Michael Carrick says difficult conversations have taken place between Manchester United’s players, coaching staff and senior executives as he tries to arrest the club’s worst run of form in decades.
United have gone eight games without a win and sit 16th in the Premier League, just one point above the relegation zone. Their 3-0 defeat against Bournemouth last Sunday raised fresh doubts about Carrick’s future, but the 45-year-old has been allowed to remain in charge ahead of Saturday’s trip to Chelsea.
Carrick indicated that he had spoken to the club’s chief executive, Omar Berrada, and director of football, Jason Wilcox, during the week. He said there had been no attempt to avoid the problems facing the club.
“It’s pretty clear,” he said. “It’s not always rosy and nice conversations between anyone, whether that’s between me and the players, whether that’s between me, Jason, Omar or the owners.”
“It’s the truth, it’s the hard truth at times and it’s what we need to move forward. Whatever we need to move forward, we will do.”
The manager also defended his players after they were booed by supporters at Old Trafford following the Bournemouth defeat. Carrick received cheers from fans as he walked around the pitch after the match, but the reaction changed when the players entered the tunnel.
He said the players were hurt by the criticism but remained determined to put things right. Carrick was uncomfortable with the suggestion that the supporters’ show of appreciation for him set him apart from the squad.
“To have the appreciation from the supporters and that connection and that respect is something I feel strongly about,” he said. “It wasn’t a nice situation but to feel that was important, of course, but it didn’t make me feel better in the fact that I’m with the players 100% and we’re all in it together.”
He added: “That’s my group, my players and this is my football club so we have to all be in it together, and that’s the supporters included. As hard as it is at the moment, I totally get that, I get their feelings, but when we get through this then we’ll be a lot stronger as a whole.”
United have made their worst start to a league season since 1986-87 and are enduring their poorest run since 1988-89. There was also the grating 4-1 loss away to Como in the Champions League, four days before the Bournemouth game.
Carrick believes a lack of confidence has played a major part in the team’s performances. He said that could change quickly if United manage to get a positive result.
“Confidence is the beauty of sport,” he said. “Confidence is in some ways the major factor of that belief, that self-belief, that confidence level. It kind of trumps everything else in terms of level of performance.”
He added: “The beauty about confidence, it can come back quickly in one moment, one thing in a game, one win, one result.”
The manager also dismissed criticism from Gary Neville, his former United team-mate, who questioned the professionalism of some players on his podcast. Neville claimed some were not going to bed at the right time or eating the right food.
Carrick laughed off the comments when asked whether he had found evidence of such behaviour. “No, I haven’t,” he said. “Gaz says a lot of things.”
