in life in general, things turn up that you have to make decisions about. I have a contract for two more years and Ill stand by that.
When that present deal with Molde expires in 2014 it could well be perfect timing as far as United are concerned.
Sir Alex Ferguson ! and Robe rto Mancini suffer as Englands clash with Poland is washed out
Sir Alex Ferguson's eyeing up a New Year revolution
Sir Alex Fergusons retirement is an ongoing matter of guesswork.
But the good money remains on the most successful boss ever calling it quits by the end of the 2013/14 campaign.
It could easily be as early as the end of this season that Fergie, who will be 71 by then, believes hes run his course.
If he sticks around for those two years then Solskjaers experience will be stacking up.
Of course, it wont be on the biggest stage and the Norwegian league is a world away from steering Uniteds ship in the post-Fergie era. But then it was the same chasm he faced as a 23-year-old when he transferred his deadly finishing ability to the Premier League in 1996.
Solskjaer famously plots his careers meticulously and wont seek the next challenge until he feels he is ready.
His former Molde manager from the 1990s and ex-City defender Age Hareide told M.E.N. Sport after last seasons title triumph: As a person Ole Gunnar lives by being accurate in everything he does.
He always knew where he was going. He planned his career. You just know he will have his ambitions as a manager mapped out probably as well.
He wont rush into anything but when he believes the time is right he will push himself on to the next level.
That next chapter might not be too far off and a romantic return to Old Trafford would have the feel-good factor for United fans and the top brass as they face up to the huge headache of replacing Fergie.
But romance doesnt always mean a successful marriage in football and Solskjaer will have rival contenders with far superior CVs at the high! est leve l.
Real Madrids Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola, who is taking a sabbatical after his trophy-laden spell at Barcelona, are among the front runners.
But something tells me that Ole Gunnar Solskjaers United story has not yet concluded.
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