Michael Carrick has insisted that repeating the unprecedented success of Sir Alex Ferguson's era at Manchester United remains a realistic ambition, on the 40th anniversary of the Scot's arrival at Old Trafford.
Ferguson won 38 trophies during his 26 years in charge, including 13 Premier League titles and two Champions League crowns. Since his departure in 2013, however, United have not come close to challenging for either honour.
The anniversary comes at a time when United again find themselves in crisis. Ferguson was brought in from Aberdeen to take over a club sitting outside the relegation zone only on goal difference, the same position the club currently occupies.
Building takes time
Carrick does not believe that the standards set by Ferguson mean that kind of success cannot return to the club.
"It's not impossible," he said. "Anything's possible. You've got to build, you've got to be realistic. You've got to put things in perspective as well. The recent history that we've had and what we're trying to get to, it's not going to happen overnight."
"Success does take time, and we don't like having to spend time, but it does take a period of time to build. There are no shortcuts to it. In the end, that's where you get to, but it's definitely possible."
Marking the anniversary
Carrick eased some of the pressure on his own shoulders with a dramatic Champions League victory in midweek, ending a nine-game winless streak and allowing United to mark Ferguson's anniversary without the recent scrutiny.
"It's something definitely worth celebrating as a football club," said Carrick. "I'm probably closer to him now and speak more to him now than I did when I was playing."
"I think relationships change over time and that's only natural. Ever since I came here, the impact he had on me as an individual was immense. Not necessarily directly, as in talking all the time and giving advice all the time. Personally, it was more about the influence he had and the habits you try to pick up from him."
"Then you move on and evolve a little bit into a friendship, really, which is really nice. It's just the impact that he's had and will continue to have on this football club."
Building on the comeback
Ferguson's job was famously saved by a Mark Robins winner in an FA Cup third-round tie at Nottingham Forest in January 1990. Carrick laughed off comparisons with his own comeback against Roma and insisted his side must now build on it.
"It's up to us to take it forward," he said. "As a one-off night, it was a fantastic night. I thought we played really, really well and deserved the game. It was nice to end like that. It was nice for the supporters to end like that and to have that feeling."
"Nothing's done yet. Nothing's achieved yet, and it's one moment in time that we need to use to move forward. But we need more of it, for sure."
