Michael Owen Warns Man Utd Board They MUST Appoint Michael Carrick

Why Man Utd Have Been Told to Avoid Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino and the Big-Name Trap

Manchester United are once again standing at a familiar crossroads. A managerial change, a squad short on confidence only weeks ago, and a fanbase desperate for something that finally feels like progress rather than another reset. This time, though, there is a different mood around Old Trafford. The noise is quieter, the football is sharper, and the smiles — on and off the pitch — look genuine.

At the centre of it all is Michael Carrick.

Following the sacking of Ruben Amorim early in 2026, Carrick was handed the job on an interim basis. What was meant to be a short-term solution has quickly turned into a compelling audition. Four straight wins, a clear identity on the pitch and a sudden surge towards the Champions League places have reopened a debate that Manchester United know all too well: do you trust what’s working in front of you, or do you rip it up and chase another “elite” name?

Michael Owen believes the answer is obvious. And he is urging the Manchester United board not to overthink it.

Carrick Appointed as Interim Boss Following Amorim Sacking

Ruben Amorim’s time at Old Trafford was short, tense and ultimately unsustainable. The Portuguese coach arrived with a strong reputation and a very specific idea of how football should be played. His stubborn loyalty to a 3-4-2-1 system, however, quickly became a problem.

As results dipped and performances stagnated, Amorim’s refusal to adapt began to frustrate players and supporters alike. The axe eventually fell after it became clear that the promised upturn simply wasn’t coming.

Darren Fletcher briefly stepped in as caretaker, having impressed within the club’s youth setup, but it was always clear that his role was temporary. The board turned to someone who knew the club inside out — Michael Carrick.

A former United midfielder, Champions League winner and long-time assistant coach, Carrick walked into a dressing room low on belief but rich in talent. What has followed has surprised even his biggest supporters.

Four wins on the bounce. Confidence restored. A team suddenly playing with freedom, bravery and purpose.,

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Results Matter, But the Performances Matter More

There have been interim managers before at Manchester United. Some have delivered short-term results without leaving any lasting impression. Carrick’s impact feels different.

United are not just winning — they are playing well.

The standout moment, as Michael Owen pointed out, came in the high-profile clash with Manchester City. United didn’t just scrape a result. They dominated phases of the game, moved the ball with confidence and looked tactically brave.

“I have never seen Manchester United play like that for more than a decade in a one-off game,” Owen said.

Crucially, that performance wasn’t a one-off. The intensity, structure and belief have carried through into subsequent matches. Players look clear on their roles. The crowd is engaged again. Old Trafford feels alive.

For a club that has spent over a decade searching for an identity post-Sir Alex Ferguson, that alone counts for something.

Why Carrick Is the Right Choice to Take Man Utd Forward

Speaking to in association with casino.org, Michael Owen made it clear that he strongly disagrees with the idea that Carrick should be overlooked regardless of results.

“I know a lot of people have said you can’t give Michael Carrick the job regardless,” Owen said. “I cannot disagree more.”

Owen’s argument is rooted in United’s recent history. Since Ferguson’s retirement, the club has tried every possible managerial profile. Serial winners. Tactical innovators. Former players. Rising stars. Experienced old heads.

None of it has worked.

“They have gone for absolutely everything,” Owen explained. “The one manager that could — and we are guessing, on the assumption that he continues — all of a sudden it looks like he is getting a tune out of the players.”

That phrase matters. Getting a tune out of players is not about complex tactics or headline-grabbing press conferences. It’s about trust, clarity and communication. Carrick appears to have struck that balance quickly.

The players believe in him. The crowd believes in the team. And belief, at Manchester United, has been in painfully short supply.

The Cost of Ignoring What’s Right in Front of You

Owen also warned that rejecting Carrick, should he deliver Champions League qualification, would be a massive risk.

“Imagine if he qualified for the Champions League and did so well and they said, ‘Thanks for the job Michael, now we are going to employ someone else’,” Owen said.

United fans don’t need to imagine what comes next. They have lived it repeatedly. Another reset. Another system. Another group of players who don’t quite fit. Another two or three years written off.

“Talk about shooting yourself in the foot,” Owen added. “It’s under your nose.”

That may be the most damning line of all. United have spent years searching for solutions elsewhere, while one of their own has quietly been learning, coaching and understanding the club from the inside.

Why Man Utd Should Avoid Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino and Others

Big names will always be linked with Manchester United. Thomas Tuchel. Mauricio Pochettino. Carlo Ancelotti. Coaches with glittering CVs and global reputations.

But Owen believes that is exactly the trap United must avoid.

“Some of these managers that people talk about, they are all at the World Cup,” he pointed out. “If you were going to employ them, you are going to finish the World Cup and have about a week or two before they go and start.”

That lack of preparation time matters. United’s problems are deep-rooted. Recruitment, squad balance, culture and long-term planning all need careful handling. Dropping in a high-profile coach at short notice risks repeating the same mistakes.

There is also the financial reality. United’s finances are not in a healthy position. Paying off contracts, buying out managers and assembling new backroom teams comes at a cost.

Carrick, by contrast, represents stability and value.

“He is going to come cheap,” Owen said. “He lives there, understands it, family is in the area, no problem with settling, no problem with the language, no problem with anything.”

In modern football, that kind of simplicity is rare — and valuable.

michael-carrick

A Manager Who ‘Gets’ Manchester United

One of the strongest points in Carrick’s favour is something that can’t be measured on a tactics board.

He gets the club.

Carrick understands the expectations, the scrutiny, the weight of the shirt and the demands of Old Trafford. He has lived through title races, Champions League nights and dressing-room pressure. He knows what United should look like when they are functioning properly.

Owen summed it up perfectly.

“He has got the right demeanour. He is a proper guy that has done it the tough way.”

That humility matters in a club that has often been accused of chasing glamour over substance.

Man Utd Fixtures 2025-26: Momentum Still Building

Carrick now has the chance to extend United’s winning run to five games when they travel to relegation-threatened West Ham on Tuesday. A victory would not only boost their Champions League hopes but also continue a feel-good story that fans are desperate to believe in.

It would also allow cult fan figure The United Strand to finally get a long-promised haircut — a small but telling symbol of how optimism has returned.

The board, however, will wait until the end of the 2025-26 campaign before making a final decision on the permanent manager.

That decision may define the next decade.

A Moment That Demands Courage From the Board

Michael Owen’s message to the Manchester United hierarchy is clear: don’t panic, don’t chase names, and don’t ignore what’s working.

United have spent years reacting instead of building. Michael Carrick offers them a rare chance to do something different — to trust continuity, culture and common sense.

There are no guarantees in football. Carrick may stumble. Results may dip. But after trying everything else, perhaps the boldest move Manchester United can make is the simplest one.

Sometimes, the right answer really is standing right in front of you.