Former Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney has delivered his verdict on Michael Carrick’s impending appointment as the Reds’ new interim manager and offered his services
Wayne Rooney has thrown his hat in the ring to join Michael Carrick’s coaching staff(Image: The Wayne Rooney Show/YouTube)
Wayne Rooney has thrown his hat in the ring to join Michael Carrick’s coaching staff at Manchester United. The Red Devils are poised to appoint Carrick as the club’s new interim manager until the summer.
Carrick, 44, first held talks with United board last week following Ruben Amorim’s exit, and he has since pulled ahead of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the running to lead the Reds for the remainder of the season. With Carrick’s appointment set to be confirmed on Tuesday, former teammate and United legend Rooney has offered to help the ex-Middlesbrough boss out as part of his backroom team.
Asked if he would join Carrick’s coaching staff, he told the latest edition of BBC podcast The Wayne Rooney Show: “Of course I would. It’s a no-brainer. I’m not begging a job here by the way. Just so everyone knows, if I was asked to go in of course I would. Appointing the manager is the most important thing.”
Solskjaer and Carrick were both seen as the leading contenders to lead United until the end of the season, after the Reds made the decision to find an interim before bringing in a permanent replacement for Amorim in the summer.
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Former United manager Solskjaer had been the clear favourite to take the role and was interviewed twice. But he was ruled out when some players went to club bosses and told them they didn’t want Solskjaer to come back.
It’s understood the players made it clear they had little confidence in Solskjaer, and wanted Carrick, who has been out of work since leaving Middlesbrough last June, to lead them for the remainder of the season.
Rooney believes that Carrick would be a “great fit” for the role.
“Whether Michael goes in or if that’s Fletch [Darren Fletcher] or John O’Shea or myself, it needs people who know the football club,” said Rooney, who has recently been on holiday with Carrick and his family in Barbados.
“Roy Keane – I know Roy has had his opinions, I said about Roy going in earlier in the season. Having people who know the club, who care for the club and understand what it takes to be a Manchester United player – that’s where the club needs to be.
“The club has lost its identity, it’s lost that family feel, if you like. Whether it’s Ole [Ole Gunnar Solskjaer] or Michael, this is an opportunity to bring that back, bring the spirit of Manchester United back to the football club.”
Darren Fletcher had taken caretaker charge for United’s 2-2 draw at Burnley on Wednesday and the 2-1 defeat in the FA Cup to Brighton on Sunday. But he is now set to be replaced by Carrick, with his first game in the dugout coming in the Manchester derby against Manchester City this weekend.
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