Man Utd should hearken to Solskjaer warning as Carrick faces actuality of dysfunctional membership
Manchester United must learn their lesson from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s warning despite Michael Carrick’s perfect start as manager
Manchester United need to be patient when it comes to interim boss Michael Carrick (Image: James Gill – Danehouse, Getty Images)
Michael Carrick deserves to be walking along a red carpet the next time he arrives at Old Trafford. But instead, the rug will be pulled from underneath his feet.
Because when United host Fulham this weekend, he will arrive at the stadium to be confronted with a sizeable protest from his own supporters. Through no fault of his own, Carrick will be handed a sharp reminder of how dysfunctional, unstable and disillusioned United remain.
That’s the thanks you get for riding to the rescue and digging a club out of a dark hole. For flicking a switch, turning on the light and inspiring back-to-back victories over title favourites Manchester City and Arsenal.
But the Glazers and Ratcliffe are going nowhere. So the best those joining the dissenting voices can hope for now is that, somehow, history doesn’t repeat itself.
That the boomerang in the hands of those in power at Old Trafford don’t chuck it aimlessly again, then see it come back to hit them smack in the face.
Let’s be clear. What Carrick has achieved in his first two games as interim manager is nothing short of incredible. We’ve seen Carrick is more than capable of improving the team.
But is he capable on a more consistent basis? United have been here before. Back in 2018 Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took charge on a caretaker basis and won his first eight games in charge.
This included a thumping triumph at Arsenal. Within three months, Solskjaer had been given the job on a permanent basis. And before Christmas 2022, he was sacked. It turned out Solskjaer had flattered to deceive and ultimately was out of his depth. Sound familiar?
Carrick is the cheap option. And who knows? He could still prove to be the best one too, when United bosses get round to deciding who should be manager for the long term.
But what would Ratcliffe & Co gain from giving Carrick the job now? Those making the big decisions need to rule with their heads, not their hearts. Give Carrick the rest of the season to prove himself worthy of one of the most demanding jobs in sport.
To rule himself in, or rule himself out. In short, make the right decision for once. And prove to all those protesting against you that you’re not as incompetent as they think you are.
For once, someone has had the courage to say what most people are thinking. Carl Froch has launched a blistering attack on fellow boxer Tyson Fury, calling him an “attention seeking k***head”.
He said: “I think to call somebody a k***head, you’ve got to actually have some kind of animosity in your head when you don’t really like him.
“At the minute I think Tyson Fury has been a k***head. But he’s been a k***head for years. I think everyone knows he is a k***head.
“Purely for coming out of retirement when he doesn’t need to. Stay retired, you k***head. He’s come out of retirement again, and the amount of times he’s said it, nobody believes him.
“I don’t want to give him too much stick, but he is attention seeking – and that’s what he does.”
It’s safe to say Froch has made his point. But if he wants to show some real balls, how about repeating all of the above to Fury’s face.
