Michael Carrick’s position as Manchester United head coach is looking increasingly under threat, although no final decision has been made. It is understood that Mauricio Pochettino would be open to a discussion with United if the club approached him. The cost of buying him out of his contract as USA head coach is thought to be around £7m.
CEO Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox are due to meet minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe in Monaco on Wednesday. They will discuss the findings of their season review and give their recommendations on Carrick’s future, while also assessing their options.
It is understood that no final decision has yet been taken on Carrick’s future at Old Trafford.
The former Argentina defender recently extended his deal with the USA until 2030 and is preparing to face Haiti in the Nations League quarter-finals. United have held discussions with Pochettino on at least two previous occasions regarding the United job.
Club conducts full review
Carrick arrived at the club’s Carrington training ground on Tuesday morning as United carry out a full review of the team’s performance so far this season. Wilcox is leading the review.
Carrick was given a reprieve after the 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth a fortnight ago, with the club’s hierarchy keen to give him three more matches to turn the team’s fortunes around. However, the pressure has continued to mount after an eighth straight Premier League match without a win. There are now real doubts about whether he will be in charge when United travel to Anfield to play Liverpool the weekend after next.
The United hierarchy is determined that results must improve, but it wants to be certain about which direction to take the team before any action is taken. If the club decides to remove Carrick, it wants to avoid appointing an interim head coach. No substantive talks with other potential candidates have taken place so far.
The club’s hierarchy plans to use the international break to fully evaluate the season and reassess its options. Carrick and the players had Monday off after rescuing a late point against Villa on Sunday, and the head coach and his staff returned to Carrington on Tuesday. With most players away on international duty and no first-team training sessions planned in the coming days, the club has gained some breathing space for a full re-evaluation.
Pressure mounts on Carrick
United have won just one of their last 11 games. They have conceded 30 goals in all competitions, the worst record of any team in the top five European leagues. The club also has its worst-ever start to a Premier League season. These problems have outweighed the positivity from the comebacks in the last two matches.
The United hierarchy feels Carrick over-achieved last season, when a third-placed Premier League finish earned Champions League football. However, the bosses are equally adamant that the current squad has woefully under-achieved so far this season.
Three key reasons explain why United are not rushing a decision on the head coach position, and they have given Carrick an extended stay of execution.
First, the supporters are not calling for him to be sacked. That is unlikely to change, given the affection the fanbase holds for Carrick, a legendary player who won 11 major trophies with United, including the Champions League and five Premier League titles. The pressure to change the boss that clubs often face from the stands has not materialised at Old Trafford.
Second, the boardroom believes Carrick and his coaching staff still retain the support of the players. Despite the chaotic nature of the last two games, the team produced a Champions League win against Roma and a draw against a strong Villa side, with notable comebacks in both. The assessment is that the players have not downed tools and are still fighting for Carrick.
Third, United’s bosses are not yet convinced that changing the head coach will solve the team’s problems. If they believed it would, they could already have moved to sack Carrick and appoint a candidate such as Julian Nagelsmann or Eddie Howe. Both are currently out of work and available, and both are thought to be keen to talk to United if a vacancy arises.
‘It doesn’t matter who’s in charge at Man Utd’
Chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol said:
“The club needs to become Manchester United again. They need to turn into a club capable of winning the title regularly and winning the European Cup again.
“It doesn’t matter who’s in charge, in my opinion. You could have Carlo Ancelotti, Pep Guardiola or Jurgen Klopp. But with the present ownership structure, I don’t think things are going to change. You could bring in another manager, but you would just paper over the cracks. We’re talking about a club that used to rub shoulders with Barcelona and Real Madrid.
“If things carry on as they are at the moment, they’ll be rubbing shoulders with Lincoln and QPR. There’s a circus around the club, with everyone talking about what’s going wrong and how it can be changed. But I think most Man Utd fans think that unless you change the owners, nothing is going to change.”