Solskjaer says United are under no pressure to sell with Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku's future at the club in doubt
Wednesday 10 July 2019 16:08, UK
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is employing Sir Alex Ferguson's old tactics at Manchester United, says James Cooper.
The United boss spoke to the press for the first time since the end of last season to kick off their training camp in Australia where they will play Perth Glory in a friendly on Saturday.
Here, our reporter James Cooper, who attended the conference in Perth, reviews the key moments including a look at how Solskjaer handled questions on Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku's future at the club...
"I think he knew there would be a checklist. We haven't seen him for quite some time after that end-day defeat to Cardiff City at Old Trafford when they lost 2-0. His chin was really on the ground there, I think he was happier this morning.
"I think for him it was funny watching the press conference, it started with two questions about Australia and he thought he was going to be in for a gentle ride and then the bounces started coming about how he turns things around and what he can do this season. And I think he thinks that it's going to be slow work, that they're going to do it and they will do it well."
"The questions came thick and fast, the key one of those is what's the situation with Paul Pogba. Bear in mind, he said he might need a fresh challenge and Mino Raiola said that talks are going on between him and club officials and they're aware that Pogba wants to leave.
"He said there's been no bids for any players as of yet. Manchester United are under no pressure to sell at all. He talked about Pogba's role within the team, saying that he's given everything to him, he's here now and expects him to be a professional player and give everything, and then he said no bids, no pressure to sell, and they are still in the market for other players.
"He sort of included Romelu Lukaku in that, because clearly he's another player with a major question mark alongside him."
"I think Manchester United are expecting those bids to come in, but are under no pressure to get rid of either player, and I think they're also looking to do more in the market certainly in relation to a centre-back and maybe another midfielder and perhaps a striker. I think there will be other arrivals for Manchester United.
"I think what United have done today is say 'look, Paul Pogba is here with us in Australia, he's an important player for us, there's no pressure to sell whatsoever, and no bids have been made either for any of Manchester United's players at the moment.' I think they don't want to sell Paul Pogba for a variety of reasons - but I think by saying he's not for sale, saying there's no bids, I think it's almost saying "look, give us a bid, test our resolve." I think if someone comes up with big, big money they would be maybe just tempted to sell, but when we say big, big money we're talking about £150m.
"What Manchester United are determined to do is make sure everyone knows that Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku are not for sale, but I think in saying that there's an implicit message - "test our resolve, come up with big money and we might have to second guess that." But at the moment Pogba and Lukaku and the rest of them remain here in Perth as Manchester United players."
"He talked about an agenda against Paul Pogba by the media. I don't think it's something that is really held by the media - I think certainly there's English media out here all want to see a player that is world class, be world class for Manchester United."
"He also talked about some of the social media stuff that came out of Perth yesterday, rather inconsistent or ambiguous in terms of that little spat between Jesse Lingard and Paul Pogba. I think on the longer edit you see it's nothing, on the shorter edit it looks like something out of nothing.
"I think that's how they wanted, and I think maybe it's just Ole Gunnar Solskjaer turning things around a little bit, using some of the mentality of Sir Alex Ferguson to turn this into a siege mentality - "us against them" at Manchester United, and looking to get positive results from that.
"One thing I can promise you and guarantee from Manchester United going into the new season is that they will be fitter and they will be faster than they were last season."
