Roy Keane has delivered his verdict on whether Michael Carrick should be given the permanent Manchester United head coach role after Sunday’s win against Aston Villa
Roy Keane has doubled down on his opinion that Michael Carrick should not be the next permanent Manchester United head coach. Carrick, 44, has done an excellent job since returning to Old Trafford on an interim basis in mid-January, winning seven and drawing one of his nine matches in charge.
It’s a run of form that has seen United move up to third in the Premier League table and put them in a strong position to secure Champions League qualification for next season. But while the Reds have enjoyed a drastic uptick in form since Carrick’s appointment, Keane does not think he is the right man to lead the club full-time.
When asked if he would appoint Carrick as United’s permanent manager in the summer, Keane said on Sky Sports: “No, I think there are better options out there.
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“I think the games that he has come in, he has won football matches and done a very good job. He has simplified things, but there has been no jeopardy in those games. They’ve had free weeks to prepare for those matches, it has been good timing for him, and he has done a very good job. I take my hat off to him.
“And if he does get the job in the summer, good luck to him. But I think there are far better options out there for the next manager of Man United. If Carrick had been mentioned three months ago as the next United manager you’d have been locked up. He wasn’t even in the reckoning! But with time he has got the opportunity and he has done a very good job. I just think there are better options out there.”
Meanwhile, ex-United forward Rooney shared a different opinion to Keane. Indeed, the 40-year-old told BBC 5 Live that he would give Carrick the full-time gig at the end of the season. “100 per cent he should,” Rooney responded, when asked if Carrick should be given the permanent role.
“I knew this was going happen with Michael Carrick, I know him very well, I know his character and personality,” Rooney continued. “It needed a calm head, but someone who knows the place and the players needed some love and he’s give them that. We’re seeing the players play with more quality, we’re seeing them more together as a team and they look like a very strong team.
“So, for me, why would you change? You’ve got someone come in who’s got I think the best win percentage of any Manchester United manager after that many games, so, for me, he has to get the job.”
Keane and Rooney were speaking after United further strengthened their Champions League hopes with a deserved 3-1 win against Aston Villa on Sunday. The Reds took the lead just after half-time through Casemiro but were pegged back as Villa equalised when Ross Barkley thundered a shot past Senne Lammens.
But Carrick’s side showed character and responded by going back in front as Matheus Cunha fired home before Benjamin Sesko wrapped up the win with a late strike.
“We can enjoy winning,” Carrick said post-match. “It’s a good feeling and something we want to keep getting used to. “We are keeping a lid on it and understanding where we are and what it takes to win games like today. We are in a good position at the moment but still a lot to play for.”
Ex-United midfielder Keane first claimed that he doesn’t think Carrick should be the club’s next permanent head coach after his second game back in January. Speaking following a 3-2 win at Arsenal, Keane praised the impact Carrick made after back-to-back wins but felt he isn’t the “right man for the job”.
“Two great performances but anyone can win two games,” Keane said at the time. If United win every game until the end of the season, I still wouldn’t be giving him the job. I still wouldn’t be convinced he’s the man for the job. Absolutely not. They need a bigger and better manager. The size of the club and the challenges they face over the next few years, you want a manager who you feel can get them winning league titles.
“Are we going to sit here and believe Michael Carrick can get United winning league titles? It’s not enough for me. I don’t believe he is the man to get them winning league titles.”
Next up for United is a trip to Bournemouth on Friday night. They would move six points clear of fourth-place Aston Villa, eight above Liverpool in fifth and six ahead of Chelsea in sixth with a win at the Vitality Stadium.
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