Michael Carrick returned his most impressive performance precisely when required as he took questions in the midst of the first crisis engulfing him as Manchester United’s manager. His team are bombing in the league after the club’s poorest start since 1986 and out of the Carabao Cup, and after Tuesday’s Champions League defeat at Atlético Madrid Lisandro Martínez showed up ruptures at United by calling out the director of football, Jason Wilcox. All of this two months into a first full campaign piloting United after last term ended so rosily for the former United midfielder.
On the final day of last season, United won 3-0 at Brighton and Carrick secured an impressive third-place finish, 48 hours after agreeing a two-year deal to continue as head coach. By last Saturday, United had six points from the first six games after drawing 1-1 with Tottenham at Old Trafford, placing Carrick’s job in jeopardy as the walls closed in on him a fortnight before the clocks go back. A game at Leeds in January proved to be Ruben Amorim’s last in charge at Manchester United after he greeted the 1-1 draw by demanding his colleagues in the recruitment department “do their job”.
With an uncanny circularity Carrick heads to Elland Road on Sunday after Martínez made similar comments. Amorim’s team were sixth going into that game; Carrick’s start the weekend 13th. On Friday, though, came a masterclass from Carrick in dialling down emotion as Martínez’s explosive comments about Wilcox – “I expect more [investment], 100%.
I expect more from our technical director” – were addressed and he repeatedly referred to the “really good feeling” at the club. This morning there was a really good feeling around the squad … so we’ve moved on pretty quickly.” If this seems less than credible, and almost certainly a stance coached by United’s PR mandarins, what else would Carrick be expected to say? More obvious was how the zen-like performance required from the club’s leader was being delivered.
Even when he broke from the script to interrupt an inquisitor this strengthened the sense of Carrick being in control – hardly easy given the heightened glare on United since Tuesday evening. When the positive vibes trope was challenged by a questioner saying: “We’ll have to take you at face value”, Carrick’s interjection came with a smile. The players totally believe me.
I’m telling you the truth. The squad today was in a fantastic place, better than I’ve seen it for a while, actually, and that’s it, plain and simple, you know? We’re emotional, we’re passionate, we care a lot.” When signing on to be the permanent United manager, Carrick had overseen only 21 games at elite level – in two caretaker spells at the club.
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