Regardless of what the Englishman does between now and the end of the season, many are concerned about the prospect of Michael Carrick being in charge of Manchester United permanently.
Supporters and pundits alike regularly point out Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s promotion from an interim role as something to be avoided, as if the Norwegian’s tenure has been a total disaster.
Indeed, apart from the lack of silverware, Solskjaer remains the best manager since Sir Alex Ferguson, and has overseen a gradual development, finishing third and second in his two full seasons in charge before the circus after Cristiano Ronaldo’s shock return.
Solskjaer hasn’t been a failure, but Carrick is a different man and manager regardless. In any case, INEOS should not have ruled out the British player, at least until the end of the campaign.
Qualifying for the Champions League would certainly put the current head coach on the list of candidates to remain in the post, but he is clearly not the frontrunner at the moment.
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Tuesday’s game away to West Ham United represented a minor setback, but one worth noting given the change in fortunes since the sacking of manager Ruben Amorim in January.
If current momentum is maintained under Carrick, INEOS risk going back to square one somewhat if they go their separate ways this summer, and United can’t afford another short, explosive spell like Amorim’s.
One player who seemed ready for this role was England manager Thomas Tuchel, who was interviewed for the position in the summer of 2024, but he has extended his contract with the Three Lions beyond this summer’s World Cup, keeping him in the dugout until 2028.
Although the German appears to have been ruled out, reports in Spain suggest that Roberto de Zerbi is currently the top target to be named as Amorim’s permanent successor, with the Italian currently considered the “clear favorite”.
The former Brighton & Hove Albion manager is back on the market this week after leaving Ligue 1 side Marseille, whose French arm is coming off a humiliating 5-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.
The 46-year-old is reportedly hoping to get back in the saddle quickly, with Old Trafford seen as his “most likely destination” in 2026/27.
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There may be a sense that Tuchel’s contract extension with the England international could be a blow to United. The experienced manager boasts a wealth of experience at elite level, most notably having led Chelsea to Champions League glory in 2021.
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He has had a glittering managerial career with Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, winning league titles in both Germany and France.
However, with none of his previous spells at four clubs lasting longer than two years, Tuchel would certainly be another short-term addition at a time when United need stability.
Such short-termism, typically occurring in the context of an acrimonious departure from his employer, has been replicated recently by De Zerbi, with his longest tenure as a free agent coming at Sassuolo between 2018 and 2021.
Like Tuchel, the enigmatic manager never shied away from expressing his dissatisfaction with the club’s hierarchy and ultimately left Brighton over disagreements with owner Tony Bloom over the club’s recruitment policy.
De Zerbi’s career results | ||
|---|---|---|
club | game | PPG |
marseille | 69 | 1.81 |
brighton | 89 | 1.51 |
Shakhtar | 30 | 2.17 |
sassuolo | 120 | 1.38 |
Benevento | 20 | 0.72 |
Palermo | 13 | 0.38 |
Foggia | 90 | 1.86 |
Dalfo Bolia | twenty two | 0.91 |
Supporters may have hoped that the likes of Tuchel and De Zerbi would stand up to the INEOS regime at Old Trafford amid concerns that the likes of Jason Wilcox were interfering, but the butt ultimately proved to be Amorim’s undoing, with the Portuguese manager’s tenure lasting just 14 months.
De Zerbi, like Tuchel, is regarded as “one of the best managers in the world” in the Marseille team’s opinion, but he is similar to Amorim in that he is a man of passion and brutal honesty, which usually leads to nothing.
During his time in France, the former Shakhtar Donetsk manager made headlines several times for refusing to train his players, particularly after last season’s defeat to Reims.
United, who have enjoyed a quiet period of peace under Carrick in recent weeks, need to plan for the long term, but could do without the ticking time bomb of a new manager, which Tuchel and De Zerbi are unlikely to provide.
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