Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has clearly taken inspiration from one of the greatest managers of all time during his short reign at Manchester United and he was quick to bring back one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s long-held traditions. Pride and appearance were two key attributes for Fergie during his reign with him putting great importance on how the players and staff looked when they were representing Manchester United.
Now, Solskjaer has brought this philosophy back to United as he implemented a rule that all the players and staff wore their club suits on the way down to Wembley. It is all about professionalism on and off the pitch for the new boss and the suits are clearly working as he has become the first Manchester United manager ever to win their opening six games in charge.
Jose Mourinho implemented a more relaxed policy as he allowed his players to wear their tracksuits to away games whilst Louis Van Gaal also went with the suits. First-team coach at United, Michael Carrick, wrote about this exact matter in his autobiography:
“At Manchester United, we took great pride in how we presented ourselves in public. 'When you're travelling through an airport, people will see you,' Sir Alex said. 'You represent the club. You wear your blazers.' The Boss wanted to send a message, that we not only looked the part, but we also meant business. That look creates an aura.”
He also wrote about what it was like to be at another club, as he recalled his experience at West Ham.
"When Manchester United came to town they'd be in their blazers and looked like they meant business. Seeing Sir Alex Ferguson for the first time made a deep impression on me. He marched down the corridor towards the tunnel like a general eager for battle and utterly confident of winning it. My head filled with all those images of me playing United and standing in the corridor at Upton Park in awe as they filed past, in their blazers.
"Putting on the jacket with the large crest on the breast pocket gave me a sense of arriving, of achieving, really. It took me back to those days standing in the corridor at Upton Park, seeing United players walking in all smart and thinking, 'Yes, they look the best.'"
The suits seem to be working for the Red Devils and this is another example of a small improvement Solskjaer has made.
