As Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
announces his retirement from playing, ManUtd.com's Steve Bartram
gives his take on the Norwegian's sparkling Reds
career...
It's safe to say you're going to see a fair few replays of Ole
Gunnar Solskjaer's Champions League-winning goal against Bayern
Munich over the coming days.
The Norwegian's instinctive flick of a boot in Barcelona ensured
his place in United folklore and instantly became an iconic moment
in the Reds' history.
So, now that Ole has announced his retirement from football, you
can expect to relive that magical moment in the Nou Camp again and
again. Which is fine. Don't get me wrong, I could watch that match
on a perpetual loop and still fill up with pride every time.
One of my biggest bugbears, however, has always been that the
importance of Ole's winner seems to have overshadowed what has been
a glittering career.
A banner simply declaring '20LEGEND' hangs poignantly on the
Stretford End second tier as a reminder not just of May 26, 1999,
but of the indelible mark Ole has made on Manchester United
throughout his career.
Had Jonathan Greening, for example, left the Nou Camp bench and
poked a winner past Oliver Kahn, it's safe to say there wouldn't be
a flag flown in his honour.
The Norwegian's legendary status was pretty much secured regardless
of events in Barcelona. A gentleman off the pitch and a predator on
it, Ole endeared himself to supporters with his commitment,
professionalism and, of course, his goals.
"Ole is a marvellous finisher," Sir Alex once said of the lethal
marksman. "The lad is one of the best finishers I have known. We
have had a few good natural finishers at the club but he is
exceptional."
Barcelona aside, there's the four-goal cameo at Nottingham Forest
and the injury-time FA Cup winner against Liverpool - all from the
Treble season - and many, many more besides if you're looking for
examples.
My own personal favourite moment of Ole's career has nothing to do
with his goals, however, more the moment his relationship with
United fans was set in stone.
18 April, 1998. An injury-beleagured United were limping towards
the finishing line of another hard-fought title race with Arsenal.
By this point, while still mathematically well in the hunt to
retain the trophy, the Reds were down to the bare bones and the
Gunners had built up an unstoppable momentum.
Ole was thrown into the action against Newcastle with the score
locked at 1-1. United were laying siege to the Magpies' goal, but
just couldn't get a vital winner. With a minute remaining, such was
United's commitment to attack, that one cleared corner left Magpies
midfielder Rob Lee with a free run on goal from inside his own
half.
Having only been on the field 10 minutes, Ole used his freshness to
sprint after Lee in a nail-biting race. Should United concede, that
would be the season over. The gap continued to narrow until Lee got
to the edge of the United area, when Ole flung himself into an
awful challenge and was, quite rightly, sent off.
In ensuring the foul was outside the box, however, he had prevented
an almost certain goal and a potential penalty. In recognition, he
was handed a standing ovation by the Old Trafford crowd.
It's not the proudest moment of Ole's career, I'd imagine, and he
was carpeted by Sir Alex for his lack of sportsmanship after the
game, but it was a deliberate self-sacrifice which laid bare his
worth as a player and a man.