Michael Carrick has taken the reins at Manchester United and has already made a change after Ruben Amorim banned three things during his time at Old Trafford
Michael Carrick has already made a change at Manchester United, following the ‘ban’ of three things by his predecessor Ruben Amorim before his sacking.
United legend Carrick took over from interim manager Darren Fletcher last week, stepping in as the club’s temporary boss until the season’s end. This followed the sacking of Amorim, who was let go 14 months into his role as head coach after failing to apply his tactical approach and reportedly clashing with United’s director of football Jason Wilcox.
In his first match in charge, Carrick led the Red Devils to an impressive 2-0 win over Manchester City, with the team’s performance reminiscent of the golden era under Sir Alex Ferguson. After just three days of training under their new manager, United appeared rejuvenated, defending bravely and utilising wing-play to devastating effect.
This noticeable shift could be attributed to a new rule Carrick swiftly introduced upon taking the reins. According to the Daily Mail, the 44-year-old has made training sessions at Carrington shorter but more intense in a bid to boost results this season.
The players’ response is understood to have been enthusiastic and it was ‘immediately clear’ from the opening session that a different mood had emerged at the training ground. The squad were also presented to the fresh coaching setup, comprising Steve Holland – who joined as Carrick’s assistant – alongside Jonathan Woodgate and Jonny Evans as first‐team coaches.
There’s believed to be a successful blend of knowledge and personalities within the backroom staff and a ‘positive dynamic’ appears to be taking shape already. Training sessions have also included greater emphasis on individual work with players and the squad are understood to be impressed by the level of detail being demonstrated.
It remains uncertain whether Carrick has abandoned the three bans previously implemented by Amorim during the Portuguese manager’s tenure or whether he has maintained them. One of Amorim’s fundamental beliefs at United involved preventing players from treating international breaks as holiday chances, with Marcus Rashford and Casemiro particularly coming under fire for jetting across the Atlantic when they had only been given a few days away from training to recuperate.
Speaking about the matter, Amorim said: “Would I set a different structure? Yes, for sure. But we cannot put this on the players. They told them they have five days off so they can fly anywhere. Because nobody in the club says you cannot fly. So we cannot, this time, put that on Rash or Case.
“We as a club have to set the standards and manage that. It’s my decision if they can have five days, or three days, or three days to rest and you cannot fly. This is something that us as a club have to decide. So this must be started in the club, with us and me being responsible in that area.”
Amorim also prohibited food in the changing room on match days, underlining his commitment to enhancing his squad’s fitness levels. The Portuguese boss admitted early in his reign that it was “impossible” to clinch the Premier League title without a team prepared to graft.
“You can do a starting line-up with the best players on the planet, without running they also won’t win,” he declared. “We have to run like mad dogs, if not we won’t win.”
His third regulation focused on his backroom team, preventing them from giving overly complicated directions to players. The ex-Sporting CP chief maintained that if he couldn’t explain a tactical idea in one sentence, it shouldn’t be shared until made simpler.
Sources indicated the method was initially welcomed by the squad, given the ‘clarity’ of his guidance. Nevertheless, this failed to result in triumph on the field, as his players struggled to adapt to his 3-4-3 formation even after a year under his leadership.
The players appear to have taken on board Carrick’s guidance with ease, as demonstrated by their stellar performance in the Manchester derby. However, a more challenging task awaits them this Sunday at the Emirates Stadium, where they will go head-to-head with league frontrunners Arsenal.