“What he has to do…”: Ten Hag’s former right-hand man gives Carrick clear roadmap to beat everyone to United job

Former Manchester United coach Steve McClaren has told Michael Carrick exactly what he must do to land the job on a permanent basis. Managerial hunt Despite the success he has overseen since he was named Ruben Amorim’s temporary replacement, there are still no guarantees that Carrick will remain United head coach beyond the end of the season. Carrick has won seven, drawn two and lost two of the 11 games he has taken charge of. Heading into this weekend’s round of fixtures, United sit in third place, level on points with Aston Villa. United appear to be firmly on course to secure Champions League football. But a report covered by The Peoples Person earlier this week revealed that club chiefs are still unsure about Carrick, especially after the chastening 2-1 defeat at the hands of Leeds United. The Red Devils were second best for large parts of the game, having endured a 24-day layoff from their previous outing. The Athletic have fuelled this speculation further, suggesting that Carrick’s character might not mesh well with Sir Jim Ratcliffe. According to the newspaper, while many players would love for Carrick to stay, the former midfielder’s personality is not what Ratcliffe would typically opt for. The INEOS billionaire is said to favour “alpha” characters like Amorim, who can challenge him. It’s understood that a number of candidates are being considered at Old Trafford, but all come with their own distinct challenges. Thomas Tuchel and Carlo Ancelotti for instance are set to lead England and Brazil respectively at this summer’s World Cup. Tuchel put pen to paper on a contract extension with England, while Ancelotti is thought to be close to agreeing terms over an extended tenure. Then there is Andoni Iraola, whose Bournemouth exit was recently confirmed. While he is poised to be available, the step up from the Vitality Stadium to United is considered too steep. Aston Villa boss Unai Emery is said to have admirers at United, chiefly the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson, but he is unlikely to be granted the same level of power and control that he enjoys at Villa Park. There are also concerns of Julian Nagelsmann. Like Tuchel and Ancelotti, he is in charge of a national team – Germany. Christopher Vivell would push for Nagelsmann’s appointment but United have reservations about a manager with no Premier League experience. As the debate rages on, McClaren, who served under both Erik ten Hag and Sir Alex, has told Carrick exactly what he must do to make the job his own. McClaren’s advice McClaren told The Athletic, “Eventually they’ll get it right. Everything is about people. It’s not about, ‘We’ve got a sporting director there, we’ve got the technical director there, we’ve got a recruitment manager there’. It’s about people being in the right seat on the right bus, heading in the right direction.” “Their next decision will be the most important, because this is make or break for them. This has got to work; otherwise, Jim is ruthless. His standards are so high that he’ll get what he wants. He’s got the money to do it.” “The structure depends on the manager you get, because all managers work differently. Some work great with the sporting director and you do the recruitment. Some don’t — they want to recruit.” He continued, “They have got to identify and speak to as many as they want. I would say five. And what Michael’s done is he’s put himself in that five. Now, six months ago, would he be in that five? No. Therefore, he’s earned the right to be in that five. What he has to do, like all of them, is demonstrate what you would do with United.” “Now, Michael is at a great advantage, because he’s got money in the bank, and he has shown what he can do. He has demonstrated he can do the job on the field, in terms of the 90 minutes. It’s the biggest thing. Monday to Friday, anyone can build a game model, it’s that 90 minutes. That’s what Fergie was good at. You can have this tactic, that tactic, he managed the game, he could see the game.” “Michael has good staff around, with Steve Holland and people like that. It’s only right that they go through the process. ‘Who is available, who is of our calibre, who fits into what we want?’ As a candidate, your next interview has to be red hot. What’s your plan? And does it figure into how Jim has his vision?” Amorim stubbornly stuck to his controversial 3-4-3 system despite clear evidence that he didn’t have the players who suited that formation. McClaren told The Athletic that he can understand why the Portuguese coach stuck to his guns. “They knew he was going to be 3-4-3. Somebody’s got to go, ‘Have we got the players to play 3-4-3?’. He stuck by that. I talk to a few ex-players and they quite like that. They would say, ‘It’s a bit of a weakness if someone turns the other way’. Imagine.” “Then the players have got you. And if you get beat on that, they’re going to come down on you even more.” Chris Smalling, who played alongside Carrick and was coached by him under Jose Mourinho and then Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, said, “It is a bit of a mind shift in terms of having that familiarity, but they also have to separate themselves a little, because they’re the boss now. Carras has handled that transition and it’s been great to see the impact he is having.” United are next in action on Saturday when they go away to Chelsea. Kick-off is at 20:00 BST. Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Derick Kinoti Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the Premier League extensively for years. His work blends sharp analysis, tactical insight, and engaging storytelling that resonates with fans around the world. Derick has gained valuable experience in football journalism, developing strong expertise in SEO writing, digital content creation, and social media engagement. A tech enthusiast with a Computer Science degree from the University of Nairobi, he ultimately swapped code for football commentary, bringing an analytical, detail-oriented approach to his writing. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!