CARRICK APPOINTED INTERIM MANAGER OF MAN UNITED
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By: Balogun Ibrahim
Manchester United on Tuesday confirmed Michael Carrick as interim manager until the end of the season, charging him with steering the Red Devils back into the Champions League.
“Having the responsibility to lead Manchester United is an honour,” said Carrick, 44, who won 12 major trophies during his 12-year playing career at the club.
The former midfielder previously enjoyed an unbeaten three-game spell as caretaker manager at Old Trafford in 2021.
Carrick later took on his first permanent managerial role at Championship side Middlesbrough in October 2022 but was dismissed in June last year after the club finished 10th.
Carrick faces a tough first challenge as he prepares Manchester United to take on local rivals Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday.
United sit seventh in the table but remain in contention for a return to the Champions League for the first time in three seasons.
The Red Devils are three points behind fourth-placed Liverpool and just one point shy of fifth-placed Brentford.
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A top-four finish would secure Champions League qualification, while finishing in the top five could also be sufficient due to the strong performances of English clubs in European competitions.
“I know what it takes to succeed here, and my focus is now on helping the players reach the standards we expect at this incredible club, which this group is more than capable of achieving,” Carrick said.
“There is still a lot to fight for this season. We are ready to unite everyone and deliver the performances our loyal fans deserve.”
Manchester United dismissed Ruben Amorim last week following a disappointing 14-month spell at Old Trafford.
Hopes for an immediate turnaround were short-lived, as caretaker manager Darren Fletcher oversaw a 2-2 Premier League draw with bottom-placed Burnley and a 2-1 FA Cup defeat to Brighton.
Manchester United’s early exits from both domestic cup competitions, coupled with the absence of European football, mean the club will play just 40 matches this season their lowest total since the 1914/15 campaign.
Carrick’s long-standing experience at United, both as a player and coach, reportedly convinced the club’s hierarchy that he is the steady hand needed to guide the team in the coming months.
After earlier spells at West Ham and Tottenham, Carrick joined United, where he won five league titles and the Champions League over a 12-year career.
Following his retirement in 2018, he joined United’s coaching staff as an assistant under Jose Mourinho and later Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Carrick briefly took charge of the first team after Solskjaer’s dismissal, delivering notable results against Chelsea, Arsenal, and Villarreal.
His tenure at Middlesbrough, however, proved less successful. Despite managing one of the Championship’s largest budgets, Boro fell short of promotion, reaching the play-off semi-finals in his first season but losing to Coventry.
Middlesbrough finished eighth and tenth in Carrick’s two full campaigns in charge, leading to his dismissal last season after failing to secure a return to the Premier League.
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