“This is the manager you want…”: Ex-United skipper endorses perfect candidate for full-time job

Manchester United caretaker manager Michael Carrick’s impeccable home record came to an end on Monday, 13 April, following a 2-1 loss to Leeds United in the Premier League. It was the Englishman’s first defeat at Old Trafford since taking charge in January as former head coach Ruben Amorim’s temporary replacement. INEOS appointed the former midfielder as a stop-gap solution to steady the ship before a permanent manager takes over at the end of the campaign. However, Carrick has been a revelation so far, registering seven wins and two draws in his 11 games in charge. Michael Carrick Managerial Stats TeamFromToPlayed (P)Wins (W)Draws (D)Losses (L)Win % Manchester United (caretaker)21 November 20212 December 2021321066.7 Middlesbrough24 October 20224 June 202513663244946.3 Manchester United13 January 2026Present1172263.6 Total15072275148.0 Source: Wikipedia. The Englishman has already displayed all the qualities needed to manage the dugout at Old Trafford and is fast emerging as a candidate for the full-time job as well. With big-name managers like Carlo Ancelotti, Thomas Tuchel and Luis Enrique unlikely to be available, Carrick has been tipped to get the permanent position if he secures a top-four finish. The defeat against Leeds United, as such, could be a dent in the Englishman’s candidature for the job. However, his former teammate and club legend Nemanja Vidic has now outlined why Carrick is the right man for the job. Vidic hails Carrick’s character Speaking to United’s media ahead of Monday’s game, Vidic hailed Carrick as the face of the club. He said: “I played with Michael nine years and I know him really well. He’s a great character, a strong character but obviously in a different way. He’s very knowledgeable, very calm and you can always rely on him.” “He’s not the guy who is going to have many days up and down, he’s always going to be in the same line and you can see [that in] the way he is in the games and how he’s presenting the club in the media.” “This is the manager you want to have in the club, because he’s the face of the club. I think he represents the club in the best manner, plus he got the results – seven wins in 10 games, two draws and just one game lost [before Leeds]. That’s a fantastic record, plus I believe the players are enjoying it and taking the best out of it.” “He’s doing a fantastic job. Obviously [it’s] Michael Carrick and his team. I’m hoping they’re going to keep doing their job well, like they’re doing now, and secure that Champions League spot, which we are all expecting from them to do and it’s important for the fans and the club. We want to go and watch Manchester United against the best teams in the world.” Important to preserve United’s culture Vidic, who won the Premier League Player of the Season twice during his time at Old Trafford, insisted that it is vital for his former team to have people around who understand the club’s culture. The former United skipper said: “I think it’s very important that you have people that understand the culture.” “If you look at Michael, the people he’s choosing to be next to him, he’s obviously picking the right characters and, of course, assistants that are good in certain aspects of the game. Obviously, Jonny Evans is a defender and can help defenders develop and he understands them well and can talk to them in the situations he was in, down times, good times. That’s important.” “You have to have experienced people who understand the game, understand the club and understand the culture. I think one of the reasons they’re doing well is they have the right people around him.” Vidic shared the pitch 230 times with Carrick, all during their time at Old Trafford, and even contributed one goal together. Final Thoughts Carrick will have to ensure his team get back to winning ways against a struggling Chelsea side next weekend. However, they will be without Lisandro Martinez, who was shown a straight red card against Leeds United and is likely to be suspended for three games. 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 Deepungsu Pandit Deepungsu has been a Manchester United fan since 2000. In his playing days, he was an attacking midfielder with a proclivity for the back heel. Right now, however, he prefers to operate as a regista. Deepungsu has been writing about the Red Devils, Football, and other things since 2009. He has worked for over seven years with Sportskeeda, writing football reviews, opinions and news articles. Deepungsu also maintains a blog, The Thinking Me, where he writes about life and things that interest him. His favourite Manchester United player is Paul Scholes.