Ole Gunnar Solskjaer cleared his desk to make way for the next Manchester United manager as he challenged the out-of-sorts Red Devils to kick on and shake themselves out of their dismal slump.
After almost three years in charge, Solskjaer was sacked on Sunday, the 4-1 defeat to Watford a result from which there was no coming back.
It came on the back of excruciating manhandlings by Liverpool and Manchester City at Old Trafford, with United having now lost five of their past seven Premier League games.
Many will consider the Norwegian to have been badly let down by a talented squad, but Solskjaer departed by describing the players he left behind as top lads, top people such an enjoyable bunch to work with .
He intends to return to his native Norway and spend time with his family but said he would probably return to work in football.
I m going to leave by the front door, because I think everyone knows I ve given everything for this club, Solskjaer told United s in-house television station MUTV. This club means everything to me and together we re a good match, but unfortunately I couldn t get the results we needed and it s time for me to step aside.
14 Manchester United are on a current run of 14 consecutive home matches without a clean sheet; only once in their history having a longer run without a clean sheet at home, between April 1958 and March 1959 (21). Screams.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe)
Solskjaer said he was very, very proud and so honoured and privileged to have managed the club he played for with distinction during Alex Ferguson s glory years as manager.
It s been a ball, it s been absolutely enjoyable from the first to the last minute, he said, 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.
Some players have given Solskjaer many headaches along the way, but the emotional 48-year-old was not minded to look at the dark times as he gave one last interview before departing.
He said he hoped he was leaving United in a better state than when I came and has confidence the squad improved during his tenure.
I know the foundation is there, I know they re ready to kick on, and I m sure they will, he said. I m sure we ll see them puff their chest out and they ll go on a run.
As I ve said to them this morning as well: Trust yourselves, you know we re better than this.’
Solskjaer s side lost 11-10 on penalties to Villarreal in last season s Europa League final, goalkeeper David de Gea missing the final spot-kick.
Reminded of this, he repeated a familiar trope from his reign, that it is not always the trophies all the time that is the be-all and end-all .
Doubtless, Solskjaer would have wanted to depart with silverware though, and his inability to deliver that will ultimately mark his record as United boss.
Club legend
— Marcus Rashford MBE (@MarcusRashford)
He hopes United s next manager can deliver better results. The club are set to make an interim appointment, with a permanent boss to be named at the end of the season, or at least that is the stated plan for now.
I want him to be successful, Solskjaer said. Hopefully I ve laid the foundations for that to happen because I know I m good at what I m doing. I m 100 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].
He added: 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 expectation!
