Manchester United must provide clarity on caretaker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s future and reward him with a permanent role at the club for turning their season around and providing a measure of stability, former striker Dimitar Berbatov said.
The Norwegian manager has 14 wins in 19 games in all competitions since his December appointment, leading the Old Trafford club to the Champions League quarter-finals and to within two points of the Premier League’s top four.
“Ole was able to raise the spirit, the team, everything at the club,” Berbatov told Betfair. “With all the work he has done I don’t think it would be fair to him or the players if they don’t announce that he is going to stay in charge.
“I’m sure the current playing staff at the club would welcome some clarity on Solskjaer’s status at the club. It’s tiring to have so much change in the managerial position.
“For a team that did not change (their) manager for 25 years to have so much churn in such an important role suggests they don’t know what they’re doing. A club needs that stability at the top.”
Berbatov, who also played for Tottenham Hotspur during his time in the English top flight, expects the London club, third in the standings, to focus on a top-four finish with a tough Champions League quarter-final tie against Manchester City.
“Spurs have stumbled badly lately, taking one point from four Premier League games, and that’s a concern,” Berbatov added. “They’ve put so much pressure on themselves thanks to that bad run.
“Ultimately, the club will probably place more importance on maintaining their top four placing in the top-flight as it’s essential they are in that competition next season given how expensive the new ground has been.
“But they aren’t going to play a weaker team in the Champions League.”
Berbatov has been invited by Tottenham to play an exhibition match alongside other club greats such as Jurgen Klinsmann and Robbie Keane at their new stadium, on the site of their old White Hart Lane ground.
They will take on a side made up of Inter Milan greats on March 30 in the second of two test events arranged to grant the club a safety certificate for their new arena.
Spurs are due to play Crystal Palace in the Premier League for their first competitive fixture at the stadium on April 3.