It is easy to become attached to and invested in a plan. And that’s where Manchester United are with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer right now.
United have no current plans to change manager, and The Telegraph report Solskjaer is set to be handed a three year contract extension.
United’s commitment to the Solskjaer plan has helped provide some stability.
There were opportunities in both of the past seasons just gone, where poor form created pressure, and United chose to stick with the Norwegian.
Now for the first time in seven years, United have secured back to back Champions League qualification. Stability helps, and this time around, United did it with four games to spare.
The problem is, Champions League qualification is the minimum of United’s ambition. The real success is by winning the competition.
Chelsea remind United there is another way
Chelsea won this year’s Champions League at the weekend, putting together a strong campaign in the competition and thankfully seeing off City.
The strategy from Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich was remarkably simple: Buy the best players possible, and hire the best coach possible.
Chelsea have been doing it this way for years. The hire and fire approach has seen plenty of ups and downs, but it has also resulted in two Champions Leagues in the past decade.
The only time Chelsea deviated from this model was under Frank Lampard, who was hired out of necessity due to a transfer ban.
Once Chelsea were active in the transfer market last summer and bought a group of top players in, Lampard was never going to be able to live up to the increased expectations. So Chelsea got rid of him and replaced him with Thomas Tuchel, a proven winner at PSG – which Mauricio Pochettino learned this season is not as straightforward as many believe it to be.
United’s strategy is to be patient, but Chelsea’s success acts as a reminder that there is another way, if there are fears Solskjaer cannot take United up a level.
Frustration of cup failure
Solskjaer’s job is not in jeopardy right now and nor should it be after a second placed finish. But pressure will increase.
The failure to win the Europa League failure was a massive disappointment which will haunt the club all summer, and increases a sense of agitation among fans.
United have now gone four years without a trophy, of which Solskjaer has presided two full seasons.
This squad may not have been equipped to win the league during this time, but there was ample opportunity to win a cup. FA Cup successes for Arsenal and Leicester highlight missed chances for United.
Sticking with the plan but what next?
So United will stick with Solskjaer next season and hope for better. He will probably have another year beyond that, before serious pressure grows.
Having reached second, Solskjaer will be deemed to have taken a step back if United cannot match this next year, and the club finish trophyless again.
Last summer Solskjaer did not land his preferred signings. There’s no dispute about that. This summer hopefully will be different.
But upon landing top transfer targets, new pressure is created. Ask Frank Lampard.
If performances and results drop off, United may be tempted to hop on the managerial merry go round again, and try and find a boss like Thomas Tuchel who can take the next step.
Solskjaer has earned the opportunity to try and complete his plan and deliver the club back to success. But he is not the one and only way to try and accomplish the club’s aspirations.
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