Solskjaer: Management Future, United Memories & Besiktas Experience | Stick to Football EP 102

0:00Just before we get started, a quick thanks to our partners and clothing. We hope you enjoy the show. We're on. We're on. Let's go. Ah, yeah.

0:17Chocolate this time of morning. First double ep? Like, second ep, sorry. First guest to come back on twice. Yeah. And he's been to Turkey since. Oh, Gary, there's a new Arn's store. London. It's opened in London on Carnaby Street. I'm going to go this week. I'm going to go on Friday. I'm obsessed with their gear. So, yeah, it's open every day until Christmas Eve from now. It's a pop-up. Have you been to Carnaby Street? I don't think I have. Good. Is it? Yeah, good street. What's the equivalent in Liverpool? I don't know. Like a cool street that's got shops on. Bold Street? Bold? Bold Street, yeah.

1:01Maybe. B-O-L-D? Yeah. Somebody give us one. Best player to not win a Champions League. Zlatan Ibrahim. Zlatan. Just say Zlatan. Zlatan. I can't believe I said Zlatan instead of Maradona. I said Zlatan. Maradona didn't play in it, though, did he? Did he? It wasn't Champions League, was it? No, it's like Premier League. Yeah, so I'm happy with that. Zlatan, giving it all that. Yeah, please. Gary you've had that t-shirt on for a week

1:38It's a white t-shirt

1:44Welcome back I don't know what I did last time to deserve this I didn't do anything wrong This is a pain You have literally been my favourite guest Five and a half years Definitely Because I don't give you any grief Yeah, just him. Are you living in Manchester? At the moment, yeah, I am. So after Besiktas, then I'm doing some work for UEFA. Oh, OK. Champions League games. Oh, UEFA won. People love that UEFA job. What are you doing with UEFA, Oli? Technical observer. Technical observer. That's networking to get back into the game. I was thinking that now. I need to go on this one just to make sure that, yeah, I'm open for a new job.

2:31Do you actually do reports on games and stuff? Yeah. Some games it's like... What, actually written reports? Yes, some are proper, like, really into detail. And some games you just pick the player of the match. Oh, right, OK. Well, that's all you do, Olin. That sounds better, doesn't it? That's all you do on comms. Yeah. Pick the player of the match. Oli, just take us through that. Are you ready for Observer? Yeah. Are you doing a detailed report? It depends on the game. Yeah, but let's say you do one. What would the report look like? and who would that be for and what's it for? It's on the UEFA websites.

3:05So it's UEFA, that's the code or the education they do. So for example, last week or a couple of weeks ago, the Arsenal-Atletico Madrid won. Okay. So you just look at tactically how they set up and blah, blah, blah. And then you ask for little videos. So during the game, I'm in contact with the UEFA headquarters headquarters and they find videos for me and then analysts and then look at this, look at that how they build up, how they create chances and all this and in the end you just have to pick the player of the match, best midfielder defender, attacker, keeper and then next day you write a proper report Do you enjoy it?

3:48Yeah, I do, free games free tickets for games and I'm asked to do the ones in England so I don't have to travel too much Manchester. Just driving. It's all learning, isn't it? Just doing something a bit different, isn't it? When you go back into management. So you're living in Manchester now, Ollie? Yeah. You've moved back from Norway? Yeah. Or from Turkey. Sorry. Why didn't you go back to Norway? Just interested in why you come back to Manchester. Everyone stays in Manchester, don't they? They can't go home. No, at the moment, it's just, as Roy says, networking. Meet people, but doing all these games as well instead of travelling all the time.

4:25So it's a good way of keeping in the game. Stick to Football is brought to you by Arm Clothing. Touch wood and hope it doesn't happen to us. And then six hours later, we give each other a hug and see you later. How would you end up hugging somebody? When people say it's business, I always think it's personal. You want to get back in again now? It's not like I'm desperate to be back in, but yeah, I can be. In England, you're proud of me. In England, I love living here as well. He's like, Gary, he used to kiss you. Yeah. Gary's a kisser. Yeah, you're a kisser, girl. I was so happy. I love it. He just goes on the lip.

5:00Oh, tickle him. He'll tickle him. Coming back to Arling again with Alfie as a dad and his mum who was an athlete. Jeez, you're obsessed with Arling today. What's up, mate? That's DNA from the mudder.

5:15Alfie's closer to you than anything.

5:23Right, before we start the talking to you, Oli, we've got a lad here, right? Where's Lewis? Where is Lewis? Lewis, have you met him? Yeah, I've just met him, yeah. Right, you need to watch this. Come here, Lewis. Hi, Lewis. Hi, you all right? Hi, Lewis. Come introduce yourself to everyone, Lewis. Hello, Lewis. Lewis works on the overlap team. Lewis works on the overlap team. Right. Lewis, tell us your special skill. Well, I can name any United Premier League result from about 2011, like, off my memory. What? What? The goal score isn't the score usually. Gary, you've got something? In the Premier League.

5:55In the Premier League. Or any game. The Premier League is like, I do know that. I'm confident. Wow. Okay. That's like Kieran McKenna. I can ask Kieran, what happened in the 74th minute against Brentford? He'll just do it like that. Right, so let's test Lewis now on a game. From 20 what year? 2011. August 2011 to now. I don't look back at that far. Give me some dates. I'll give us something. I'll give us some dates, yeah? Did they play Saturday? Gary's got a new phone. When did you stop playing? When did you finish? 2021. October. Finish playing? Yeah, playing. That's long. 0-7. 0-7. When were you?

6:34I'll go 2013. 2013. Go on, Gal. 2013. So in 2013, Man City United played Newcastle away. Newcastle away. That's 2013. So 12-13. Hang on, let me just have a quick look. Can we answer as well? Lars are just... You go for it. Ollie asked him a good one. It's 12-13. 12-13. Yes, hang on. You go first. Ollie just asked him a really good one. OK. Season after, when Giggsie took over. The last four games, Giggsie. Yeah, yeah. So I know they played... They lost 1-0 at home to Sunderland. Norwich was one. Norwich. Let him do his... Let him do his 1-0-ness. And we won 4-0 to Norwich, like you said. I think it was Rooney double, Matta double.

7:16and then Aston Villa, I think we might have played. That might have been Moyes. I know we drew, his last game was 1-1, Southampton, Lallana and a matter-free kick. Wow. Did James Wilson not score in that Norwich game? Yeah, there was Hall City. No, I think that was Hall City. Wow. Were you a mother when that game scored? Were you coaching for that game? I look how sad that's the gigs. Yeah, you were on gigs and butty as well, no? Yeah, butty as well. Lewis, the Newcastle game then. The Newcastle game in 2012-13. What was the score? That was in 2012, wasn't it? Away at Newcastle. Yeah. It doesn't say, it just says 2012-13.

7:52That was Everett, Johnny Evans, Tom Cleverley away at Newcastle, I think. Brilliant. Let me see, please. 3-0. Yeah, 3-0, yeah. How do you remember all this? I've got a picture on my phone where I've got loads of season review DVDs and I just watch them all the time. I know, but for the information to see, it's incredible. I've also had a season ticket since 2014 as well. So I go to a lot of the games, so I just remember where I am, really. It's like a stupid game. This is a tough one, right? Go on, then. This is a tough one. Give him a tough one, girl. In that season, United played Sunderland at Old Trafford.

8:272012-13? Yeah. Yeah, we won 3-1. Rooney, Van Persie, Cleverley, and then Fraser Campbell scored, I think, for Sunderland. That is far, Fraser. That is unbelievable. Good, though. You should be a pundit. Who crossed it for them?

8:46I'm more surprised Tom Cleverley scored Cessignon Cessignon Do you want to go one more? 2015 It's a different season Yeah 2015 It'd be great if he'd catch him out Wouldn't it? I forgot one Why is there always One person in this game? 2021 away to Watford I forgot that one 2021 away to Watford I forgot that I was actually there I forgot that You don't have to say it Olive, think of a game that you played that you remember most. No, that was way before 2011. Yeah. Must be Scoles, after his comeback. Yeah, come on Scoles. One of the games you played. Right, here we go. What about your game against Sunderland when you ran from the halfway line?

9:30Can you remember that goal? Yeah, yeah, yeah. What was the score? Michael, throw, I've got no idea. We won Sunderland at home. Your goal was really good. 96-97. OK, in the 2015-16 season, United travelled to Goodison Park and played at Everton. Yeah, yeah. 3-0, Rooney, Schneidlin and Herrera. This is ridiculous. I feel like I'm in Dexter walking. You take YCV. Last one. You're going to get something really bizarre. How are they going to do against Spurs on Saturday? That's what we wanted to know. 2-0. I'll go four. Chelsea in February 15-16. 15-16, 1-1, Diego Costa, Jesse Lingard. You can't get him going.

