Michael Owen has warned that the Manchester United hierarchy would be ‘lynched’ if they got rid of Michael Carrick at the end of the season and his replacement flopped at Old Trafford.
Carrick has made a strong case to stay in charge after winning seven and drawing two of his first 10 games to put United within touching distance of a Champions League place.
Owen is ‘astounded’ that some people like Roy Keane and Gary Neville have reservations over his old team-mate landing the job on a permanent basis after a string of unsuccessful appointments since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.
The 46-year-old believes Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his United executives would be making a huge mistake if they didn’t allow Carrick to carry on his good work at the club.
Owen said: ‘Imagine if you got rid of Michael Carrick, just imagine it, and you brought in whoever – I don’t care who it is, even a born winner, somebody they’ve already had, that type of manager.
‘Imagine if things started spiralling, started going poorly again; the ownership would get absolutely lynched.
Owen has endorsed his former United team-mate Michael Carrick to take the permanent job in the summer, saying he was ‘astounded’ by Roy Keane and Gary Neville’s reservations
Carrick has made a strong case to stay in charge after winning seven and drawing two of his first 10 games since replacing Ruben Amorim in January
‘I’m astounded by certain people saying no, they shouldn’t appoint him. Astounded. Why on earth is this even a question? I don’t get it.
‘I’m not saying, “go and give him a 10-year contract, everything’s perfect”. But bloody hell, what more can he do? You’ve just got to let this roll. This Manchester United team look like they’re on the way back at this stage. Why would you interfere with anything?’
Speaking to casino.org, Owen added: ‘I’d be firmly in the camp of him keeping the job. How long is it since Sir Alex left? About a dozen years now. They’ve tried everything: proven managers, the Van Gaals, you’ve had the Mourinhos, David Moyes, then they’ve gone for ex-players and given the likes of Solskjaer a go.
‘Then they’ve gone a little bit left field and appointed one or two others. The new up-and-coming Portuguese superstar in Amorim, or Ralf Rangnick.
‘They have tried virtually everything, and after a dozen years of trying and failing, you land on somebody that’s getting a tune out of the players. They’re winning games, they’re looking progressive, some of the players are playing the best football they’ve played in years.
‘How on earth can anybody say that he shouldn’t continue. What’s the worst that can happen? You give him a two-year contract. He starts the next season, for the first three or four months he loses every game and he’s useless. He can part company with the club.
‘It’s not like you’ve got to stick with someone for 10 years. It’s not like this is the biggest decision ever. He’s doing well, why not just let it continue? This is absolutely unbelievable what we’re seeing from Manchester United.
‘If the league started when Carrick took over, Manchester United would be top of the league. We’re talking at this stage now, we’d be a third of the way through the season and Man United at the top of the league. You’d be thinking, well, can they win the league?’
Carrick and his backroom team have been getting the best out of Benjamin Sesko who has scored eight goals in his last 11 games since Ruben Amorim was sacked, including three under caretaker Darren Fletcher.
Carrick has been getting the best out of Benjamin Sesko who has scored eight goals in his last 11 games – although Owen does not believe the Slovenian is United’s ‘answer long-term’
However, Owen sees United’s £73.7million summer signing as a squad player and believes the club will need an upgrade to have a chance of winning the title over the next few years.
‘To me, he’s not the answer long-term,’ said Owen, who also played for Real Madrid, Liverpool and Newcastle. ‘He’s not the Manchester United centre-forward forever and ever.
‘He’s an expensive player who can get better and be a nice part of their squad, but equally, if Manchester United are playing in their biggest game of the season tomorrow, I don’t think he starts.
‘If Manchester United are wanting to get back to where they feel they belong and challenge for the title, I don’t think he’s the centre-forward that you go into the season with all your hopes pinned on.
‘Yes, he’s doing better. It’s great to see because it’s not nice to see anybody struggling. That being said, I think there’s an upgrade in there somewhere along the line in the next year or two or whenever somebody comes available.
‘It’s great now that he can be an influence on the team and the squad and score important goals. But I’m not saying, “oh yeah, everything’s great now and he’s now going to shoot them to the league title”.
‘He’s improved them, he’s confident again and he’s an asset to the team all of a sudden, but there’s still a long way to go.’
