Michael Carrick once showed his true character by remaining silent under intense pressure, long before he became interim Manchester United boss
Michael Carrick, caretaker head coach of Manchester United, during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Fulham at Old Trafford
Michael Carrick once showed his composure under pressure from Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson(Image: James Gill - Danehouse, Getty Images)
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Michael Carrick once found himself on the receiving end of Sir Alex Ferguson's notorious hairdryer treatment during his Manchester United days. But he demonstrated his resilience by remaining composed and refusing to be affected by the fierce rebuke.
The interim manager endured the tongue-lashing while United faced Ecuadorian outfit Liga de Quito in the Club World Cup in Yokohama. This came after their famous triumph over Chelsea in the 2008 Champions League final in Moscow.
During the match, Ferguson had repeatedly urged Carrick to play more progressive passes. The midfielder, who began his professional career at West Ham - United's opponents on Tuesday - maintains that all bar one of his passes went forward, yet that single instance stuck in Ferguson's mind.
The Scot erupted on the sideline, and Carrick bore the brunt of a severe dressing down at the interval. In his autobiography, Between the Lines, Carrick recalled: "The moment I entered the changing room, the boss launched into me. 'Pass the ball f***ing forward, I f***ing told you'. Sir Alex was raging.
"When he was like that, you had to sit there and take it, let him blow off some steam. On the outside, I was calm, nodding at the boss' points, hiding my anger.
"On the inside, I was fuming, saying to myself, 'I must have played 40 passes forward here, and he's picked the one where I've gone back'. But the boss was so wound up that I didn't dare voice my defence."
A Wayne Rooney goal secured a 1-0 victory for United despite centre-back Nemanja Vidic receiving a red card. Carrick remained a key figure under Ferguson, with the Scot later acknowledging he had always held the midfielder in high regard.
Bryan Mbeumo celebrates Manchester United's opening goal following a slick set-piece routine
United have won four from four under Carrick's command(Image: James Gill/Danehouse)
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A significant factor behind this, as Ferguson would reveal, was that Carrick demonstrated remarkable maturity early in his career when departing the north east for West Ham at such a tender age.
Ferguson explained: "One of the things that stuck out to me when we were profiling him and preparing to make a bid was that as a young boy, 16 years of age, he left home to play for West Ham.
"That tells you that the boy had the confidence that he was going to make it. A 16-year-old kid from Newcastle going to east London, that's a trek, and it impressed me.
"From the minute we bought Michael in 2006, his character has always been outstanding. He's a football man, and that character, coupled with his ability, made him a certainty to be a big success at United."
Carrick has the chance to secure five victories from five against West Ham, which would see United climb above Aston Villa into third place ahead of their fixture against Brighton on Wednesday. And he's in high spirits ahead of the journey to east London, saying: "You've got to enjoy the buzz of winning, that's what we're in it for.
Manchester United Head Coach/Manager Michael Carrick
The odds of Carrick landing the United job permanently have shortened(Image: Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
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"You can't just be flat-lined all the time. You have to feel the waves of emotion. It would all be a little bit boring and pointless if you didn't, because winning games is what we all strive for.
"The big challenge is knowing the hard work and preparation that has got you there. Winning a game of football at this level is tough, so you never assume the next one's just going to be all right."