LONDON – Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is the
right man to lead the club, executive vice chairman Ed Woodward has
told the club's staff.
United have made their worst start to a season in 30 years, with nine
points from eight games leaving them 12th, 15 points behind leaders
Liverpool.
The 20-times top-flight champions meet Liverpool on Sunday and
Solskjaer's future has been in doubt.
But Woodward said the former United striker was doing the right
things required by the club.
"Ole's vision maps exactly to the core three football objectives we
have," Woodward told the annual meeting for more than 400 Old
Trafford employees.
Woodward said Solskjaer's effect on the young players at the club was
particularly important.
"We must win trophies, we must play attacking football, and we must
give youth its chance," he said.
"Last season we were the Premier League's leading club in terms of
the most match minutes given to our own Academy graduates."
"We should all be proud that the significant investments we have made
in our Academy - spanning recruitment, facilities and analytics - are
now bearing fruit."
United last won the Premier League in 2013 and the club's fans are
impatient for success.
But Woodward said Solsjkaer was working well, even if it was not
showing in the club's results yet.
"Ole has also instilled the discipline back into an environment where
we may have lacked it in recent years.
"He is building a squad that respects the club's history, in which
players work hard and respect their team-mates. No-one is bigger than
the club.
"The changes we saw over the summer have resulted in a very young
squad. But it's also a squad, with the players and the culture, that
provides a base camp for us to build and grow from as we start our
new journey."