Although not yet able to achieve the desired result against West Ham, Manchester United still maintained an unbeaten streak of 5 matches under Michael Carrick. Under his leadership, the team successively defeated Arsenal and Manchester City, creating a clear morale boost after a period of turmoil.
However, Man United's leadership is not in a hurry to accelerate the plan to appoint a new head coach. Carrick is also not the brightest choice for the long-term seat at Old Trafford, at least at this time.
According to the new direction, the "Red Devils" want to operate in a calm, cautious and strategic spirit. Major decisions will not be based on thin evidence from a few matches, especially for the head coach position. The leadership is said to have begun screening candidates, but has not worked directly with any names. They will wait until the end of the season to accelerate the appointment process.
Currently, Man United is being run by a capable coaching staff with Carrick and associates such as Steve Holland, Jonathan Woodgate, Travis Binnion and Jonny Evans. That stability helps them not fall into a state of panic and there is even more reason to avoid hasty decisions.
Of course, the wave of support for Carrick is increasingly clear, both from fans and a part of experts. He handles the media well, creates a positive training atmosphere, the whole team's spirit is high, the playing style is bright and the results are improved. But to give the long-term seat, Man United needs more than that.
In fact, the draw with West Ham also reiterated that the team still has fundamental problems, especially the ability to penetrate the low defensive block, the stability of the playing style and the depth of personnel. These problems cannot be completely fixed just by the effect of changing coaches.
Caution is also shown in the January transfer window. Although Ruben Amorim complained about injuries, thin forces and absences, Man United still did not buy players just to put out the fire. After Carrick took over, they also did not recruit short-term new players. Instead, the Old Trafford team is said to be focusing resources on a midfield reconstruction in the summer, and is steadfast in this plan.
If Carrick continues to create momentum, especially in the scenario of helping Man United win a ticket to the UEFA Champions League, he will definitely become a strong candidate when the season ends. Although not kept, the recent series of matches is still enough to raise Carrick's prestige, expanding the opportunity to lead another team in the Premier League.
Ironically, if Man United wins a Champions League ticket, the head coach seat could become more attractive to big names with rich experience and pressure-tolerant bravery. That is the type of coach that M.U's leadership is prioritizing, after the expensive lessons from recent terms.
The general feeling is that Man United wants someone "stubborn" enough to withstand the enormous pressure at Old Trafford, avoiding repeating the situation where their predecessor was overwhelmed by expectations and scrutiny. Names like Thomas Tuchel or Carlo Ancelotti are mentioned for their appeal, class and collection of titles. Carrick cannot compare in terms of glory, but has a very unique advantage of understanding the club's internal affairs, understanding "Man United's quality" and willingness to work within the current operating framework.
In general, Carrick has had an impressive start enough to make the debates flare up again, but Man United will not let emotions lead the way. The decision for the future of the head coach seat will be reserved for the end of the season, when they have enough data, enough time and enough calmness to choose the right person.
