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

Interim Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has been speaking to the media ahead of Sunday’s Premier League clash with Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford.

With a third-place Premier League finish in the bag, most attention has now turned to Carrick’s own future, but first he was asked about that of Casemiro.

Will Casemiro play against Nottingham Forest?

The first question was “it’ll be an emotional day for Casemiro on Sunday. Is he going to be available and what can you say about him as he says goodbye to Old Trafford?”

Carrick answered: “Yeah, yeah, Cas is available. I can speak for since I’ve been here and met him obviously and worked with him, I think he’s been fantastic for us, for me personally, for us as a group.”

“I think what he’s given us, I’ve said it before, I think the clarity helps of knowing the situation and for him and for us to— for him to get his head in the place of where he gave absolutely everything for in every aspect, knowing that it was going to come to an end at the end of the season.”

“I think, and like I’ve said before, it’s credit to him for the way he’s gone about that. And just because it’s coming to the end and there’s clarity with it, it’s easy to go the other way as well. But he’s fully invested, he’s fully supported us as the staff with the performances that he’s given. So he’s obviously had some ups and downs like we all have in football and over the years, but to finish so strongly and to see that connection that he’s got with the supporters is really good to see.”

Will Carrick’s future be revealed soon?

The next reporter asked “I know you’re sick of us asking about your future, but I kind of feel like we have to. Is the end in sight? Is there clarity coming?”

“I can’t blame you for asking, to be honest,” Carrick replied. “Well, yeah, there’s two games to go, right? So we knew. Apart from that, there’s not much else I can say. It’s probably what you’d expect. I think the situation is pretty clear for us all. Same as in terms of preparing for the game, really planning for that. And it doesn’t change what I do this week.”

MEN reporter Samuel Luckhurst then asked “Michael, again, I appreciate you can’t talk too much into the future, but what has it meant to you on a personal level to be leading this club and, you know, potentially to continue leading the players and this team? Because it feels like maybe something we’ve learned from you being in charge. It takes a unique individual to handle all the pressures inside and outside the club.”

The interim boss answered: “It’s a unique football club, special, special football club, and I’m immensely proud to have come back and to be part of it, to help as a supporter. As an ex-player and an ex-employee is one thing, but as a pure supporter and caring about the club so much, to be in a position to come back and help and for us as a group to move forward, it was important to make the big step to get back into the Champions League is good and it’s obviously we’re happy with the work that we’ve done so far.”

The following question was “the fans are obviously eager to know what’s happening as well. It’s kind of customary for the manager to speak to them from the pitch after the final game. Will you be doing that?”

He responded: “I think that’s important regardless of the situation. I think it’s important because the supporters are my supporters, this club, and we thank them and I certainly thank them for the season and the support and certainly in the lastfour months for however long it’s been for me personally. So I know you’re getting that in terms of the future and what that brings, but I think regardless of that, for what we’ve gone through together so far and that connection I felt, that the players have felt that and seen it in talks and individual players have felt it but as a group we’ve felt it.

“So I think it’s important that we have that anyway, and certainly for us to thank the fans and for me to thank the fans for that is important.”

Sesko fitness

Carrick was then asked if Benjamin Sesko will be fit to play and whether there are any other injury issues.

“Ben’s not as straightforward as Casemiro,” he replied. “He’s still not 100% with the problem he had. So yeah, apart from that, we’re all right with it.”

What can this team achieve?

“Well, you’ve always got to aim upwards for sure, and it’s— that’s just the beauty of football and the beauty of competition, you know, to achieve something, to then back it up, to then improve on things. I think that’s always the challenge, and for the players, for the squad, for the whole group, for the football club. You know, we want to keep moving in a positive way and in the right direction. And the closer you get to the top, obviously, the less room for progress. But progress is certainly what needs to be aimed for.”

Contracts

Carrick was then asked “how much involvement do you have in what the future might look like when you’re talking to contract talks and things like that? Are you getting involved in that or is your focus on the football?”

“Future for, as in the squad?,” he queried.

“Yeah.”

“I guess in the future for me it’s going to be decided pretty, pretty soon,”, he said. “We knew that was going to be towards the end of the season, if not the end of the season, so nothing’s changed. There’s no big swing on that. That is what it is, you know. And obviously whatever’s beyond that is pretty close round the corner anyway.”

Steve Holland’s impact

“I just wondered what sort of impact [Steve Holland’s] had;” the next reporter asked. “A lot of people have mentioned him because he’s quite high profile with his England background. What’s been his value to the project since you’ve been here?”

The Wallsend man replied: “Yes, Steve’s been fantastic. He’s got an awful lot of experience, you know, and seen pretty much everything before and gone through it in some good times and in some more challenging times.”

“So he’s a very wise man, Steve, and says things that really are important at the right time. And I think just general calmness and composure around and for everyone, for me and for my staff and for the players as well. I think all the stuff, the dynamics of bringing, like I’ve said it before, of bringing something a little bit different. Steve obviously is in that role where he’s got the experience for us and for us to lean on, and there’s absolutely no shame in that at all.”

The embargoed section of the presser will be released at 10.30pm tomorrow and will be available in full immediately afterwards on theppeoplesperson.com.

Featured image James Fearn via Getty Images

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