Successful teams need a close-knit dressing room - and Manchester United have that under Michael Carrick. Since taking over in January, Carrick has led the club to a third-place finish in the Premier League and a return to Champions League football.
The winning feeling has returned and new players have been quick to praise Carrick's impact. Youri Tielemans shared his excitement at working with the boss, helped by their shared experience of playing in midfield.
The new signing said: "I'm looking forward to it. Obviously, him [Carrick] being a midfielder, he can give me a lot of tips and I can learn from him inside his structure. I'm looking forward to learning from him and linking up with my team-mates."
Shaw's Revelation on Previous Environment
But life wasn't always like this at United. Luke Shaw revealed the "toxic and negative" environment present at Old Trafford in recent seasons that affected the dressing room greatly.
Last year, Shaw said: "A lot of the time I've been here over the last few years it's been extremely negative. It can be quite toxic, the environment, it's not healthy at all.
"We need an environment that's healthy, that's positive, that's got good energy and happiness. I think when you have all those things, you feel free, and you express yourself more on the pitch."
However, the defender believed that Ruben Amorim was bringing a sense of closeness back to United. He added: "Things come together and I think, especially this pre-season, I feel like us as a team, I feel like the bond is growing and growing.
"I feel like in my time here, it's probably the closest I've felt with the squad since I've been here. I think the atmosphere is really good and extremely positive. Hopefully, that can continue."
Amorim's Tenure and Carrick's Return
But a barrage of tough results saw the bond between Amorim and the squad sour. The Portuguese boss reportedly smashed up a TV following a defeat to Brighton, as per the Guardian, although this was later said to be accidental. He was sacked in January and Carrick returned to steer United back on track. He was welcomed with open arms and there were early calls for the caretaker boss to take over permanently.
Amad admitted that the entire squad were keen to have Carrick stay on as manager. He said: "Honestly, it's not the player who decides who is going to stay here next season, but what I can say [is] everyone is happy to have him as manager. Everyone is with him.
"He's that manager who has a good relationship with every player, so we are really happy to have him as manager and, yeah, we will be happy if we have him next season as manager."
Positive Vibes Under Carrick
The ex-Middlesbrough boss was handed a permanent contract this summer and is continuing to influence the squad in positive ways. Bruno Fernandes has also utilised music under Carrick to lift spirits, with Diogo Dalot revealing which songs are played.
Discussing John Denver's 'Take Me Home, Country Roads' becoming an anthem, he said: "Since I arrived, obviously, I related a lot when we won the cups.
"We had those moments at Wembley where everybody was singing and then you could feel that we wanted a bit more of that. And as soon as we decided, I think Bruno did really well speaking with the club about putting that before games.
"I think it makes the atmosphere so much interesting and so much warming for us. I really appreciated that. And as soon as we started doing that, I think we took Old Trafford to another level, even though it was already amazing."
With Carrick at the helm and a new season on the horizon, spirits remain high and there is a real sense of togetherness with the current squad. The future looks bright at Old Trafford and fans will hope that their former club captain can also bring silverware back to United.
