Ole Gunnar Solskjaer appointed Molde FK manager
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, reserve team coach at Manchester United, has been appointed manager of his former club Molde FK, leading United boss Sir Alex Ferguson to predict a long career in management for his former player.
Solskjaer will see out the year with United's reserves before taking over Molde, where he played as a striker between 1994 and 1996, in January 2011.
The deal brings an end to the Norwegian's 14-year spell at United. His playing career was ended by a knee injury in 2007.
Solskjaer, who scored 126 goals in 366 appearances for United, including the winning goal in the 1999 Champions League final against Bayern Munich, was praised by Ferguson at a press conference on Tuesday, 9 November.
"Ole has had a good period with our reserve team, which has given him a foundation to start somewhere else," the Scot told reporters. "He has been a fantastic servant to us and I am sure he will do well. He has worked with some really good young players
in our reserve team and has contributed to their development. Once he gets experience of managing a club in its own right who knows where it will take him?"
Appointment strengthens ties to United
Solskjaer's presence at Molde will likely see the team cooperate more closely with United.
Striker Mame Biram Diouf, who signed for United last summer before being loaned out, first back to Molde then to Blackburn Rovers, was originally scouted by Solskjaer.
"We have a good contact base in Norway now," said Ferguson. "It is difficult to say what Ole will do long-term but he has made a conscious decision regarding his family, which worked out well with the fact that Molde were looking for a coach."
But before he begins supplying players for United, Solskjaer's priority will be the domestic league, in which Molde finished 11th this year. The new season begins in March 2011.
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