Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (52), new head coach of Beşiktaş JK, participated in his first official interview with the British media. Breaking a long silence, he revealed his deep affection for Manchester United. In this process, Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham) was also mentioned.

The British 'BBC' conducted an exclusive interview with Coach Solskjaer on the 4th (Korean time) in Istanbul, Turkey. According to reports, Solskjaer jokingly started the interview by saying, "I came here to avoid people like you."

Solskjaer is a legendary forward who played for Manchester United from 1996 to 2007. He left Molde FK in 2018 to take over Manchester United but stepped down in 2021 due to poor performance.

Solskjaer expressed his love for his former club, saying, "Manchester United is my family. It will always be a part of me."

Of course, what he is currently focused on is the 'Istanbul Derby' against Fenerbahçe on the 5th. Beşiktaş is currently competing for third place in the league and faces a crucial moment against Fenerbahçe, led by Taxes Mourinho. Solskjaer said, "We want third place. The players get an extra week of summer vacation. It's more important than money."

Regarding his decision to come to Turkey, he explained, "This place values honesty, community, history, and tradition. It reminded me of my time at Manchester United. The identity and culture of this club resonate with me."

Solskjaer also mentioned connections between his time at Manchester United and now. "The goalkeeping coach, Tom Green, and the analyst are all from Manchester United. There’s also Fred at Fenerbahçe. I miss the days when I played with McTominay and 'McFred.'"

He particularly expressed deep regret about McTominay's transfer to SSC Napoli, saying, "I can't understand it at all. McTominay and Fred are players who give 100% every day. To let go of such players..."

He showed disappointment regarding his relationship with the Manchester United squad, saying, "Since I left, the only ones who have reached out to me are Harry Maguire, Bruno Fernandes, and Viktor Lindelöf. Of course, I don’t make cheap remarks. But that kind of silence hurts."

On the difficulty of team composition, he emphasized, "It's hard to operate players acquired by 2 to 5 different coaches in one team. The structure and philosophy need to be consistent," implicitly critiquing Manchester United's past operational methods.

He recalled past disputes with Taxes Mourinho, during which Son Heung-min was mentioned. He said, "When I said Son Heung-min simulated, Mourinho snapped back, 'I am a better father. A child must be fed no matter what.' I remember that. He is a charismatic figure. I'm glad to meet him again and hope we only talk about football."

The argument Solskjaer referred to occurred right after the Manchester United and Tottenham match in April 2021. The match ended in a 3-1 comeback victory for Manchester United, but there were controversial moments.

In the 34th minute, McTominay struck Son Heung-min in the face with his right hand while dribbling past him. The game was not stopped, and Edinson Cavani scored a goal.

The referee belatedly noticed Son Heung-min lying down and conducted a video review. Ultimately, the referee canceled Cavani's goal. After the match, Coach Solskjaer claimed McTominay's play was normal, and Cavani's goal should not have been canceled. Solskjaer lamented, "The game was lost. The referee's decision was a clear mistake. He should have seen it clearly. It was a perfect goal."

Regarding the incident with Son Heung-min falling, Solskjaer said, "We did not deceive. If my son was on the ground for three minutes and 10 teammates were needed to help him stand up, I wouldn’t feed him."

In response to Solskjaer's comments, Coach Mourinho said, "Son Heung-min is lucky to have a better father than Solskjaer. A father must feed his child no matter the circumstances. If it means stealing food, then it must be done. I was very disappointed with Solskjaer's remarks."

Meanwhile, Solskjaer said, "Football is decided by moments. You can win or lose. Sometimes luck is better than skill. I hope luck does not favor Mourinho this time."

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