Well, that was quick! Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s time in charge of Besiktas has come to an abrupt end, just hours after a crushing European defeat. Eight months, 29 games, and now he’s out. What went wrong in Turkey for the former Manchester United boss, and who will step up next?

The football world has been rocked by significant news from Turkey, as former Manchester United icon Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been abruptly dismissed from his role as head coach of Besiktas. This unexpected managerial change comes barely eight months into his tenure, following a crushing European exit that has left the club’s faithful reeling.

The immediate catalyst for Solskjaer’s departure was Besiktas’ ignominious elimination from the UEFA Conference League qualifiers. Just hours before the official announcement, the Turkish giants suffered a devastating 1-0 home defeat to Swiss outfit Lausanne-Sport in the crucial second leg of their play-off clash, a result that sealed their fate and ensured an absence from continental competition this season.

This latest European setback follows an earlier, unsuccessful bid to reach the Europa League group stages, intensifying pressure on the Norwegian coach. Despite a promising start in the Turkish Super Lig, where they secured a 2-1 victory over Eyupspor in their opening fixture, the European failures proved too much for the club’s hierarchy to overlook.

Solskjaer, 52, had been at the helm for 29 matches, boasting a commendable record of securing victory in over half of those encounters and guiding Besiktas to a fourth-place finish last term. His appointment in Istanbul marked his return to management after a three-year hiatus, having last managed Manchester United before his departure in November 2021.

The decisive second leg against Lausanne-Sport, notably a club controlled by Manchester United’s part-owners INEOS, began with Besiktas holding a precarious 1-1 aggregate score from the first leg. However, their hopes were severely dented just before halftime when summer signing Nathan Butler-Oyedeji put the visitors ahead, shifting momentum dramatically.

Besiktas’ evening went from bad to worse almost immediately after the break, with Felix Uduokhai receiving his marching orders less than a minute into the second half. This critical red card forced Solskjaer to ring tactical changes in a desperate attempt to alter the balance of play, but the resilient Swiss rivals held firm against the ten men.

Ultimately, Lausanne-Sport secured their place in the Conference League, leaving Besiktas to contend solely with domestic ambitions this season. The swiftness of the board’s decision underscores the high stakes in modern football and the immediate expectations placed upon managers, especially after such a high-profile European disappointment.