Soccer-Solskjaer leaves struggling Cardiff City
LONDON, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has stepped down as Cardiff City manager after less than eight months, following relegation from the Premier League and a bad start to the new season, the club announced on Thursday. The former Manchester United and Norway international took over in January from Malky Mackay with the team just outside the bottom three places but was unable to prevent them finishing last. Controversial Malaysian owner Vincent Tan kept faith with him for the new season but the club said they had now decided on an amicable parting of the ways. "Our difference in philosophy on how to manage the club made me decide to step aside and allow the club to move forward in the direction Vincent wants," Solskjaer said in a statement on the club website (www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk). In the Championship (second tier) this season the Welsh club are in the bottom eight after winning only two of the opening seven matches. Solskjaer's overall record was five league wins in 25 games, his last one in charge being a 1-0 home defeat by Middlesbrough on Tuesday, during which he was booed by some supporters. He said after the game: "I'm responsible and I should get better results than this." (Writing by Steve Tongue, editing by Alan Baldwin)