10:2215-16. This is ridiculous. You're not getting him going. I don't believe it was I. No, we're trying to get a smaller game. They're like big games. Are you going to predict it? Right. Here we go. I'm terrible at that. Are you going to like minutes that goals went in and stuff? It'd be pretty hard. I'd give it a good go, but that'd be a lie. Okay, then. finish him what are you just doing unbelievable things everybody's trying to find ways to we'll give you the five minute we're going to United won

10:51they played Watford in March what was the score same season 15-16 yeah Mata scored a free kick in like the 89th I don't know 83rd get out get out I'm sorry got you got you disappointed Do you know what the next game was? No. West Bromwich Albion. We lost 1-0. Rondon scored the winner. Matt got sent off, I think, didn't he? What's a West Brom game I'm thinking of now, guys, when I'm thinking about you? No, that's 20. Why, what did he do? For the sake of like six minutes, I think that was his last game. OK, last one. He was playing for West Brom, then. Last one. We played Leicester. in May 2015-16.

11:42Yeah, we drew 1-1, Martial scored first, then Wes Morgan equalised. Is that the year when Leicester won the league? Yeah. Cheers. That is so good. Well done. Lewis, when you go back into football, you can take Lewis in. Well done. I got the 2015 champions, the Leicester, so I went back to 10 years. I can remember stuff as well. I've been in the scorers for every game in the last 14 years. Do you think Jamie could remember a few? Who? Jamie Carragher. He remembers these. Not like that. But you're on about strikers. Do you remember all your goals? If they tell me the game, I can get... I think so, yeah.

12:26I think I would, yeah. Plus, I'd go home at night and watch them 100 times. Do you remember all your goals? I would think so, yeah. I think so, yeah. I remember your six. There weren't that many. What was your goal, Nat Foley, from outside the box? Was it Champions League? Sturmgratz. Is that one of your best goals? Yeah, that's probably the best. Which one was that? That's the day. I think you've just signed a new deal. That big deal that you signed. We were all happy. We were talking about that before. He just dipped a little bit after that. He just went off. All my deke seems to be a big deal.

13:03Took his foot off the ground. What about the change you missed against Leverkusen? No, start with that again. We had that last time. We had that last time. I'm going to have it again. That's what I mean. Every time we meet. I'm behind now. I'm literally behind you. That's it. Lean's back. It's a half chance for you and it's a big chance for me. Ollie, get over it. I know, I know. You've got to get over it there as well. You've got to move on in life. See, Ollie, if you like to talk about the goals he scored, I like the misses. You've got to talk about the misses. All the goals he scored, though, and you're picking up on one miss when you leant back.

13:37Behind him, last minute. Why didn't you show? Yeah, I think Roy. Why didn't you show? You think about the misses, Jill, you do. When people come up to you, they don't talk to you about, oh, right, nice to see you. I remember that miss in Saturday. No one says that. You talk about the goals you scored. He does. I don't remember any more misses. I don't even know any misses. I haven't had any misses. You missed for England in Rome. Oh, yeah. Didn't you? That's the only one people... You know what? That's the only one. You see with that one. Is that a chance? Yeah. Is that a good chance? You know, latter stages, blasting past Cannevaro.

14:07I mentioned that and then it was nearly running out and I just tried to bend it to the far post it was narrow I tried to bend it so it would go in the other post and it hit the front of that one and went to Teddy I thought tap it back to me Ted and I could have just put it in the goal and what did he do? he tried to shoot then we went up the other end and then it went over the port and then Vieri remember head it just missed the post all I was thinking about was the slaughtering I'd get if Vieri scored that That's what I was thinking about, attacking down that left side. I remember watching that hole when I had it would go in.

14:41Was he praying? It was an all-grab one. Because when he headed it, remember his goals, he headed it back across and he was just waiting for it to hit the net. He was good at it. It's no motion, yeah. He was good, Christian. As a striker, how quick do you get over a missing again? You know, if it's like a blatant... No, but like in the moment, are you just over it? Or can it play on your mind? They're the best ones, aren't they? Just forget about it. Yeah. But does that happen? I remember watching Kerry Dixon. I can't remember who he was playing. It was his first vision. And I remember he had an unbelievable chance in the first five minutes of the game.

15:16I was watching it. And when he missed this chance, the chance that he normally just takes, it was an easy side foot. And you look at him, when the camera, he would not even have known that he'd even had a shot. His face never changed. His demeanour never changed. He'd never done this. Never done nothing. And he still scored the win in the last minute of the game. you just have to just just have to shut it off yeah be brave enough to miss isn't it absolutely you know just got to be brave to miss Michael Owen like that I think that he had that kind of energy yeah he was cold like yeah he missed it definitely look at him like he doesn't care even sitters though if you miss a sitter that must be so yeah I can't I like it literally an open goal when you think of Ollie you don't remember him missing sitters like Ollie no you don't remember him missing that one I know you remember that one in Levegan I know you do yeah that's what you do I can't remember that.

16:04You know when you're watching now, Roy, I watch on the TV now and you see some chances, you see him leaning back and I genuinely think, I don't, I'm not saying it arrogant, I don't think I'd miss that. Not the amount of work I'd put into training to finish. I can look at these chances, what I see, why has he waited? Why has he done that? I just don't think I'd miss that. Right, he's just touched on it in training, about the amount of times he would do it in training. We were talking a couple of weeks ago, Scoles was talking about advice he was giving to a goal scorer. I don't know if you saw it.

16:31I've actually seen that one, yeah. Yeah. You're the person in this room that's been the most recent in the dressing room and obviously coaching. What does a 2025 finishing session look like at the sort of elite level, top of Turkish league, Premier League? I used to think of finishing at the end of the game where you used to play into Kido, lay it off, and then the lads would just shoot. And then it'd be a line of five players that obviously were forwards. You don't just whack it into the far corner. Is it more scientific than that now? Do you get them to do it nowadays, though? That's the question.

17:04Well, in Turkey, when I was there now, it's like, come on, we'll do some extra finishing. And you just get the young kids doing it, you know? The pros are not doing it. They're not like, you know, session's finished and let's do some extra. They don't have that pride that you want to, OK. Are the sessions still, Ali, about one and two-touch finished? You see lads on the edge of the box taking two, three-touch. The reality of top-level football is you only get one or two touches to finish it. I'm desperate on maximum two-touch. I touch, like, lay it off and finish it on our first touch. I'd be intrigued to know the stats.

17:40Obviously, you're on the walk with UEFA and looking at Champions League to top level. How many goals now from strikers is one or two-touch finish? It must be... It must be... For myself, it's about... 50-60 % as high as that, do you reckon? 70... I think so. I think 77 of my United goals of 126 were one touch. Is that right? 77? 77. I put the stats and then 26, 27 were two touch. Then you have the odd one like Sunderland. Yeah, when you run. Yeah, not many. Just take me back to, because you've said something there. I always think that when old pros, ex-players like us, so other lads don't work as hard nowadays, they don't stay behind.

18:20I've tried to stay clear of that. I think, to be fair, I don't think too many people in this room, but actually what you've just said really worries me, that lads, after training, are not staying out and doing extra 15, 20 minutes on their personal stuff. Yeah, a lot of it also is the too many games. So you don't have that extra, you know, the striking and shooting and all this. But you look at the best one now, and he trains and he practices all the time. That's Arling. Arling Haaland. He's fabulous. We just spoke about him, right? Never miss it. Oh, never. And is he still doing that now, though?

18:53Is he still doing that now? Yeah, definitely. He doesn't look like somebody who come out of his routine. No. No, he's a routine. Yeah, he's got a process. Strange enough, some of his goals this year against United, where he's actually running on to stuff. Now, obviously, the best city are playing. They're obviously playing a bit deeper and almost counter. Suits him. So he's fine with that, because we're talking about, on one hand, one-touch finishes, but no, a lot of his finishes are. He's actually running from deep to go against Arsenal, remember, under the season. Then he's got to think. There's loads of the thinking.

19:19But he's still fine with that stuff, isn't he? Yeah. that's his lifestyle and how he looks after himself and how because it's about energy coming into the games with energy that's what it's about what is his training routine I don't know well I don't know you know what it was though he was all every day asking for extra headers and extra finishing absolutely every day and then he finished with a few penalties after that mental he was 17-18 yeah 17 back then ghosts of show though don't it the proofs you've got to practice even with penalties I've gone to them sessions where you used to stand then and throw the ball over the top of your head.

