Gary Neville has claimed that Man United have begun the process of hiring their next permanent manager – and says Michael Carrick ‘would go into a process’ if he wants the job full-time.
Carrick was installed as United’s interim boss until the end of the season following the sacking of Ruben Amorim last month, and has won all four of his games since taking the post.
Victories over Man City, Arsenal, Fulham and Tottenham have thrust the Red Devils up to fourth in the Premier League and club captain Bruno Fernandes has heaped praise on Carrick for being a ‘great manager’.
And, according to Neville, the Englishman could be considered as a contender to land the role permanently if he wishes at the end of the season.
‘I asked the club “what is the official position of the football club in terms of what you’re saying publicly to everybody else?” and I thought their answer was pretty good,’ the former United captain said on the Gary Neville Podcast.
They said “we’ve actually begun our process now of starting to look for another manager”.’
Gary Neville says Man United have begun the process of hiring their next permanent manager
Neville said Michael Carrick would go ‘into a process’ if he wants to take the job permanently
‘What they’ve said is they’re not going to be bounced into – irrespective of wins or draws or losses on the pitch in this next couple of months – making an appointment,’ Neville added.
‘They’re going to wait towards the end of the season. If Michael at that point makes himself available for the job… and says “I want to put my name in the hat”, at that point, like in any other recruitment role in the country for any other business, (he) would go into a process.’
Neville admitted Carrick may not wish to be considered at the end of the season, but said there is a possibility the 44-year-old may feel in a position to put himself forward.
The former England defender said he would likely be pitted against the likes of Thomas Tuchel, Julian Nagelsmann, Carlo Ancelotti and other managers competing at the World Cup this summer.
He also threw Eddie Howe and Luis Enrique’s names out there as ones he believes United may be considering.
‘All I will say right now is that if Michael Carrick is selected or not selected, no one can be 100 per cent sure of what the right decision is when it comes to Manchester United,’ Neville continued.
‘I think we can put that to bed for another couple of months because the club have said they’re going to look at this and won’t be bounced into making a decision. If they win another four or five and they’re almost emphatically in the Champions League then that would be incredible, it would be a great position to be in.
‘If you think where probably Jim Ratcliffe, Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox thought they were going to be maybe a few weeks ago with Michael Carrick at the end of the season, Manchester United might be sixth or seventh and they’re making a decision whereby they’re not in the Champions League.
Neville believes Carrick’s performances will have given Sir Jim Ratcliffe some food for thought
‘This is perfect. This is exactly what they would’ve wanted, where there is complete and utter uplifting performances. There’s more faith being built in the players and they look like they can play football at the level that they were when they signed.
‘Manchester United can make a decision at the end of the season based on the managers that make themselves available. Let’s see what they do.’
Carrick himself has been keen to avoid being drawn into talk about his future at the club beyond the end of the season.
‘I’m fully aware of the role I’m doing here and the responsibility I’ve got,’ he said on Friday.
‘We want to be successful, and I want the club to be successful beyond the end of the season – if that’s me, if that’s somebody else.
‘At this stage, I can’t control that and we’ll see what happens, but it’s certainly about trying to improve the team and making Manchester United stronger. Results over a short period of time don’t change that.
Carrick has been widely praised for restoring United to a formation more suitable to his players after Amorim persisted with a 3-4-3 system that often looked disjointed.
United captain Fernandes also believes his interim boss has given the players more ‘freedom’ to express themselves on the pitch.
Bruno Fernandes said Carrick is a ‘great manager’ after United’s 2-0 victory over Tottenham
‘I think Michael came in with the right ideas of giving the players the responsibility, but also some freedom to take the responsibility on the pitch during the decisions that are needed,’ Fernandes said after the 2-0 win over Spurs.
‘He’s very good with the words and I think he still remembers when I told him last time he was our manager, for our last game and I was sure Michael could be a great manager – now he is showing it.
‘We hope we can help him even more so everyone can see, not just us as the players, that we are good players and that is why we are at Manchester United, but also the staff is very good.’
