Sports Law; Terminating the Employment of Ole Gunner after the “Red Wedding”

Sunday’s league thrashing at the hands of second-placed Liverpool means Manchester United have lost at home by a five-goal margin for the first time since February 1955 when they lost to city rivals, Manchester City.

The Red Devils had only previously lost by a bigger margin than this when Liverpool tossed them aside in October 1895 in a 7-1 demolition at Anfield.

If things at the Theater of dreams were ever direr, the events of this evening, famously nick-named ‘The Red Wedding’, have set the most dominant perspective for any lover of Manchester United.

After the midweek’s comeback against Atalanta, it was feared, especially by former player, Paul Scholes, that Manchester United could still suffer a humiliating fate if the defensive nut-job displayed midweek were repeated

As it turns out, a hatrick from Mohammed Salah, who has officially become the highest scoring African in the Premier League, and goals from Naby Keita and Diogo Jota made this ‘prophecy’ all the more true. This, however, means calls for Ole Gunnar Solksjaer to be sacked have never been more intense.

Having already been knocked out of the League Cup this year after a 1-0 loss to West Ham United at Old Trafford, the possibilities of the club winning silverware are slimming down by the minute.

It is clear that the Manchester United hierarchy hope for results to get better. It will be a good reward for the extensive faith they have demonstrated in the United manager, such as a new contract and the bumper transfer deals completed within the period he has been at the club.

At £778.7m in transfer fees, Manchester United have the second most expensive squad in the Premier League, trailing behind only of course, Manchester City who have assembled a squad worth an overwhelming  £829.5million. Summer signings in Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane into a squad that already has Harry Maguire, the world’s most expensive defender certainly raised expectations that Manchester United will challenge for top spot on the Premier League log.

There is however pressure mounting now on the United hierarchy for Ole to be sacked. This may not be as simple as most fans expect, given the huge payout that followed the club’s decision to axe Jose Mourinho in 2018, after a 3-1 loss to, again, Liverpool. It is reported that the club paid a severance package of £19.6 million to Mourinho and his staff after he was fired.

Given that Ole Gunnar Solksjaer signed a new contract in July that will see him at the club till at least 2024, there is fear that the club may be cautious in its approach on this matter.

The club’s executive vice-chairman, Ed Woodward had said at the time that “we are more confident than ever that, under Ole’s leadership, we are heading in the right direction.”

Under this new contract, the Manchester United boss is now being paid £200,000 per week, which culminates into about £10m per year. This was a huge increase on the £7.5m he was previously earning, even though he was just coming out of a defeat in the Europa League final to Villareal.

Ordinarily, Manchester United will be looking at a payout around this figure if the Norwegian is sacked. However, there is also the matter of his assistant managers who will most likely be exiting with him. It is speculated that Michael Carrick and Kieran McKenna will stay behind, given that they were appointed before Ole. However, there is a sense that the club will want fresh direction and ideas if it decides to exercise the contract extermination clause at its disposal.

Although these figures may not be as paramount, given the extensive wealth the club commands, it is important to pay attention to some other details that may weaken any excitement around fans that Ole will be getting the sack.

David Ornstein of the Athletic reported earlier this month that Ole Gunnar Solksjaer enjoys a ridiculously amount of goodwill with the club’s board. He also has lots of friends, formerly colleagues, performing punditry duties in the media.

Meanwhile, pro-club blog, unitedinfocus.com has suggested that with Ed Woodward likely to step down as CEO in December, the club will not be as eager to change manager and CEO at the same time, in view of the chaotic outcomes that followed a repeat of this move in 2013.

Nonetheless, fans are in the stadium. The defeat this afternoon is a scar that will haunt Ole’s memories for a long time. It will not be difficult for fans to express their sentiments, if the stadium boos are not loud enough. The hashtag, #OleOut has after all, become one of the most popular searches since 2019.

How long can Ole save his job when his output is despised by the most passionate, vociferous and arrogant fan-base in the entire world?