Michael Carrick has revealed that he was surprised by how united the Manchester United squad was when he took over as interim manager in January. The 44-year-old, who was officially named permanent manager on Friday, succeeded the sacked Ruben Amorim with the club languishing in seventh place in the Premier League.
In an interview with former United star Wayne Rooney, Carrick said: 'I was probably surprised by how good a group it is in terms of wanting to do well for each other. These [players] are really in it together, want to do well, and are listening and learning.'
Carrick's interim spell saw a dramatic turnaround, with 11 wins in 16 games, including victories over Manchester City, Arsenal, and Liverpool. United qualified for the Champions League for the first time in three years, a feat Carrick described as 'not to be understated.'
The former midfielder signed a deal until 2028 with an option for a further year. He previously managed Middlesbrough and served as a first-team coach at United under Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Director of football Jason Wilcox praised Carrick for forging 'a strong bond with the players' and building 'a winning culture' at the club.
