Manchester United are close to confirming Michael Carrick as interim head coach through the end of the season. According to the BBC, talks have progressed behind the scenes and the club wants the new man in charge at Carrington when the squad returns on Wednesday the 14th. United are looking for an immediate solution, with no long-term promises, to get through a fragile moment on the field and an emotionally heavy stretch.
A decision driven by urgency
Carrick’s selection comes after the dismissal of Ruben Amorim on January 5 and the brief spell in which Darren Fletcher took charge on a temporary basis. Fletcher oversaw the draw against Burnley and the elimination to Brighton in the third round of the FA Cup, a result that worsened the internal mood and is expected to end his stint as the team’s main point of responsibility. United realized they needed to stop buying time and quickly decide who would lead the group through the rest of the season.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer did hold talks with club executives on Saturday, but based on what emerged, Carrick’s name made more sense due to his immediate availability and deep understanding of the environment. This isn’t an ambitious plan, and the club knows it. It’s a move aimed at limiting damage, putting the house in order and avoiding further wear and tearear while a larger project is discussed for the coming European summer.
Carrick understands the club and the size of the problem
Michael Carrick doesn’t arrive as a sentimental pick, but as someone who understands how Manchester United works from the inside. He played 464 matches for the club, many of them under Sir Alex Ferguson. After retiring, he joined the coaching staffs of José Mourinho and Solskjaer, taking part in the daily routine, decision-making and the constant pressure that comes with Old Trafford.
In 2021, Carrick had already faced a similar situation. After Solskjaer’s departure, he led the team for three matches as interim coach, recording two wins and one draw, before stepping aside when Ralf Rangnick arrived.
A shaken squad and a thinned-out schedule
Whoever takes over now will find a group affected by the early FA Cup exit and the gap separating the team from the Premier League leaders. Out of the main knockout competitions, Manchester United are on track to play their fewest matches in a single season since 1914/15, a number that highlights the scale of the sporting decline.
The interim coach’s task will be easy to define and hard to carry out, reorganize the locker room, reduce the psychological impact of recent results and try to close out the Premier League campaign with some sense of sporting dignity. If confirmed, Carrick won’t arrive as a savior. He’ll arrive as someone who knows the silence of the locker room after a defeat and the weight of wearing this badge in difficult times. Whether he can pull it off, only time will tell.