Mike Phelan believes Michael Carrick has the character to handle the mounting pressure at Manchester United as he faces the first genuine crisis of his managerial tenure. Phelan, who served as Sir Alex Ferguson's assistant between 2008 and 2013 and returned to the club in December 2018 to support Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, says Carrick has "got enough about him to know what that looks like and feels like, he's been there, he's seen it, he's done it."
Carrick's character and the need for direction
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, Phelan said: "Michael's got enough about him to know what that looks like and feels like, he's been there, he's seen it, he's done it. The question is now, can he and his staff produce that in the building? Knowing him, he wants those glory days of fast, flowing, attacking football, but the mentality of the group could be cautious, and it's a case of how do you get that message across?"
Phelan acknowledged Carrick's strong start but stressed the need for a clear style: "Michael had that great run. Now everybody will have an opinion on how that happened; it could be the players, it could be the management, it could be that change, that mood, everything. But ultimately, now that it has settled, there has to be a real direction of play. To be honest, they've lost grounding in that, but it certainly can come back."
Post-Ferguson era 'pandemonium'
Phelan criticised the club's strategy since Ferguson's exit, describing it as "absolute pandemonium" at times, fostering a culture that "creates turmoil." He contrasted the decision-making under Ferguson with the more recent approach, saying: "I felt as though there was a lot more talk, a little less action... It shifted more towards, 'let's think about it, let's just develop this a little bit more' and all that, and I just thought there were sometimes too many people in the room."
Phelan, who was present for United's 4-0 Champions League win over Sabah, remained troubled by their defensive exposure and unconvinced by their tempo: "I still personally think they play slowly. When I've watched them occasionally, not full games, but there's quite a predictability about the slow build-up, and then it quickens up and then there's a blast of pace. I think that frustrates a lot of people."
Insight into Carrick's coaching style
Phelan offered insight into Carrick as a coach, noting his studious nature and how he embraced technology: "Michael was always a thinker; you could see that in his playing style. He understood the game well enough to be able to plot and plan sessions." He compared Carrick to Kieran McKenna, saying: "Michael didn't come across as intense as Kieran, but Michael had the playing background to probably understand how deep to go... They balanced each other out, and when we went back in, Ole and I, we allowed them the freedom to deliver that, and the players bought into that."
Phelan expressed disappointment over the end of Solskjaer's tenure, feeling the trigger was pulled too sharply: "I always felt as though there was progress being made... I did feel as though the trigger was pulled a little bit too sharply. That knee-jerk reaction was this isn't going anywhere, which I thought it's been going in the right direction for a long time."
He also reflected on Cristiano Ronaldo's return, saying it was "something really special" and recalling the players' euphoria, but noted the challenge of fitting him into the tactical plan: "It was a case of fitting the jigsaw puzzle together. Ultimately, it didn't see fruition, but I don't think you could say that the decision on Ole came down to whether he brought Cristiano in or not."
Phelan was critical of appointing Ralf Rangnick as interim manager, saying: "A caretaker being brought in and I'm thinking, where does that fit into Manchester United Football Club, does Manchester United need a caretaker manager? And my opinion of that was no, go do what you have to do, get the person in that you want now." He added that in hindsight, the outsider's comments may have been a positive, but at the time it felt negative.
