Ole Gunnar Solskjær needs to be more than high priest of Fergianity | Jonathan Wilson

Manchester United’s new permanent manager has calmed nerves and brought back the spirit of 1999 but is inexperienced

Backwards, then, to a glorious future. Where change has failed, let there be continuity. After six years of churn and unconvincing change, Manchester United in appointing Ole Gunnar Solskjær on a permanent basis have turned not merely to an icon of their past but to a manager who seems determined to be a conduit for that past. Let there be progress through history. Let it always be 1999.

It is a popular move and, on the face of it, a good one. Solskjær has transformed this season. Yet Ed Woodward’s track record is such that every time he takes a decision the instinct is to flinch and assume it must in some way be flawed. And there are questions. Solskjær is inexperienced. He has never undertaken a rebuilding project such as this before. The charm of his Scandi‑manc vowels and sheer excitement at being in the job may not last for ever.

Related: I feel so privileged to be Manchester United manager, says Solskjær

There have been notable tactical successes, most obviously at Arsenal and PSG

Related: Manchester United’s 1999 Champions League winners: where are they now?

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