Nigeria: Crisis talks at Carrington: Michael Carrick’s future at Man United in serious doubt
By Zuleihat Owuiye, Nigeria
Manchester United are locked in crisis talks over the future of manager Michael Carrick after a miserable weekend that saw them humiliated 3-0 by Bournemouth at Old Trafford.
According to Sport’s Simon Stone, discussions over Carrick’s position continued on Monday morning, with Bruno Fernandes, chief executive Omar Berrada and technical director Jason Wilcox all arriving at the Carrington training ground.
The defeat to Bournemouth was United’s latest low point in what has become a torrid few weeks, featuring heavy losses, public criticism of tactics from players, and growing unrest among supporters.
Central to the current crisis is Carrick’s relationship with captain Bruno Fernandes.
The Portuguese midfielder was left on the bench for the entire Bournemouth defeat, a decision Carrick confirmed was tactical despite Fernandes being fully fit and available.
It came just days after Fernandes publicly criticised Carrick’s approach following Wednesday’s 4-1 Champions League thrashing at Como. After being substituted while United were 3-0 down, Fernandes was seen shaking his head as he walked around the pitch.
In a post-match interview in Como, he said: “It was a decision from the staff to not press man to man… but sometimes when you give too much the ball to these teams they get confidence.”
When asked if Carrick got the tactics wrong, he added: “That’s on the manager and staff to see it, not me. Sometimes you have to be more brave under pressure, take the risk of pressing high and making them uncomfortable.”
Carrick responded curtly at the time: “Whatever system you play, whatever tactics you play, if you don’t run, and you don’t run forward, and you don’t run back, you aren’t going to win.”
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, speaking on Sky Sports, suggested Carrick never intended to bring Fernandes on against Bournemouth at all.
“I don’t think Michael Carrick was ever going to bring Bruno Fernandes on. I think it was a deliberate decision just to leave him on the bench and almost try to embarrass him a little bit in front of the supporters,” Carragher said.
Lisandro Martinez, who had also criticised the club’s hierarchy for failing to back Carrick in the summer transfer window, also started on the bench, although the club said that was as a precaution following injury
On the pitch, United were devoid of ideas. Despite having 62% possession, they registered an xG of just 0.61 compared to Bournemouth’s 2.24, and were undone by individual errors from Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven.
Goals from Rayan, Marcus Tavernier and Evanilson sealed a deserved win for Andoni Iraola’s side and left United winless in eight games.
Former United coach Rene Meulensteen told BBC Radio 5 Live: “The bare minimum for any team to get any kind of success starts with hard work and compete. You need to run, put intensity and energy into the game. The next thing is teamwork and team spirit, both of those things are non-existent.”
Before the game, Carrick had delivered an emotional five-minute address in his pre-match press conference, insisting he was “100%” the right man to take United forward and reminding players of the club’s history and standards
“When he comes into his presser on Friday and starts speaking about the club’s history, it just feels like the end,” Neville said on his podcast. “Don’t sign a player for this club if you have to explain to them how big it is. They should be privileged to be out there.”
Neville added: “They’re probably going to sack Carrick in the next 12, 24 hours. There were rumours on Thursday, Friday about Jason Wilcox being torn over whether the replacement will be Eddie Howe or Julian Nagelsmann and Carrick is a dead man walking already.”
He also warned of a toxic dressing room: “If a footballer speaks out like those two have, you’re only getting the one or five per cent of what they’re actually thinking. Can you imagine what they’re saying in that dressing room
While the manager’s position is under scrutiny, many fans in Manchester said the blame must be shared.
Speaking to BBC Newsbeat in the city centre, supporter Chenai Masunungure said: “We’ve just been going down and down and down, and Manchester’s weather sums up how Manchester United have been playing. There’s not enough thinking put into recruitment, but when you’re watching them you can see there’s not enough intensity.”
18-year-old Rafael Millin Fialho, who was at the Bournemouth game, said: “It seems like the same cycle, constantly sacking managers and getting behind them and then sacking. From Moyes onwards it’s been a mix of not the right signings, wrong managers. There’s a toxic environment around the club at the minute.”
On the BBC Sport live page, fan Jacques from Ipswich argued: “Carrick won’t be going anywhere. The fans love him and the execs won’t want to lose another manager. Amorim lost to Grimsby and finished 15th and they didn’t want to sack him
Reports elsewhere suggest United are already sounding out replacements. Sky Sports claim Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann would be frontrunners if Carrick departs, while the Daily Mail reports Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazers have joined the Carrington summit.
For now, Carrick is expected to attend United’s Under-21s clash against Hull City at Carrington this afternoon, carrying on as normal.
But with a brutal run of fixtures ahead — Chelsea away on Saturday, Roma at home in the Champions League, Aston Villa at home, Liverpool away, Sporting away and Brentford at home — whoever is in charge will need to find answers quickly.
If Carrick goes, his successor will inherit the same deep-rooted problems that have haunted Old Trafford for more than a decade.
