Carrick was announced as caretaker manager yesterday
The main reason why Manchester United chose to appoint Michael Carrick rather than Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as their caretaker manager has been revealed in a ground-breaking report from Sky Sports.
Carrick’s appointment finally bookended a whirlwind week at Old Trafford, kickstarted by the departure of Ruben Amorim last Monday.
In the days since Amorim’s sacking, Man United have drawn a Premier League fixture to Burnley, and crashed out of the FA Cup at the hands of Brighton.
The Brighton loss was especially bitter, as it meant the Red Devils will play just 40 competitive matches over the course of the 2025/26 season, their lowest total since 1915.
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While hopes at Carrington now centre on Carrick bringing about a period of stability for the Red Devils, he was not the only name put forward for the caretaker poisition.
In fact, before the retired midfielder went in for face-to-face talks with Old Trafford hierarchy, another name was reported as favourite for the role: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
It was only at the end of those talks that Carrick emerged as frontrunner.
Solskjaer excelled as caretaker when appointed — ironically alongside assistant Michael Carrick —at the end of Jose Mourinho’s reign in 2018.
The Red Devils played engaging football under the Norwegian, earning plaudits with the Stretford End that have never really dissipated.
As a result of Solskjaer’s strong standing with the fanbase, it was a surprise when Carrick emerged as the number-1 candidate.
With the dust now having settled on the recruitment process, Sky Sports have revealed exactly why it was Carrick rather than Solskjaer who won over the hierarchy.
As described by reporter Rob Dorsett, a contractural request that Ole made eventually put off those with deciding power.
Dorsett said: “I was told when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer met with Jason Wilcox he understandably, to a large extent said ‘if I do a good job and get you UCL, what is the reward?
“I’d like something written into my contract that says if I achieve that, then there is a substantive contract at the end of it.’
“[There were] no such requests from Michael Carrick significantly, he has played a blinder here and managed the situation very, very well.
“He knows the best way for him to get the job long term at Man Utd is to get Champions League football, to win matches and get the crowd behind him and he has the perfect opportunity to do that with 17 games of the Premier League remaining.”
Dorsett made clear that even in light of potential UCL qualification, it is still “very unlikely” that Carrick has much chance of being appointed long-term manger.
Man United are said to be aiming to learn from past mistakes, like the permanent appointments of Solskjaer, Ten Hag and the choice to bring in Amorim, and will move forward differently this time around.
“They need somebody with a big name, with the kind of personality to cope with the size of club Manchester United is,” he added.
“They want somebody who has been there and done it.”
Although now finally in place, the work is only just beginning for Michael Carrick.
The ex-Middlesbrough boss is set for a nightmare opening to his Man United managerial spell. The Red Devils face Manchester City and Arsenal in their next two Premier League fixtures.
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