Michael Carrick has been told the permanent head coach role at Manchester United will not be his
Head Coach Michael Carrick of Manchester United in action during a first team training session at Carrington Training Ground on January 14, 2026 in Manchester, England.
Michael Carrick will lead Manchester United for the rest of the season(Image: Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
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Manchester United have been warned that making Michael Carrick the club's permanent head coach would be repeating past failures. The former Red Devils midfielder was appointed interim manager earlier this week, relieving Darren Fletcher of his caretaker post following the sacking of Ruben Amorim.
While Carrick's time at the helm will only last until the end of the season, United do have previous when it comes to rewarding temporary managers with permanent contracts following a run of good form.
It was over seven years ago, in December 2018, when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer returned to Old Trafford as a caretaker manager after Jose Mourinho was dismissed. And three months later, the Norwegian, who won 14 of 19 games in charge, was handed a three-year deal as the club's new head coach.
United's good form and performances led to former players, including Rio Ferdinand, pressuring the board to appoint Solskjaer on a permanent basis. Rio Ferdinand infamously told the club to give the Norwegian a blank cheque after Man United knocked PSG out of the Champions League.
An excitable Ferdinand said live on BT Sport after United's 3-1 win in Paris: "Listen, Man United might not thank me, but get the contract out, put it on the table. Let him sign it, let him write whatever numbers he wants to put on there, given what he's done now since he's come in.
"Let him sign the contract and go. Ole's at the wheel. He's doing it, he's doing his thing. Man United are back!" Ferdinand's comments are infamous for a reason, as United never returned to the same form they showed during Solskjaer's reign.
They went without silverware in the three years he was at the club before he was sacked following an embarrassing 4-1 defeat by Watford. It was on talkSPORT that former Liverpool and England midfielder Danny Murphy urged United not to make the same mistake when it comes to Carrick's situation.
Rio Ferdinand Ole at the wheel
The Manchester United icon infamously claimed "Ole's at the wheel" three years ago after the club knocked PSG out of the Champions League(Image: BT Sport)
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When asked by Jim White if there was a possibility Carrick could be handed the permanent job should he transform United's fortunes, Murphy said: "I don't think so this time, I think they'll have learned from their mistakes.
"Even if he has a really good spell and they have a bump and start playing some good stuff and even sneak into the top five or top four depending if we get the five places.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Manager of Manchester United reacts after the Emirates FA Cup Quarter Final match between Leicester City and Manchester United at The King Power Stadium
The Norwegian was sacked after three years in charge of United(Image: Getty)
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"Will they go down that line again of rewarding and then giving him a contract and a year later be thinking 'now we need a proper manager or a senior manager'. I don't think they'll make it. I think he knows it's interim. I don't think whatever he does is going to become permanent, I really don't."
Former Middlesbrough manager Carrick has quite the test in his first game on Saturday as his side host Manchester City, who have one foot in the Carabao Cup final after beating Newcastle United 2-0 at St James' Park on Tuesday.
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