Sunday 31 March 2019 09:37, UK
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is his "own man" and is not influenced by Sir Alex Ferguson in his new permanent role as manager, says former chairman Martin Edwards.
Solskjaer was appointed permanent United manager on Friday, and celebrated the news by steering his side to a narrow win over Watford at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Since overcoming a serious health scare, Ferguson has been a prominent figure at Old Trafford since Solskjaer's appointment, having been pictured in the dressing room, with Solskjaer also admitting he is in regular contact with his former manager, but Edwards was quick to quash suggestions of Ferguson still holding any real influence.
"I think people make a lot out of these things," Edwards told Sky Sports. "Ole will have learned a lot from Alex's management, but I don't see that Alex will be down there at the training ground or interfering in any way. I am sure if Ole wanted some advice he could go to Alex and he will give it. Whether Ole would feel the need to do that I don't know.
"Ole is his own man now, and Ole will do it his way. He will have picked up things from his experience in football, particularly under Sir Alex Ferguson. You can glamourise it, the relationship, but Ole is his own man."
Edwards also revealed he played a key role in bringing Solskjaer to the club as a player, a move that almost didn't happen.
"I was very close to Les Kershaw, our chief scout, and one day I popped into his office and he told me that he had spotted this boy from Norway called Solskjaer, but the manager is unsure on whether to take a chance on him," Edwards added.
"Les said 'he is only going to cost £1.4m and even if he plays a dozen games for the reserves then we will get our money back on him but he might just do it, he is fantastic'."
"On the basis of that I went to see Alex, and he said 'if you are willing to take the risk, chairman, then I will go along with it' and that was it. He nearly didn't come."
