Gary Neville says Michael Carrick must not be Manchester United manager at the start of next season, and has offered a shortlist of three players he would like to put in place instead.
Carrick succeeded Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford on Tuesday and has been tasked with guiding the club – where he won five Premier League titles as a player – into European qualification before the end of the season.
Neville wished his former team-mate well but warned that any new manager’s departure under Carrick, however transformative, should not be seen as a long-term solution.
“I hope Michael is really well,” said former United captain Neville Stick to the football podcast.
“We could be sitting here at the end of the season with the fans, with the team fifth in the table and back in the Champions League, and we could all be affected by that.
But it cannot be considered that Michael takes the job after the end of this season, for the sake of Michael and the club, even if he wins every game.
Neville: We’ve seen this movie before
Neville accepted the decision to sack Amorim and hand Carrick the reins until the end of the season was the right one in the end, but he couldn’t hide his disappointment at the sense of deja vu that he had left.
“When Amorim was sacked and you started hearing the names Michael, Ole (Gunnar Solskjaer), Ruud (van Nistelrooy), it was a bit sad, like ‘here we are again’,” he said.
“We’ve been there before with Ole, with Giggs (Ryan Giggs) when David Moyes got the sack. We’ve seen this film before.
“I don’t think there was any other option for the club at the moment. Most United fans will agree with the decision to end the season because of the managers that are becoming available.”
“But if they don’t get a manager in the summer, there will be huge pressure. They must think they’re going to get one of the big guys, otherwise they wouldn’t be putting in a bridge now.”
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Manchester United have appointed Carrick as their interim head coach until the end of the season
Neville supports Ancelotti, Tuchel, Pochettino
Carrick’s return to Old Trafford marks his second spell as caretaker manager and the 12th managerial change in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.
Neville outlined the key attributes United’s next permanent manager must have – and explained why Carlo Ancelotti, Thomas Tuchel and Mauricio Pochettino are the best fit for the job.
Manchester United have tried everything when it comes to appointing a manager, absolutely everything,” Neville said. “Now they have to try to remove the risks.
“Who can deal with the media? Who can manage the dressing room? Who can deal with the owners? Who plays football in a style that the fans will at least enjoy? Who has experience in the Champions League? Who has experience in big games?”
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Sky Sports’ Rob Dorsett explains why Manchester United chose to appoint Carrick as interim boss ahead of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
“The three that stand out are Tuchel, Ancelotti and Pochettino. They could all be available after the World Cup. Eddie Howe – who has won a trophy, finished in the top four and managed a big club in Newcastle – is the other.”
“To make United an attractive club for players, Tuchel and Ancelotti are bringing seriousness to things. If you put in a younger manager, United will be short of players.
“United are going to miss a lot of players anyway, but someone like Ancelotti would encourage players to come in. They need that at the moment because I’m not sure players are queuing up to join unless there’s nobody they can trust.”
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Sky Sports’ Rob Dorsett explains why Manchester United chose to appoint Carrick as interim boss ahead of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
Monastery Utd next five matches
- January 17: Man City (H) – Premier League, kick-off at 12:30 p.m. live on Ski Sports
- January 25: Arsenal (A) – Premier League, kick-off 16.30, live on Ski Sports
- February 1: Fulham (H) – Premier League, kick-off at 2 p.m., live on Ski Sports
- February 7: Tottenham (H) – Premier League, start at 12.30
- February 10: West Ham (A) – Premier League, start at 20.15