Former Chelsea midfielder Craig Burley says Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will “never have the CV of Jose Mourinho and Louis van Gaal”.
Solskjaer was handed the Manchester United job on a permanent basis on Thursday morning after leading the club on an extraordinary run of results as caretaker boss.
Initially seen as a capable stop-gap appointment following Mourinho’s sacking, Solskjaer has implemented a return to winning attacking football, utilising exciting players and young talent.
It has put United back in the top-four hunt, while a remarkable win at Paris Saint Germain has kept their Champions League dreams alive, and it is that work – rather than fan popularity – that has resulted in his full-time appointment.
Van Gaal can boast 20 pieces of silverware in his managerial career, while Mourinho is currently on 25 major honours and Burley doesn’t think Solskjaer – who won three trophies at Molde – can be as successful as his predecessors.
“I don’t think anybody is going to sit here, well some might, and say ‘Solskjaer’s the next best thing since sliced bread at management level’,” Burley said on ESPN.
“He’s landed on his feet, he’s got a good coach with him in terms of Mike Phelan.
“We know Mourinho was struggling at Man United and they were horrible to watch.
“He’s put a spring in the step of everybody.
“But he will probably never, no I won’t say probably, he’ll never have the CV of Mourinho and Louis van Gaal.
“He just won’t.”