19:54Did you ever do them? Yeah, but still. I used to do that. I used to do that six-ball finishing routine. I had six balls and all these sprints and get to it. And then the last three or four, or the last one or two, that's when you're tired and that's more much like it. That's fatigue. That's when you have six balls at the edge of the 18-yard line with six different players there. No, I had Rene with the ball in his hand. up to the penalty spot he threw the ball over my shoulder or whatever and get to and finish and get back in and then he'll So you're working under fatigue basically Well the first two or three is easy and then the last two or three It's like wow But don't you need one of your coaches to have the the energy to save you This is not the manager obviously you've got coaches that almost the coaches have go come on lads you're up for it and go yeah go on then You need a goal You need a reserve goal and you do it properly Yeah do it properly First team keepers none of them want to go I don't know The best was Alex Meninga when he came.

20:52He would stay out. The attitude to it, yeah. He'd stay out for four hours. If you want to shoot for four, he'd stay for four hours. You do need that, don't you? Try and save every penalty. Try to save everything. Unbelievable he was. I used to start with Steve all the time. Steve? Steve McLaren, I used to start. Yeah, all the time. This episode of Stick to Football is brought to you by Arm Clothing. Take us over to Turkey then. You mentioned Turkey. Yeah. What was that like? Rollercoaster. Brilliant. absolutely fantastic we've spoke about it a little bit it's like people are so passionate both for good and bad but living in Istanbul the people there fantastic just like there's there wasn't enough I don't think I was the right man to bring or I was hoping to bring my stability to the club but we just in Turkey when did you realise it didn't work what's your stability yeah what is your stability I'm more of a calm person yeah you know relaxed but they are very high when they win very low when they lose while I'm never too high and never too low so I was hoping to gradually move them over to my kind of thinking but it was so passionate it's just like lost the game dead won a game like party but it was brilliant It's that's for managers already though isn't it?

22:08We're not about managers in England but getting sacked in Turkey I'm going to say average is it six or seven months would it be as bad as that? I think I was longer serving than the previous five or six anyway. But it's a great club, great people. I absolutely loved it. You know, the atmosphere in the stadium. It's incredible. The fans, when the going was good, like we beat Galatasaray, we beat Fenerbahce, then it's like unbelievable. And you're the best. Then you lose. Yeah, we lost in Europe. And that was my doing. Was that the qualifying round? Yeah, that was my doing. We won the first league game and then we lost in Europe and went out.

22:49Is that for the Champions League, Arley? Is that to get in the Champions League? No, no, that was actually conference league. Right, OK. Did you know if you lost that game that it was going to be see you later? Probably. It's one of those that we had to have European football. I had lunch with the president before, same day, pre-match, because Man United lost to Grimsby the night before. So it's like, well, that happens in football. and then we play this Swiss team and he's like, you know, touch wood and hope it doesn't happen to us and then six hours later you're sat in his office and we give each other a hug and see you later.

23:28Was that straight after the game, Oli? Or was it the day after? Straight after the game. What, he came into your office? I did the press conference and then walking out they just told me, OK, the president wants to see you. So it's one of two. Either you get sacked or... Because there was international break straight after then we got to go somewhere because I was thinking what's probably probably getting the sack how do you end up hugging somebody you know what I mean when you go to a room but that's the thing that's the thing it's it's nothing personal and no yeah but why would you hug somebody I just well he's well he he's he's one of them well did a hog help with the payoff he's like I'll hug him I'll get me money you should have no money that's why the whole board was there and I still have a good relationship with everyone there, but results matter in football and then it's not for you.

24:21Where were you in the league? No, we just played one. Oh, yeah, we played one game? Yeah, one win. So you were top, though? No. Joint top. Joint top. That's not... No, but that's football. That's a terrible atmosphere. You go into the president's office and the rest of the board... The board was there, so they had a meeting there and then, see, because obviously I had a good relationship with all of them, but the results weren't there. so or Europe you mean in Europe in Europe yeah so but that's football did you think were you expecting it or do you think it's unfair on reflection it doesn't matter how I feel about it that's what they wanted to do and then I'm fine about it no problem I mean obviously I've sacked managers after five six months so I'm sat here not in a position of strength to be able to say how can they do that four months what I would say It is.

25:13I'm looking at it from your side, Ollie, thinking now, and obviously I've spoke to a couple, I've spoke to you, Roy, about this. Do you get to the point where you think, I don't want to put my life in someone else's hands anymore in terms of my reputation, my credibility? They're just sacking me like I'm a piece of meat almost. Do you get to that point where you lose faith in actually what it is? You've got to do your research before, and of course I knew the history of Besiktas. I'd spoke to them twice before, a year before and six months before. And what happened then? Well, they picked someone else and there was a different president.

25:48But both of them had been sacked already. So obviously you know how kind of volatile it all is. But I'd been out for a while and I thought, it's a big club. You just want to go out there, enjoy it and try to do what I feel I'm good at, getting the best out of people. and we had a good run last year, almost directly into Europe. As I said, beat the big ones. I think when you get sacked, not only when people say it's business, but again, different personalities, I always think it's personal. You see managers getting sacked in their front and they move on the next week and it's like, it's not even a bother to them.

26:29I'm not saying it's the right or wrong, but I'd like to be more like the way other managers see it. Why would you think it's personal, right? Because you just feel it is personal. When you've lost your job, your pride, Obviously, if you think you've not done well, obviously you don't get knocked out in Europe. And sometimes some managers lose their jobs. It's nothing to do with football results. There might be issues with, obviously, people in the background. But I always look at it as it has to be. But I admire people who move on quickly. They almost forget about it quickly. But I just love hang-ups a bit.

26:57If a club let you go and you're like... I think when you take a job or I take a job, I'm then putting my honour and pride into helping that club, working for that club. It's not me. I'm not working for myself. I could easily, happily retire and sit here and have chats like this every single day. That's a comfortable life. But then if they trust you, well, OK, I'll try to help you. And that's the way I'm thinking. You had quite a long break, didn't you, from United to the 6th? Yeah, I did, yeah. Was your question going back in? Yeah, I thought maybe, maybe not, because life is great. How long have you been, Ali, from your...

27:36Almost three years, yeah, three years-ish, yeah. Did you talk to any other clubs in that period? Oh, yeah, yeah, many times. But it's like it didn't feel right. It didn't feel, how do you say, challenging enough or... Timing. Yeah, timing, worth moving away from your family and all these big things. That was some challenge there, though, Ali, taking on... Brilliant. Taking on that, that was some challenge. It's a good experience, though, again. Coming into a club where they were all more or less dead when I came in. I enjoy trying to give people or players the belief in themselves stuff, believe in themselves, give them the confidence.

28:16Of course, if you get results, everything's easier. But I like to work with people, with human resources, human capital. When you go into Turkey, what's your presentation? What's your sort of, you go in, do you have to give them a, when you go for an interview for a job? No, I didn't do an interview. They rang me and then we had a chat for half an hour and then... Did you give you the job? Yeah, they offered me the job. Then I had just moved into my new house in Norway, so I had to think about it twice. Okay. But then, okay, why not? So it wasn't even late? Most of the time you regret what you're not doing instead of what you do.

28:51Yeah. And I don't regret this one bit. Yeah. It was a great experience. Great experience. When you've gone for interviews for jobs before, what is it that you're expected to bring to that interview? I'm trying to imagine what are owners now expecting? Because to be fair, even at Solfano, I don't do the manager's interviews anymore. I haven't done for a few years. But what does a manager have to do to get a job now with clubs? Well, it depends who takes the initiative. Obviously, I'm not sending applications in for jobs. Not obviously, but I haven't because I've not felt the urge to work. but then they call you and say, can we work together?

29:31So I'm sure I'll end up in interviews like this later on as well. So if you've not applied for jobs, then gone for an interview, they've always come to you. Is that not how it works? How does it work in the Premier League? Say Wolves are looking for a manager now. How does that work? I think they'll have loads of applications, won't they? I think the sporting director of Wolves will be getting contacted from agents saying, would you like to have a conversation with them? I think that's the way it is. That would have been going on before he was sacked. to be agents ringing going if you make any decision with this manager would you consider I say that's constantly going on so when they come to and your conversation is obviously different I think so I think this is the way I do things this is can we work together it's like I'm not going to change who I am well it's brought me to here so I can't can't change now This episode of Stick to Football is brought to you by Arm Clothing Where are you at now in respect of obviously coming off the back of Turkey?

