Michael Carrick Manchester United head coach future, Digi Mart USA News: Michael Carrick’s position as Manchester United head coach is looking increasingly in doubt, with Mauricio Pochettino open to a discussion if he were approached by the club. Sky Sports reports that CEO Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox are due to meet minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe in Monaco on Wednesday.
The pair are expected to discuss the findings of the club’s season review and give recommendations on Carrick’s future while assessing their options. Sky Sports News has been told that no final decision has yet been taken on Carrick’s Old Trafford future.
With Pochettino open to talks, it is thought the cost of buying him out of his contract as USA head coach would be around £7m. The former Argentina defender recently extended his deal with the USA until 2030 and is preparing to face Haiti in the Nations League quarter-finals.
United have had discussions with Pochettino on at least two previous occasions regarding the United job.
Carrick arrived at the training ground on Tuesday morning as the club carries out a full review of the team’s performance this season, led by Wilcox. He was given a reprieve following the 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth a fortnight ago, when bosses agreed to give him three further matches to turn the team’s fortunes around.
However, the pressure has continued to mount after an eighth straight Premier League match without a win.
There are now real doubts about whether Carrick will be in charge for the trip to Anfield to play Liverpool the weekend after next. The hierarchy insists results must improve but wants to be certain about the direction of the team before any action is taken.
If Carrick is removed, the club wants to avoid appointing an interim head coach, although there have been no substantive talks with other potential candidates so far.
Sky Sports News understands the hierarchy plans to use the international break to fully evaluate the season and reassess its options. Carrick and the players had Monday off after rescuing a late point against Villa on Sunday, and the head coach and his staff returned to Carrington on Tuesday.
With most players on international duty and no first-team training planned in the coming days, the club has gained some breathing space for a full re-evaluation.
The figures underline the pressure. United have won one of 11 games, conceded 30 goals so far in all competitions, which is the worst record of any team in the top five European leagues, and have had their worst-ever start to a Premier League season.
The comebacks in the last two matches, including a Champions League win over Roma and a draw with Villa, have not offset these problems.
The hierarchy is understood to feel Carrick over-achieved last season, when a third-place league finish earned Champions League football. However, the bosses are adamant that the current players have significantly under-achieved this season.
Sky Sports News identifies three reasons why United are not rushing a decision. First, supporters are not calling for Carrick to be sacked, given the fanbase’s affection for a legendary player who won 11 major trophies with the club, including the Champions League and five Premier League titles.
Second, the boardroom believes Carrick and his staff still retain the players’ support, as the team has not downed tools despite the chaotic recent games. Third, the bosses are not yet convinced that changing the head coach will solve the team’s problems; otherwise, they could already have moved to appoint a candidate such as Julian Nagelsmann or Eddie Howe, both of whom are out of work and thought to be keen to talk to United.
Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol said: “The club needs to become Manchester United again. They need to turn into a club who are capable of winning the title regularly, winning the European Cup again.
“It doesn’t matter who’s in charge, in my opinion. You could have Carlo Ancelotti, Pep Guardiola or Jurgen Klopp.
But with the present ownership structure, I don’t think things are going to change.
“You could bring in another manager but you would just paper over the cracks. We’re talking about a club that used to rub shoulders with Barcelona and Real Madrid.
“If things carry on as they are at the moment, they’ll be rubbing shoulders with Lincoln and QPR. There’s a circus around the club, everyone talking about what’s going wrong and how it can be changed.
“But I think most Man Utd fans think that unless you change the owners, nothing is going to change.”
