Of all the times Manchester United have fallen flat on their face in an attempt to find a manager capable of filling Sir Alex Ferguson’s shoes over the last 13 years, there is one mistake the club have yet to make.
There was no uproar when Ferguson’s successor David Moyes was sacked after just 10 months, as harsh as that decision still seems. No protests when Louis van Gaal lost his job straight after winning the FA Cup, or Jose Mourinho’s toxic reign was brought to a long overdue end.
As sad it was to see Ole Gunnar Solskjaer leave in tears, even the most ardent fan knew his time was up. Erik ten Hag got a second chance and blew it, while Ruben Amorim was given more time and understanding than he perhaps deserved before self-destructing in January.
On each occasion, the United fans have understood the reasons and, by and large, agreed with them. Of all the gripes among supporters over the years, getting rid of a manager has never been high on the list of grievances.
But not giving Michael Carrick the permanent job as head coach if United finish third and qualify for the Champions League this season? That would be a different matter altogether.
It would be incredibly hard to persuade fans that thanking Carrick for his services and then bringing in a different head coach was a good idea.
It will be incredibly hard to persuade fans that thanking Carrick for his services and then bringing in a different head coach is a good idea
The interim manager has delivered seven wins from nine games in charge of the club
Just to recap, Carrick inherited a squad that had recently drawn with Burnley, Leeds, Wolves, Bournemouth, Tottenham and Nottingham Forest – and lost to Aston Villa.
Within three days of starting work, he orchestrated a win over Manchester City, and then inflicted defeat on Arsenal at the Emirates for the only time in any competition this season.
It was the beginning of a nine-game run that has brought just one defeat and seven wins including Sunday’s 3-1 victory over Villa, United’s closest challengers for third place.
Carrick and his staff have reinvigorated the club from a standing start almost overnight. Jonny Evans and Travis Binnion may have been part of the furniture, but Steve Holland and Jonathan Woodgate have been key additions.
If they see the job through, particularly by finishing third behind Arsenal and City, they deserve the chance to go again.
And what of the new guy if they don’t? It’s common for a new manager to be brought in when the old one has failed. The bar is set low. Assuming Carrick will finish the season with a pretty impressive record, how much unnecessary pressure would that load onto his successor at the start of next season? How unfavourable would the comparisons with Carrick be for a club who have already suffered in Feguson’s shadow for so long?
At the first sign of trouble, fans would be demanding to know why the United hierarchy thought it was a wise move to ignore the upturn under Carrick and send him on his way.
United have tried every type of manager but success has not been forthcoming
What’s the hurry anyway? United have admitted their mistakes before and wielded the axe. If they give the job to Carrick and it doesn’t work out, then make another change. There were no guarantees with the next guy either.
And who would that guy be? Thomas Tuchel has extended his contract with England, and Brazil boss Carlo Ancelotti may well do the same. Would Luis Enrique leave Paris Saint-Germain for United right now?
Thomas Frank’s stock has dipped after his sacking at Tottenham, and Roberto De Zerbi’s following his departure from Marseille. When Oliver Glasner leaves Crystal Palace at the end of the season, he won’t be held in the same esteem as when he won the FA Cup a year earlier.
After beating some of his so-called rivals for the United job – including Villa’s Unai Emery on Sunday – it will be interesting to see how Carrick fares against Andoni Iraola at Bournemouth on Friday night.
It may be that he comes unstuck and all this starts to unravel. His time in charge has not been an unqualified success. There have been periods over the last five games that United didn’t perform very well, certainly not for 90 minutes.
The Newcastle defeat had been coming, and in the first half against Villa they didn’t look like a team that had benefitted from an 11-day break. In the end, it took another set-piece finish from Casemiro and the enduring brilliance of Bruno Fernandes to fire them to victory.
But it’s a myth that Ferguson’s teams won every game in swashbuckling fashion; thrillers that flowed this way and that before United snatched victory in Fergie Time. There were some right turkeys and Carrick should know. He played in many of them.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has a big decision to make in the summer as to the direction he wishes to take Manchester United
Ferguson regularly had to put a rocket up his players at half-time and then hope for a reaction. Often it worked but sometimes not. Whatever Carrick said on Sunday, United were a different team in the second half against Villa.
Let’s see how this plays out. Sir Jim Ratcliffe was right to react cautiously to questions about Carrick’s future when approached on the starting grid during practice for the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai on Saturday. The 44-year-old has only been in charge for nine games and there are another eight to go.
If United scrape into the Champions League by finishing fifth – or even miss out – then there is a much tougher decision to be made. After all, they were sixth when Amorim was sacked.
But this club has gone in so many different directions since Ferguson. Moyes, the Chosen One with Premier League pedigree. Charismatic figures with a wealth of experience like Van Gaal and Mourinho. Solskjaer the local hero. Progressive European coaches such as Ten Hag and Amorim.
There is nothing they haven’t tried. No boxes left unticked. Sometimes you just have to look at what’s in front of you – and right now it’s Michael Carrick.