30:28You had the three years out coming off the back of Turkey. Where are you at now in your mindset? There's rumours obviously that you'd maybe had a conversation with Rangers. I don't know if that's true or not. No, I didn't speak to them, no. At all? No, I didn't speak to them. But yeah, me personally didn't. But they call my agent, as you say, or my agent rings whenever there's a... It's my best mate, to put it that way. and we end up talking I'm looking I'm open I'm open for You want to get back in again now? It's not like I'm desperate to be back in but yeah I can be Is England your priority?

31:04England I love living here as well yeah I think so yeah Championship would you consider it a championship or the club? You know when my kids ask me like well of course mid championship and up but I'm a football man I just is it Norway is it Sweden wherever it's about working with people and I love just trying to make the most or make them be the best version of themselves What if a team lower in the championship would you still consider You know when I played all this football manager and championship manager always started with teams Always And I've always liked to fight the odds that's just the way I've always been And I'd like to prove National team Would be nice yeah of course we've got a good coach Stoller we're on the way to the World Cup but if he one day doesn't sign a new deal of course who wouldn't want to work with Arling Haaland again?

32:03Ireland, Ireland, you were sniffing on the Irish, didn't you? I did have a conversation with them but I can't run your country, can't manage that for you that's yours Last time you spoke to us obviously you were talking mainly about the United job in terms of you just obviously come out of that maybe a year or so. How much impact do you think that had on you in respect of sort of, when you look back at that three, did it take a lot out of you mentally? And does it hurt still now an element of sort of just looking at it? Of course it does, because that's a, you know, sometimes you talk about jobs and then it's just a job and you move on.

32:39That Man United one, I've been there for 18 and a half years, so that's, well, how you're done with it. That's a different kind of scenario. so of course that was a kick. I thought we had something going but then now we've moved on from that one. Did it take the whole three years to get over that? No, no, no. No, no, no. No, he's not. But it takes time, yeah, of course. You do have to recharge the batteries. I'm amazed when some managers lose their job and they're literally within a week or two at a back. Joseph went from Fenerbahce to Benfica in a week. me, Eric and Arginger was sacked within three days or whatever, three of us and he just got back in and he's got that energy How was the club different when you were a manager?

33:23Was it different? Oh yeah, it was different it's all moved on of course but then that's that's by the by is that what they say? Is there games you look back on at United, can you remember what Ali were sometimes there's like, if you could just get over the line in certain games isn't it the final of Pembroke if you get a trophy under your belt it just gives you a bit more time if we'd won the final of course that'd be different if you knew that you like because you sense it but if you knew this is the last one if you don't win this one you do you'd put a different team out and all this because I was always I've never ever once apart from keeping Scott McTominay away from Derby on loan my first few months that's the only time I've been thinking about myself I've always thought about the club before me and then always long term and who needs games and da da da but if you know it's and that's that's an advice from me to you if you're ever thinking about getting rid of someone speak to them we need next three games we need to see a change if not we'll have to change and everyone's a man enough to say okay you think it's better for an owner to go to a manager and say you've got three games or next game or yeah 100 % yeah I do that every week couldn't I I've never done that and I've heard that as a tactic but the idea of telling someone they're going to lose the job what's that going to how are they going to react how are they going to react to that I've been told once where was that?

34:55in Mulder so just asked have you got the energy to do this yeah of course I'm enjoying myself but if we don't win the next game I've got to do that what the other people are wanting me to do. So then I'll have to sack you. Okay. And then it's just... Just one game? Yeah, yeah. You have to win the next one. So then what happens after you win that one game? That's what I was thinking. When do they come back and say you need to win this game? It puts pressure on you as well. Yeah, it puts pressure on you. That was the ultimatum. Ian, I'm completely with you. I'm just thinking it from an owner's perspective.

35:31If I'm saying to a manager that your whole future at the club is dependent upon one football match, I've already made the decision to say, yeah. Yeah, you're just waiting for him to live. I've already had that conversation with fellow owners. We've sat there and we've said, we're going to sack you. But if he wins this weekend, we'll keep him. But in a couple of weeks, if it turns, we're going to get rid of him anyway. I can see that point. I've been on the end of a bad result and then that's it. But it was happening so... But at United, it was hard towards the end. You must have seen and felt that.

35:58Oh, yeah, yeah. We lost to City and Liverpool. Of course, anyone could do that against Klopp and Pep but the way we did it that went right because he was at home and then of course when we lost to Watford away that was it But if a situation's happening you're saying is it not best to know that it's happening I think so Would a manager know that I'm not saying going in every week You'd have vibes going do you know what I've got to get a couple of results might be just one game but I've got to get some results I think what you would do what I've done but to be fair I don't know what other owners do what I think I would have done in the past would have been to say look you know the results there's a pattern of results here that aren't going our way, because obviously you won't be having that conversation anyway if they weren't, if they were going our way, what are we going to do to change this?

36:41I think that's how I'd position it in terms of, if you're playing 4-4-2 or you're playing 4-3-3 or you're picking certain players, what are we going to do to change it? How can we change this to try and change the direction of the momentum that's swinging against us? That would be a conversation I would expect to have with them, not just leave them and then sack them, but I think you'd have that conversation to say, look, this isn't working, what are we going to do? I think I'd expect answers from that coach at that point. If you agree then, okay, let's do this for a month or whatever. So it's before instead of after the game, you sat there and then, okay, you get the nod, like the gaffer when you're not playing.

37:20I think that's your man enough to know that, okay, I'm struggling here now. We need to show a bit of change in the next, say, three weeks, four weeks. Have that conversation. I thought United, and maybe it's something that's just ignorant, I just thought when they brought you in, they brought you in obviously to the end of the season initially, didn't they? Yeah. And then obviously you didn't. Or no, they brought me in until they found someone else. So that could have been one month, two month treatment. Okay. But when they brought you in, I thought there was a, because obviously at the time the club didn't have anybody in the sporting department at all.

37:50They didn't have a sporting director, they didn't have a technical director. I thought there was a natural sort of way after a year and a half for you just to step up. Yeah. And sort of work along. in terms of like have you ever thought about that the idea of shifting up into that sporting director role so that you're not in that firing line of basically every six months losing your job definitely you would consider something like that I would yeah to have the Google Earth or overview just sit there and then direction of the club that's the long term direction that's when I've been the manager I've always thought about the long term and then develop the club but isn't your strengths like working with players and people and emotional intelligence I know you still have an element of that, but obviously getting the best out of players.

38:33I can't say what my strength is. I think that's someone else who's worked with me that can say that or played with me. As a human being, you don't want to stop talking about yourself. Is that seen as a cushy number, though? Obviously, you've had a taste of management. I think a lot of people don't want to go upstairs because there is security in the job. That's not always a good thing either. When people go upstairs, they go, well, I'll be all right for a treat. I can sack one or two people. maybe you'd miss that edginess of being a manager and that results week to week. You hear any of the managers speaking, Martin and Eloff is going up to Celtic.

39:04I was chatting to him last week after the game, he said, we won. You have to win. That's what it's about. If you get enough wins, you should be all right. You can survive long enough. If you're not getting results, you don't need an owner to sit down when you go, listen, if things don't pick up next to, I know that, I'm not daft. Could you pick up them vibes around your club anywhere? This episode of Stick to Football is brought to you by Arm Clothing.

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40:03You mentioned Scott McTominay before. Yeah. What do you make of the club selling Scott McTominay and obviously how he's done since? And when he left, I don't think anybody around this table was probably jumping up and down and saying, what a shock, you can't sell him. I thought it was probably a mistake, but I wasn't thinking it's the worst decision I've made. But what were your thoughts? You've worked with him, you obviously have been there. I was almost shocked because you need a core of, I feel that you want a core of the local lads who know the club, who get the club. And Scott did. And for me, I think he's shown in Italy what good a player he is.

40:43I think he's top and a great character. Personality you want in and around the place, like sets the standards. And he'd survive when we played, 100%. You think that in our day, the boss would have kept him in the squad? Would you put him in, say, I'm not going to, but like I say, Fletch was a brilliant player, wasn't he, for United. Would you put him in, it's probably disrespectful to Fletch, I think Fletch was probably a level above him. But do you think, or do you think he was a similar level? Well, he was voted Serie A player of the year last year, Scott. So he won the league with Napoli. So I think Scott is one of them that you only know when you've got him in your squad, how good he is and how important he can be for a squad overall.

41:25He was showing at the end when he was scoring important goals and changing games because he definitely has something. The thing I would say with United is that they've moved away from the youth and the people that come through and build on the Bills, Busby Bays, 92, class of 92. Then you've got Scott McTominay gone, Marcus Rashford gone. You know what I mean? You've got like Kobe Maynard who can't get in the team. It's like everything's moved away from one of your core fundaments at Man United. That's what's going on. We always said he definitely warranted a place in the squad, didn't we? Especially when you see what he's doing now.

