Paul Scholes Credits Mike Phelan's Influence During Manchester United Revival
Manchester United legend Paul Scholes says the return of Mike Phelan to Old Trafford has aided the Red Devils during their dramatic return to form.
Phelan was Sir Alex Ferguson's trusted assistant for five years, and the former United player is back at Carrington to help steer the ship with interim boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The team was spiralling under former coach Jose Mourinho, but Scholes says the calmness installed by Phelan has balanced the chemistry at the Theatre of Dreams.
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Speaking about his experiences working with Phelan to the BBC (h/t Matt Penn of the Daily Express), Scholes said:
"He's just a very calming influence, Mick. He didn't do much coaching [under Ferguson] to be fair. That was left down to Rene [Meulensteen]. He just saw sense in stuff. He was calm, he was relaxed; whenever the manager got a little bit heated up, he'd calm him down. He was good around the players, really good around the players. He has a great way about him. People got on with him."
United's selection appeared desperately unhappy during the final months of Mourinho's tenure, and Solskjaer has immediately earned plaudits after going unbeaten in his first 10 matches in all competitions, winning nine since December.
The playing staff have found a new lease of life under Solskjaer and Phelan, with Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford regularly attacking with freedom against every opponent. Martial appeared a demotivated character under Mourinho, but he has since signed a long-term deal to remain in Manchester after the Portuguese's exit.
Scholes added Phelan is the perfect character to unify the dressing room at United and said the club now have the right coaching team in place.
"If you had a problem, you could go to him. I think he's doing the same now," Scholes said. "If you look at the coaching staff that Ole has got in ... Michael Carrick is very much the same character as Mick, they're all calming influences, and it seems to be working."
United's campaign was dead and buried just a few weeks ago, but the English giants are now only two points off the Premier League top four.
The Red Devils face a tough task against Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League and a testing trip to Chelsea in the FA Cup, but confidence is once again flowing, replacing the anxiety felt under the previous manager.
Phelan had a unique role under Ferguson, and his man-management skills were always his greatest asset behind the scenes at United.
If Solskjaer and Phelan continue to win games as a partnership in the coming months, the duo will surely be given the chance to take full-time control of the first team next season.
