Michael Carrick has been told his stay as Manchester United interim boss will not result in a promotion
Michael Carrick standing
Michael Carrick has been told his stay at Manchester United has no chance of becoming permanent(Image: 2026 Manchester United FC)
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Manchester United have been warned that appointing Michael Carrick as the club's permanent head coach would be a repeat of a previous mistake.
The former Red Devils midfielder took over as interim manager earlier this week, succeeding Darren Fletcher in the caretaker role following Ruben Amorim's dismissal.
While Carrick's stint in charge is scheduled to run only until the end of the season, United have a history of offering permanent contracts to temporary managers after a period of strong results.
More than seven years ago, in December 2018, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer returned to Old Trafford as caretaker manager after Jose Mourinho's departure. Just three months later, following 14 wins from 19 matches in charge, the Norwegian was given a three-year contract as the club's permanent head coach.
United's impressive form and displays prompted former players, including Rio Ferdinand, to pressure the board into making Solskjaer's appointment permanent. Ferdinand famously urged the club to hand the Norwegian a blank cheque after Man United eliminated PSG from the Champions League.
An enthusiastic Ferdinand declared live on BT Sport following United's 3-1 victory 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.
Rio Ferdinand says Ole at the wheel
Rio Ferdinand urged his former club to hand Ole Gunnar Solskjaer a blank cheque(Image: BT Sport)
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"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 remarks have become notorious, as United failed to recapture the form displayed during Solskjaer's time in charge.
The club went trophy-less throughout his three-year spell before he was dismissed following a humiliating 4-1 loss to Watford. Speaking on talkSPORT, former Liverpool and England midfielder Danny Murphy warned United against repeating the same error with Carrick's appointment.
When host Jim White questioned whether Carrick might be offered the role permanently if he turned around United's fortunes, Murphy responded: "I don't think so this time, I think they'll have learned from their mistakes.
Michael Carrick and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
The Norwegian was sacked three years into his United stint(Image: )
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"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.
"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."
Ex-Middlesbrough boss Carrick faces a stern challenge in his opening match on Saturday, as his team welcome Manchester City, who hold a commanding advantage in their Carabao Cup semi-final after defeating Newcastle United 2-0 at St James' Park on Tuesday.