Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on India, family, returning to coaching and his time as United boss

“Do you know Tom Waits?” asks Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. “It’s 50 years since the debut album. I like him a lot.” In nearly three decades of knowing Solskjaer, it’s the first time conversation has moved away from football, the subject which consumes his life.

Solskjaer, the former Manchester United player, reserve and first-team manager, is listening to the gravelly-voiced Californian singer on a flight between the two giant Indian cities of Mumbai and Delhi. He’s in India for the first time to meet and speak to United fans in three venues over three nights: Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi. It’s non-stop.

A United fan, Tilak Gaurang Shah, brought the Norwegian over and Solskjaer’s greeted at every airport by hundreds of enthusiastic fans singing his name and asking him to stop for selfies. He obliges as much as he can while surrounded by police. It’s novel to see United fans smiling after an underwhelming season.

Cricket is by a distance the most popular sport in India, but football is growing even though the Indian men’s national team are ranked a lowly 117th in the world. The domestic football league is improving but most fans get their fix from watching European giants like United or the other big English, Spanish or Italian clubs.

“It’s a long way and you’re not sure how the reception is going to be, but it’s humbling when people come up to tell you the stories or hand you a letter,” Solskjaer says.

“It’s almost surreal when grown men come up and they shiver and shake and they’re nervous as they say ‘I need to tell you this story’. That’s quite special. That sticks. The people here are passionate, friendly. I’ll remember this all my life.”

Solskjaer is at a crossroads. He’s over the stresses of his last job at United, he