A Manchester United loanee has confirmed that one of Michael Carrick’s first-team coaches “tries to get the best for everyone.”
When Rúben Amorim was sacked from his position as Manchester United head coach, not only was he dismissed, but so were the coaches he brought with him from Sporting CP, leaving United light on first-team staff ahead of the Burnley tie in the Premier League, just days later.
Darren Fletcher stepped up from his role as Under-18s boss to lead the senior squad, alongside Under-21s manager Travis Binnion. Jonny Evans returned to the club, following a brief stint as Loan Manager at the start of the season, and Director of Football Jason Wilcox began the search for a new head coach until the end of the season.
In the end, Michael Carrick won the race – ahead of his former boss Ole Gunnar Solskjær and another former centre-forward, Ruud van Nistelrooy – and brought with him Steve Holland, formerly of Chelsea and England, and Johnathan Woodgate, who worked with Carrick at Middlesbrough.
When Carrick first took charge, it seemed unlikely he would remain at the club beyond the end of the season, but positive performances against Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur have given Carrick the faith of much of the fan base.
The Newcastle United result has created some doubt, but even if Carrick doesn’t stay at the club next season, it seems that Travis Binnion should. And not returning to his U21s post, but instead, becoming a permanent fixture of the first-team setup.
How Binnion helps United players
After Benjamin Šeško came off the bench to score the winner at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, he was asked about Travis Binnion’s impact since he was pushed up to the first team; he said: “Travis has worked with me after training.
“We do different kinds of work in the box, on the edge of the box, like short contacts because obviously in the Premier League you don’t have time.
“And this is really helping me, not just me, but also the other players. And I’m really happy that I can work with him because he’s helped me a lot.”
Binnion has been at Old Trafford since 2019, working his way up from Under-14s coach to the first team position he holds today.
Ethan Ennis worked with Binnion in the U18s and U21s, including for the FA Youth Cup win in 2022. Now, Ennis is on loan at Fleetwood Town, and is impressing at that, following a position change to wing-back. In an interview with MEN, he said: “He tries to get the best for everyone. He just sort of cares so much about how well the lads do, which shows during training or at games. That passion really comes out. I’ve had contact from Travis while I’ve been here.”
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Binnion must remain in the first team
As an academy head coach, Travis Binnion wasn’t as highly regarded as Adam Lawrence, who was the U18s manager last season and is now in charge of the U21s, following a brief spell at Newcastle United. But as a first-team coach, Binnion is only receiving praise, and for good reason.
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Šeško has scored in four games under Carrick and even won United’s Player of the Month for February, despite not starting a game. Because of his work with Binnion, the Slovenian was ready to take his chance when it came.
Ennis’ words while on loan show how important Binnion is to him, and the gesture to stay in contact while away from the club shows Binnion cares about the academy like a Manchester United staff member has to.
Binnion could help the talented group of Under-21s players, including Shea Lacey, Bendito Mantato, James Scanlon and more, make the step up from academy football to the senior team, while also improving the attacking quality at Old Trafford, as he has with Šeško.
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