Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's thoughts on Ruben Amorim’s Man Utd and Kieran McKenna's credentials

Manchester United legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is not overly impressed with the team's performances under Ruben Amorim, and he knows someone well who might even have been doing a better job if he was appointed instead. Solskjaer - who celebrated his 52nd birthday on Wednesday - has had the honour of both managing and playing for the Red Devils, and he had the pleasure of working alongside coach Kieran McKenna during his tenure at Old Trafford.

Despite Amorim's United struggling to impress recently, Solskjaer has previously expressed admiration for McKenna's style of coaching. The 38-year-old returned to Old Trafford for the first time with Ipswich Town on Wednesday, suffering a narrow 3-2 defeat despite United played the entire second half with only 10 men.

Although relegation back to the Championship is a distinct possibility, it's evident McKenna possesses all the necessary qualifications to succeed as a manager. And Solskjaer foresaw just that after getting to know the man who was raised in Northern Ireland.

"Kieran was a surprise to me when I got to United. Michael [Carrick], I already knew," he told The Athletic in 2023. "We'd been coached by Sir Alex [Ferguson], from the old school. Kieran was not. He's the most thorough and analytical, step-by-step, process-driven coach that I've worked with.

"He makes it so easy for the players to see and understand what we wanted from them. He'd do that the day before a game and his memory was also fantastic, his eye for detail too."

McKenna may still be mulling over what could have been after he was linked with the Old Trafford job last year but instead signed a new contract at Portman Road. And it remains uncertain whether he will ever return to the home dugout at Old Trafford.

Meanwhile, Amorim's United have struggled to put together consistent results and currently sit 14th. Erik ten Hag presided over United's worst start to a Premier League season just a few months after winning the FA Cup, but some argue things have deteriorated even further under relatively inexperienced successor Amorim, 40.

Since ending his three-year coaching break to take the reins at Besiktas in January, Solskjaer has been on a roll in Turkey's Super Lig, reports the Manchester Evening News. He has successfully propelled the Istanbul club from sixth in the league into title contention, emphasising the importance of instilling confidence in his players.

And 'The Baby-Faced Assassin' has spoken out about the ongoing struggles at former club United, admitting it's tough to see them falter. And Solskjaer could have some answers to United's issues after identifying similarities between them and his current outfit.

He recently told reporters: "You need to feel that heartbeat racing again, because [you ask], 'do you have the energy?' And the project that the president and the board have been talking to me about it was the right thing I needed now."

Having watched United under Amorim, Solskjaer admitted: "I've been following United [since I left] and it's difficult when it goes down. You need to just turn the boat and, hopefully, we can turn the boat quickly here."

It's not the first time Solskjaer has attempted to help United, who snubbed the signature of a young Erling Haaland for just £4million while he was at Molde. Despite his best efforts urging his former employers to snap up the future Manchester City superstar, they wouldn't listen – and the rest is history.

"I got in contact with United because we had this talented striker who they should have had. But they didn't listen, unfortunately," said Solskjaer at a 2023 event. "Four million, I asked for. But they never signed him. Four million! Don't ask [where he is now]. He's too good."