Becoming Manchester United manager has become an impossible task. Six men replaced Sir Alex Ferguson, but all eventually succumbed to the pressure. A seventh player is set to be selected this summer, and Michael Carrick looks set to be that man.
Carrick has now increased his chances of returning to the Champions League after winning seven of 10 games since January and lifting United into third place in the Premier League. It would be surprising if a deal doesn’t happen in the top five.
It’s difficult to determine the traits needed to be successful at United. They followed almost every route. Jose Mourinho became a consecutive winner. Louis van Gaal was an experienced hand. Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim were project managers.
Carrick is in the “United DNA” camp. In other words, Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s side bringing their own baggage. Solskjaer’s flaws were obvious, but he overcame the intense scrutiny at Old Trafford better than most. This seems to be shared by Carrick.
“There are parts[of being Manchester United manager]- and I’m not being irreverent to say that – but it’s something I’ve known for a long time,” Carrick told Sky Sports’ Roman Kemp at United’s training camp in Dublin.
“Pressure is something I’ve had for a long time.
“What is expected of us here, how we go about achieving things, the amount of support we have and the oversight we have, it becomes normal after a while.
“Personally, it probably doesn’t feel as big as it looks from the outside.”
Monday, April 13th 6:30pm
Kickoff at 8pm
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
Michael Carrick believes Bruno Fernandes is “right up there” in the Premier League Player of the Year conversation after his huge impact on Man United’s season.
As low-key as a coach as he was as a player, this will be the closest Carrick will come to publicly pitching for a job. And it’s a compelling one. There are plenty of coaches with better resumes than this, but how many can claim to know how to handle that level of pressure?
There are similarities with United’s player reinforcement problem. With too much scrutiny, quality doesn’t matter. There is no shortage of examples. Harry Maguire, who came through the Old Trafford factory, is better placed to explain this than anyone else.
“I see a lot of players joining this club and frankly this club is too big for them,” the 33-year-old defender told reporters in Dublin.
“The spotlight, the scrutiny, the analysis. Every time a goal is scored, it’s someone else’s fault. There will be former players who will talk about it. That’s just part of playing for this club.” This will be even more intense for those in the dugout.
United are in no hurry to decide on their next head coach, with a final decision not expected to be made until the end of the season. Carrick is the only candidate they’ve talked to so far, and they can only be positive about his chances.
“It’s no secret what we need next season.”
The head coaching position is still up in the air, but decisions have been made about United’s future and Carrick is part of it. Maguire has signed a new one-year contract. Casemiro has announced that he will leave the club at the end of the season.
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
Michael Carrick says everyone at Manchester United hopes Harry Maguire will extend his stay at Manchester United
Casemiro developed under Carrick in his final season at Old Trafford.
Carrick said discussions were taking place about how United would replace the Brazil international. “It’s no secret what we need for next season,” he said, hinting that United plan to sign at least one top midfielder this summer.
It will be difficult for United to fill the void left by Casemiro. The 34-year-old has enjoyed a resurgence in his final season at Old Trafford, scoring seven goals, and Carrick said the clarity over his future is helping Casemiro “make the most of what’s left”.
Asked if he wanted a little more clarity about his future, Carrick said: “I understand the situation, I understand the situation when I come back in January, the plans for the rest of the season and the possibilities for the summer. I don’t think that has changed.”
“Things will be sorted out once they are sorted out. For me it’s just about doing the best job I can and planning for the future and for the benefit of the club and the players in the team. I’m not here to get to the end of the season and deal with the next thing.
“I think it’s important to have a plan and execute it in order for the team to be strong. If I’m part of it, I’m part of it. If not, that’s the situation I found myself in.”
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
Watch for free: Highlights from Manchester United’s last game – trip to Bournemouth almost a month ago
“Our goal is to win the title.”
If Carrick gets the job, the pressure will be even higher. United have set an ambitious target of winning the Premier League by 2028, which will give them two summer transfer windows to build a team capable of winning the title.
United haven’t done that since 2013, Sir Alex’s final season. The closest they came was under Solskjaer, when they finished second in 2020/21, 14 points behind Manchester City.
The jury is still out on Carrick’s qualifications to take United back to those heights, but his appointment will improve the chances of an English player winning the Premier League for the first time.
“I hope so,” Carrick says. “You’d like to think it would happen someday, but for some reason it didn’t. Timing is important.
“We’ve had a manager here for quite some time who was definitely not British, but he was very successful. If that went on stage and it was me, that would be great.
“Winning the league title again has to be an objective for this football club at some point. That’s what we’re aiming for.”
Carrick steadies the ship and knows the pressure that being at United brings. But if he stays in the job long-term, will that be enough to achieve what he needs to be considered a real success at Old Trafford?
Watch Man United vs Leeds live on Monday Night Football from 6.30pm on Sky Sports Premier League. Kickoff at 8pm.
