'Deadline' - Michael Carrick issues update on Manchester United future
Michael Carrick has dismissed comparisons between his Manchester United reign and that of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and insists he should be judged as his own man at Old Trafford.Carrick was first-team coach for Solskjaer's three-year spell at United but the Norwegian's jump from interim manager to permanent boss was criticised at the time and despite some promising results, it ended in failure in November 2021.Solskjaer's spell as caretaker delivered results that saw him handed the job full-time and Carrick is on course for a similar elevation. He was handed a contract as head coach until the end of the season in January but with United on course to return to the Champions League, he is now expected to stay on.Click here to find out the latest Manchester United news in our daily newsletterBut while the 44-year-old said comparisons between himself and Solskjaer weren't disrespectful, he claimed they weren't relevant after a run of eight wins and two draws in 12 games in charge."I don’t think it’s disrespectful," said Carrick. "I've got the utmost respect for him, he's a close friend of mine and I worked closely with him when I was here, I was quite attached to that and we did a lot of good things. We came close."In the end, it changed and went in a different direction. That's football. You can compare to all sorts of different situations in managers and coaches and teams over the years. It just depends on what you choose to compare."But it's irrelevant really. It really is. That's not a negative or a positive. It just doesn't have a link at all. We’re a different team now, irrespective of me, who is in charge, it’s a different team and different time. So I don't really think comparisons literally make any difference."Carrick is heavy favourite to land the job on a permanent basis but he is yet to hear what the future holds and insists he is in the dark as to when a decision might be made by the club's power brokers."I’m not sure, it’s not something in terms of deadline that I’m really chasing," he said. "It will become clear when it becomes clear."I’m here at the moment to help the team and the club get results. At the moment, we’re doing alright. We can keep pushing and get better and that's generally all I'm focused on right now."I’ve said it many times, I enjoy being here, I enjoy the role I’m in. We’ve had some good results and we're in decent shape. There's a lot to go, we want to keep improving."There's layers that we want to get to. I’ll see. I keep saying the same things in front of you every week, there’s only so much I can say, but I enjoy being here, I love being here, it’s a real privilege to be in the position I am, thriving with the responsibility that we've got."Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV packageThis article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn moreSky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.
