Comparisons between Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Sir Alex Ferguson have become inevitable ever since the Norwegian former striker took the manager’s job at Manchester United.
Solskjaer spent 11 seasons working under the legendary Ferguson at Old Trafford, and has regularly spoken of his admiration for the man.
There are certain aspects of Solskjaer the coach that have clearly been inspired by Ferguson – and a clear example of this came to light in a recent interview.
In a discussion with Sky Sports, the Red Devils boss revealed that while he was in charge of Molde he cut short a scouting trip due to a dislike of a player’s hairstyle – something which Ferguson himself has previous experience with.
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“I once went to see a player and as he walked out of the dressing room or through the tunnel onto the pitch, he had a Mohican – this was when I was back in Norway,” Solskjaer said.
“I just said to my scout: ‘Let’s go home, not interested.’ That was a very short scouting trip.”
This was reminiscent of a Ferguson story from David Beckham, who claimed the Scot made him shave his head when he once turned up to training with a mohican.
“I walked in the changing room and he hadn’t seen it because I was too scared to even show him,” Beckham told Otro.
“I’d gone into training the day before with a beanie on, trained in a beanie, gone back, walked in the hotel, had a beanie on, had dinner, beanie on, breakfast, beanie on, bus on the way to the stadium – beanie.
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“Then as I got ready for the game I took it off, and he said ‘go and shave it off’. I giggled and he was like ‘no, I’m serious. Go and shave it off’.
“So I had to find a pair of clippers and I shaved it off in Wembley Stadium. Manager always rules.”
It is clear that for both Solskjaer and Ferguson appearances matter, and it would take a brave United player to turn up to training with a bold hairstyle following Solskjaer’s latest revelation.
