Michael Owen Urges Manchester United to Keep Faith with Michael Carrick
Michael Carrick faces a demanding sequence of away fixtures as Manchester United weigh the stability of their latest managerial project, with former striker Michael Owen arguing that the club should resist another change in the Old Trafford dugout.
United drew 1-1 with a 10-man Tottenham in their previous match, a result that has intensified scrutiny of Carrick despite his strong work after initially taking charge on an interim basis. The former United midfielder has overseen 17 matches and received a two-year deal after guiding the side into the top three and back into the Champions League.
A difficult post-Ferguson record
- Sir Alex Ferguson retired in the summer of 2013 after securing his 13th Premier League crown. His 27-year spell brought sustained domestic success, two Champions League wins and the 1999 Treble.
- David Moyes, appointed as Ferguson’s immediate replacement, was dismissed after eight months.
- No permanent successor in the following period has completed three years in charge. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer came nearest, managing 168 games.
- United have since turned to decorated coaches including Louis van Gaal and José Mourinho, former players such as Solskjaer and Carrick, and younger managerial prospects including Ruben Amorim.
- Carrick’s first spell in the role produced the points-per-game return cited as the best among United’s recent managers, leading to his permanent appointment after last season.
Owen urges patience with Carrick
Owen believes United’s repeated changes of manager demonstrate that the deeper problems cannot simply be solved by replacing the head coach. He said Carrick’s results last season made it difficult to justify searching for another candidate after only a small number of matches in the new campaign.
“They have tried every kind of option,” Owen said, pointing to United’s appointments of experienced winners, club figures and emerging coaches. “The one occasion it has worked was with Carrick last season. He had the best average points return, so why alter it?”
While accepting that the start to the current season has not been ideal, Owen said the sample remains too limited to deliver a final verdict. He also questioned who United could realistically appoint and warned that continually dismissing managers had not brought the club the improvement it seeks.
Owen added that Carrick should be allowed time to develop as a coach, arguing that he has already shown an ability to deliver significant results consistently. He said United’s board should not appear “weak” by acting prematurely, with plenty of the season still remaining before the manager’s position ought to be seriously reconsidered.
Road fixtures could shape the decision
- United travel to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday.
- They then visit Leeds in the Premier League on Sunday.
- A European meeting away to Cesc Fabregas’ Como follows.
- United are due at Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea on October 31.
Those matches leave Carrick with little margin for further setbacks. After the Tottenham draw, United’s next run on the road is set to provide a clearer measure of whether the club maintains faith in its manager or begins another search for a successor.
