One player, meanwhile, was surprised to get a call from United's chief negotiator Matt Judge to discuss whether or not to have an operation to correct an ongoing injury. Asked why Solskjaer was not the one making the call, Judge said it had been delegated because it might be a "difficult conversation."
Delegation became a key part of Solskjaer's blueprint with the 48-year-old insisting he was "a manager, not a coach."
A number of players became frustrated at the influence wielded by assistant first team coach Kieran McKenna despite his limited experience in senior football. He played a significant role in training, team selection and often gave team talks instead of Solskjaer on the evening before games. One former United defender was convinced he wasn't being picked simply because "McKenna doesn't like me."