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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has agreed to become manager of Cardiff. Dave Thompson/PA Wire/Press Association Images

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confirmed as new Cardiff manager

The former Manchester United player has been heavily linked with the post of late.

Updated at 15.34

FORMER MANCHESTER UNITED striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been appointed as the new manager of Cardiff City, the Premier League strugglers announced on Thursday.

The 40-year-old joins from Norwegian club Molde and succeeds Malky Mackay, who was sacked on 27 December after his relationship with club owner Vincent Tan broke down.

“Cardiff City Football Club are delighted to announce that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has joined the club as first team manager,” read a statement on the Cardiff website.

“Following discussions with Tan Sri Vincent Tan and club chairman Mehmet Dalman, Ole, joining Cardiff City from Molde FK, today (Thursday) met with his new squad at the Vale training ground and will soon be unveiled to the press at Cardiff City Stadium.”

Solskjaer, who attended Cardiff’s 2-0 defeat at Arsenal on Wednesday in the company of Tan, has signed a “rolling contract”.

Cardiff were promoted to the Premier League after a 51-year absence last season, but Solskjaer arrives to find the south Wales club one point and one place above the relegation zone.

“I feel lucky to be back in the Premier League,” said the former Norway international, who was pictured holding a Cardiff shirt on the club website.

“I had to have a talk about it with the family, obviously, but it is a great opportunity.”

Tan sparked angry protests from some Cardiff fans by sacking Mackay, having previously dismissed his head of recruitment, Iain Moody, in October.

The Malaysian also created controversy in 2012 when he forced Cardiff to change their traditional blue colours to red, but Solskjaer described reports that former United manager Alex Ferguson had warned him not to take the job as “absolute nonsense”.

“He has wished me the best and given me some good advice, as he always does,” Solskjaer added. “I had a good conversation with him.”

Solskjaer spent 11 years at United after signing from Molde in 1996, during which his boyish looks and razor-sharp instincts in front of goal earned him the nickname ‘The Baby-faced Assassin’.

He was renowned for coming off the bench to score vital goals, notably netting a famous injury-time winner against Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League final in Barcelona.

He joined United’s coaching staff after retiring in 2007 and was appointed manager of Molde three years later, leading the club to glory in the Norwegian top flight in 2011 and 2012 and last year’s Norwegian Cup.

First published at 13.12

- © AFP, 2014

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    Mute Enda S
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 1:28 PM

    How can a 12 year old manage in the premiership?! #Legend

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    Mute Eoin Mcintyre
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 1:32 PM

    ………..Has he been sacked yet?

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    Mute Shawn Rahoon
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    Jan 3rd 2014, 1:04 AM

    Yes, with Own Hand

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    Mute ronan murray
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 2:00 PM

    He’s getting a bit of premiership experience before he takes over the reigns at Old Trafford

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    Mute Shane Kearney
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 5:34 PM

    Going from one relegation battle to another so

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    Mute Mitch Connor
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 1:15 PM

    Still looks so young.

    Lucky b*stard!

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    Mute Jamie c
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 4:27 PM

    He could get the united job soon

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    Mute Peadar
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 6:33 PM

    Let’s see if he can do the Cardiff job first; my guess is that sooner rather than later he’ll fall foul of that clown of an owner

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    Mute Shawn Rahoon
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 7:17 PM

    He has only started shaving last month.

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    Mute Niamh O'Shea
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 1:54 PM

    He’ll last less than 12 months under this clown of an owner.

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    Mute Cathal Kelly
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 1:27 PM

    Awful career move, should have waited on a job with a bit of stability

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    Mute Luke Duffy
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 1:39 PM

    Could actually be a win-win situation for him, do badly and people will say that Cardiff was a train wreck with a bad owner so failure was expected, which means his reputation doesn’t take too much of a hammering! Do well and people will think he’s an amazing manager for being able to turn the club around!

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    Mute Ann-Marie Wallis
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 2:25 PM

    Think it isn’t as bad a move as some would see it. He can always blame the basketcase owner if it goes all pear-shaped.

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    Mute Ted Carroll
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 3:40 PM

    Not so sure about that guys! Managers live and die by their reputations and they would be well advised to stay away from jobs that can end in nothing but disaster! A young manager trying to make a name for themselves would be far better going for a job which will give them a chance to build a team and showcase their skills over a longer term. I think he has made a mistake here but seems like a decent bloke so I hope it works out well for him.

