Report: CanMNT contacts Solskjaer over vacancy
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Canada Soccer has cast a wide net in hopes of landing a new manager for the men's senior side with a Manchester United legend in the frame.
The Standard's Nizaar Kinsella reports Red Devils icon and former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been contacted about the vacancy.
Former Leeds and RB Leipzig manager Jesse Marsch has also been approached, as has Forge FC's Bobby Smyrniotis.
Kinsella notes that former United, Chelsea and Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho turned down an approach, as did Blues legend Frank Lampard.
It is unclear if either of Solskjaer or Marsch has any interest in the role.
A native of Kristiansund, Norway, the 51-year-old Solskjaer spent nearly three years as United manager, taking over for Mourinho in late 2018 before being fired in November of 2021. During his time at Old Trafford, Solskjaer took the team to the 2021 Europa League Final where United lost to Villarreal on penalties.
As a player, Solskjaer was nicknamed the "Baby-Faced Assassin" and served as a super substitute for some of Sir Alex Ferguson's best teams. Famously, Solskjaer scored the dramatic stoppage-time winner in United's 2-1 victory over Bayern Munich in the Champions League Final. Solskjaer also won six Premier League titles and two FA Cups as a player.
The 50-year-old Marsch has not coached since his dismissal from Leeds in February of 2023. Prior to heading to Europe, the Racine, WI native managed both the Montreal Impact and New York Red Bulls, leading the latter to a pair of Supporters' Shields and winning MLS Coach of the Year in 2015. Marsch served as an assistant under Ralf Rangnick at Leipzig in 2018-2019 before leaving to manage sister club Red Bull Salzburg the next season. After winning a pair of Austrian Bundesliga titles with the team, he return to Leipzig as manager, but was fired midway through his first season in late 2021. He joined Leeds for a one-year stint weeks later.
Also in the frame for the job, reports Kinsella, are former Middlesbrough and Nottingham Forest manager Aitor Karanka and longtime Carlo Ancelotti assistant Paul Clement, who also had managerial experience at Derby County, Swansea City and Reading, Kinsella posits the hiring of Clement could be a way to attract Vancouver resident Ancelotti to the job down the road.
Canada is set to play in its first ever Copa America this summer, kicking off its tournament on June 20 against World Cup holders Argentina.
The CanMNT's interim manager is Mauro Biello, who has been in the role since John Herdman departed for Toronto FC in August.