Michael Carrick has reversed Ruben Amorim's strict rule during the March international break as he works to prepare the squad for the Premier League's return
Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick during the Premier League match between Bournemouth and Manchester United at Vitality Stadium on March 20, 2026 in Bournemouth, England.
Michael Carrick has changed the rules for players at Manchester United(Image: Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)
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Michael Carrick has ditched Ruben Amorim's rule that prevented non-internationals from taking time off during international breaks. In the early weeks of Amorim's tenure at Manchester United, he was left with a severely depleted squad for training sessions due to an international break.
Marcus Rashford and Casemiro weren't called up by their respective nations, so they headed to the United States for a short break. This, however, did not sit well with the Portuguese manager, who subsequently banned players not selected for international duty from using the breaks as extra holidays.
He stopped short of pointing the finger at the United pair but made clear that overseas trips would no longer be allowed. Amorim said: "Would I set a different structure?
"Yes, for sure. But we cannot put this on the players. They [United] told them they have five days off so they can fly anywhere because nobody in the club says you cannot fly. So we cannot, this time, put that on Rash or Case."
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Amorim was dismissed after 14 months at the helm and Carrick stepped up to take charge. With the March international break now in full swing, numerous players have jetted off to represent their countries, either in World Cup qualification matches or friendly fixtures.
As a result, Carrick has been left working with those not selected for international duty at Carrington. However, the holiday ban imposed by Amorim has been lifted, with the Daily Mail reporting that United players will be handed additional time off owing to the fixture schedule.
Casemiro, Head Coach Michael Carrick of Manchester United in action during a first team training session at Carrington Training Ground on March 18, 2026 in Manchester, England.
Carrick still has the non-internationals working hard(Image: Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
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Usually, international stars would be back in training by the end of next week. But with the FA Cup quarter-finals scheduled for next weekend — and United absent from the draw — Carrick has permitted the squad to enjoy a well-earned break, meaning they will immediately benefit from the recent rule change.
With their last outing on Friday, March 20 and their next fixture not until April 13, United will have had four free weekends on the calendar. Those not called up for international duty were required to train until Thursday, March 26 before being granted the weekend off.
This period of rest could prove a significant boost for injured players working their way back to fitness ahead of the run-in. Matthijs De Ligt has been building towards a return, while Patrick Dorgu is also targeting a comeback before the season draws to a close.
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