Manchester United midfielder Casemiro has responded to Jamie Carragher’s criticism in typically direct fashion. And Liverpool ended up dragged into the conversation as well.
Carragher questioned Casemiro’s level earlier this season, especially during the period when the midfielder lost his place and looked vulnerable physically. At the time, plenty of people wondered if Manchester United were carrying a declining player on massive wages.
A few months later, the mood looks very different.
Casemiro fought his way back into the team, became important again, scored goals, and helped drag United through difficult moments. So when TNT Sports Brazil brought up Carragher’s comments, the midfielder clearly had some fun with the answer.
Casemiro fires back at Carragher
“Everyone says whatever they want on television. I’m not someone who gets involved in that,” Casemiro said.
“But it’s a bit normal, because I won two Champions League titles over his team. Maybe after you win two titles against his club, there’s still some bitterness there.”
The Manchester United midfielder did stop short. In fact, he gave Carragher credit for eventually changing his stance.
“I respect his opinion. I don’t hold any resentment. The important thing is that he recognised he was wrong and changed his opinion. That’s what matters most.”
Still, Casemiro clearly sounds exhausted by the modern football cycle of outrage.
“Nowadays everyone has an opinion, everyone wants to go viral. Everyone thinks they know football, everyone thinks they’re a star, everyone thinks they understand everything. Today if you win, you’re the best and if you lose, you’re the worst. But football isn’t always like that.”
He even explained why he avoids social media completely.
“That’s why I don’t even have social media on my phone. Everyone wants attention now.”
Casemiro says comeback changed manager’s opinion
The Brazilian also opened up on what he considers one of the biggest achievements of his career – changing Ruben Amorim’s mind.
At one stage this year, Amorim simply did not trust him physically. Casemiro admitted the manager openly questioned whether he still had the intensity required.
Instead of accepting that situation and quietly drifting towards the exit, the midfielder decided to fight back.
“One of the biggest achievements of my career was this comeback and changing a manager’s opinion,” he said.
“He said I didn’t have the intensity. Then later he admitted he changed his opinion because of what he saw in training sessions and matches.”
Casemiro also admitted many players in that situation would have mentally checked out.
“With all humility, the easiest thing would have been to say: ‘The manager doesn’t want me? Fine. I’ve already won everything, I’ve achieved enough, let it go.’ But no. I kept working. I kept trying to show the manager he was wrong about me.”
That persistence eventually paid off.
“I managed to change his opinion. I ended up playing again and having a great end to the season.”
Strong backing for Michael Carrick
Casemiro also used the interview to strongly back Carrick’s work at Manchester United.
The Brazilian praised the interim manager repeatedly and made it clear he believes Carrick should stay long term.
“He came in as interim manager, but he handled difficult matches very well,” Casemiro explained. “He knows the club, he understands what Manchester United is. He has class. He has the posture of a Manchester United person.”
“For me, this guy has to stay for more years at the club because he deserves it. He deserves it a lot.”
Casemiro even suggested Carrick’s personality stands out behind the scenes.
“When you work with him every day, you look at him and think: ‘This guy deserves it.’”
Casemiro has already confirmed he will leave Manchester United at the end of the season. Yet just before walking away, he has managed to produce one final comeback story, silence some critics and take a swipe at Liverpool while doing it.