Michael Carrick has refuted claims that Manchester United are a soulless club, saying he has returned to the “magic” at the club’s Carrington training complex.
The former United midfielder returned to the club this week after replacing Ruben Amorim, who also previously held an assistant coaching role, and took over as caretaker manager in 2021. The Portuguese left the club after 14 months in charge at Old Trafford.
Carrick will manage United’s final 17 games of this Premier League season, starting with the Manchester derby at Old Trafford on Saturday lunchtime. sky sports.
The former Middlesbrough manager is the 11th person to sit in the Old Trafford hot seat since Sir Alex Ferguson retired. Another management change has been added to fan complaints about protests scheduled for next month.
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Manchester United interim manager Michael Carrick has suggested the opinions of former players do not put pressure on his job and insisted he knows what needs to change at the club even without their input.
Asked if the club now feels soulless amid the current slump, Carrick said: “I definitely don’t think there’s a soul. I think there’s a magic around here. I feel it and as soon as I walk into the building I feel at home.
“The results and sometimes things look a little different on the outside, but on the inside they don’t seem to be much different.
“One of my roles and responsibilities is to shape what we do as a group going forward. What happens on the pitch, the tactical aspect and the performances are one thing, but certainly the culture and the way we think, the way we act and what it means to us to be here is part of my responsibility to spread it in the right way.”
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Harry Maguire has admitted he has been impressed by Michael Carrick and his coaching staff during the build-up to Saturday’s Manchester derby.
Carrick added that the players’ mood was positive and the training ground was in a good location.
“I came back after three days in this role and there was nothing really sinister about what I saw. The players were really good.
“(The players) are willing to listen, they are willing to learn, they want to do better, they want to do better for the club, they want to perform better. That’s the feeling I have.
“The support staff and everyone is desperate to do well and we have to deliver.
“Culture is something that happens every day. I’m not sitting here talking about it. Just a few words here and there makes me feel good.
“It’s about how you conduct yourself and what you do every day. That’s something we need to build on, but I definitely think for now it’s a good place to be and the training ground is a really good place.
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“We have to make Old Trafford a better place with the help of our supporters. That is the magic of what we are trying to do.”
