Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Wayne Rooney urges Bruno Fernandes to reflect after slamming “selfish” Man Utd players
Wayne Rooney urges Bruno Fernandes to reflect after slamming “selfish” Man Utd players
How three Man Utd transfer windows were ruined by one player, and incompetence behind the scenes
How three Man Utd transfer windows were ruined by one player, and incompetence behind the scenes
Michael Carrick has the same problem Ole Gunnar Solskjaer faced at Man Utd
Michael Carrick has the same problem Ole Gunnar Solskjaer faced at Man Utd
Man Utd's next manager: My verdict on the 11 most likely Michael Carrick replacements at Old Trafford
Man Utd's next manager: My verdict on the 11 most likely Michael Carrick replacements at Old Trafford
Photo by Luca Rossini/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Photo by Luca Rossini/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP via Getty Images
Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP via Getty Images
Photo by Stefano Guidi/Getty Images
Photo by Stefano Guidi/Getty Images
Michael Carrick’s honeymoon is over
United enjoyed a habit of winning football matches when Carrick was interim head coach. It led to a third-place finish in the Premier League, Champions League qualification, and Carrick landing his dream job on a permanent basis.
Michael Carrick’s record at Man Utd last season
Games: 16
Wins: 11
Draws: 3
Losses: 2
Win percentage: 68.75%
However, after an abysmal start to the campaign, Carrick is under serious scrutiny at Old Trafford. There are no signs of things getting better, even with Bournemouth up next on Sunday.
Questions need to be asked about why there are such serious doubts about Carrick being the right man for the job so soon after he was given the job on a full-time basis. Ineos didn’t rush their decision and waited until the summer, as they promised after sacking Ruben Amorim in January.
The Ole Gunnar Solskjaer warning
Solskjaer won 14 of his first 19 matches as caretaker manager, persuading United to appoint him permanently in March 2019. His early success included a memorable Champions League comeback win against PSG, making that decision understandable at the time. It was also a response to pressure from ex-players, the media and the fans.
However, results deteriorated, and United finished sixth that season. Solskjaer experienced a slump in his initial run as permanent manager.
The Norwegian won 73.68% of his matches as United’s caretaker manager. That dropped to 29.41% after his first 17 games as permanent manager.
In comparison, Carrick’s win percentage dropped to 18.18% after becoming permanent head coach in the summer. Solskjaer overcame that slump, but Carrick is hanging on.
Changing the manager doesn’t fix the problems at Man Utd
When managers are falling into the same traps as previous coaches, the board must ask why the club keeps making the same mistakes. There has been an unhelpful cycle of managers since Sir Alex Ferguson retired. It started with David Moyes, and Carrick could be next to go.
Even if Carrick is sacked and results pick up for a few weeks, the same owners and board members will be in place. Nothing really changes, and the club will continue the managerial cycle.
Does the club have a coherent footballing strategy, with recruitment, player development, and tactical identity aligned with the manager? It has never felt that way since Ineos took control of football operations in 2024.
Carrick is the scapegoat at United at the moment. That may suit a few board members.