Solskjaer hopes to recreate FA Cup magic with Cardiff City

Solskjaer hopes to recreate FA Cup magic with Cardiff

Ahead of their FA Cup Fourth Round tie with Bolton, Cardiff City boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer speaks about the competition, Manchester United and his managerial aspirations.
By Nicholas Veevers

Monday 20th Jan 2014

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer enjoyed many memorable moments - both good and bad - in The FA Cup as a player during his time with Manchester United.

He is perhaps best remembered for a last-minute winner at Old Trafford against Liverpool in the Fourth Round of 1999, as United began to steamroll their way to the treble.

Another FA Cup medal followed in 2004 as the good times continued, but the Norwegian was also part of the United team who lost the first Final at the new Wembley Stadium in 2007, as Chelsea edged a 1-0 win in extra time in what proved to be his last appearance before retiring as a player.

Bolton Wanderers v Cardiff City
The FA Cup with Budweiser
Fourth Round Proper
3pm, Saturday 25 January
The Reebok Stadium

Solskjaer is now back on English shores as Cardiff City manager following his appointment earlier this month and it was straight back into The Cup for him, with his first task to take charge over City’s Third Round trip to Newcastle United.

The Welsh club responded with a 2-1 victory and they have been granted another trip north in the Fourth Round this weekend, when they take on Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium.

And Solskjaer is still harbouring hopes of recreating that FA Cup feeling as a manager.

"Any time you win a trophy, it's the biggest moment of your life as a footballer,” Solsjkaer told TheFA.com.

"You go into football because you love playing football, and you dream about playing in Cup Finals and winning trophies.

"And when you do so, you feel like you've achieved something.

"A Cup Final is just there, you've got 90 minutes to win it - so if we can get so far to lift the trophy in the next few years, that's great.”




The job at the Cardiff City Stadium is Solsjkaer’s first in the league where he made his name, after cutting his teeth in coaching with the reserve team at Old Trafford.

A successful spell back in his homeland with Molde saw him lead the club to two titles and a cup, and it was that record which temped Cardiff to appoint him following the departure of Malkay Mackay.

And Solskjaer admits that, while he picked up plenty of experience working under Sir Alex Ferguson as both a coach and a player, he is a different character to the former United boss who has a firm idea of what he wants from his players.

"I had 11 years as a player under the gaffer, three and a half years as one of his staff members, and of course I learned and picked up things that he does in different moments of the season,” he explained.

"We're different personalities, but you learn off the best players and things from the training ground.


"At clubs like Man United, you can't drop your standards so for me, [it’s about players’] standards every day, work hard and they're the winners.

"That's what they're like in training and that's why they come to training - to improve. Even though you're in the Premier League, you can still improve.

"Every day I like to step back and have a look at them and observe them, see who still has the hunger, who is willing to do one for the team, or those who have personal agendas.

"If you have personal agendas, you're not for me.

"The gaffer had to make some tough decisions at Man Utd and that's what I've got to do as a manager.

"I've only been here for two weeks, but it's given me a clear idea on what to do.”

Hopefully we'll get to see Matts in action against Bolton

Last edited by welshman90 on Mon Jan 20, 2014 6:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.

As good as a cup run is we need to concentrate on staying up.

Personally I think Ole having the Newcastle Cup game and beating them, fair Play and then having Bolton is perfect for Ole to get to know his players and all his squad, he can experiment and at the same time knowing he is putting them in proper first team games unlike the Development games, Ole has nothing to lose and can only gain from these FA CUP games.

Usually these games are a distraction, but for Ole they are perfect

Personally I think Ole having the Newcastle Cup game and beating them, fair Play and then having Bolton is perfect for Ole to get to know his players and all his squad, he can experiment and at the same time knowing he is putting them in proper first team games unlike the Development games, Ole has nothing to lose and can only gain from these FA CUP games.

Usually these games are a distraction, but for Ole they are perfect

100% agree, funny enough i was thinking that today that this is the perfect opportunity for Ole to really get to know his players without taking risks in the Prem games

Personally I think Ole having the Newcastle Cup game and beating them, fair Play and then having Bolton is perfect for Ole to get to know his players and all his squad, he can experiment and at the same time knowing he is putting them in proper first team games unlike the Development games, Ole has nothing to lose and can only gain from these FA CUP games.

Usually these games are a distraction, but for Ole they are perfect

100% agree, funny enough i was thinking that today that this is the perfect opportunity for Ole to really get to know his players without taking risks in the Prem games

Ole has nothing to lose, perfect for him

i think he'll play a generally strong, minus maybe a few Prem starters! what better time than to give Mats and Eikrem a start with no pressure on them?

if he plays a strong team then it gives our team the benefit of trying out what Ole wants from them, and all his different tactics! if we score a few goals with the majority of our 1st team then that'll give them confidence for our next few games! that in mind, we do have United Tuesday so he might rest a few!

He was part of United so it is great to see him taking the competition serious and wanting to achieve a trophy.