Paul Ince has insisted that he was right about Manchester United making a mistake by appointing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on a permanent basis too early.
Manchester United tuned Solskjaer’s interim appointment into a permanent appointment in March this year after the Norwegian fashioned a remarkable turnaround in their form last season.
But since then, Manchester United have been in a tailspin and just two wins in their first eight league games this term has further increased the pressure on the manager at Old Trafford.
Ince was one of the former players who questioned Manchester United’s decision to appoint Solskjaer in the middle of last season, but was lambasted for his comments.
But the former Red Devil feels vindicated and insisted that it has remained a mistake on Ed Woodward’s part.
Ince said in the Times: “I said they put Ole in too early as permanent manager.
“They should have waited until the end of last season and I got slaughtered for saying that. But that was bad from Ed Woodward’s point of view.”
The former midfielder also stressed that Manchester United do not have the required quality to turn things around.
And he has squarely blamed the recruitment team for not identifying the kind of players the club need to move in an upward curve again.
“There are too many issues at the club. The quality of player is diminishing. In my time, you used to know what a United player was.
“You had to be mentally tough, be able to play in front of 70,000 supporters every week and perform. Perform at eight or nine out of ten. Train well every day because if you slacked off you were put to the sword.
“You don’t get that anymore and that is why we are seeing a lack of quality. The people in charge of recruitment are not signing ‘Manchester United players’.
“Their perception of top players, isn’t top players and that is where they are at the moment.”
Manchester United are continuing to back Solskjaer as they look towards a long term project to get back to the top of English football.
