Manchester United have now secured UEFA Champions League qualification for next season, and with it, interim manager Michael Carrick has likely secured his gig beyond the end of this season. He didn’t just secure UCL qualification, he did it in absolute style, with yesterday’s home win over hated rivals Liverpool. Beating Liverpool is always sweet for United, but securing Champions League qualification in the process is just the cherry on top. Ultimately, yesterday’s victory may prove to be the Premier League third place game, as United are now six points clear of the Reds for third slot, with three matches left to play.
Since taking over the interim manager role at United, his side has secured more points than any other club in the Premier League. Carrick won five Premier League titles and one Champions League title among his 18 trophies accrued during his 12 seasons at the club as a player. Carrick, 44, was named captain for his final season at United, and he’s just plain perfect for this job.
He knows the club culture through and through.
The turnaround that he’s accomplished since the club sacked Ruben Amorim is just, simply put, astounding. Removing the interim tag and offering him the gig full-time is a no-brainer. And reportedly, this development is imminent.
According to a report in The Guardian, the two sides have: “not held talks regarding turning his interim role into a permanent one because the executive were intent on waiting to see whether he could lead United into Europe’s top club competition.”
Striker Matheus Cunha is the latest player to publicly come out in favor of Carrick’s being appointed to the position beyond the rest of this season.
The Guardian report indicated that both team captain Bruno Fernandes and former captain Harry Maguire are both privately in favor Carrick becoming the boss full time as well.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.