[Wheeler, Salt] REVEALED – major development in Michael Carrick’s position : Michael Carrick looks increasingly likely to land the job of Manchester United head coach on a permanent basis after leading the club to the brink of Champions League qualification.

# From the article:

**Michael Carrick looks increasingly likely to land the job of Manchester United head coach on a permanent basis after leading the club to the brink of Champions League qualification.**

**United are in no rush to make a decision before the end of the season, and sources insist that the main focus is on securing a top-five finish in the Premier League.** Last weekend’s win at Chelsea kept Carrick’s side in third place, and United could potentially clinch a Champions League spot with just one win from their last five games.

**The Old Trafford hierarchy have been hugely impressed by the 44-year-old and his backroom team since he took over in January, winning eight of his 12 matches in charge.** Carrick has proved he can handle the pressure of being United’s head coach, and has restored harmony to the club after Ruben Amorim’s tempestuous 14-month reign.

**United have carried out background checks on a number of contenders as part of a thorough process but – barring a dramatic late-season collapse – it would be a surprise if they do not hand the job to Carrick.**

**The club are reluctant to consider any manager who will be busy at the World Cup this summer, effectively ruling out Thomas Tuchel, Carlo Ancelotti, Mauricio Pochettino and Julian Nagelsmann. United are also unlikely to overlook Carrick in favour of Premier League rivals such as Oliver Glasner, Andoni Iraola, Marco Silva or Eddie Howe.**

One exceptional candidate who could have changed United’s thinking is Luis Enrique, but the Paris Saint-Germain boss is widely expected to a sign a new contract with the current European champions.

As he should.

Hope for the best but worried this will be a Ole 2.0

What happened to “he won’t be made permanent whatever happens”?

Seriously it’s like we love making the same mistakes 10 times before realizing it’s a mistake.

I’m really not enthused about this tbh. Think some people are gonna be in for a shock next season when the honeymoon period is well and truly over and we’re struggling with the demands of playing twice a week. Really think we need someone with more experience and more tactically astute, otherwise I can guess how this will turn out unfortunately

how disappointing.
Its already clear this wont be a good move in the long term, I dont get how people paid a lot of money and all of the tools of the world are too blind to see it.
We are looking worse and worse under Carrick, on top of that, we seem to be less fit.
These were things Amorim fixed, it feels like this will be Ole 2.0 just even worse.
The job for him was to get us CL, he very likely did, so lets just leave it at that.

We have been outplayed in a lot of matches under him, have almost always outscored our xG and our tactics are relying on the counter and playing a low line, the exact things all of this sub wanted to get away from when Ole was sacked, the exact thing we didnt want our squad to be tuned towards.
But hey, here we are again. A one trick pony that is already starting to get figured out.

The man is doing a good job this year but he got sacked by Middlesbrough, and for good reason, his in game management is severly lacking and I dont think it will get better with CL games during the week at all.
This will set us back again if we do it.

I don’t think this is a good move. There ARE better coaches and they WILL be available.

Honestly depends on what the alternatives are. There are some names being thrown out there where I’d prefer sticking with Carrick.

I have no fucking clue anymore how to know if a manager is gonna work out or not, I tought amorim was gonna be incredible, I tought Ten Hag’s ajax achievements were amazing, I tought carrick would have us crash and burn. Honestly, unless it’s Klopp or Guardiola (and maybe Enrique) every appointment feels like a roll of the dice for me.

Ineos shouldn’t do this. As grateful as I am to Carrick for helping us into the champions league it’s clear it’s not the right move after the past few games. we’ve not been great since the Arsenal game. Fuck, I’d even love to have Carrick working with the new manager as a coach of sorts but I really don’t have any confidence about him in the long run.

A lot of people in this thread negative about giving it to Carrick, but saying fuck all about who should it be.

He has come in, set modern ideas, steadied the ship and qualified for UCL (almost). With a more solid recruitment structure around him and a plan, I don’t see how a 2 year deal could be harmful. I don’t see any clear candidates that are a must get or that would we realistically get. It’s not like we are going to win the treble next season, there’s still many players we have to shift or develop. Two years of Carrick could set up a base for a top tier coach or maybe he surprises and does very well.

Let us get the qualification done and then talk about it. Also if Luis Enrique is available in the summer get him

Not sure why, but I’m not too convinced by him even if he has done a fantastic job. Then again, I was ecstatic about Ten Hag and Amorim, so what the fuck do I know

Carrick getting the job is the most likely outcome. Mostly because of lack of options and he have done a good job. The players seem to want him to stay as well. Is he the best option? I don’t know but I would’ve preferred Iraola and Nagelsmann above him. Enrique was always unlikely

Amorim messed up the season so bad, that Carrick’s decent stabilisation of a free fall is viewed like miracle work. Bar the City and Arsenal wins most of the other games have been far from spectacular.

United currently being 3rd is a mixture of Bruno being absolutely world class and the other rivals for the Top 5 being utter shit.

I would love for Carrick to be successful at the club, but looking at it dispassionately I don’t think he can take the team to a league title.

I’d be fine with a rolling one year contract for Carrick. If the rest of the leadership team do their job well, the head coach shouldn’t matter when it comes to rebuilding the squad. If Carrick doesn’t work next season, we have way more options to choose from with all the international managers freed up to do a proper pre next summer.

Comparing Amorim’s final 12 matches in charge to Carrick’s 12 so far shows we are regressing.

xG:
1.7 – Amorim
1.37 – Carrick

xGA
1.16 – Amorim
1.30 – Carrick

Big Chances Created
Amorim – 2.75
Carrick – 2.58

Possession
55.00% – Amorim
50.58% – Carrick

Touches in opponents box
29.25 – Amorim
24.17 – Carrick

I think this is a mistake and it’s the easy/lazy/cheap decision by Ineos again.

If they’re wrong, and the underlying numbers collapse since Amorim seems they are, we’ll be sacking a 3rd manager in mid season in a row.