Manchester United have made Michael Carrick their head coach until the end of the season and he's called on former England No.2 Steve Holland to assist at Old Trafford, a particularly shrewd move
Ex-England No.2 is Michael Carrick's new right-hand man at Manchester United
Ex-England No.2 is Michael Carrick's new right-hand man at Manchester United(Image: Getty Images)
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If Michael Carrick represents a gamble for Manchester United, then Steve Holland is the banker. It is such a shrewd move on United’s part to bring on Holland because he represents the tried and trusted, experienced and highly-respected No.2 in Carrick’s new backroom team.
Carrick is still relatively inexperienced as a manager and appointing Holland could genuinely give him a chance of passing this five-month audition to get the job on a permanent basis. Holland is the senior figure in Carrick’s backroom staff of Jonathan Woodgate, Jonny Evans, former youth coach Travis Binnion and keeper coach Craig Mawson.
There are obvious parallels because, just like former England boss Gareth Southgate, Carrick managed Middlesbrough and cut his teeth under a strong, supportive chairman Steve Gibson. Southgate always spoke about Holland as if he was an equal. He ran every big decision by him and even talked about having a lunch together to discuss whether to quit before the 2022 World Cup. They stayed on. They were a package because that was how much faith and store Southgate put in his No.2.
Holland, 55, spent six years at Chelsea working under the likes of Jose Mourinho, Rafa Benitez, Antonio Conte and Guus Hiddink. His playing career was curtailed by injury and he immediately set his sights on coaching. He is regarded as someone with an eye for detail, a diligent planner and former Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas said he has a “meticulous coaching brain.”
He is very happy to be in the background and out of the limelight. A brief spell in charge at Crewe ended amid mixed messages about his role and he had a stint as caretaker at Chelsea.
But this is a man who has never courted the limelight or been particularly comfortable in it. He did not seem to enjoy the rare occasions when he had to do press conferences at Chelsea.
Back in Covid times, scouts would often sit in random places in near-empty stadiums. Holland ended up a few seats away from me in my seat at an Arsenal game. I could tell he was not hugely impressed to look across and see me being the closest person sat to him in the stadium.
Next time we saw each other there was a bit of small talk and he would pass the time of day if you saw him around an England camp. But generally there is this cliche about coaches being the conduit and the nice guy to the touch manager.
Steve Holland speaks to Gareth Southgate during Euro 2024
Steve Holland speaks to Gareth Southgate during Euro 2024(Image: Getty Images)
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With Southgate and Holland, it was role reversal. Southgate was the likeable, friendly face whereas Holland was happy to be in the background. He is serious and intense.
His reputation on the training ground is far more important, of course. Players talk about good, well-thought out sessions and he is strong on tactics and planning.
He is fiercely secretive. He hates any details getting out and, for example, the theory was always he was more sensitive about the opposition having any clue about England’s tactics and the line-up than Southgate. But if you look at his CV, the managers he has worked under, this is a manager with a stellar reputation. He will bring gravitas to Carrick’s coaching staff.
Younger managers often bring in older heads and this is a shrewd move by Carrick. He could not have done better than Holland.
It is also a reason why, if things go well in the next few months, Carrick will feel as if he has a genuine chance of being a long term United option.