Michael Carrick told Nicky Butt he was apprehensive about stepping back into football management before accepting a role with Manchester United. The 45-year-old was announced as Ruben Amorim's successor on an interim basis in January.
However, successfully guiding the Red Devils to a third-place Premier League finish at the back end of 2025/26 saw the board award him a permanent contract. Any air of fresh start fever under Carrick has quickly dissipated in the new season, with United languishing 13th in the English top flight with just one win from their opening six clashes.
Butt reveals Carrick's reservations
The latest saw the Red Devils held to a 1-1 draw by a 10-man Tottenham Hotspur, who have also struggled to find their form this term despite a summer of big spending. Speaking on The Good, The Bad and The Football, Butt explained that Carrick had reservations about returning to the managerial game at all before taking up tenure at Old Trafford.
He revealed: "I was with Michael before he got the United job and [was] speaking to him about management. He went, 'No, it's not for me. It's too much and my head's all over the shop. I'll only do it for the big job and the big job is United.'"
From Middlesbrough to Old Trafford
After enjoying a trophy-laden 19-year playing career spanning West Ham, Spurs and United, Carrick moved into coaching - initially overseeing a caretaker role with the Red Devils in 2021 following the dismissal of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer until Ralf Rangnick arrived. The very next year, Carrick embarked on a three-year stint with Middlesbrough, holding his own in his first two seasons before being sacked at the end of 2024/25 after an uninspiring 10th-place finish in the Championship.
Following Amorim's sacking at United in January, he once again found himself in line for a return as interim head coach - alongside Solskjaer. Carrick was ultimately selected as the best man for the job, with United's decision paying dividends between January and May. There was a new lease of life surrounding the club, who have struggled for consistency since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013, culminating in a third-place finish and qualification for the Champions League.
Early season struggles
However, 2026/27 has started to show cracks in Carrick's managerial style. While United fans will have hoped that their opening day 2-0 loss to new boys Hull City was a momentary blip - especially considering the Red Devils provided a dominant 5-2 win over Ipswich Town the following week - the club have failed in their endeavours to dominate games since.
A 1-0 loss to Manchester City, coupled with draws with Everton, Fulham and Spurs, leave United 13th in the top flight standings after six matches played. The Red Devils were also knocked out of the League Cup by Brighton and Hove Albion in their opening game of that competition, further compounding fears of another tough season in Greater Manchester.
Season-defining period ahead
As a result, Carrick's future with the club has already been called into question. While United look likely to stick with their head coach for the time being, they face a potentially season-defining period ahead of the November international break where results will be expected. The crux is that as a result of European duties, United will be forced to play seven matches between now and then, including tough clashes against the likes of Chelsea and Aston Villa domestically, as well as Atletico Madrid and Roma in the Champions League.
United have historically made it clear that they are not particularly opposed to letting managers go midway through the season, so Carrick will need to inspire perfection from his first-team, should he wish to avoid a similar fate to his predecessors, including Amorim and Erik ten Hag. That starts with a UCL match against Atletico on Tuesday evening at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano. The Red Devils sit fourth in the Champions League standings thanks to a 4-0 win over Sabah in their opening encounter last month, and will hope to carry on in a similar vein of form in the Spanish capital. A fierce battle then awaits Carrick's men in the Premier League on Sunday, October 18, as they travel to Elland Road to take on Leeds United.
