Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reveals job he rejected after Man United exit

Feargal Brennan

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reveals job he rejected after Man United exit image

Former Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is looking forward to his first full season in charge of Besiktas.

Solskjaer was drafted into the Turkish Super Lig side in January, as a permanent successor to Giovanni van Bronckhorst in Istanbul, and guided his new team to a fourth-place finish.

A return to the dugout ended a 38-month absence for Solskjaer, after being sacked by United in November 2021, after a dismal run of form.

The Norwegian racked up a 54% win ratio over 168 games in charge at United, but that did not translate into a trophy, after taking charge in December 2018.

He led United to third and second place finishes in the Premier League - as only the second coach to do so since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement - but his time came to an controversial end.

Besiktas are looking to book a spot in the UEFA Conference League for the 2025/26 campaign ahead of a Third Qualifying Round double-header against Irish side St. Patrick's Athletic.

📲 Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp

As part of the build up to the first-leg in Dublin, Solskjaer revealed the Irish national team job was one of the roles he turned down in 2024, before eventually landing in Turkey.

"I had some good conversations [with the FAI over the role]. But, in the end, it didn't turn out that way and I'm very happy where I am now, we'll put it that way," as per BBC Sport.

Ole-Gunnar-Solskjaer-11212021-Getty-FTR

Solskajer was targeted as a replacement for Stephen Kenny following his dismissal in November 2023, with his former United captain Roy Keane also linked to the role, as another ex-United star - John O'Shea, took interim charge - before the shock appointment of Heimir Hallgrímsson in July 2024.

Man United news and related link

Feargal Brennan

Feargal is a content producer for The Sporting News. He has been working with TSN since the start of 2022 after stints with Reach, Amazon UK and Squawka in a nomadic career in the football media pyramid. Always with a keen eye on Arteta's 'Reds' and Kenny's Ireland 'Greens' and a 100% five-a-side penalty record.