Michael Owen is baffled by the suggestion that Michael Carrick shouldn’t proceed as Manchester United manager next season, saying he’s ‘astounded’ by the ‘silly’ opinion.
Ruben Amorim was sacked as Red Devils boss in January, briefly replaced by caretaker Darren Fletcher before Carrick took interim charge of the club until the tip of the season.
Things have gone thoroughly since then, with performances and results considerably improved under Carrick.
With only one defeat in his 10 games in charge, Manchester United sit third within the table and are firmly on the right track for a return to the Champions League, currently six points ahead of Liverpool in fifth.
When the 44-year-old was appointed, the likes of Gary Neville and Roy Keane were clear that they didn’t see Carrick as an appropriate everlasting option, not matter what he achieved during his interim spell in charge.
As an alternative, the 2 Manchester United legends desired to see a more experienced, higher profile manager given the job.
Nevertheless, Owen couldn’t disagree more with this opinion and thinks it could be bizarre not to offer Carrick the role next season given what he has done to this point.
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‘I’d be firmly within the camp of Carrick keeping the job,’ Owen told the Manchester Evening News, via Casino.org. ‘They’ve tried virtually every part. And after a dozen years of trying and failing, you land on any person, that’s getting a tune out of the players, they’re winning games and looking out progressive, a few of the players are playing the most effective football they’ve played in years.
‘Imagine should you removed Michael Carrick, just imagine it, and also you brought in whoever, I don’t care who it’s, a born winner, they’ve already had that variety of manager. Imagine if things start going poorly again. I mean, the ownership would get absolutely lynched.
‘I mean what a silly… how on Earth anybody can say that he shouldn’t proceed. What’s the worst that may occur? You give him a few years’ contract, what’s the worst that may occur? He starts the following season for the primary three or 4 months, he loses every game and he’s useless. You may part company. It’s not such as you’ve got to stick to someone for 10 years.
‘It’s not like that is the largest decision ever. He’s doing well, why not only let it proceed? This is completely unbelievable what we’re seeing from Manchester United. I mean if the league began when Carrick took over, Manchester United at the highest of the league.
‘I mean, what on Earth? Why on Earth is that this even a matter? I don’t get it. I’m astounded by certain people saying “No, no, no, they shouldn’t appoint him”, astounded.
‘I’m not saying yeah go and provides him a 10-year contract, every part’s perfect. But bloody hell, what more can he do? You’ve just got to let this roll. You’ve got to let it roll. That is Manchester United looking like they’re on the way in which back at this stage. Why would you interfere with anything?’
After Carrick’s arrival as interim boss, Neville could scarcely have been more clear, saying on the Keep on with Football podcast: ‘There can’t be any consideration that Michael takes the job beyond this season, for Michael and for the club.’
Keane also felt the previous England midfielder was not the person for the job, saying: ‘So Michael Carrick goes to be the manager of Man United? He hasn’t got enough experience. I don’t think he’ll have enough football knowledge.
‘I’m not saying Michael Carrick can’t be a top manager, however the timing for him to be manager of Man United in the summertime? I don’t see it.’
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Neville has since accepted that Carrick is now in an excellent position to get the role permanently, whether he feels he’s the appropriate man for it or not.
‘The run they’ve been on has been a shock to everybody,’ Neville told Sky Sports earlier this month. ‘Michael wouldn’t have expected this in his wildest dreams.
‘(He) is within the box seat for the job. what is going on now, I feel they may qualify for the Champions League.’
Co-owner Jim Ratcliffe told Sky Sports Carrick is doing an ‘excellent job’ and a report from the identical outlet states that the club is yet to contact another potential candidate for the role.
It seems that if Carrick does deliver Champions League football then he could be offered the job on a longer-term basis.
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