Nicky Butt has clarified his comments about Manchester United boss Michael Carrick not wanting to return to management before taking the job, explaining that Carrick was always happy to take the United role.
Carrick took temporary charge of United in January following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim. He led the club to a third-place finish and Champions League qualification, earning the job on a permanent basis in the summer.
However, things have not gone as hoped this season. Saturday’s 2-0 loss against Chelsea piled more pressure on the United boss, with the team sitting in 17th position in the Premier League table.
Butt's original comments
Last month, Butt revealed a conversation he had with Carrick on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast. "I was with Michael before he got the Man United job and spoke to him about management," he said. "He went, 'No it's not for me, it's too much. My head's all over the show. I'd only do it for the big job.' The big job is Man United."
United are understood to be unhappy with the comments, especially at a time when Carrick’s role is under increased pressure. United are winless in their last nine games across all competitions, leading to questions about the manager’s future.
Clarification on Piers Morgan Uncensored
Butt has now moved to explain the story further. "I believe I said that but I'll clarify what I meant, and I'm not ducking, it I'm really not. I'll explain," he said on Piers Morgan Uncensored.
"I was playing in a padel tournament with Michael, he's my doubles partner, and I was talking about football and Middlesbrough. I had a beer after it, and I was like 'so what’s your plans mate? What do you think you’re going to do when you get back into management?'"
He said 'no, it's all over the show, it's hard work – however, if the big one came up, obviously I would take it.' And the big one did come up, and he took it, and that wasn't a case of me saying Michael didn't want the Man United job, it was a case of he didn't want a job.
"He didn't want to go driving up and down the M6 all day when he's got kids at home for no reward. But if the big one comes, which I assume was Man United, then he'd take it. That's the facts of the conversation that I had with him."
Carrick's response
Carrick himself brushed off the original comments in a press conference last month. He said: "I definitely wouldn't be here if that was the case, would I?
"At this stage. It's the best job I could possibly have. It's the best role I could possibly have. I feel a real privilege of being in this position and a real responsibility, but equally a drive of wanting to make a difference and having success here.
"So yeah, I'm loving it. I love the situation when actually you get a little bit of a some sort of struggle where you've got to find a way out of it. I actually really enjoy that because that's part of what drives you to have success, and that's part of the end of it. And if you're not ready for that and you can't do anything that's difficult, then you're never going to be great. So we've got to work our way through it and I'm enjoying it as we go."
United are back in action on Tuesday night as they host AS Roma in the Champions League (8pm kick-off). They then host Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday (4.30pm), before the second international break of the season.
