Manchester United legends Wayne Rooney and Roy Keane disagreed over whether Michael Carrick should be named the club’s new permanent manager when his interim spell ends in summer.
Carrick has steered United to seven wins from his nine games in charge, collecting 22 points from a possible 27 during that time to put the club in a very strong position over Aston Villa, Liverpool and Chelsea in the battle for Champions League qualification.
Rooney claimed on BBC Radio 5 Live after United had beaten Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday that he “knew” this huge upturn was coming when Carrick was first placed in charge and that he “100 per cent” deserves a permanent contract ahead of next season.
“I know him very well. I know his character and his personality. It needed a calm head, but someone who knows the place. The players needed some love, and he has given them that,” Rooney said.
“We have seen the players play with more quality, more together as a team, and they look like a very strong team. Why would you change?”
Indeed, Carrick immediately oversaw impressive performances against Manchester City and Arsenal straight off the bat in January, restoring simplicity and playing the ‘United way’ revered for decades.
Not every performance has been to that same level, but results have largely still come, which is an important attribute to have in elite-level soccer and usually a hallmark of successful teams.
Roy Keane: ‘There Are Better Options’
Keane, whose United career didn’t overlap with Carrick’s, has a different opinion. The outspoken former captain, openly criticized by Carrick’s wife more than a decade ago prompting surprise beef that seemingly continues to this day, said he thinks the job will go to the current interim but that he wouldn’t personally choose him because of perceived “better options” from elsewhere.
“I would’ve thought [Carrick will become permanent manager] but I wouldn’t [give him the job],” a defiant Keane said during postmatch coverage of United’s latest win on Sky Sports.
“I think there’s better options out there. I think the games where he’s come in and in terms of winning football matches, he’s done a very good job. He's obviously simplified things but there’s been no jeopardy in those games,” the Irishman claimed.
Whilst insisting “good timing” and lengthy rests between matches has played a role in healthy results, Keane said he would “take his hat off” to Carrick if he is named permanent boss.
“[Three months ago], everyone would’ve said he’s not even in the reckoning but due to timing, he’s got an opportunity and is doing a very good job. Most players do like a caretaker manager. His job in the last few months has been to win football matches. I know that’s a manager’s job anywhere but he’s not had any distractions even as a manager.”
How Important Is Managerial Experience?
Carrick, himself a former United captain who assisted both José Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjær before his only other senior managerial job to date at Middlesbrough, is lacking experience in Keane’s eyes. However, to offer counter context, Zinedine Zidane and Pep Guardiola had never managed at first-team level before taking over Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively.
The aforementioned Mourinho had also never won a trophy or led a team in Europe before being appointed by Porto, immediately guiding them to successive UEFA Cup (Europa League) and Champions League titles in 2002–03 and 2003–04.
Keane is adamant: “I think to manage Manchester United, you need someone a lot more experienced in terms of winning trophies, competing in Europe and he hasn’t got that. He might have that in a few years, and he might be in the mix then. But the fact he’s winning football matches at the moment of course gives him a great chance [of getting hired now].”
Who are Man Utd’s Carrick Alternatives?
Although Carrick is firm favorite for the permanent job thanks to a splendid audition, Keane reeled off the names of Diego Simeone, Luis Enrique and Thomas Tuchel when pushed for detail on the “better options” he was talking about.
Tuchel, who was a consideration in the summer of 2024 when United decided to keep faith in Erik ten Hag, might have been an option until recently extending his contract as England manager.
Simeone has another season left on his Atlético Madrid contract after this one but has been part of the furniture in the red half of Madrid for almost 15 years. Meanwhile, Enrique is reportedly the subject of Paris Saint-Germain’s desire to sign a new contract to 2030.
It therefore remains to be seen how attainable the latter two—still sizeable gambles even if either does end up becoming a serious option—could be.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Man Utd Legends Disagree Over Michael Carrick Becoming Permanent Manager.
