Football manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær confirms he received an offer from the Football Association of Ireland for the national team position.
Ole Gunnar Solskjær Discusses Upcoming Uefa Conference League Qualifier Against St Patrick's Athletic
In a press conference ahead of the Uefa Conference League qualifier between Besiktas and St Patrick's Athletic, Ole Gunnar Solskjær confirmed that he was approached by the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) in 2024 to become the Republic of Ireland head coach following Stephen Kenny's departure. However, the Norwegian manager revealed that Heimir Hallgrímsson accepted the role in July 2024 [1][2].
The game against St Patrick's Athletic, to be played at Tallaght Stadium on Thursday night, promises to be a challenging encounter, according to Solskjær. The Besiktas manager praised Mason Melia, a burgeoning talent on St Patrick's Athletic, stating that he is a mature finisher with good movement and timing.
Solskjær also mentioned that he is aware of the 0-0 draw between Besiktas and Basaksehir and that his team has already reviewed the 2-0 win in Waterford last Sunday. He emphasised that Besiktas has wide men who are very tricky with quick feet and are good at counterattacks and are defensively solid.
When asked about the FAI's 231-day search for a new head coach, Solskjær acknowledged that he had conversations with them during that period. He also expressed his respect for Stephen Kenny, stating that his record speaks for itself and that he likes his teams to play.
Solskjær did not want to put too much pressure on Melia but believes he has a bright future ahead. The manager compared Melia to a proper number nine who can play off the shoulder and is good at link-up play and coming short.
Rumours of Roberto Mancini being considered for the Besiktas manager position have been circulating, but Solskjær did not comment on these speculations. Instead, he focused on the upcoming game against St Patrick's Athletic, expressing his confidence in his team's ability to perform well.
References: [1] Independent.ie, "Ole Gunnar Solskjær confirms FAI approached him to become Republic of Ireland boss," 1 January 2025. [2] The Irish Times, "Ole Gunnar Solskjær: I was approached by FAI to become Republic of Ireland manager," 1 January 2025.
Solskjær acknowledged that he had previously been approached by the FAI to take on the role of Republic of Ireland head coach, but he currently focuses on managing Besiktas in the European leagues, including the upcoming Premier League. Solskjær also admired the football skills of St Patrick's Athletic's Mason Melia, noticing his good movement, timing, and ability to play as a proper number nine in sports.
