Paul Parker believes Ole Gunnar Solskjaer should not become permanent Manchester United boss

Former Manchester United star Paul Parker has praised the impact of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer since taking interim charge of the Red Devils but does not think he would be the right choice for the permanent job. Speaking to Talk SPORT, Parker said that Solskjaer would be perfect for the short-term fix but looking forward, United must recruit an experienced head coach capable of luring some of their preferred targets next summer.

He said: “Ole is a lovely fella. He’s come in and he’s brought his smile into the place and everybody’s feeling happy. You’ll get the best out of anybody when they’re happy. But long-term, I don’t think so. As good as it can be this season, you have to look at the long-term. Manchester United need that little bit more, someone who is really going to attract the top players. With his lack of experience, players are not going to want to go there, and agents are not going to watch to take their players there.”

United had found themselves in a difficult situation after the Liverpool defeat earlier in the month which saw them 11 points behind fourth-placed Chelsea. As such, the club had no choice other than parting ways with Jose Mourinho and the move has brought up a reaction from the players with Ole getting much of the credit for encouraging the positive mindset on the field.

The Red Devils are currently on a four-match winning run in the top-flight and this sees them within six points off the Blues. Still, they have been assisted with a rather friendly schedule since the Reds game and the upcoming league encounter against Tottenham Hotspur may give an indication whether they can perform against the elite teams once more. United have performed the worst against the previous season’s top six and have accumulated just two points from five matches.