A Tribute to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Readers,

Unfortunately, one of my all time favourite football players retired yesterday. After 7 glorious years and 4 injury stricken years playing for my beloved Manchester United, Solskjaer was forced to retire due to persistent injuries and didnt even get a chance for a known final appearance let alone season for the Old Trafford faithful to cheer the legend that walked - albeit slightly hampered for the last 4 years - amongst men.

Solskjaer was the epitome of class - class that is so visibly lacking in todays game where you have diving, invisible card waving and revenge tackles. None of this was ever seen emerging from the personality of Solskjaer on or off the pitch. Never in his 11 years as a representative for my great club did i read about him on the front pages - only ever the back pages and didnt he glorify those? It almost brings a tear to the eye.

Now before a bunch of people complain about Solskjaer's foul on Rob Lee when he was clean through on goal many moons ago - it was a deliberate trip - which was given the appropriate punishment laid down by the law - it was hardly going to cause Rob Lee an injury - it was merely another example of one of the qualities of the great man. - that being loyalty!

How many players are willing to spend so much time on the bench when they would walk into a good 75% of the teams in the premier division of our country alone? They are indeed a dying breed. Does this make him lazy? unambitious? 6 league titles, 2 FA Cups and the Uefa Champions League to his name along with 120+ goals mainly scored over the first 7 seasons which werent injury stunted is your answer - he may have been a substitute - but not a lazy, unused, unambitious or ineffective one! Rather the opposite in every one of the above!

I like every other true United fan firstly thank him for his loyalty and gracing us with his class on and off the pitch for the last 11 years and wish him all the best for the future whatever he decides to do in the future.