Former Man United Midfielder Claims ‘Amazing’ Ex-Manager Should Never Have Been Sacked

Ex-Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic says one of his former managers at the club was doing great and should never have been dismissed.

In the turbulent years following Sir Alex Ferguson's departure, Manchester United has seen its share of managerial changes, but one former player insists the club erred in dismissing one of Ferguson's successors.

Nemanja Matic, who played under Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and interim managers Michael Carrick and Ralf Rangnick during his five years at Old Trafford, believes the club was on the right path under Solskjaer.

The Norwegian club legend was dismissed in November 2021 following a dismal run that saw United claim just one point from seven Premier League games, a spell that included a humiliating 5-0 home loss to Liverpool.

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Despite the poor form that led to his exit, Solskjaer had previously guided the team to a third-place finish in the 2019-20 season and a second-place finish the following year. He also led the Red Devils to the Europa League final in May 2021 before being awarded a new three-year contract.

Matic Reflects on Successful Solskjaer Stint

Reflecting on that period, Matic is adamant that progress was being made and that Solskjaer should have been given more time to see his project through.

"We finished second and third under him," Matic told FourFourTwo. "There was an atmosphere in the team that we weren't happy finishing second, but when you see the results now, we did amazingly."

The Serbian midfielder continued, "I think Ole deserved more time—and when I say Ole, I also want to mention his staff, like Michael Carrick and Kieran McKenna. They were going the right way to bring United back."

Matic acknowledged the decision was based on a poor run of form but praised the manager's character and methods.

Ex-United Star Terms Former Manager ‘Amazing’

"Of course, they made the decision to sack Ole based on his final couple of results, but he was an amazing person with the right profile for the club," he explained. "He and his assistants understood football—training was perfect and had every little detail ready for us."

Even though he wasn't always a starter, Matic held deep respect for the Norwegian. "I felt sorry because Ole was a great guy and we were on the way to doing something big. I wasn't his first choice in the midfield and never liked a coach when I didn't play—I'd fight with them. But Ole was the first coach I didn't fight with. He brought the players who weren't in the starting XI together. He knew the club and the fans loved him."

Since Solskjaer's departure, Manchester United has struggled to replicate his league success. The team finished sixth in the 2021-22 season, third in 2022-23, and eighth in 2023-24, failing to match the second-place finish achieved under the Norwegian manager.