Michael Carrick has made a remarkable start as interim manager at Manchester United.
Carrick, who will coach United until the end of the season after the sacking of Ruben Amorim, oversaw a 2-0 derby victory over Manchester City in his first game.
Then, on Sunday, his Red Devils snatched a dramatic 3-2 win away to Premier League leaders Arsenal, who hadn’t lost at The Emirates all season.
All of a sudden, there are calls for Carrick to be considered for a permanent role. In an interview earlier this year, he revealed how a quote from Formula 1 star Lewis Hamilton had helped to shape his managerial philosophy.
Michael Carrick wants his players to have the same mentality as Lewis Hamilton
Hamilton is one of Britain’s most prominent athletes and the most successful Formula 1 driver in history, with seven world championships and 105 race wins.
When Carrick was in charge at Middlesbrough in the Championship, he repeatedly quoted Hamilton in the dressing room. He never wanted his players to feel satisfied with their performance levels.
Carrick was in charge at the Riverside for two and a half years, achieving a best finish of fourth during the 2022/23 season.
“I used to say this to the lads at Middlesbrough all the time,” Carrick told Rio Ferdinand Presents, the podcast hosted by his former teammate. “They’re probably sick of me saying it.”
“I’ve seen a quote from Lewis Hamilton, [an] unbelievable quote saying, ‘If I feel comfortable in the car, I’m not driving fast enough.’
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“Don’t you ever be comfortable because if you’re comfortable you’re not pushing enough.”
While Hamilton has helped to shape Carrick’s managerial philosophy, he would have been disappointed by the outcome of Sunday’s game.
The 41-year-old Stevenage native is an Arsenal fan. Born in 1985, he grew up watching George Graham’s teams at the end of the First Division era and the start of the Premier League.
Hamilton does, however, have a relationship with United shareholder Jim Ratcliffe. Ratcliffe’s company, INEOS, own a third of the Mercedes F1 team.
Hamilton raced for Mercedes between 2013 and 2024, winning a record six world championships in their colours.
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