Michael Carrick has made a convincing case to be given the job permanently (Image: Getty)
Michael Carrick has batted away questions about his Manchester United future and played down comparisons with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, insisting he deserves to be assessed on his own merits at Old Trafford.
Carrick served as first-team coach throughout Solskjaer’s three-year stint at United, but the Norwegian’s transition from interim to permanent manager drew criticism at the time. Despite some encouraging performances, his tenure ultimately ended in failure in November 2021. Solskjaer’s caretaker spell produced results that earned him the role on a full-time basis, and Carrick appears to be heading down a similar path.
He was handed a contract as head coach until the end of the season in January, but with United on track to secure a return to the Champions League, he is now widely expected to remain in post.
However, while the 44-year-old acknowledged that comparisons between himself and Solskjaer were not meant unkindly, he argued they held little relevance following a run of eight wins and two draws from 12 matches in charge.
“I don’t think it’s disrespectful,” said Carrick. “I’ve got the utmost respect for him, he’s a close friend of mine and I worked closely with him when I was here, I was quite attached to that and we did a lot of good things.
“In the end, it changed and went in a different direction. That’s football. You can compare to all sorts of different situations in managers and coaches and teams over the years. It just depends on what you choose to compare.
“But it’s irrelevant really. It really is. That’s not a negative or a positive. It just doesn’t have a link at all. We’re a different team now, irrespective of me, who is in charge, it’s a different team and different time. So I don’t really think comparisons literally make any difference.”
Carrick didn’t give much away when quizzed on his Old Trafford future (Image: Getty)
Carrick is the overwhelming favourite to secure the role on a permanent basis, yet he is still awaiting word on what lies ahead and maintains he has no idea when the club’s decision-makers might reach a conclusion.
“I’m not sure, it’s not something in terms of deadline that I’m really chasing,” he said. “It will become clear when it becomes clear.
“I’m here at the moment to help the team and the club get results. At the moment, we’re doing alright. We can keep pushing and get better and that’s generally all I’m focused on right now.
“I’ve said it many times, I enjoy being here, I enjoy the role I’m in. We’ve had some good results and we’re in decent shape. There’s a lot to go, we want to keep improving.
“There’s layers that we want to get to. I’ll see. I keep saying the same things in front of you every week.
“There’s only so much I can say, but I enjoy being here, I love being here, it’s a real privilege to be in the position I am, thriving with the responsibility that we’ve got.”
EXPRESS SPORT ON FB! Get all the best sports news and much more on our Facebook page.
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. Read our Privacy Policy