Michael Carrick has reportedly made significant changes that have helped turn the tide at the start of his reign as Manchester United's interim coach. The Englishman returned to Old Trafford earlier this month and replaced Ruben Amorim, who was sacked.
Amorim's way of working differed from that of Carrick, who has already tweaked several of the practices put in place by the former United manager. He has put his faith in Kobbie Mainoo, which was one of the main concerns fans had about his predecessor during his tumultuous spell.
Carrick has already earned huge plaudits just weeks into the job after overseeing an impressive 2-0 win over Manchester City in the Manchester derby. His side face Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday (January 25th), and another win will further highlight that the changes revealed by Manchester Evening News are proving to be a masterstroke.
Carrick's Man Utd Changes
Manchester United first team coach Michael Carrick looks on
Carrick knows United extremely well, having spent the majority of his playing career with the Premier League giants. He knows how important the youth academy is, and it's one of English football's most celebrated clubs for its commitment to youth.
The 44-year-old didn't start his youth career at Carrington, but was part of West Ham United's academy, another esteemed youth setup. Some of his changes make clear that he will be willing to turn to youth in the months ahead.
Monitoring United's Youth
Amorim attended just one youth game during his reign, a U21 match against Southampton at Carrington at the start of his reign. During his 14 months in charge, he never attended a match at Leigh Sports Village, unlike Carrick, who attended his first match in his first seven days.
Carrick and his backroom team showed their support and watched United's youth side in action earlier this week. Amorim was given the chance to watch the club's brightest prospects in action but never did.
Amorim sent his assistants to one or two youth games on his behalf but never truly followed the blueprint of previous managers keeping up with the academy in person. Erik ten Hag attended a match with his assistant, Mitchell van der Gaag, at Moss Lane in September 2022, which was close to where he lived.
Training Sessions
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Carrick has also made changes to training sessions, implementing a different energy that has gone down well with his players, and they are impressed with the detail. Harry Maguire was among those who spoke about this after the win over City.
Maguire told Sky Sports: "I must say, with him [Carrick] and all of his coaching staff, I've been really impressed this week."
Carrick and his staff have ensured sessions are shorter but more intense, with greater focus on individual work and helping improve specific players. The Englishman suggested he'd spoken to Slovenian striker Benjamin Sesko, and that the focus had been on his finishing.
Hands On
There has also been a shift in the coaches' involvement in training as they are "more hands-on," with Steve Holland and Jonathan Woodgate getting involved. This differs from Amorim, who sometimes participated but often preferred to observe his players, and there are various pictures of him standing far away from sessions.
A "strong dynamic beginning to develop" according to those who have observed United's training under Carrick. But it's not just at Carrington where the interim coach has made changes.
Matchday Routine
Michael Carrick
Carrick has also altered the team's matchday routine at Old Trafford and decided that his players are better off arriving slightly later at the stadium. This isn't overly different from Amorim's practice of having the squad meet at Carrington, eat together and travel as a group.
Ten Hag had changed the usual routine of having United stay overnight in the city centre hotel on matchday and arrive at the Theatre of Dreams four hours before kick-off. Amorim scrapped this at the start of the ongoing season, and Carrick has tweaked it, adding an emphasis on the importance of recognizing how fortunate the players are to play for the club.
Post-Match Debrief
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Carrick addresses his troops, telling them that "a privilege it is to play and work for the club" and that they need to enjoy it. This positive feeling is instilled in the dressing room post-match as he opted to speak to the team after the Manchester derby win about not getting too carried away.
Amorim didn't speak to his squad after a match and instead would address them the day after. He has spent his managerial career backing off and letting his players debrief between themselves.
Managing Mainoo
Kobbie Mainoo
One of the most controversial calls during Amorim's 14 months in charge was his handling of Mainoo. He arrived at Carrington in a Moncler jacket and when pictures of him interacting with the English midfielder hit social media fans envisioned he'd be one of the stars to shine brightest under the Portuguese.
That wasn't the case as he reduced Mainoo's game time and hadn't handed him a single start in the Premier League this season. Carrick has spoken of his faith in the 20-year-old and that was shown when he was named in his starting lineup against City last weekend.
Mainoo's future was in major doubt before Amorim was sacked and he requested to leave on loan last summer to gain more minutes ahead of the FIFA World Cup. This was rejected by the club but although his former coach insisted he was in his plans, he remained a bit-part player with Bruno Fernandes preferred in a deeper role.
The English youngster's frustrations were clear, but he was eager to reclaim his place in the United team. Carrick's appointment has not only resulted in the academy graduate being given a fresh start but also the likelihood that he signs a new deal.
The club are now ready to recommence contract talks with Mainoo and Carrick's arrival has played a huge role in this. A picture surfaced online of the pair holding a positive discussion in the Old Trafford tunnel after the derby.