Michael Carrick ‘reminds’ comically deluded Man Utd hero of Pep Guardiola – ‘Who’s to say?’ | OneFootball

“Who’s to say Michael Carrick can’t do the same as Pep Guardiola?” asks Manchester United hero Teddy Sheringham. We say, they say, everyone says, you absolute maniac.

Carrick took United back into the Champions League while in interim charge last season following the sacking of Ruben Amorim in January. He did a fine job and was rewarded with a two-year contract by co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Fair enough, and Sheringham – like many people – is in favour of that decision.

Speaking to BOYLE Sports, he said: “What do I think about Manchester United giving Michael Carrick the job? I like it. He’s had a period where he’s changed things around and he’s obviously got a way with how he approaches things, and the players respond to him. You can tell that by the way they play the game. So I think it’s a great move to give Carrick the job.”

It’s been suggested that Carrick had something of an easy ride with no European or cup football meaning he had to prepare the team for just one game a week, and comparisons have been drawn with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who brought a similar energy back to Manchester United following the dismissal of Jose Mourinho.

Like Carrick, Solskjaer took interim charge before being named permanent manager, but once the vibes bounce ended United were left with a man in charge who showed very little tactical nous and was found wanting at the highest level.

There are understandable concerns that United might be heading down a similar path with Carrick, who was sacked by Middlesbrough a year ago, but an angry Sheringham has labelled the comparison “a load of b*llocks”.

He added: “All this talk that it might all just end up like it did under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, because he was that interim manager too, that’s a load of b*llocks. You’ve got to give Carrick a chance because he’s earned it.”

Again, fair enough – they’re different people and managers. But, we would suggest that there are far more similarities between Carrick and Solskjaer than, say, the greatest manager of his and possibly any generation in football history. Not in the eyes of your man Sheringham.

Sheringham added: “I look at Michael Carrick’s journey to becoming Manchester United manager and it reminds me of how Pep Guardiola got his big break at Barcelona. I look at Michael Carrick in the Manchester United job and I think about Pep Guardiola at Barcelona. He came out of nowhere, didn’t he? And he did very well for Barcelona.

“Who’s to say Carrick can’t do the same? He’s had that experience at Middlesbrough. Give him the job. He’s done brilliantly so far. How could he not have been given the chance to go on and take things further with Manchester United?

“He knows what Manchester United should stand for and what they’ve got to do to get back to that level.”

He wasn’t good enough for Middlesbrough, Teddy. And while Guardiola has won 26 major trophies for three European giants and has radically changed the way football is played in Spain, Germany and England, Carrick’s Manchester United revolution has seen him start Kobbie Mainoo and play Bruno Fernandes in his best position.