Ex-Manchester United defender Mikael Silvestre has shared his view on Michael Carrick being the man for the job at Old Trafford in a full-time capacity.
After former Head Coach Ruben Amorim’s shock exit in the early new year, Manchester United have appointed a former player as interim manager.
Michael Carrick showed everyone just what he’s made of Sunday as the Reds faced Premier League rivals Manchester City in a victorious 2-0 derby day clash.
Carrick’s presence at Old Trafford was what the club needed, and although the scoreline is praiseworthy, the Englishman’s tactics and control of the game are really what got people talking.
Former United defender Mikael Silvestre has praised his ex-teammates’ performance on Sunday, arguing they’ve shown the qualities needed to succeed as a manager at a big club, while also giving fans an insight into what the second half of United’s campaign will look like under Carrick.
Carrick has four traits that can make him United boss
When speaking to The People’s Person, Silvestre reeled off a list of Carrick’s traits that he thinks will help develop his former club.
He stated, “He [Carrick] was the same then as he is now when he speaks to the media or to players — very calm,” Silvestre added, “He’s a calm person, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s always nice. He’s very structured and shows a lot of composure.”
Silvestre described Carrick as the “easygoing” and “laidback” type in the dressing room which he feels will benefit him in the dugout. The French International went as far as to back Carrick’s chances of taking the permanent role in the summer.
Silvestre argued, “He’s got a chance. As soon as anyone takes charge of the first team and has 90 minutes as head coach, they have a chance,” he said.
“It’s the best interview you can give. You can talk all you want about tactics, philosophy, and how you want to set up the team, but there’s no better way than preparing the team, going out on the pitch, and seeing the result and the performance.”
He also took into account United’s current situation in the Premier League. After a disappointing loss to Brighton in the FA Cup, United see themselves out of any other European chances.
Although disappointing for the club, this massively increases their chances of finishing in the top four in the Premier League standings and, in turn, qualifying for a Champions League spot next season.
“I didn’t think it was possible at the beginning of the season, to be honest,” he admitted. “But Liverpool have dropped off, Chelsea have been inconsistent, and while Villa are in there, they don’t have the same squad depth or quality. There’s room for United to finish in the top four — and that’s the objective.”
Is Carrick what United have been missing?
When asked who Silvestre thinks will be next to be found in the hot seat at United, he continued his praise of Carrick, simply stating that he “didn’t look beyond Michael”
“I think he deserves the time to show what he can do. And why not give him the job permanently if he reaches the objective?”
While Carrick has only had one fixture so far at United, Silvestre is not the only person who thinks INEOS should consider him in the Summer.
Carrick has a fantastic understanding of United, having played at Old Trafford for 12 years; he knows the club’s culture and the standard of football they should be producing. This has also earned Carrick his respect in the dressing room.
While previous managers have had issues with certain players’ attitudes, Carrick has the respect of those players, which means manager-player disputes are far less likely, and he can just focus on football.
If Carrick is to continue impressing, it would almost seem illogical not to appoint him. Since Sir Alex Ferguson left United in 2013, the club has been in constant turmoil with managers. Appointing another one in the summer may do more harm than good and only further confuse the players.
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