Solskjaer on Ashley Young comment he overheard after first meeting with United squad

"I could hear him behind me."

The former United manager has been speaking about his time at Old Trafford during an appearance on the Stick to Football podcast.

He also discussed the start of his tenure at Old Trafford, when he was hired on an interim basis in December 2018 as Jose Mourinho’s replacement.

On the podcast, Gary Neville asked the Norwegian what he “found in the dressing room” when he first went into the job. 

Solskjaer replied: “Obviously the players lost games, they weren’t happy, they weren’t playing well, low in confidence.

“First thing, we go in, just talk about just being Man United, express yourself.”

Solskjaer explained that, at the time, the plan was for him to be at the club for “four months” so he wanted to make the players “enjoy playing football, enjoy running forward, playing forward like Man United teams should do.”

He continued: “I remember Ashley Young’s comment when we walked out of that meeting and I could hear him behind me: ‘Thank f**k we’re talking about being Man United again!’

“Because I think maybe there had been a few managers before talking what they did at other clubs.”

In March 2019, Solskjaer was given the United job on a permanent basis after a run of one defeat in 13 games. 

He ended up leaving the club in November 2021, following a run of five defeats in seven games and a humiliating 4-1 defeat at Watford.

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