Next Man Utd Manager Odds: Will United turn to old Mr Reliable, Michael Carrick?

Ruben Amorim has been sacked as head coach of Manchester United. Under-18s coach Darren Fletcher will steer the Red Devils through their upcoming Premier League tie with Burnley on Wednesday evening.

But who will follow the former midfielder into the dugout on a permanent basis? One of the candidates in the running is his former partner in the centre of the pitch; Michael Carrick. Read on to find out where Carrick places in the next permanent Manchester United manager odds.

Carrick has managed Manchester United before, albeit briefly. But his impressive caretaker spell following the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2021 turned plenty of heads. Carrick cut a confident figure when he moved from his longtime role on the coaching staff to the big chair.

While the ink was still drying on myriad pieces explaining that Solskjaer had failed because he was largely hired on the basis of his legendary status, many were arguing Carrick should have been handed the reins permanently. Two wins and a draw had impressed many. But instead, Erik ten Hag rode into Old Trafford and Carrick parlayed his national attention into the head coach role at Middlesbrough.

In his first season at the Riverside, Carrick took Boro from 21st when he was appointed to fourth in the table. Though they lost in the Play-Off semi-finals to Coventry City, it was still an admirable performance from the young coach. The following season brought a drop to eighth place, but Carrick also led Boro to their first Carabao Cup semi-final in 20 years. 

A further fall to 10th was not enough to save him in the summer and Carrick has been out of work since June. Now those near-misses at Boro could end in promotion to the Premier League after all, albeit a solo ascent.

Carrick is fourth in the markets as I type, priced at 8/1. Caretaker manager Darren Fletcher, recently-sacked Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca and hipster king Oliver Glasner of Crystal Palace are the only men shorter-priced.

As with any manager there are pros and cons. Carrick has proven he can carry himself with dignity in the United dugout. Players respect him and like working for him. He can get results. Carrick’s arrival in November of his first season at Middlesbrough was transformative as he turned the club’s fortune around entirely. With the Red Devils having won just one of five outings, an injection of spirit from a coach like Carrick could turn the corner.

But with United reportedly looking to go the interim route before appointing permanently in the summer, that galvanising effect may not be sought. There are drawbacks to appointing Carrick. He lacks Premier League experience beyond that three-game caretaker stint at Old Trafford. Middlesbrough improved but did not sustain their rise under him as seen by last season’s regression. 

There are also some issues that make Carrick feel a little like Amorim. Carrick was reluctant to shift from his possession-hungry approach, even when goals didn’t follow Boro’s territorial advantage. After Ruben’s dogma, you imagine Ineos would prefer a more tactically-agile boss. Carrick also evoked Amorim in his failure to fully master the art of the substitution, with his changes often baffling supporters. Finally, Carrick departed last June partly through results but also partially due to his inability to see eye-to-eye with the Boro hierarchy. Remind you of anyone?

But Carrick is his own man and so far he has proved confident and capable in his brief managerial career. Perhaps United are keen to not let another Kieran McKenna slip through their fingers. The man who took Ipswich Town back to the Premier League and is regularly linked with bigger jobs worked alongside Carrick as a first team coach at Old Trafford. Maybe Ineos will pull the trigger a little early on a developing manager to avoid missing out on a fine coaching talent. Carrick is 8/1 to serve as the next permanent boss as we go to press.

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