On Tuesday, it was revealed that Manchester United will stand by Michael Carrick and give him more time to improve results. Fans have been debating the decision and what it means for the football club.
Michael Carrick has been given the chance to turn Manchester United’s form around and will stay in charge for their Premier League game against Chelsea on Saturday. The United head coach was on the brink after losing 3-0 to Bournemouth, which has the team sitting 16th in the league table, one point adrift of relegation.
United’s director of football, Jason Wilcox, and chief executive, Omar Berrada, were at Carrington discussing Carrick’s future on Monday with other board members on a video conference call. It was decided that they would stick with Carrick for now, though potential candidates to replace the 45-year-old at Old Trafford were analysed.
Some close to the situation believe United haven’t settled on a replacement yet, leading to an extension of time for Carrick to get things around. There needs to be a reaction from the team when they take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. It has led to a mixed reaction from United fans on TalkingPoints. Many think it’s an admirable stance, while others feel it is only delaying the inevitable, with United winless in eight matches.
It would be fair to say many United fans are fed up with the rinse-and-repeat model. There have been far too many managerial appointments since Sir Alex Ferguson, and it feels like the club is in a constant cycle.
Each manager becomes the fall guy, while board members hope questions don’t get asked of them. If United are to eventually sack Carrick, that will be the third manager appointed and sacked, with Wilcox in his role as football director. Hmm.
Furthermore, Carrick got plenty of support from the fans at Old Trafford last week. Those same fans aimed their frustrations at the board and players. There is also the belief that changing manager won’t change enough to warrant sacking Carrick right now, especially when none of the available managers out there are convincing.
Finding someone all United fans agree on isn’t as easy as some think. Of course, there are a few who think the team would be better served under a different coach. Names like Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann have been mentioned as potential candidates if there is a change at Old Trafford.
Not all of these fans have answers as to who should replace Carrick in the dugout, though. It’s one thing to assess the dire results, but understanding the situation is different.
There is a concern about what this means for the upcoming matches. Are United going to show up against Chelsea? These doubts sit with the players, but the manager is responsible for preparing his team for each match.
Carrick has a lot to prove in the coming weeks if he is to ride this storm and remain in charge for the rest of the season. Thankfully, he’s unbeaten in the two games (one win, one draw) he has managed against Chelsea.