Wes Brown: Carrick serious contender for permanent Manchester United job
Former Manchester United defender Wes Brown has told BetMGM that Michael Carrick has to be considered a serious contender to take the United manager’s job on a permanent basis at the end of the season.
Speaking exclusively to BetMGM, Brown said: “I think if something is working then why change it? You can’t say if Michael [Carrick] will get the job permanently now but there’s no doubt he’s in contention for it.
“He was very much brought in as an interim for the rest of the season and I think we all expected that would be how it would go. However, he's seriously in the conversation now after what he’s done since he’s come in.
“It’s a seriously hard job – you just have to look at the managers that have come in before him and how much they’ve struggled for evidence of that. He’s managed to get the players playing well again and in doing so they’ve won matches, and, at the end of the day, that’s what the Premier League is about”
“In the past people might have had questions about whether he’s a big enough name for the job but I don’t think they can really do that now,” he added. “Manchester United have gone for big names before and they’ve failed, so I think the fact Michael understands the club and knows what’s expected of the players make him a very strong candidate.
“He knows that more than pretty much any manager they could go for and that’s got to count in his favour. He’s got that experience under his belt now as well and there’s always a case that if they do go down another path and it goes wrong, they’ll look back and realise they made the wrong decision.
“Don’t get me wrong, he still hasn’t been there for very long but I don’t think there are many managers that could have done any better than Michael has done.”
Carrick been ‘foot perfect’ so far; whole team behind him
Brown continued on his former United team-mate and believes the 44-year-old has finally got the players behind him; something the club hasn’t had previously.
“He’s been pretty much foot perfect so far,” Brown said “It looks to me as if he’s learned plenty from his first spell in charge and really brought them into what he’s doing now.
“The lads have played really, really well under him and he’s got a great reaction out of them. He’s got them expressing themselves and I don’t think that was always the case under Ruben Amorim.
“To be unbeaten after seven games shows what a great job he’s doing and he’s got them up the table and fighting for Champions League football next season.
“He’s very chilled out and understands the game really well. He never snapped at people but was a very clever player who knew where people needed to be on the pitch.
“I imagine the pressure would have been immense but he’s taken the opportunity amazingly well. The whole team looks right behind him and that’s what it’s missed in recent seasons – that togetherness that the good sides need.”
Players weren’t motivated under Amorim
Finally, the ex-Manchester United defender discussed the recent departure of Ruben Amorim and felt the players weren’t motivated by the Portuguese.
“You could see what Ruben [Amorim] was trying to do,” Brown said.
“He’s clearly very stubborn and was pretty set on playing in a certain way with a certain formation. Football isn’t always like that, though, and you have to adapt and basically make it work even if things don’t quite work out.
“He complained a few times about not having the right players for the way he was trying to play and I do get that but I think you’ve just got to figure it out and be prepared to adapt to the hand you’re dealt.
“Fundamentally it comes down to getting results on the pitch and last season, particularly, they weren’t good enough. The Europa League probably got them through and kept him in the job in all honesty.
“This season’s results were better but it never felt like the side was quite there. The lads didn’t look up for it with him in charge to me – if that doesn’t happen they haven’t got your back and won’t run themselves into the ground for you to get results.
“If the players aren’t playing for the manager it gets very difficult for any football club.
“Carrick has shown these aren’t bad players, they just weren’t motivated enough under Amorim and that’s likely what cost him his job.”
