When Roy Keane announced in January that Michael Carrick should not be appointed as a long-term head coach of Manchester United even if he wins every match until the end of the season, many people thought it was just a difficult assumption.
But Carrick - who once inherited Keane's legendary number 16 shirt at Old Trafford - is questioning that opinion.
The interim coach of Man United has led the team to 6 wins in the last 7 matches and is still undefeated, plus a one-win-one-draw record in the interim period of 2021 after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked. This achievement helps Carrick have the best start after 9 matches in the Premier League, equal to Ange Postecoglou.
However, Postecoglou's lesson from Tottenham is also something Man United needs to consider. After a brilliant start, the London team quickly declined. Another precedent is Solskjaer, who won 14 in the first 19 matches but then encountered many difficulties when officially appointed.
However, Carrick is gradually convincing the Man United board that he is worthy of a long-term role, especially as many potential candidates are gradually withdrawing.
If Man United appoints a big name like Xavi Hernandez, Roberto De Zerbi, Xabi Alonso or Zinedine Zidane and they win 6 of the first 7 matches, these coaches will definitely be praised without much doubt about the future. But with Carrick, skepticism still exists.
Previously, under Ruben Amorim, Man United continuously missed the opportunity to squeeze into the top 4 even though many direct opponents such as Chelsea or Liverpool dropped points. The team only won 3 out of 11 matches even though most opponents were in the bottom half of the table.
Carrick has changed the situation. "The Red Devils" rose from sixth place to surpass Chelsea, Liverpool and Aston Villa, creating a 6-point gap with the sixth-placed team and getting closer to a Champions League spot. If this streak of form continues, the question is no longer whether Carrick deserves it, but whether Man United can ignore him.
Carrick's main rivals in the race to become Man United's head coach are being successively removed from the list. Thomas Tuchel has extended his contract with the England national team until EURO 2028, while Julian Nagelsmann also continues to be associated with Germany.
At the club level, Luis Enrique - although only one year left on his contract with Paris Saint-Germain - still tends to stay in Paris. Some other names are also gradually losing their advantage. Thomas Frank did not impress at Tottenham Hotspur, while Oliver Glasner's reputation declined due to internal problems at Crystal Palace.
Xabi Alonso is highly rated but may not want to come to Old Trafford because of his deep connection with Liverpool. Meanwhile, Andoni Iraola is an interesting choice, but his ability at the highest level has not been proven.
On the contrary, Carrick has a great advantage in internal understanding. He has experienced almost all roles at Man United - from player to coaching staff member under Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Although coaching experience is still limited, the results Carrick has brought so far are almost unbeatable. Before the international holiday, Carrick will have to overcome three major challenges when Man United successively meets Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Bournemouth of Iraola.
If they win all 3 matches, pressure on Man United's board of directors will increase sharply before April. This is the time when clubs often make important decisions for the next season.
After sacking Amorim, Man United announced that they would conduct a thorough search for a new coach. However, at this time, the most convincing candidate seems to be the one sitting on their coaching bench.
