Gary Neville hails Solskjaer, slams Louis van Gaal
Former Manchester United stalwart Gary Neville hailed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's appointment as Jose Mourinho's permanent successor at Old Trafford yesterday and took a swipe at one of his critical predecessors.
The Norwegian, 46, has inspired a dramatic revival of United's fortunes since taking over from the sacked Jose Mourinho last December, winning 14 of his 19 games and leading the Red Devils to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
Solskjaer, who scored 126 goals in 366 appearances for United, was already a hero to fans as the man who scored the stoppage-time winner in the 1999 Champions League final to complete a historic Treble.
In his short spell in charge, he has lifted United back into contention for a top-four finish in the English Premier League and is preparing for a mouthwatering Champions League clash against Barcelona next month.
However, Solskjaer's work hasn't impressed former United boss Louis van Gaal, who said he "parks the bus" like Mourinho and plays "defensive football".
Neville hit back at the comments yesterday, calling the football van Gaal oversaw at Old Trafford "the worst I've ever seen".
The former England right-back told Sky Sports: "There is a lot of hard work still to do in the coming months and years to get Man United back to where it was before.
"I saw Louis van Gaal the other day say that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's football is like Jose Mourinho's but winning.
"Van Gaal's football at Man United was the worst I've ever seen and Mourinho's was far better, even though it wasn't acceptable in terms of what the fans want to see."
His former United teammate Peter Schmeichel, meanwhile, praised the club for making a "brave" appointment.
He told Sky Sports: "I have to credit the club for the timing and also the bravery for doing this."
When Solskjaer was asked about his targets, he said: "To lift the Premier League trophy again is what we expect, what we're used to, what we have done so many times.
"We can't wait too many years but it's not going to happen overnight."
On transfer targets, he said that he wants new faces to arrive before the start of pre-season in Perth on July 13, a week before they play in Singapore.
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