41:58But then what did Joke say? You're on about a squad player. What did I get for him? I don't know. £30 million, was it? You know, sometimes a£30 million, you know what I mean, for a squad player. I'm sure United had to bring some money in as well. It wasn't bad. If we were sitting here classing him as a squad player, sometimes you have to take that deal as well. Well, at the time, you probably thought it was right for him to move, didn't you? As much as we didn't like it because he was a local player. he's done since it fell the right you look at where Man United are and what he's doing for them for Concey to get that out of him that's the only thing you look at and think Man United couldn't have got that out of him they obviously couldn't I know I'm always wary when lads leave and go to a club like Napoli and obviously Napoli's a big club but it's not Man United I still think that's a different challenge and he's done well and listen good luck to that hopefully that will continue the next few years but I still wasn't hanging my hat in him every week at Man United going he'll be the man to get Man United back and when you're classing him as a squad player and someone says, here's 30 million.

42:52It wasn't a bad deal for him. At the time, we were seeing a squad player. You look at what he's gone on to do, the way he's gone to that next... Because winning a Serie A, whatever we think in his head, he's gone on some of it mentally and... In my squad, Scottie probably wasn't allowed to play in his best position enough. Because of Bruno, maybe. Yeah, Bruno, and maybe the lack of physicality we had in midfield and legs we had in midfield. and you saw a couple of games against Leeds where we said, Scott, this is a man-to-man game. We're going to have you running off, running off your man, third man run, up, back, through, and he'll score two, three.

43:31I can't remember how many goals he scored against Leeds, against the Bielsa team. I remember the games, yeah. And that's probably a reason, yeah, that we think of him as a... Has he got a different role at Napoli? He's definitely, obviously, he's one of the... He's coarse. I think he's one of the eights. He's got a bit more forward. And for Scotland. He was always box to box. He's got legs. Box to box. Great engine on him, yeah. Great physicality. When you say he would have survived when you've played, is there anybody else you would put in that bracket who's at Man United now? Like, whether it's mentality or leadership?

44:02Well, for me, I can only speak about the ones that I've worked with. And you look at Bruno, he'd survive. He'd fight you, probably. Definitely you. And Harry, I'm sure Harry would survive, definitely. just personality quality and I think Bruno would actually get better if he was in that dressing room because he wouldn't be able to a lot of quality yeah he's got a lot of quality and that's what you mentioned Harry Maguire there you named him captain and then obviously the captain was stripped off him a year or so later and we've obviously you know a couple of weeks ago they had an incredible game at Liverpool and everyone was delighted for him what's your view on that journey that he's had at United from sort of being made captain and then having it taken off him and how have you viewed that since you've left?

44:49Well, I've not been in touch with him too often throughout there, but I think he's shown great character, the way the type of person is, and I think he's shown the quality as well. The strength, this mental strength to still perform when he's had his critics. He's had a few bad games, he's made mistakes, but then got back in and... Yeah, but no-one's doubted his character, Ali. I know we've gone over this before. No one's ever doubted he's not a decent lad and a good pro and he's done well to kind of respond to all the criticism. But there was still an element that when he came in, he'd get caught out for his lack of pay.

45:25That was the only thing we always criticised, especially if we see teams now pushing up. And we still see him getting caught out with that. He's not going to get quick now. Even Brentford away. So that was the only thing I'd always look at. I thought he was getting found out too much. But again, when he's got people around him, the game at Liverpool when they're sitting deep, he's great. because he's an honest guy and he'd put his head in it and then he can get your goal at the other end. That's fantastic. I don't ever criticise or like to criticise coaches for leaving players out because it's different circumstances, different tactics.

45:56You want to press high, you want to drop low. It's all these things. You can see now with City how that suits Arling Haaland, the way they play. Because now suddenly teams go and attack them, put a cross in, second ball, counter-attack, threw on goal. And that's the same with centre-backs. Harry, yeah, of course he likes to drop deeper and defend deeper. And then maybe that was my style of football. It suited Harry. And then with Rashi and all the pace. So you were comfortable about it. Your style was counter-attack, wasn't it, really? Yeah, well, quick attack. Counter-attack, that's a different word.

46:33I like to play. You got a lot of joy that way, didn't you? Yeah, play the ball forward. You can control the game by defending really well, get them wherever you want them, and then play through the pitch on the floor, one, two, touch, go forward. It's not like just launch it to a striker. But was there some of your setbacks you think were actually you were in decent possession and you were a bit high up the pitch and maybe you got picked off a little bit? That's the problem. That's what Arsenal are doing now, in control, like you say. I like what you said, Jay. That's what Arsenal are doing now.

47:01They're just defending. They're defending, good defending, control. All these terminology, low block, mid block, high block. You defend high, you press high, you do have to sit deep when they're better you might be attacked on the day we can dominate if they're really good we just have to come back look at yourself and look at them what kind of problem are they causing us ok they've got pace ok we need to drop a bit more or they've got big tall centre forwards they're going to cross it ok let's stay higher leave Duncan Ferguson we press high against Newcastle because Shearer and Duncan Ferguson weren't the quickest but if they were in the box it's different with you do you think you like faster tacks because when you played up front sometimes you were like get the ball to us quicker yeah I think so I think that's the way to score goals to catch the opposition off balance everyone's now so organised defensively it's hard to to beat teams with 80 passes like sometimes was it Panathinaikos you scored a goal like we had we had a chip yeah we had 60, 70 odd passes before we scored.

48:10That doesn't happen anymore. I want to ask you about a couple more players, if I can. You said Marcus Rashford. What do you make of what's happened, obviously, when you had him? And then what do you make of this sort of journey that he's gone on, this decline, then obviously gone to Barcelona, he's gone to Villa? I've not spoken to Marcus since I left. Been texting a little bit. But the circumstances. I don't know what's happened in Marcus's life. But you can see he's enjoying himself now in Barcelona so and probably it looked like he didn't enjoy himself here at the end so why United having a group of players that are not enjoying themselves what's happening there I don't think that's just at United it's everywhere but of course it's blown it's not now I'm talking about in the last few years basically before I think now actually the team look like they're actually you know they're in a happy place at this moment I don't know all the pressures every single one's different and the pressures of life pressures of football I don't know we don't know what's happened to players when you walk in the morning and you see them grumpy that's the manager's job then you speak, I can see something's wrong and then you don't talk about that in the media most of the time, so we don't really know what's happened we just want him to do well because he's an incredible player when he's in form and he's happy and when he's got the energy, look at, I go back to Arling Haaland again, just the energy that he shows when he plays.

49:39Every time that when he's on the pitch, he just shows that enthusiasm and energy. And that's the least, I know, that's the least you shouldn't... A lot of players don't show that energy and enthusiasm. Why is that? Is it life? Is it too many games? We don't know, but he's found the right balance for sure. He's not slugged off after his new contract, does he? I just saw an interview with him a few months ago. I think it was after they won the Champions League and he's there stood there with his medal Thierry Henry is interviewing him and he's answering and then in the end he just asks he grabs the opportunity he asks Thierry Henry if you want to if you can give me one advice what would it be?

50:22That's the kid who's just wanted trouble and he just wanted that from him and that's him he just wants to learn all the time. Jadon Sancho you chased him for was it a year two years where you literally So you were really keen, obviously, to bring him into the club. The club did, yeah. And then I was, yeah, he's the best option that we have. What did you see in him before? In terms of the scouting reports, obviously he's got talent and he was playing very well at Brusselia Dortmund. Yeah. What were the things that sort of attracted you as a club to think, well, OK, he's going to do well at United?

50:54We wanted to take the next step on not moving away from, but also add, OK, in the last third, have players who can break teams down and jade in and around the box with his skill and link up play and little passes. Yeah, he gives us something different. He was unlucky because before he came, he went on holiday as you do and then all this diving and all sorts, but he got this infection in his ears. He was in hospital. He really struggled his first 10 days or something before he could start working with us at the club. At the club, yeah. Before he came to United? Yeah, before he came, yeah, that summer.

51:31so that's not come out but he struggled and then that's so I never managed so I never managed to really play with him because I was out before he was really on fire again I thought you meant diving on the pitch you mean in the pool and everything wow see sometimes you don't know the full story though do you there's quite a few that didn't work if you look back there's loads of them isn't there like a D. Marie I mentioned him last year over the last couple of years. There's so many that just haven't worked. But then they go on and... Yeah, do well in different clubs. Do well somewhere else, yeah.

