Where Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Man Utd coaching team are now after he hints at return
Former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer appears to be ready for a return to management nearly three years after his time at Old Trafford came to an end
by Tom Victor · The MirrorAs Ole Gunnar Solskjaer drops a hint about a future Manchester United return, his coaching staff from Old Trafford have had contrasting fortunes since leaving Old Trafford.
Solskjaer himself was relieved of his duties midway through the 2021-22 season with United drifting towards mid-table. There was a brief resurgence with a third-place finish under Erik ten Hag in 2022-23, but pressure on the ex-Ajax boss has begun to grow and Solskjaer isn't ruling out a second stint if that's what the club want.
"If the family [United] asks, I would say yes every day of the week," the Norwegian said in a Q&A at the Oslo Business Forum. "It feels wrong to talk about jobs that other people have now, but I would say yes, of course."
Even if Solskjaer is open to a return, the coaches who helped him during his Old Trafford tenure have moved to pastures new. Here, Mirror Football looks at what came next.
Michael Carrick
It was Carrick who took temporary charge of United after Solskjaer's departure. He impressed in matches against Villarreal and Chelsea, but opted to cut ties with United when Ralf Rangnick was installed as interim manager.
Within a year, the former United and England midfielder had taken on his first permanent managerial job. Championship side Middlesbrough took a chance on him after Chris Wilder was dismissed amid relegation fears, and he lifted the club from 21st to fourth before losing to Coventry City in the play-off semi-finals.
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Boro couldn't quite make the play-offs in Carrick's second season, with the departure of striker Chuba Akpom taking its toll, while a defeat to Sunderland left them 10th after six matches of the current campaign. Carrick is still in the dugout at the Riverside Stadium, where hopes of another promotion push remain.
Kieran McKenna
McKenna, unlike Carrick, remained at Old Trafford when Rangnick took the reins. He didn't stay for long, though, with Ipswich offering him the manager's job in December 2021.
The Tractor Boys were 12th in League One at the time and ended that first season in mid-table. They earned a huge 98 points to go up the following season, though, and then made it back-to-back promotions after finishing second in the Championship.
McKenna's rapid rise saw Chelsea entertain the idea of bringing the Northern Irishman to Stamford Bridge, with United and Brighton also sounding him out. He ultimately stayed put, though, with the Blues instead moving for Enzo Maresca.
“I'm aware of [the interest]," McKenna said after extending his contract at Portman Road. "It's part and parcel of success, there's been interest from other clubs and it's a short career as a manager. It's right to consider things but I'm so, so happy with the decision I've made."
Mike Phelan
Phelan had a long association with United, both as a player and a coach. He was part of the club's first ever Premier League title-winning squad, and spent a decade on the coaching staff under Alex Ferguson before later returning to Old Trafford.
His second spell was somewhat shorter, though. Solskjaer brought in the former Hull manager when he took temporary charge, but Phelan left in the summer of 2022 when Ten Hag was appointed.
In the years since, the 62-year-old hasn't returned to a major club. He's still coaching, though, running Mike Phelan coaching along with a team including United's former head of research and development David Horrocks.
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