Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!
Having “given it Carrick ‘til the end of the season” and with the conclusion of the campaign heaving into view, the Manchester United hierarchy will soon be forced to make a Big Decision. Whether it has involved laying off staff, spending the thick end of £40m hiring and firing head coaches and suits in the middle of an economy drive or airing his opinions on immigrants, many of the decisions Big Sir Jim Ratcliffe has made have been bad. There’s no guarantee he’ll pick the right head coach to lead the club into next season. On the face of it, Michael Carrick has done a decent job. helping mastermind victory in nine of his 13 matches in charge, while his narrowed eyes, bestubbled jaw and the upturned collar of his black wool-blend overcoat lend him the air of an unflappable Berlin-based intelligence officer in a gritty cold war spy thriller. Softly spoken, liked by United fans and players, he seems the easy (possibly even obvious) option now Bigger Cup football has been all but secured for next season.
Of course a more cynical email than Football Daily might be inclined to point out that in whipping the unmotivated rabble Ruben Amorim left behind into shape, Carrick has not exactly performed miracles, but simply decided to pick Kobbie Mainoo and move Bruno Fernandes, the beating heart of United, closer to the opposition goal. He is also reaping the benefits of having an ageing Brazilian holding midfielder who is showcasing the form of a mercenary angling for one last big payday when his contract expires in the summer. “Cas has had an influence in the group,” soothed Carrick of the soon-to-be-gone Casemiro. “He has huge experience and given everything you can possibly give. But it’s football. Players come and go.”