52:08What do you make of the current... I know there's a lot been talked in the last few months about the system, and obviously you've been a manager. Have you ever played the five at the back and three at the back? Yeah, I have, yeah. 3-4-3, 3-box-3, whatever you call it. It's horrible to play against when it's played well. I agree. Because if you want to press it high... The first team that really did it, that I remember in our era, was Basel against Liverpool a few years ago in the Champions League, I think it was. And you saw, wow, how can Liverpool press this? And they did it. It's because you've got to go man to man, really.

52:42That's the only chance if you've got to follow the runs and all this. So when it works, again, you probably need teams to press you to really make it work as well. And you see maybe at United, they seem to win games now more when they've got less than 50 % position, or 45, 50 % instead of when they've got 60, 65. And when you've used that system, how has it gone for you? No, it's gone well. You know, I had three good centre-backs that, well, used it in Norway when I played. Didn't play at United. Did you play once at United away at Tottenham? Did you play five at the back away at Tottenham? A game you had to win near the end.

53:22I just remember doing the commentary on the game. Yeah, 5-3-2. That's after we'd lost to Liverpool and City. Yeah, and you went and had to win, didn't you? Yeah, yeah, had to win, yeah. And won, don't you? We won 3-0. And that was, I used Edson, Cavani, and Edson and Cristiano two up front. So we played 5-3-2. So that's a bit of a different one again. Yeah. Sometimes you just got to, okay. Was that to get them both in the team? Yeah, that was not easy. No, if you want to, because nowadays, there's not many teams that play with two centre-forwards. And can you play 4-4-2? old style with two centre forwards anymore or do you have to go 3-5-2?

54:04I really like the 3-5-2. It's still strange when you mention Rolando at United that time. Yeah, it feels weird, yeah. But he scored two. Did he score two in that? Or did he score one each? He scored one volley. That was brilliant. It probably is the best way to get two centre forwards in, though, isn't it? Yeah, the 3-5-2. You've got the width because nowadays with our style 4-4-2, opening midfield it's all so intricate now isn't it teams defend in a 4-4-2 sometimes don't they even Real Madrid last night were a 4-4-2 City sometimes in Arsenal you know Arsenal in big games I think most teams do when you get in or many teams when you get into your own half when you press high it's man to man more or less This episode of Stick to Football is brought to you by Arm Clothing What do you do at home Ollie?

54:54Away from trying to keep trying to keep fit in and around you're training you're doing a bit of training yeah a little bit of bike can't run can't play football with our knees and hips and all this but not golf watching football hey golf ah that's the most boring that ruins a good walk can I just go back to your playing Ollie yeah quickly you were the first person I saw look I don't know if this is true with the shot through the legs you see it all the time now but you were the first person I saw that actually meant it no I did mean it did you learn that off somebody else actually my former coach Oge Harede played for Man City Norwich national team coach centre back he played here in the early 80s he's the one that gave me one other option to score goals because I ended up I was never the quickest so now say Marcus Rackford he goes on one against one he's quick enough to go inside the winger and curl it I was never quick enough to really get away from the defenders and then I had to fake that one and then go back yeah it was a little move wasn't it then the quick bang through the legs four Patrice I remember still remember one of his first sessions I think I scored about 15 goals through his legs one session it's like Henning, Dennis you never managed to do that one even when I watch training now I'm watching Salford training and our lad's going through the keeper will say defend the close of your legs yeah yeah and then if you're did you ever do it right yeah but I've never done it on purpose when you're coming in at an angle just looking when you're coming in at an angle you have to do it quick so it goes through the legs you're always going to try and go over there but like if I got too close then I just I tried to blast it through the body so if the arm comes up it might go through the leg go over the shoulder it was amazing how many times though if you do just get it through the legs it goes in so easy because the keeper depends on his defender to block that.

56:55You very rarely see him save it if one goes through the legs. No, you can't. Zola, Zola doesn't. I see Zola do it on purpose. He can do it on purpose. Especially against Schmeich because he used to come and do his big staffing. Yeah. And I saw even Vialli. I saw Vialli do it but I was never, I never wanted to get close enough where you have to then put it through the goalie's legs because you're just like So I don't mean the goalie I mean the defender. The defender. I was always No, you were quick enough to get away from the defender. But that's what While I watched City against Bournemouth, that's probably what he should have done, Arling, when he came one-on-one with the keeper on his third chance.

57:31We should have, because the keeper spreads. The goal's always through the legs. But goalkeepers have to change their techniques now, don't they? Because players are more powerful. Goalkeepers stay in the office, you're coming out, and they're spreading their legs too wide, aren't they? This is the one for a striker. You can't decide early what you're going to do. In the last little bit, do you follow through? you just chop it you've got to make your finish that's where the repetition of training that gives you that which is when people say stay cool stay calm but you've got to be to change your mind in the last seconds as a striker you're going to be right at the very top because I think a lot of strikers are making their mind up early and just following through I can't believe there's many strikers that are changing their sort of like technique or their style of shot Danny Welbeck scored two goals the other day which makes me say he's experienced he knows he's been in that situation so many times that when he got he just dinked it over right in time and then the next one the goalie they made a mistake and he knew exactly you know what I mean it comes with time and then it comes with how calm am I going to be in this situation because if Danny keeps going close to him the goalie's going to block him and people say why didn't he shoot but he got there and bam perfect dink but surely you're multitasking when you're going through anyway in your head you are weighing up the situations the angle of the goal I know you were saying sometimes you go through and you know exactly what you're doing but there must be situations where a striker's gone through the situation changes Keele comes up quicker than what you think or he stays on his line and you're constantly looking that's good strikers isn't it people are different aren't they people like time to think about it you give people sometimes think about oh fuck I don't want to do other people on instinct I'm much better when they don't have the time it is for some people he said he wanted the strikers to have a lot of time when he'd wait and wait because then strikers maybe the lesser strikers would then overthink it the top lads would go don't worry I'm in control of this situation the lesser strikers because I'm like, what do I do here?

59:20Goalkeepers are waiting for the one bad touch when you're coming towards them. That's when they spring. I think somebody like Watkins would be better like that. He's better without thinking about it. I call it the Euros. Remember when I chant that call to the Euros? Remember, you just ran on to it. Just ran on, bam. Anyway, Welbeck, he should be in the World Cup, shouldn't he? Well, that's what we spoke about. Last week. Last week. Yeah, OK. So I think about what you said about Scott McTominay, and then that's the same with Danny Welbeck back in the day. I was adamant about Welbeck, should never have been so good.

59:49Oh, you should never have been so good. I mean, I played with him. At the time, I said this is an absolute... Oh, Roy. Do you know, the only thing I said when we chat about ex-players, you can't keep all these players... No, you can. I mean, he was good. I like Danny Leppard, but was he not always injured? He was, yeah. He did have a history of injury. And his scoring goals are for Brighton. Brighton lose a lot of football matches. I like Danny. I wouldn't be surprised if he got an English squad. His record for England, I think, is something like he scored 20 goals in 45 games or 18 goals in 45 games.

1:00:16I like Danny Neff. I know, but we can't sit down every player that leaves Man United going... No, no. Some felt right, though. Some felt wrong. I felt Danny felt wrong. Wrong. Definitely wrong, that one. Was there a contract situation? I don't think Van Gaal fancied him. Van Gaal did fancied him. I don't think he fancied him technically. I don't think he thought he was good enough in terms of how he wanted to play. Oli, everyone else get involved in this. You've got to hold on. You can't answer these. Oli's myth busters. You said Oli. Right We're going to start with Where Oli grew up in the winter months There was no daylight during the day Ask Roy Definitely You didn't have any daylight during the day It was dark all day Is it ice somewhere?

1:01:00No, no, we went to a place in Norway for pre-season Where it never went dark That was the summer So Oli, is that rubbish then? Is that a myth? Yeah, that's just a myth So how much daylight do you get during the winter? We're still getting a few hours, yeah what's the hours that you get three four hours of daylight yeah of course so what time it's because you'd love it there fucking great maybe even more maybe even more it's dark about half three is dark and then maybe oh my gosh I'd recommend if you get any time off actually we drive to where Ali is to drive is it amazing is it well drive to Norway isn't it it's fantastic he flew to Oslo and then he drove up oh I thought you meant drive to Norway that's a fair drive How many hours was that?

1:01:44Fucking awesome drive. Eight, nine hours. Eight hours. Eight hours. Was it beautiful? Beautiful. Eight hours. A bit of Bob Dylan on it. Was it like driving through Asgard? A lovely Volvo I had. Beautiful. Right, the next myth. Ollie spent time in the Norwegian army when he was younger. Yes. Yeah, I'll probably say that. He's got military value. He's got military energy. I did a year of national service, yeah. How old were you then, Ollie? 19 till 20. Summer of 92 until summer of 93, yeah. So you had to do that, didn't you? Is that still now? It's a constant ligature for everyone. Yeah, it is now.

