Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has revealed that he helped teach Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney some of their most clinical finishing techniques.
When the Manchester United manager was interviewed by the club website, he spoke of the impact he had on players around him despite his injury problems towards the end of his career.
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He said: “I went into coaching as well, so I did try to teach them a few things. I think I’ve got more knowledge than most of making the most out of your opportunities. I was never the quickest, never the strongest or tallest, so I had to be clever.
“Every time when Wayne or Cristiano shifted the ball to the side and put it back through the legs of the defender, and the goalkeeper’s just stranded, I used to nudge my kids and say, ‘Your dad’s taught them that!’
“Apart from that, I think you’ve got to ask the players. I think I led more by example. I wasn’t the vocal one who went round and tried to tell anyone, I wanted to show with my attitude and what I did, day in day out.”
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After Solskjaer retired as a player in 2007, he became a reserve team coach at the club and helped both youth and senior players.
During his interview, he highlighted how Edinson Cavani is having a similar impact on young players at the club now: “I said when Edinson signed, that he would bring energy, power and leadership to this group and I haven’t been proved wrong, he has been everything I thought he would be and more.
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“As coaches, we knew about his goalscoring record. However, it is his personality that has brought so much to this squad, he has a winning mentality and has an unequivocal attitude to everything he does.
“Edinson is one of the last to leave the training ground and sets the tone for the upcoming youngsters with his approach to his profession every single day. I have always wanted him to stay and experience the way our fans will respond to him as a player, and this means he will hopefully get that opportunity.”
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