Ole Gunnar Solskjaer returns to the Premier League as Cardiff City boss
Former Manchester United striker says he is ready to take on the challenge at Premiership strugglers
Former Manchester United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been appointed as the new manager of Cardiff City.
The 40-year-old joins the English Premier League strugglers from Norwegian club Molde and succeeds Malky Mackay, who was sacked on December 27 after his relationship with the club's Malaysian owner Vincent Tan broke down.
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. "I had to have a talk about it with the family, obviously, but it is a great opportunity."
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.
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.