1:02:17There was a time when it wasn't, but now it's back on. What does that do for you? No. What does that do for you, Ollie? What does that do for you that year in the military? You grow up, yeah. But what specifically were you doing in that year? What I was doing. So you have three months of recruitment school, we call it. You find out everyone has to go through that one. What's that, an education classroom? Education. like all the all the camps and yeah they just try to see which level of army you're going into yeah where you're going if you go in the marine or if you go in marine you're a marine no no no of course I wasn't I was just a driver I was a chauffeur in the end I ended up but you need drivers Ali exactly I ended up in an office in an office admin yeah and then drove some of the higher up with all the stars dropped the lads off When you said driver, I was thinking, you're a tank driver or anything like that.

1:03:17What? A tank driver. I'd like to be a driver. Volvo, what was it called? So you went to the Norwegian Army, just drive a Volvo. Yeah. For two years. You need to drive people places, don't you? How do you think the soldiers are doing? I've been driving. Soldiers kept me out. Yeah, but he was ready. He did. He had all the skills. I wouldn't say I was like, oh, he's been in the army for a year and then he's been... Toughened up. So if there's a war, I wouldn't be the one that you... Yeah, but you have to drive people to get to the port, don't you? Everyone needs a driver. Was it a physical thing as well?

1:03:44A physical stuff? Yeah, we did tests in the beginning. So if someone wanted to go into the Marines, then you had to be the best in all these tests. You have to see if you're capable of protecting your country. Were you still doing all your football training and everything in that time? I played still for my local team at the weekends. Did you sleep at the army or did you go back home? No, no, I slept there. OK, yeah. Did you get in the army too? During the season, I say out of 20 games, maybe you got 15, 16 weekends off to just go and play. Right. And then I never had time to train during that week, really.

1:04:24What was tougher, army camp or Man United camp? You know, I'm quite adaptable. It doesn't matter for me. I just go with the flow and enjoy it. Oh, word was it. Nolly first came to United. Oh, yeah. We used to look and go, who's the kid? He honestly thought he'd come in to meet the players. He'd go, who's this lad? Oh, he's joining us. Oh, my God. What, you thought he was a fan? No, we just thought he was a kid, like, come over to watch team training. I'm so young. Yeah, I looked, I was 22, but I... He was going to say, you were 12? He looked about 13. I was 23. He looked like a child. 14, yeah.

1:04:57That was bizarre. You look young now, though. Jim Ryan brought it in, didn't he? Yeah. Was he with Ronnie at the same time? Look young, yeah. He does look good. But you had to grow. That's where it came from, wasn't it? the baby face assassin that's where it came from this episode of Stick to Football is brought to you by Arm Clothing right we've got a quiz for you Oli can you name Oli every Norwegian to have played for Manchester United probably of course he can go on then so Ronnie Henning myself Erik Nevlan Joshua King oh yeah Joshua King Joshua King that's probably it yeah that is it yeah Magnus right Oli just didn't play Five.

1:05:39Yeah, what was the lad you mentioned there, the striker? Joshua King. No, the other lad. Eric Nevland. Eric Nevland, yeah. Played against Barnsley. Yeah, yeah. A couple of cup camps. Eric was good. He's the sporting director of Viking back home in. OK. Good luck. Well done. And they're winning the league. Good. Nice. How's Ronnie? Have you seen Ronnie? Ronnie's good. He's been a coach. He's in the national, he's in the federation. OK. Good. Next question. which Manchester United player scored the most goals during your reign as manager have you got names probably Marcus Rashford it has to be Rashford Rashford 54 and then Martial over how many seasons Marcus Rashford that was only two and a half years were you there Martial was just behind him almost three years almost three years what do you think of Martial Oli so talented so talented on his day he was unplayable where is he now?

1:06:40he is isn't he in Mexico? somewhere that's the thing Roy your thing when you say on his day you don't like what people say on his day on his day you're not a fan Roy of Marcel no? on his day the only time he delivered that's not a good thing when Arnie just said on his day that means you don't get many of them not too many days well he had a good season they played well together him and Marcus that year when we got second in that. On that day. Covid. Everyone wanted it inside left position, though. Him, Marcus. That's just opinions, Ali, no problem. Ali's so nice, isn't he? Can you come on here and say the ride?

1:07:21That's what I'm saying. No problem. I'm going on, no problem. It's a good cop, bad cop, isn't it? OK. Yes, guys. Let's go. Come back, Roy. Can you name the top five Premier League goal scorers during Sir Alex Ferguson's reign as Manchester United manager? Tough questions for him. You're being too nice to him. Who are the top five scorers under Sir Alex at United? Come on, don't. I don't think you'll get... Ruud van Nistelrooy. I don't think you'll get these. Ruud van Nistelrooy, Wayne Rooney, Andy Cole. No. What? Holy no. Under Sir Alex? Yeah, no. That's what I said. I don't think you'll get...

1:07:54Mark Hughes. They're big names, but I don't think you'll get them all. My name is Erwin. Oh, sorry. Well, I don't think it was Erwin. No, just during Sir Alex Ferguson's reign. It's Oli, isn't it? You've got Wazza and you've got Rude. Yeah. Might be. Ronaldo, did you say? Ronaldo. No. Can we help him here or not? Yorker. Yeah, yeah, I think you can. Yorker, no? No. No chance. Incredible, eh? No. Sammy McIlroy. Sammy McIlroy. Is it forward? Eric. No. Oh, Oli's on the quiz team. Where's our friend, Lewis? Where's he going back? If you think about it. Is it Lewis again? Yeah. Who came after... That's the question again.

1:08:31The question is, who in Sir Alex Ferguson's reign at United were the top five goal scorers in the Premier League? How many did you get? Scores it, Giggs. Premier League goals? Yeah. Scores it, Giggs. Scores it, Giggs. Fucking hell, Al. You've never been a striker. Scores it, Giggs. And then you're missing one. Don't embarrass me, Ollie. Definitely not. If he'd let you score that chance, we would be. Premier League. Who can that be? Brian Robson Brian McLear David Beckham No Relax Don't be just shouting names That's not a quiz Pass No no no Pass here Wait a second Come on Striker James has just had something there I wasn't seeing him Has he got himself?

1:09:18Has he got himself? Not Borbatoff No I'm not in You are? Oli Pass here Oli Yeah We should have guessed that Even had chances Wazza Higgy Scolzy Rude Oli Well done love From midfield I was surprised I didn't think you'd get him Right we've got some Community questions Oli Don't get the applauded Thank you Your son and daughter Yeah but I used to sit When you missed a chance I used to sit for you People go I'd go forward He'd sit We're in for Oli Come on Yeah but when I sat for him He missed Jesus When I sat for him He missed I didn't And you probably read the game quicker I guess so, you will already be gone.

1:09:58Well done, John. I'm going, girl. Your son and daughter, Oli, play at a professional level, as do so many other footballers' children. Why do so many make it as football players? Is that the obvious? I think it's just environmentally damaged. They're just in the environment. They are in and around football all the time, interested in football probably, and then probably decent DNA and genes. So coming back to Arling again, with Alfie as a dad and his mum was an athlete and then you see that. Jeez, you're obsessed with Harlan today. I am. I'm just... That's DNA from the mudder.

1:10:37Alfie's closer to you than you think. More similar. Ollie, what advice do you get? Do you get involved in sort of, you know, how do you balance that sort of like, obviously putting pressure on them versus stepping off them and letting them breathe in terms of advice? I try not to put pressure on them but I've ended up coaching their teams because when I've been sacked or you don't have a job and then you're in and around. So where is that? Where are they playing? They all play in Norway. So when they were 15, 16, it just ended up me... I've coached all three of them. What positions are they? Noah is a centre-forward, Karna is a centre-forward winger and then Elijah is a centre-back.

1:11:20And how are they doing? do you think they've got as long as they enjoy football I don't put any pressure on them but do you coach them I mean Carrick Carrick obviously some plays at Wigan and I think obviously he plays in a similar position so he ends up talking to them about yeah things to you know you talk about you know they train every day and they play games so you discuss football is that team still going on what I went down to watch yeah yeah we're still nice little set up that wasn't it it's a great little I'll probably be back there in January next season I'll come and visit you Ollie yeah I'll take a session and you can do the session I'll take it you've got floodlights we do yeah we'll all be getting sent off if you take a session you better set off you better set off if you're driving go now get your Volvo out which striker do you think is the best in the world I think we know the answer to it but I'm going to give you Kane, Haaland and Mbappe oh Haaland I'd pick him if it was my team I'd pick him Kane can't be far off though can he seriously I'd pick Arling Haaland to suit my style of football I'd like him in my team but the two others unbelievable players but I'd say Haaland Kane, Mbappe Do you think Kane's really close to Haaland?

