Michael Carrick was hired by Manchester United until the end of the season but calls for him to get the permanent gig are mounting after two impressive wins to begin his tenure
Michael Carrick has won his opening two matches as Man Utd head coach
Michael Carrick has won his opening two matches as Man Utd head coach(Image: James Gill - Danehouse, Getty Images)
View 3 Images
Manchester United have the perfect chance to show they've evolved under their new leadership with an emotional decision increasingly presenting itself in the form of Michael Carrick.
If there's one thing that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his lieutenants Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox haven't shown it is conviction. Their thought process is entirely led by results, even the types of results that cover up cracks that cannot be fixed.
We all knew Erik ten Hag wasn't their man months before he was sacked, yet they were conned by an FA Cup final win. The status quo did its thing months later when he was shown the door.
And so to their latest managerial call - and the decision to make Carrick their head coach until the end of the season. He's pressing his case to be the man long-term with wins over Manchester City and Arsenal. So now its on Ratcliffe and co to have the courage of their convictions.
At the start of January they clearly didn't think Carrick was the man, otherwise they've have appointed him indefinitely, not until the campaign ends. That was a decision they made and one they need to stick with.
The club statement confirming Carrick's role made numerous references about him taking charge "until the end of the season". Wilcox said that Carrick was "ready to lead our talented and determined group of players for the remainder of the season as we continue to build the club towards regular and sustained success.”
Clearly they weren't convinced that Carrick was the man to deliver "regular and sustained success" otherwise he'd have been handed the reigns, probably on a three year deal, not a 17-game deal, which is how long he's been given.
Man Utd's hierarchy have continued to get major decisions wrong
Man Utd's hierarchy have continued to get major decisions wrong(Image: Chris Brunskill/Fantasista, Getty Images)
View 3 Images
These opening two games, the feel good factor, the idea of United being led by one of their own, has the biggest whiff possible of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2019. A stop gap that became the long-term plan, partly because his results made him impossible to ignore for a hierarchy that clearly had no long-term plan.
Roy Keane is, unsurprisingly, certainly not being seduced by recent performances. He maintains that Carrick cannot be the man to take United forward.
"If United win every game until the end of the season, I still wouldn't be giving him the job," he said on Sky Sports. "I still wouldn't be convinced he's the man for the job. Absolutely not. They need a bigger and better manager."
That was a narrative played out by Jamie Carragher during periods of the Solskjaer era when, no matter how hard he tried, he simply couldn't match the quality of Thomas Tuchel, Jurgen Klopp or Pep Guardiola. Of which there is no shame.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was appointed in 2019 after an impressive caretaker spell
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was appointed in 2019 after an impressive caretaker spell(Image: Getty Images)
View 3 Images
United's profile means that everyone has had a say on their next permanent boss. Some seeing Oliver Glasner, who will leave Crystal Palace in the summer, as someone who could be on the shortlist. Others long for a figure like Carlo Ancelotti, despite that being unlikely.
Waiting until the summer also allows the Manchester outfit the chance to seize a manager who may have come to the end of his World Cup cycle. Be that England boss Tuchel or maybe Germany's Julian Nagelsmann. Talk of Luis Enrique leaving PSG continues to swirl.
Ratcliffe and his team have made nearly every wrong decision possible, lumping them in the Glazer category already. Their popularity and competency is at a seriously low ebb and in a matter of months they could be faced with two decisions. The strong one or the popular one. Choose wisely.
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us, and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read ourPrivacy Notice.
Content Image
Content Image