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    Mute Sean South
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 4:20 PM

    have to agree…he should have stayed well clear…the owner thinks he’s bigger than the club and that spells disaster…

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    Mute gerbreen
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 4:41 PM

    I wonder did Tan’s son 23 year old mate lose his role as head of transfer policy.

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    Mute Captain Hernia
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 2:07 PM

    It might not be all bad. Since its Tan who’s brought him in he might be willing to give Ole money for transfers and boost the squad. Tan will have to back his man. Still unfair on Mackay though :/

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    Mute Anthony Marren
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 1:33 PM

    I don’t know how he could take on that mess..that Vincent Tan is a nut job, he could be sacked just as easily if they don’t win straight away

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    Mute james hogan
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 2:35 PM

    2O LEgend !!!

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    Mute Brendan Daly
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 9:39 PM

    Damn u James, got there before me, but again, 2O LEgend, and a gentleman, wish him the very best, unless playing utd of course

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    Mute Riding Brazzers
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 3:49 PM

    Another manager that will roll over & give united handy points, just like Bruce, Allerdyce, Hughes etc…..

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    Mute Ciaran Purdy
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 3:17 PM

    Surprised the west brom wasn’t on the table… Be a tiny bit safer

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    Mute John Deane
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 2:33 PM

    Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be the next Manchester United manager and Ryan Giggs as his assistant. Ole would do a better job than Moyes

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    Mute Riding Brazzers
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 3:42 PM

    COME ON DAVID MOYES….

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    Mute Stephen Kilbane
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 3:43 PM

    Another loyal united fan
    I suppose it’s the gunners next season for ya

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    Mute daviddemoyes
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 3:44 PM

    Every single manager in the premier league would do better than Moyes. He is like a lost child.

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    Mute Paul Wallace
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    Jan 3rd 2014, 4:39 AM

    The era is over united fans deal with it…you will be a mid table club going forward.

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    Mute John Kelly
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 4:21 PM

    Wish him well, always liked him as a player.

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    Mute Leslie Alan Rock
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 3:36 PM

    He must be getting a right packet. No one should go near that mad chairman of theirs

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    Mute Riding Brazzers
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 3:50 PM

    Enjoy the game last night Les?? I did

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    Mute Conor Ó Ruanaidh
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 5:25 PM

    I heard if he doesn’t win WW2 he’s getting the sack.

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    Mute Riding Brazzers
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 3:40 PM

    Hope they get relegated now with that cretin as manager

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    Mute Scottyyyyyy
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 3:57 PM

    Your comments are so sophisticated

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    Mute Kieran Flub Fanning
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 2:16 PM

    Wow worst career move possible I think heading of to a club that’s going to get relegated that’s sold their history and has a whack job owner talk about a poison chalice

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    Mute Ian McDonald
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 8:55 PM

    He looks like a child. Come back Malky all is forgiven.

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    Mute Janet De Hora
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 9:54 PM

    Delighted to see one of my fav united players back in the Premiership; will be following his progress closely. I only hope the nut job Tan doesn’t ruin his good reputation, and gives him a chance to sort the club out. The Cardiff fans will sure to be singing, “you are my sunshine, my OLE sunshine” this weekend!

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    Mute Simon Doyle
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 7:43 PM

    1/8 to be sacked before the end of the season…..9/2 to be manager next season……no pressure then Ole

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    Mute Cian O'Connor
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 2:38 PM

    Oh lord

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    Mute Liam Sheahan
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 7:20 PM

    Up hill battle.

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    Mute Conor Morrissey
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    Jan 3rd 2014, 5:04 AM

    Id love to see him giving lads a bollocking at half time! Baby faced assassin!

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    Mute The_five_lamps
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    Jan 3rd 2014, 11:48 AM

    I think he’ll be a great manager…in the last 10 minutes of every game.

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    Mute Sean Baylon
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    Jan 2nd 2014, 8:09 PM

    Shame the first club in The premiership he manages is a disgrace with a disgraceful owner.. Ruin his reputation.. Fergies taught him to only take jobs at good clubs with good owners and chairmen.. Tan is a lunatic. Malky was doing a standard job considering!!!

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    Mute John Ward
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    Jan 3rd 2014, 1:42 AM

    Ole, ole, ole, ole,
    Ole, ole!
    Etc.

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