1:12:34Yeah Isn't Mbappe more of a left inside forward He can drive your heart when you're watching him Kane and Haaland are more than I When you watch Kane now with him dropping off even more He's passing. Bayern Munich against PSG. They were amazing, weren't they? And then sometimes he dropped into the sixth position and pinged passes. They were brilliant. They pressed PSG. They just killed him. You know you say that, like, Harlan, and with his numbers, you'd have to pick him. But if you had to say for me the best, I'd go with Kane. And then... Was all round. Yeah. And then we come back to the teams.

1:13:12Style of play. What kind of team do you have? Harlan, yeah. It's about opinions. who would you want in your team you think get us out of jail today I think if you played at United in the day that we played you'd pick Haaland in terms of the style I think you'd just pick Haaland because you just want that explosion I love Harry Kane I'd have both of them together wouldn't you you could have both of them together actually could have been the English centre forward parent obviously he's born in Leeds yeah of course happy we have him what would be your number one tip to a young striker Hit the tag Yeah hit the tag Exactly Don't miss Don't miss in front of Roy Don't lean back Don't lean back No Practice practice practice And then It's just But it's about confidence and belief You've got to be in Exactly when that ball is About to be hit You need to be Can you coach that I've asked Riley this Can you coach that instinct for a striker Are they born Ian Rush, Michael Owen all year being in the right place at the right time can that be coached I think that that's repetition repetition repetition but just read the cross-rated anticipation it's the whole package of knowing your players knowing football drawing from experience where's Bex likely to across it where's Giggs I remember watching I used to watch Rush and watch Lineker and they'd be moving when the ball's in the air and the ball would come to them what is that coaching I'm saying I don't know experience as well because you've been there so many times and most likely it's going to end there.

1:14:46Yeah. So, always being optimistic. You're gambling, Roy. You're gambling. Advice? Always being optimistic. I always believe the ball's going to come to you as well. How often are you ready to go in there? A lot of your goals are not. No, go on. Sorry, Jim. No, go on, Jim. A lot of peeling off the centre half, getting it on your chest off a long ball and scoring. You don't see a lot of that now, do you? You know, like a winger looking for the kind of diagonal. The goal bit. One of the best assists I've had. Long pass. away to Charlton are we having a video? what video? on your chest what's a reserve game?

1:15:19so your advice for a striker is being optimist being optimist hope something hope for a mistake by the keeper defender do you know what a bit frustrates me when you're watching games at weekends and there's a strike in a position and they go oh he wasn't expecting it they thought the defender was going to get it always be ready for him until someone slips or misses it I thought he was going to clear it Everton Sunderland Everton Barry from yeah yeah yeah he's going to get over that of course yeah You know, the best optimist I used to watch would be Aguero. He'd always think the centre-half's going to miss it, and you could watch him, and he wasn't right nine times out of ten, but he was so good at that, thinking, what if?

1:15:55Also, you had a good assist. Forrest, remember, you missed the ball, and it sliced off you, and you just landed in my feet. I saw where you got four, Ali, was that? Did you get four in? Came off the bench, huh? It was four in 20 minutes. Wow. Came off the bench and did that as well. Yeah, against Forrest. That's game over 4-1. I didn't get 4-20. 4-20. 4-20. 4-20. I think one of them was my first one. First one, I almost missed that one. Two of them. There's a poor ball in. Poor guy. Then he didn't go and celebrate. He does his own thing. Yeah, yeah. So the away fans. My kids always, sometimes they see the goals, it comes on telly and it's like, Gary, he used to kiss you.

1:16:40Yeah Everyone Yeah you're a kisser girl I was so happy I love it I love you Right let's go Horrible Tell him Never kiss me Imagine he tried to come to kiss you Somebody kissed He just goes on the lips I think there was tongues I think It was really sloppy and wet It was a big game When he goes Beautiful In the eye Was it like on the head A little tickle A little tickle A little tickle A little tickle A little tickle I bet you didn't want to Tickle I'll see you I'm going to have to do it again. I was going to have a little tickle off the touch. Yeah, come on. Right. It's basically, what was the biggest thing you learned from your time at Cardiff?

1:17:20Oh, loads of things. Well, I dropped and changed too much. Systems or team? Both. I came in there and the squad was, say, 20-odd players and we were in a relegation. That was in the Premier League, wasn't it? Premier League, relegation fight. and he's like they were very close these players in quality so when you lost the game it's like he's almost as good give him a chance and then lost the game you go back to him yeah I'd never been in that situation before because we'd usually rotate because rotation when you win fine then when you lost it's like all of them just I thought it was quite interesting if Sean Dyche lost his first game and then kept the same team against United the week after I thought it was quite a clever thing that you'll see us Bournemouth and Abadabas Yeah, but as he said, they were after playing in Europe.

1:18:09Yeah. They lost a ball. It's going to be a hard game, so his plan was to give these lads a chance, not on the back of the European game. Just picking a team and then playing them again. You watch tomorrow night, they're playing in Europe, they'll have a different team to who they play against. But then they'll play the same team again morning or weekend. Yeah, the league. Two separate teams. I think you should, OK, sacrifice maybe one, two or three games and get a team working together. I think that would have helped me in the long run. I made that mistake when I went to the league. I did exactly the same.

1:18:34How many games did you get, Oli, there? six months or probably get with like 30 odd games not even as many as that same as me I did exactly the same Oli you just pick an 11 pick a system and let them play themselves into form and you end up changing two or three but if you're under pressure that's I mean early on but you still think hindsight is a wonderful thing I'll give these lads a chance but the next game is almost every game seems a must win game you do chat and change your mind plays games at you yeah anything else Oli from that experience and obviously maybe wait before you jump in but I was excited to get in to show that I can do not just Molde and Man United types of players you can organise a team but learnt a lot of the man management upwards as well but do you have a thing and I know do you think you're a better manager working with real quality are you still okay like obviously it must have been great at United whatever the challenge is there but at least you're going out every day and the training pitch going well there is quality I've just got to get it right and get people on side but then when you do drop down whether it be a lesser team and that quality drops then that's where Yeah I think I'm oh well I think it'd be interesting to work with call it a different kind of quality but then you can With all your experience now Ollie would you prefer to go in to work with top quality players where there's bigger demands or would you still be having to go in lower down when we're on about the championship and go So I'll work some magic with that group where you think, no, my personality is better with what come with.

1:20:08If you look at players nowadays from mid or championship and Premier League, there's good players. Everyone's a good player. You don't get signed there. So I think it's about getting them to believe, getting the best out of them and the group together. Because unbelievable what you can do with a team that's together. That was one of the challenges in Turkey. It was hard to get the team together into one. With the different nationalities, Oli? Yeah, there was loads. And then there was a strange atmosphere and feeling when I came in because the hierarchy and then, you know, the older Turks were there and the other foreigners were there.

1:20:45And gradually in the seating, they just ended up like younger Turks, like younger, younger, younger, and the youngest, and then suddenly foreigners over there. I tried to... But Istanbul, unbelievable city. so you couldn't have all these team buildings and all that. I've got paintball in them, no? Paintball in Chinese, a bit of go-kart. That usually brings people. Yeah, but now we did a... I bet you'd done something gorgeous. Yeah, we did. We had a great Italian day, Olympics and all this. You couldn't get enough time to bring them anywhere because two hours to drive, two miles. Yeah, the traffic.

1:21:21Of course, the traffic. I remember Uber Day, I remember it. So we'll see you back in football soon. Third time? No. I don't know to be honest would you want to go back before Christmas I'm open you can't wait you just suddenly you get the interview and something clicks yeah I like this of course and then if I was a team looking for a manager I'd come and find you me too I think you're great well done Jill that's a lovely topic Oli thank you so much for coming on again thank you so much thank you no you're too far thanks mate

1:22:03Lewis, you're unbelievable on the quiz team Ollie's first game as a manager what, for United? that's an easy one there was a way at Cardiff wasn't it? who scored? Lingard scored twice Herrera Martial Rashford I think Camarasa scored a pen as well didn't he? I'm pretty sure Camarasa scored a pen for Cardiff I'm pretty sure yeah they got a penalty something like that Thanks for listening and thanks to our partners, Arm Clothing. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and you won't miss an episode.