Michael Carrick came to take over at Man United in the context that the team had just been eliminated from the FA Cup by Brighton and was gradually moving away from the goal of winning a Champions League ticket next season. Everything at that time was very gloomy, no one believed that the "Red Devils" after a terrible period with Ruben Amorim could achieve this ultimate goal.
However, after Carrick arrived and up to this point, Man United is firmly holding that goal in hand and making fans remember the heroic days when the team was invincible. In an interview with 3 candidates for the interim position replacing Ruben Amorim (in addition to Carrick, there are also Solskjaer and Van Nistelrooy), Sporting Director Jason Wilcox all emphasized this goal because it is vital for the club. All 3 agreed with that view and in the end Man United chose Carrick.
One of the first right steps was to appoint Steve Holland to the position of assistant in the coaching staff. He had experience working for the England national team and Chelsea, not to mention he was also local, so he was very close to the club. Like Carrick, Holland is a loyal fan of the "Red Devils" and has a desire to contribute more than many others just for money.
Not only Holland joined Carrick, another experienced person, Jonathan Woodgate, also came. Woodgate used to work with Carrick at Middlesbrough. Therefore, familiarity and early adaptation are something everyone can feel.
When Carrick finished his task, the haste was felt in this former midfielder. He immediately started working and quickly grasped the spirit of the key players. Carrick saw Casemiro's desire as this was the midfielder's last season for Man United. Besides veterans, young stars also really liked the approach of the 44-year-old coach on the training ground. With young stars, Carrick is always dedicated and finds ways to give them opportunities, typically like the case of Kobbie Mainoo. Previously, Ruben Amorim only watched 1 youth team match at Carrington and never watched an official youth team match in major tournaments.
In his assistant team, Carrick has Woogate who speaks Spanish, so this is a very good bridge for him with the Latin-speaking players. According to The Athletic, in the first conversation with the players, Carrick and his assistants conveyed a good message of pride in playing for Manchester United. Some players shared that they were hurt by criticism in the past 18 months, especially when Ruben Amorim commented that they were "the worst Man United version in history".
Carrick's training sessions are also shorter, usually ending at 1 pm, players who want to practice more will be proactive. This is fundamentally different from Ruben Amorim's training sessions. When training on the field, Carrick focuses on intensity and sharpness. If anyone needs to practice separately due to injury, that person will come early and be prioritized.
For players who are not in the starting lineup, Carrick explains to them very enthusiastically and fairly. Being a classy midfielder, Carrick's persuasion is considered logical and has absolute respect for his students. The young coach also highlighted the view that fairness will be prioritized, anyone who does not ensure the volume and is not diligent will have to sit on the bench. After each training session, players are also sent "homework" which is a video of themselves to review what has not been done, thereby being able to improve in the next training session.
With Ruben Amorim, he rarely talks to the players right after the match, but Carrick did the opposite. Some players are talked to privately to analyze details and they see the closeness of the captain. Carrick always tells the players that the good period is just the beginning and everything can happen. Therefore, players need to always be focused to avoid falling into the vortex.
The way Michael Carrick is doing is very suitable for Man United's culture. He is not the type who wants absolute power like Ruben Amorim and his personality is not as erratic as his predecessor. Carrick is very humble and discreet with the media.
The current honeymoon is still ongoing for Man United. It will end at some point, but "Red Devils" fans expect that by that time, the team has accumulated enough to remain steadfast in every race.
