Roy Keane has criticised Michael Carrick's decision to bring Jonny Evans and Jonathan Woodgate onto his coaching staff at Manchester United, questioning their qualifications for the roles. Carrick was appointed interim manager until the end of the season, with his first match being the Manchester derby on Saturday.
Keane, speaking on The Overlap with Gary Neville, singled out Evans, who had left his position as loans manager at the club just weeks earlier. 'What has Jonny Evans done to be a coach of Man United's first team?' Keane asked. 'He left the job four weeks ago, loans manager, and ironically comes back working with the first team. That's a big step up.'
The former United captain also questioned Woodgate's appointment, though he praised the addition of Steve Holland, the former Chelsea and England coach. Keane argued that Evans's lack of coaching experience was being overlooked because of Holland's strong reputation. 'You're saying you don't know anything about Jonny Evans' coaching, because he's never coached! That's my point!' Keane said.
Carrick has defended his choices, describing Holland as having 'an unbelievable wealth of experience' and Woodgate as 'loyal and very knowledgeable'. He added that Woodgate 'pushes me' and has done so for the last three years. The interim manager also brought in Travis Binnion and Craig Mawson from the club's existing staff.
Keane's comments reflect broader concerns about Manchester United's reliance on former players, following Darren Fletcher's brief caretaker stint which yielded a draw and a defeat. 'It can work, but it doesn't work always,' Keane said, referencing Fletcher's tenure.
