Ole Gunnar Solskjaer 'very, very proud' of Man Utd job

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has revealed that he is "very, very proud" of the job he did at Manchester United.

Solskjaer was relieved of his duties at the weekend after his side slipped to a 4-1 Premier League loss against Watford. This was the latest in a string of poor recent results which included humbling defeats at the hands rivals Liverpool and Manchester City.

That form has left United seventh in the Premier League table, 12 points off the pace of leaders Chelsea.

Solskjaer also failed to win a trophy during his time at the club, going closest in the the 2021 Europa League final, which his side lost to Villarreal on penalties.

Despite this, he insisted that he was happy with the job he'd done while at Old Trafford.

"Very, very proud. Of course, it’s one of those things you dream of in your life. When you’ve been a player, when you’ve been a reserve team coach, the next job then, the only dream and the only thing you haven’t done is to manage the club, and I have now," he said.

"It’s been a ball, it’s been absolutely enjoyable from the first to the last minute, so I have to thank all the players because since I came in, they’re top lads, top people. Some have come, some have gone, but all of them, they’ve been such an enjoyable bunch to work with.

"First of all, I want to thank the board and the owners for giving me the opportunity because it’s not for everyone and I’ve had the opportunity. I’m so honoured and privileged to have been trusted to take the club forward, and I really hope that I leave it in a better state than when I came.

"I’ve made great friends, I’ve reconnected with some great friends, new staff coming in I’ve become really good friends with.

"The other staff that was here when I was there, we’re good friends and we have connected and that’s what it’s about at a club like this. With the fans, the fans have been amazing. From day one at Cardiff until the last one now. [They’ve been] top, and we’ll see each other again."

Solskjaer also hinted that his work leaves United in a good position to challenge for silverware over the next few seasons.

"Well, as I’ve said many times in interviews, I’ve been backed. The board and the owners have backed me in [terms of] bringing good people in, good players in and I think, or I know I leave this club with a better squad," he said.

"The environment is fantastic, it’s an environment I’m proud of leaving because you have to enjoy coming in here working. I don’t want to pre-empt anything but the two times I’ve left Molde, they’ve won the league the year after, so all the best to whoever takes over – that’s the expectations!"

Solskjaer went on to thank the fans and also revealed that he would be supporting United afar, before attempting to get back into football at a later date.

"I’ll spend some time with my family. That’s been probably the most difficult part, through the pandemic, with Norway being open and here being closed, my family moved back to Norway and the young one, he loves it back there, so we’ve lived apart.

"So, I’ll spend some time with them. Then, I’ll watch the team of course and hopefully, the next manager comes in and I want to support him.

"I want him to be successful, hopefully I’ve laid the foundations for that to happen because I know I’m good at what I’m doing. I’m a hundred per cent sure to create a football environment, that’s where I’m good at and at some point, I’ll probably be back [working in football]."

For more from Matt O’Connor-Simpson, follow him on Twitter!