Michael Carrick has revealed he has not received any message from Sir Jim Ratcliffe since the Manchester United co-owner's controversial comments about immigration. Speaking ahead of Monday's Premier League match against Everton, the interim manager said he was 'fine with that', despite Ratcliffe having faced criticism for claiming the UK had been 'colonised by immigrants'.
Ratcliffe made the remarks during a Sky News interview on 11 February, prompting a strong backlash before he issued a qualified apology the following day, saying he was sorry if his 'choice of language has offended some people in the UK and Europe'. Carrick, who took charge on 13 January, was asked whether Ratcliffe had followed that public apology with any private explanation to the squad. 'Last time I saw Jim was Arsenal, and I'm fine with that,' he said, referring to the away win on 25 January.
Carrick dismissed suggestions that the club's ethos of pulling together had been undermined, insisting the group remained united. 'We're definitely all pulling together,' he said. 'Being around here and being in and around stadiums in the last few weeks, it's clear [we are] pulling together, pretty strong as a group.'
The former midfielder also highlighted the importance of the academy pathway, referencing his own experience as a young player at West Ham, where he won the FA Youth Cup in 1999. He recalled Frank Lampard Sr, then assistant manager, attending a youth cup match away at York on a Tuesday night. 'That is something all those years ago I still remember. I missed a penalty on the night,' Carrick said.
Carrick has attended academy games since succeeding Ruben Amorim, including the under-18s' 3-1 win over Manchester City on 14 February. He stressed the need for a connection between the first team and the club's youth setup, saying: 'It's that connection and our success, coming to this club, and the history and the traditions here, it's something I'm passionate about. We want players to come through the system and try and get in the first team and be around it.'
