Should Man Utd Hire Michael Carrick As Permanent Manager?

Manchester United are still holding off on a decision over the identity on the club’s next permanent manager, with Michael Carrick not guaranteed to get the job.

Carrick was appointed as interim manager until the end of the season, taking over following Darren Fletcher’s two-game caretaker stint after the club parted company with Ruben Amorim in January. During that time he has overseen eight wins from 12 Premier League matches and has all but secured Champions League qualification for next season.

But while the job has seemingly been Carrick’s to lose after it was reported last month that no other candidates were yet being spoken to. It’s also not fully his either.

The Guardian writes that the decision on who gets the job won’t be made until the end of the season. Jason Wilcox, director of football, is leading the process and is “intent on waiting.”

Speaking in February, off the back of three successive wins in his first three matches, Carrick said he is “loving” the job, but also understands the situation and is “not getting too carried away.”

Why Man Utd Should Hire Carrick

"He's coaching his way into very strong contention.

"He hasn't managed a Manchester United/Premier League transfer market — that's something they'll have to consider."@David_Ornstein discusses Michael Carrick's chances of being given the Manchester United job on a permanent… pic.twitter.com/vlgJAphNB2
— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) April 17, 2026

There is no substitute to actually doing the job and Carrick already is.

His impact cannot be understated. United have picked up more points than any other Premier League team since he was appointed in mid-January. The kind of consistency (or lack of) that proved costly and damaging for predecessor Ruben Amorim has been quickly rediscovered.

Carrick is credited with simplifying things for the players at his disposal. Amorim came in with grand tactical ideas that had underpinned his success in Portugal, but it just never suited Manchester United. There has been a restoration of the “United DNA” that relies on high tempo, aggressive play, fast wingers and deadly transitions. Equally, not every performance has been outstanding and the team that crumbled too easily in the past has a more resilient spirit.

When compared to how Louis van Gaal, Erik ten Hag and Amorim have fallen short, Carrick—as a United player of 12 years (2006–18) and coach of three more (2018–2021)—has proven that ‘knowing’ the club actually does count for something important.

Fellow ex-player Ole Gunnar Solskjær, despite not winning a trophy, has been United’s most consistent manager in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson years in terms of Premier League finishes—claiming third and second in his two full seasons in charge.

Even with a lack of major managerial experience and proven track record elsewhere—his only permanent gig was three seasons at Middlesbrough in which he fell short of his primary objective: promotion—Carrick’s wealth of overall experience makes him more than credible. It’s worth noting that Pep Guardiola had never held a top-flight managerial position before Barcelona gave him the keys to the first team in 2008. Nor had Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid eight years later.

In that sense, Carrick is certainly not comparable with Liam Rosenior arriving (and leaving) Chelsea, for example.

Who Else Could Become Man Utd Manager?

If Manchester United’s top brass decide against appointing Carrick full time, it’s not clear what the other options would be.

The Red Devils would be relying on Mauricio Pochettino, a target in the past, not renewing his contact with the United States men’s national team after the World Cup. Julian Nagelsmann, a sizeable gamble, would be enormously expensive because of a contract as Germany manager until 2028.

Andoni Iraola is becoming available following the decision to leave Bournemouth, but is arguably less suited to the job than Carrick is right now, having also only ever led clubs outside the traditional elite. It would be a similar leap for Oliver Glasner, although the Austrian at least has experience of winning trophies.

The likes of Cesc Fàbregas, also a gamble, and Jürgen Klopp have much too strong connections with fierce rivals to be considered realistic.

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