Casemiro identifies the “best thing” about Carrick’s right-hand man at Old Trafford

Casemiro may be approaching his final game for Manchester United, but despite that it seems he has nothing but good things to say about the club and the staff, especially first-team coach Jonathan Woodgate. Woodgate was brought in as part of interim head coach Michael Carrick’s backroom staff and, since this new look team arrived, the club have enjoyed a series of impressive results and performances to match. With only two games left as a Red Devil, Casemiro has broken down everything he loves about the club and gone into detail on what makes Woodgate such a great coach. An epic swan song Ever since it was announced that Casemiro would be leaving the club at the end of the season, the Brazilian central midfielder has elevated his game to another level. Not only is he producing commanding performances in the centre of the pitch, but he has become an almost unstoppable force in the air, scoring an unbelievable eight headed goals this season. Chants of ‘one more year’ are sure to ring around Old Trafford when he plays his final home game for the club against Nottingham Forest on Saturday and, though he has confirmed he won’t be extending his stay, the legendary midfielder can leave with his head held high, having proven himself to be a warrior and a leader. Carrick’s backroom staff Questions were raised when Carrick announced his backroom staff back in January. While Steve Holland was seen as a shrewd addition with top-level experience, fans and pundits alike weren’t sure if Woodgate, Jonny Evans and Travis Binnion had the understanding and tactical nous required for such a role. However, a string of excellent performances soon put an end to that line of thinking as the team oversaw remarkable victories against Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool to name just a few. With United preparing to open talks with Carrick about extending his stay at the club, it seems safe to assume the former England international’s backroom staff will also retain their positions to help guide the club back towards the summit of the Premier League. Casemiro’s praise Casemiro sat down with former Red Devil Rio Ferdinand to discuss everything from the most complete player he’s ever played with to his thoughts on Kobbie Mainoo. During their chat, Ferdinand asked about the backroom staff working with Carrick and Casemiro was quick to single Woodgate out. “Johnny, Jonathan, yeah, I know, I know, he plays in Madrid,” He said. “He’s a funny guy. He speaks Spanish. A good feeling with him. So, Charlie [Owen], your proper physique [he is the first-team lead physical performance coach]. “So, he’s [Woodgate] very good. He’s very intelligent. But for me, the best thing, he knows the club. He understands the club.” The Brazilian then went into detail about Woodgate’s influence on the dressing room before our recent game against fierce rivals Leeds United. “I remember we played against Leeds and your meeting is about the history of this game,” he said. “The history of this game. And I know, because the people who speak are me, but not everyone knows that Leeds is the best. “Yeah, yeah [they are big rivals]. I remember them. Sorry about my English, but [do] you remember the flight? The Munich. And in this week, he speaks about this, ‘Hey, guys, and this week is very important for the club.’ “He knows what the club is. Yeah, it’s because you see the meeting, he knows where to be. He knows. It’s for me, it’s very important for this.” Clearly, the former Real Madrid defender has made a big impression on the squad in his short time here so far, and that can only be a good thing moving forwards. Feature image Stu Forster 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 Mike Walsh Mike Walsh is an experienced freelance journalist who has written about a variety of topics over multiple years. He is very happy to finally be writing about the Red Devils, especially now that his favourite player, Michael Carrick, is in charge of the team.