Michael Carrick: Interim manager has a ‘great starting point’

Ralf Rangnick, head of sports and development at Lokomotiv Moscow, is being reported by various sources as the front-runner to become Manchester United’s interim manager.

File photo - Michael Carrick during a training session; Credit: Twitter@ManUtd
By Karthik Raman | Nov 26, 2021 | 3 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

Manchester United’s caretaker manager Michael Carrick feels that the next person to take charge of the club will have a great starting point to work from. In his first match, the 40-year-old helped the Reds to a pivotal 2-0 Champions League win over Villarreal in midweek. It was his first game in-charge of the club following the departure of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who left the club after the demoralising 4-1 defeat against Watford last weekend. Carrick will lead the team again at Chelsea on Sunday in the Premier League. However, speculation remains rife about who will assume the role thereafter, with an interim manager due to be appointed until the end of the season. 

Ralf Rangnick, head of sports and development at Lokomotiv Moscow, is being reported by various sources as the front-runner to become Manchester United’s interim manager. However, former midfielder Carrick believes that whoever comes in will inherit a great base from which to start their work. “The environment that Ole had such a huge part in building has helped me a lot this week, so whatever happens next, it’s a great starting point,” said the former English midfielder, as per the club’s website.

“I think that’s one of the biggest things from Ole’s time as manager: over time, creating and building on the environment, the backroom staff, the culture in the group that people don’t see day to day. It’s not obvious but, over time, as a team, we were improving. A good finish last season, and once results starting going [over the last couple of months], it went pretty quickly. Which is a shame, because everything else can get overshadowed by losses like that. But it’s [the culture] still there.”

Carrick: You can get ideas across pretty quickly

After Sunday’s game at Stamford Bridge, there are just three blank days between the next Premier League match at home to Arsenal. Despite the short period of time in hand, Carrick is confident that whoever comes in next could instill his ideas with the squad before Mikel Arteta’s men visit Old Trafford.

“You can get ideas across pretty quickly,” he surmised. “I think history shows that. Sometimes it’s not the ideas but just a different voice or a freshness. History proves that, for whatever reason. Again, looking back at history, sometimes it works really well, sometimes not so well – that’s just the nature of life. We’ll see what happens in the days to come.

“Listen, there’s a lot of different styles in football. There’s a good group of players here, so whoever comes in and whatever style he’s implementing, I’m sure they [the players] can adapt. There’s some real talent and some real good people, good human beings, within the squad. Yeah, I’m sure they’ll look forward to what’s ahead.”

Referring to the future, Carrick said, “Really, my thoughts are about the game on Sunday. They have to be, to be honest. Coming in this week and having a real laser focus on two games and the challenge that we face as a group. I can’t get distracted by anything else, for now for sure, anything else will take care of itself in the coming days and weeks ahead.”





Related Post

HIGHLIGHTS

Buzzwords