Interesting article about Solskaer

[delmbox]

the part about his time here anyway:

If this was all glittering success, in south Wales Solskjær’s will to shape events was most severely tested. He took over in January 2014 and Cardiff listed from the start of an ill-starred tenure. The opening three Premier League matches were defeats before Norwich were beaten on 1 February. Cardiff won only twice more and were relegated with 30 points and goal difference of minus 42.

This was dire and Solskjær has always accepted full responsibility. Yet what Ben Turner, a Cardiff defender, states in the book is intriguing. Turner says: “I know he wasn’t given the full trust to manage in his own way without any interference. There were boys who were called in and told we weren’t playing and it really wasn’t his decision – that it was coming from above.

“As an example, we were in a relegation dogfight, had Aston Villa [on 11 February, 2014] and drew 0-0. It’s probably the best I’ve ever played in my life. Then we played Hull and three of the back four that started against Villa and got the clean sheet were dropped.

“I was told I was dropped for Juan Cala because Ole was told he had to play. Ole said: ‘I know we got a clean sheet against Villa, but I’ve been told that I have to play Juan Cala.’

“I was told I wasn’t playing because we wanted to try and pass the ball out more from the back. They told him – Ole – that on that basis Juan had to play, that was one of the reasons he was brought in. Well, it was a disaster because Juan and Steven Caulker didn’t get on, and they were the centre-backs. It was a concern – what player wants to hear they’re dropped because it’s coming from the owner [Vincent Tan]?

“The way I looked at it was this: the owner’s got all the money in the world. He’s running a football club essentially as a side hobby and he’s got new toys and the new toy that week was Juan Cala. I had no reason to doubt what the gaffer was saying to me, that it’d come from above. He was an honest, genuine guy as far as I was concerned. We got relegated but he always had integrity.”

On leaving Cardiff in September 2014, Solskjær’s departure statement disappointed Tan because it mentioned “a difference in philosophies”. As quoted in the biography the Malaysian’s response suggested Solskjær had hinted at team meddling. “It gives the impression that a different philosophy [is that] maybe I interfere with him, maybe I do this or do that,” Tan said.

[stan butler]

the part about his time here anyway:

If this was all glittering success, in south Wales Solskjær’s will to shape events was most severely tested. He took over in January 2014 and Cardiff listed from the start of an ill-starred tenure. The opening three Premier League matches were defeats before Norwich were beaten on 1 February. Cardiff won only twice more and were relegated with 30 points and goal difference of minus 42.

This was dire and Solskjær has always accepted full responsibility. Yet what Ben Turner, a Cardiff defender, states in the book is intriguing. Turner says: “I know he wasn’t given the full trust to manage in his own way without any interference. There were boys who were called in and told we weren’t playing and it really wasn’t his decision – that it was coming from above.

“As an example, we were in a relegation dogfight, had Aston Villa [on 11 February, 2014] and drew 0-0. It’s probably the best I’ve ever played in my life. Then we played Hull and three of the back four that started against Villa and got the clean sheet were dropped.

“I was told I was dropped for Juan Cala because Ole was told he had to play. Ole said: ‘I know we got a clean sheet against Villa, but I’ve been told that I have to play Juan Cala.’

“I was told I wasn’t playing because we wanted to try and pass the ball out more from the back. They told him – Ole – that on that basis Juan had to play, that was one of the reasons he was brought in. Well, it was a disaster because Juan and Steven Caulker didn’t get on, and they were the centre-backs. It was a concern – what player wants to hear they’re dropped because it’s coming from the owner [Vincent Tan]?

“The way I looked at it was this: the owner’s got all the money in the world. He’s running a football club essentially as a side hobby and he’s got new toys and the new toy that week was Juan Cala. I had no reason to doubt what the gaffer was saying to me, that it’d come from above. He was an honest, genuine guy as far as I was concerned. We got relegated but he always had integrity.”

On leaving Cardiff in September 2014, Solskjær’s departure statement disappointed Tan because it mentioned “a difference in philosophies”. As quoted in the biography the Malaysian’s response suggested Solskjær had hinted at team meddling. “It gives the impression that a different philosophy [is that] maybe I interfere with him, maybe I do this or do that,” Tan said.

The LEader on the oTher ForUm will love this

[tforturton]

Okay, who's surprised?

[cardiff55]

It might explain the different team selections week after week. I blamed OGS though.

[splott parker]

Believable but Solskjær although a rookie manager was/is a very wealthy man I’d imagine who wouldn’t be destitute without a job for a while. Perhaps he should have shown a pair of balls and walked away because of the interference, you’d think he would have been and still is only a phone call away from Alex Ferguson. I’d like to think Fergie would have advised him to tell them to shove their job up their arse.

[MacAdder]

Not the first manager I've heard of taking orders from above.
I would say its not an uncommon situation.

Player comes in having been bought for a large sum of money or on a good wage (or both).
Doesn't work out for whatever reason but pressure is put on the manager to play him in order to keep his value up.
A manager, especially a new manager, isn't going to walk out as it sends out the message of being a troublemaker.

[Cleve van Leef]

Believable but Solskjær although a rookie manager was/is a very wealthy man I’d imagine who wouldn’t be destitute without a job for a while. Perhaps he should have shown a pair of balls and walked away because of the interference, you’d think he would have been and still is only a phone call away from Alex Ferguson. I’d like to think Fergie would have advised him to tell them to shove their job up their arse.

Ferguson apparently told him to stay away from City, don't touch the job with a barge pole.

[splott parker]

Reading in The Daily Mirror about Nobby Stiles this morning and it recalls that the FA instructed Alf Ramsey to drop Stiles after a robust tackle put Frenchman Jacques Simon about of the group game, Ramsey told them he’d resign if he was not allowed to pick who he wanted. In the middle of a World Cup tournament he threatened to jack in.....now that’s a manager.

[NYCBlue]

Hardly mitigating circumstances. He could have easily walked and thought Tan a valuable lesson. Or, more becoming of a football man and a team manager, he could have called Tan's bluff and ignored his "advice". People in football talk, no one would have judged him harshly for not standing for that sort of nonsense.

[B. Oddie]

Ferguson apparently told him to stay away from City, don't touch the job with a barge pole.

I remember seeing a clip of Alex Ferguson saying this. Possibly in the Netflix documentary.

[dml1954]

No doubt Solskjaer would also say that signing Eikrem, Daehli and Berget from Norway was nothing to do with him. Whilst I liked Turner, he was hardly the most skilful player and would have an axe to grind if he was dropped for Cala. My issue with Solskjaer was that it was his tactics, substitutions and playing people out of position that were unfathomable. He was out of his depth.

[Wolfmother]

Hardly mitigating circumstances. He could have easily walked and thought Tan a valuable lesson. Or, more becoming of a football man and a team manager, he could have called Tan's bluff and ignored his "advice". People in football talk, no one would have judged him harshly for not standing for that sort of nonsense.

He did call his “bluff” after relegation, and they parted ways. Told you all this a long time ago..