Carrick is back in work for the first time since leaving his role as Middlesbrough head coach back in June. The former Manchester United boss was relieved of his duties at the Riverside earlier this year as Boro could only manage a 10th-placed finish.
And Carrick is now back in work following his exit four months ago, though not in the way fans may think. The 44-year-old is presently a UEFA Technical Observer and recently offered his opinion on PSG’s 2-1 win at Barcelona.
On PSG’s win at Barcelona, Carrick said on the official UEFA website: “It sounds very basic but the key to the game is one-twos, third-man runs and forward runs behind.
“There was so much focus on pressing forward and relying on regaining it in that direction. But as we saw, the downside of this is there is a lot of space behind and across the back line.
However, Carrick’s time as a UEFA Technical Observer could be short-lived if reports of an Old Trafford return are to be believed. Ruben Amorim is under mounting pressure to turn Manchester United‘s fortunes around, with the Premier League side struggling under stewardship of the former Sporting CP boss.
Amorim could only watch on as his side fell to a 3-1 loss at Brentford last weekend, and a failure to beat high-flying Sunderland at home on Saturday will heighten calls for the club to axe the 40-year-old.
After the game, the Portuguese said: “I think we played the game they wanted us to play, the opponents – really confused: first balls, second balls. If we play the game of the opponent, it’s harder for us. We never settled the game down. We suffered two goals where we knew they are really strong on that, with the long balls. Then we tried to get back in the game. We miss a penalty, and all these moments are a little bit against us. That could change the game, but in the end, we need to – and we should do – better.”
While Oliver Glasner is the favourite to succeed Amorim at Old Trafford, there are suggestions that Carrick could return to United to take on an interim role in the club’s dugout. Carrick was briefly in charge of United following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s departure in November 2021 but he stepped down at the start of December that year when Ralf Rangnick assumed control.
During his short stint at the helm, Carrick oversaw a 2-0 Champions League win over Villarreal, a 1-1 draw at Chelsea and a 3-2 win over rivals Arsenal, which proved his final game as interim boss.
Carrick’s predecessor back in 2021, Solskjaer, once believed that the former United midfielder would one day manage the club permanently. “I am 100% sure that Michael will be the manager of Manchester United if he wants to be,” the Norwegian told the Athletic in 2023.
“I cannot see him not being the Manchester United manager. He’s a winner, a massive winner, yet he stays in control of his emotions. He knows what he wants and doesn’t lose his rag. He’ll never be emotional and fight with the players.”
