Michael Carrick insists he does not feel his time as Manchester United manager is over, even as the club sits 17th in the Premier League without a win in nine matches. Speaking at a press conference at United's Carrington training ground on Tuesday, Carrick told VG he is genuinely looking forward to Wednesday evening's match and that kick-off cannot arrive soon enough. His remarks came after a training session held in front of roughly 30 journalists, including VG, at the rural complex outside Manchester.
Why it matters
United finished third in the Premier League last season. This season the conversation around the club has shifted to the possibility of relegation, and VG reports that many observers expect Carrick to be dismissed soon. The mood at Carrington is described by English journalists who spoke to VG as unusual, with a sense that everyone is waiting for a decision on who will lead the team going forward. Carrick retains broad backing among supporters in the stands and among ordinary people in Manchester, according to VG, and fans' anger has so far been aimed at the players and the club's leadership rather than at the manager.
Carrick points to performances, not just results
Asked by VG what single element is missing from a club that knows what success feels like from the inside, Carrick rejected the premise. He said it is never one thing but a series of things, and that the root issue is the level of performance, with results following from it. He acknowledged that the team must improve in specific areas.
He pointed to the recent match against Chelsea as evidence of progress without reward, saying United did a number of very good things, particularly in the first half, without scoring. He called that outcome fairly remarkable. Carrick said the side has to find a way out of its current position and did not fully capitalise on its performance against Chelsea, but he expects the team to do so.
On his own state of mind, Carrick said people might think him mad given the results and everything going on around the club, but that he is sincerely excited about the next fixture. He said uncertainty over his future does not alter how he feels or how the squad is preparing, and that he has no doubts about the players' commitment to him and to the club. The task, he said, is to play better and make better decisions.
Carrick also said he knows his players and what they are capable of both individually and collectively, and that the team has shown it in spells, including against Chelsea. He said United should have been ahead in that game and were in a strong position before the second half, when things slipped away. He added that change now needs to come fairly quickly.
Tjærnås lists the gaps, and a Martinez question
Lars Tjærnås, a former top-level coach in Norway, gave VG a more specific diagnosis of United's shortcomings. He cited the ability to combine pace with precision across a full 90 minutes rather than only in patches. He also pointed to adjusting the height of the press quickly enough, especially when moving from a low block to high pressure and back again, without the team coming apart and the distances between players growing too large. Defending set pieces and crosses well enough was another item on his list.
Tjærnås also said United lack a pure No. 9 — an out-and-out centre-forward who serves as the team's primary attacking focal point, can be used as a target, and from there either combines with runners around him or holds the ball so the team can push up the pitch.
Carrick faced questions about Lisandro Martinez, who was heavily criticised after receiving a red card against Chelsea and who had earlier publicly criticised his own club's leadership. VG observed that the Argentine did not appear in good spirits during the portion of Monday's training that reporters were allowed to watch. He is available to face Roma because the suspension applies only in the Premier League.
Asked whether he had concerns about Martinez's mental state or his commitment to the club, and whether he worried the defender was not fully on board with pulling the team out of its situation, Carrick said he has no concerns at all about effort or engagement. He said things happen in football: sometimes players make decisions, sometimes they make mistakes, and sometimes it goes well for them. Commitment, he said, is not a problem.
The press conference lasted 13 minutes.
What to watch next is whether United's performance against Roma produces the result Carrick says he expects, and whether the wait for a decision on the manager's future at Carrington ends before the league position forces the club's hand.
