Ole the Legend 20 has

[Lazie]

retired.

[Lazie]

The legend slides into the sunset. Well done good and faithful servant.

[Assasin]

Solskjaer the perfect professional

Premier League Manchester United by Phil McNulty - BBC Sport 28 August 2007



Ole Gunnar Solskjaer brings the curtain down on 11 years at Old Trafford with one simple statement of fact proving his worth.

No-one - inside or outside Old Trafford - can muster up a single bad word to say about the Norwegian whose boyish appearance won him the nick-name "The Baby-Faced Assassin."

Solskjaer has caused many a curse from opposing teams and supporters with his unerring eye for the target, or his uncanny habit of scoring the goals that win matches, and on occasion trophies.

But once partisanship is removed from the equation, Solskjaer will receive nothing other than praise or respect from every football fan.

In an era of big-spending and even bigger egoes, has there ever been a better value-for-money deal than the £1.5m Sir Alex Ferguson paid Molde for Solskjaer's services in 1996?

366 appearances and 126 goals later, it is difficult to come up with a better transfer concluded by Ferguson.

At a time when many clubs, paricularly Liverpool, were having mixed fortunes in the fledgling Norwegian market, Ferguson hit the jackpot in quite spectacular fashion when he unearthed Solskjaer.

The highlight of Solskjaer's career will always be that winner in the 1999 Champions League final against Bayern Munich, capping United's dramatic injury-time comeback.

But earlier that season he kept the treble bid on course with another late, late winner against Liverpool in the FA Cup at Old Trafford.

This was Solskjaer in essence - maybe not a scorer of great goals, but a great goalscorer and a scorer of priceless goals.

He was a better footballer than many gave him credit for, so much more than a penalty area predator.

Indeed, it was his ability to flourish in a right-flank role that helped persuade Ferguson it was time to sell David Beckham to Real Madrid in 2003.

Sadly, persistent injury problems meant Ferguson's theory was never fully put to the test.

Solskjaer the player has been suitably decorated, his career well-chronicled.

But admiration is just as great for Solskjaer the professional.

Solskjaer has never put a foot out of place at Old Trafford, never caused Ferguson a moment's trouble.

He has taken his place on the bench when he may have felt he deserved to be in the starting line-up.

The striker made his point emphatically, but not with words or threats.

He responded by turning games too numerous to mention after emerging as a substitute.

And on one memorable occasion, he scored four times in the last 20 minutes after coming on in an 8-1 win at Nottingham Forest.

And in a time when foreigners infiltrating our game are often portrayed as money-grasping mercenaries, Solskjaer has displayed nothing but unswerving loyalty to Old Trafford.

Contrast his demeanour with Gabriel Heinze, a player who never came close to touching his achievements or affection at United.

Heinze attempted to engineer a move to arch-rivals Liverpool before eventually skulking off to Real Madrid.

It was behaviour that would not have entered the head of Solskjaer.

It was loyalty repaid by Ferguson when he handed him a new contract despite constant injury problems.

Solskjaer's retirment will sadden Ferguson both professionally and personally, but he may yet return in a coaching or ambassadorial role.

And, knowing Solskjaer, he would continue to be a credit to himself, United and football.

comment on this article

Missa Marin you deh bout?

[Gamma]

why dem needed to mention heinze to make a point? poor taste! the point was already made.

other than that true.....no late night drinking binge, no scuffle, no nothing ...

[Yuttie]

to rhatid, yo chase di man into ritirement..hehe..

[Paul Marin]

Assassin...si mi yaso. Cho'...Solskjaer a nuh no balla...ongly people at United did rate him. Unu can gwann miss him, but don' gwann like is Pele did retire. An why them did mention Heinze fi true, is not like is him one was the only player did vex wid the Almighty Lord Jesus Sir Alex himself ...but you did know dat already, don't it?

Anyway, respec' to your youth and good luck to him on him nex' phase in his career.

[Lazie]

Assassin...si mi yaso. Cho'...Solskjaer a nuh no balla...ongly people at United did rate him. Unu can gwann miss him, but don' gwann like is Pele did retire. An why them did mention Heinze fi true, is not like is him one was the only player did vex wid the Almighty Lord Jesus Sir Alex himself ...but you did know dat already, don't it?

Anyway, respec' to your youth and good luck to him on him nex' phase in his career.

"Solskjaer a nuh no balla...ongly people at United did rate him"

Mi curious! Which current Livafool player have half the EPL winners medal that Ole does?

[Gamma]

or goals...