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Ole Gunnar Solskjær is confident that Manchester United will grant him the "two or three years" that he deems necessary to establish a style of play that will realistically challenge Manchester City and Liverpool.
Last season, Jose Mourinho's team finished second but 19 points from City, while United was 27 points from the champions and 26 from Liverpool early this weekend. United, sixth, is also unlikely to claim a spot in the Champions League since he is three points behind Chelsea, fourth and Arsenal, fifth. United has not won a league game since April 13 and has two wins in 10 games in all competitions.
Solskjær, whose rise to the position of permanent manager is increasingly called into question, reiterated that it was "unrealistic" to wait for United to be a champion next year and insisted that the hierarchy of club gives him time. He said, "I meet Ed regularly. [Woodward, the executive vice‑chairman], I saw Joel [Glazer, the cochairman] and the [other] Owners: They are very realistic about where we are and what we want to achieve and how long it will take.
"You do not suddenly reach 27 points in a season, you have to take it gradually. It's not just this season, but the last five or six. We know where we are more or less and it is not good enough. Hope we can produce better performance and they [City and Liverpool] can produce worse and we will get closer. "
Solskjær stressed the need to return to United's offensive football tradition. He added, "We have to find a way to play. What is the best? Here, the style attacks quickly, plays forward, runs forwards, repels, recovers the ball. I'd love to get where we have a system, but it did not work that way [so far].
"You see teams that are two or three years old together, they know each other, they know the relationships. As a footballer or coach, you know that the more time you have to work in relationships, the better, because you will always be ahead of you instead of today, we may be too responsive to the opposition. We want to have a shape on and off the ball with which we are comfortable. "
In addition to a major recruitment campaign this summer, Solskjær also wants his United players to be in better shape, which is a legacy problem. "The more fit you are, the more you can do. It's a basic principle that I have. If you look at the statistics of the last few years, I do not think anyone would be shocked or surprised. We will build on their physical form. It will not look like an old military preparatory camp. You must be smart about everything. We want best practices to prepare players early in the season. "
Solskjær believes that not qualifying for the Champions League will not deter elite players from joining United. "I'm not worried because I know Manchester United is an experience that players would love to live. Manchester United will always be a dream for many. There could be players where the Football Champions League [solely] concerns them, and they might not be the right people.
"We have to succeed in the field with those we have. It's not just about signing players. It's about getting the players here to make the most of their potential, because we have a lot of good players here, and that's my job. For the moment, I am responsible for the performances. I am the one who should have this flak if there is any. "
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