Gary Neville admits Manchester United Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has made some glaring mistakes, while revealing that he a text message of support to his former team-mate after some bad results.
The Reds already look a side that won’t reach their season expectations after a slow start to the season.
After three years in the job, this has led to Solskjaer coming in for some heavy criticism and links to other managers taking over.
His former team-mate and avid backer, Gary Neville, has done an interview with the Daily Mail on never calling for a manager to be sacked on TV. This has become a weird obsession with some on social media, who feel Neville should call for his mate to be sacked when no other pundit has been pressured into doing so, ever.
“There are people saying this is the worst moment of my punditry career,” he told the Mail.
“They say I am not being honest. But I am not paid on TV to sack managers and I ain’t doing it. I know the impact of Gary Neville saying a Man United manager should be sacked.
“For the pundits who have said it then ‘well done’ but it’s not my style. When I see another pundit calling for any sacking, I cringe. My stomach turns.
“My line is crossed with that. Maybe their line is in a different place.”
Neville said that it has been ‘heartbreaking’ to watch Solskjaer struggle at Old Trafford, adding: “We are in a really bad position and it’s heartbreaking to watch Ole.
“For Man United fans who loved him and ex-players who still love him. It’s not easy commenting on a former team-mate.
“I think Ole not sorting out the compactness of the team earlier was silly. It was a glaring tactical omission.
“I am happy to say that. Not good enough. But I just won’t say the other thing. Not about Ole or any manager. I never have.”
At least Neville is consistent as a pundit like he was as a player.
Neville admitted he sent a text to Solskjaer, but the topic of conversation wasn’t football. It was simply motivational.
“I text Ole that once because I thought it was getting that bad.
“But I don’t have any football communication with them, even with my brother and Giggsy were working at the club.
“I just told him to keep going.”
The question going into today’s game against Watford is can United still mount a challenge for the title this season? Yes, that may seem far-fetched to some, but who knows if results go our way over the festive period?
I wouldn’t hold my breathe because United have been so far off the pace this season.
