Paul Scholes says it ‘wouldn’t surprise’ him to see Michael Carrick take charge of Tottenham when his contract as Manchester United’s interim manager expires at the tip of the season.
Carrick has enjoyed an outstanding begin to life back within the Old Trafford hot seat having picked up the pieces from Ruben Amorim’s turbulent reign earlier this month.
Faced with the daunting challenge of taking up the Premier League’s top two in his first two matches, Carrick has, thus far, passed the test with flying colors – overseeing stunning victories against each Manchester City after which Arsenal.
The style of United’s defeat of league leaders Arsenal made it all of the more impressive, with the visitors forced to come back from behind after Lisandro Martinez’s own goal midway through the primary half on the Emirates.
It means Carrick stays unbeaten across his two temporary spells accountable for the Red Devils having steered the club to 2 wins and a draw following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s dismissal back in late 2021.
The 44-year-old will little question be desperate to increase this outstanding record when United return to top-flight motion at home to Fulham in six days’ time.
While Carrick’s tenure stays in its infancy, the best way by which he has managed to show the side’s fortunes around has raised the likelihood that perhaps he must be handed the job on a everlasting basis in the summertime.
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But very similar to Roy Keane on the weekend, Scholes insists United must be way more experienced managers in the event that they are to return to their former glory.
‘It couldn’t have been higher [timing], players getting back from the Africa Cup of Nations,’ Scholes said of Carrick’s strong start on the newest The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast.
‘It’s been perfect for him but he’s still got to do the job.’
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Scholes, who played alongside Carrick for seven seasons at United, continued: ‘He’s come into the job now and it’s been that bad for a yr that it couldn’t really get any worse so the pressure isn’t really on you when you’re interim manager.
‘Once you’re taking that job full-time, firstly of the season next yr, let’s say, unexpectedly you’ve got to be winning games straightaway.
‘They will probably be scarred a little bit bit from the Ole [Gunnar Solksjaer] thing. If the Ole thing hadn’t have happened then it could probably be more likely.
‘But when Michael has got to go up against, say, Thomas Tuchel in the summertime then there’s just one winner when you’re coaching big clubs and winning big prizes so you possibly can’t really compete with that.’
Scholes’ podcast colleague, Nicky Butt, echoed these comments, claiming Carrick will probably be aware that he’s unlikely to stay on the Theatre of Dreams – irrespective of what happens between now and the tip of the season.
‘I feel Michael is that vivid and intelligent, he’ll understand the job that he’s got,’ ex-United and England midfielder Butt said.
‘I can’t ever imagine Michael occurring the TV… possibly his last game if he’s third or something like that… but up until then, he knows he’s got a contract until the tip of the season to get the club moving forward in the suitable direction for the following manager.
‘He’ll know that and I do know Michael well, he won’t be on the market, he’s not silly enough to say, “Yeah, I would like the job”, because that’s not what he signed as much as.
‘His next job, if he desires to stay in football as a manager for an additional club, can be job if he does well here.’
It was on this moment that Scholes backed Carrick to administer one other of his former clubs in Tottenham, where Thomas Frank currently finds himself under intense pressure after a wretched debut season.
That is despite the actual fact Carrick’s only other everlasting managerial position was with Championship outfit Middlesbrough, where he was relieved of his duties last summer.
‘It might be like a Tottenham manager from this [for Carrick],’ Scholes said.
‘It wouldn’t surprise me.’
Asked if Carrick can be prepared to stay around and take up a training role under United’s next everlasting manager, Scholes replied: ‘No, I feel that will be weird.
‘He’s had three years at Middlesbrough being a manager and I don’t think he’d want to do this.’
Should Carrick get the everlasting job if United finish in the highest 4?
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