Every word of Michael Carrick’s Nottingham Forest embargoed press conference | OneFootball

Interim Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has been speaking to the media in the embargoed section of the press conference ahead of tomorrow’s Premier League clash with Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford.

The first question in this section was:

Squad rotation with the season settled

“I know the Under-21s play tomorrow night, but I was wondering whether there’d be scope for young players to get some opportunities in the final two matches? I’m thinking particularly Shea Lacey, who seems very close to a breakthrough, perhaps the Brighton game on the final day of the season?”

Carrick answered: “100%, it’s something we would love to happen, and I’m not talking about just Shea, but I think in terms of getting younger players involved. And listen, they’re heavily involved in and around the group, they have been all the time anyway, but the fact that the game is tomorrow night for them, they’ll be heavily involved in that and I think they should be.”

“And then obviously of course the week after leading to the Brighton game then we’ll reassess as well, but it’s important we finish strong as well so we’ve got responsibilities to do that as well. So we’ve got to get the balance right but it’s a massive part for me and for this football club is to try and bring the younger players on and give them opportunities to see what they can do, yeah for sure.”

Elliot Anderson

A reporter then asked “as a fellow Wallsend lad and midfielder, how impressed have you been with Elliott Anderson this season?”

“Yeah, he’s done well,” Carrick replied. “I think he’s a big part of their [Forest’s] team. I think he offers so much. I think they’ve got a really talented team and a dangerous team, so they’ve had a good season to get to the semi-finals and just fall short. But yeah, you can see obviously he’s an important part of their team.”

Tyrell Malacia

“Just following up the question about the kids,” another reporter asked, “there’s not just Casemiro’s farewell to Old Trafford on Sunday, you’ve got Tyrell [Malacia] as well, who’s out of contract, other players who, fair to say, might not be coming back next season. How much will that kind of play a part in your team selection?”

The boss responded: “Yes and no. I think it always gets to this stage of the season where there’s a few uncertainties. I think whatever the situation, however you finish the season or whatever. I think there’s always a case of contracts or individual kind of agendas, if you like, or roles and situations.”

“But all I can say is we want to finish the season strong. I think we’ve put ourselves in a good position. We’ve achieved something to a point. But yeah, we want to finish, especially at home, but home and away, you know, it doesn’t matter. But we feel that responsibility and pride in ourselves and for the football club that we want to finish strong. So we put a team out to do that.”

How has the dressing room settled?

The next reporter compared United to Real Madrid, where there’s been a lot of dressing room unrest. The question was “here the dressing room seems to be very settled. What do you put that down to? Is ego removed from the dressing room here?”

Carrick answered: “Ego is a funny one actually because I think to perform at the top, top level you’ve got to have some sort of ego. And that can be used in all sorts of different ways, so it’s how you use it really is the key thing and I think it’s a part of me of learning and being here and seeing others, better players than me, dealing with that and being and sacrificing themselves for the team.”

“Putting the ego from yourself into the team is important and you’ve got to have something to fight for and be attached to really. So I hope I’m making sense when I say that it doesn’t have to be an ego where it’s an individual thing or it’s a negative in any way. I think it’s essentially, it’s a pride. It’s a pride in yourself and what you’re kind of working towards, you know, and I think all our egos, which we’ve got in different ways, and I think it’s clear to see the spirit and the connection and the camaraderie that everyone’s pulling in one direction to put their ego into the football club can be quite powerful and we’ve got to use that.”

Every word of the first section of the presser can be read here.

Featured image George Wood via Getty Images

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