The ex-Northern Ireland defender, who represented United during two spells as a player, was named on interim manager Darren Fletcher’s coaching staff for their games against Burnley and Brighton last week, and he will continue in the same role under new boss Carrick.
The Englishman took over until the end of the season earlier in the week after the sacking of Ruben Amorim, retaining Evans on his staff as well as bringing in former England assistant Steve Holland, his former assistant when in charge at Middlesbrough Jonathan Woodgate, and Under-21s boss Travis Binnion.
But the move hasn’t gone down well with Keane, who grilled former team-mate Gary Neville on the Stick To Football podcast, angrily blasting the decision to keep Evans, who left his role as loans and pathway manager at United in December, on the staff.
“He’s on the beach two weeks ago, Jonny Evans. Jonny Evans leaves Man United four or five weeks ago as a loans manager and then Darren Fletcher, strangely enough, gives him a job,” fumed Keane.
‘He has two games, Fletch goes and Carrick gives him a job. Great, isn’t it? We should all go to Barbados for a week!
“You’re on about getting your coaching staff in, you’re praising one of them saying he’s experienced and then we just let the other two go, Jonathan Woodgate and Jonny Evans. What has Jonny Evans done to be a coach of Man United’s first team?
“He left the job four weeks ago – loans manager and ironically comes back working with the first team. That’s a big step up isn’t it?”
Jonny Evans (left) was also assistant to interim boss Darren Fletcher
Keane, who captained United for eight years and won 18 trophies at Old Trafford, also took aim at the other three additions to Carrick’s coaching staff in what was a tense exchange on the podcast, blasting the club for not bringing in more established names.
The proof will be in the results on the pitch for the new manager, who is getting the chance to audition for the role on a permanent basis, and he could nail his opening scene should he manage to topple rivals Manchester City in Saturday’s Premier League clash.
Although Neville was confident that Carrick had struck a good balance with his appointments, Keane in particular had issue with Holland coming in to be the manager’s No.2, pointing out that experience is no guarantee of success.
“Going back to what I said earlier, with Steve Holland, you think what United need at this moment in time, is it just about coaching then?” asked Keane.
Neville replied: ‘My point is, if Steve Holland is on the training pitch at least you know they’re going to get top class training sessions. I’m not saying they weren’t before because they probably were as well.
“I don’t know what Evans or Woodgate are like as coaches, don’t know what Carrick is like as a coach. My point is he has a lot of experience. Are you against the appointment of Steve Holland?”
Keane thought Neville was deliberately ignoring the counter point to his argument about experience.
“On one hand you’re sitting here going, ‘I’m so happy they brought Steve Holland in’, but they brought another two staff in who you’re dismissing as ‘I’m not really bothered about them’,” he said.
“I wish we were sitting here with you saying he’s brought three staff in and they’re all brilliant, so we think Steve Holland is the man now?”
Neville responded: “I think he’s got a lot of experience, a good coach.”