England international reveals he is in talks with the club over a contract extension
Harry Maguire believes Ruben Amorim had great ideas and is a great coach, only that those ideas just did not take hold at Manchester United.
Amorim was dismissed in January after a difficult spell, with Darren Fletcher and then Carrick stepping in on an interim basis. Since then, United’s form has improved significantly, taking seven wins and two draws out of their last 10 games.
“I don’t really have much bad to say about Ruben,” Maguire said. “I really like Ruben, I think he’s got great ideas. The ideas just didn’t work at Manchester United.
“I do believe he’ll go on and have an amazing career and his next club he’ll probably go and win many, many football matches.
“It just didn’t click or work and I think us as players have got to take a lot of responsibility for that as well.
“But I think he has led the club in a direction – and I do think he deserves a lot of credit for that – where he’s built a good, solid squad.”
However, Maguire admitted he is more suited to a back four than Amorim’s back three. The Portuguese stuck steadfastly to the formation during his time at the club, but on his arrival Carrick immediately switched back to a back four.
Maguire has played every game so far under Carrick but he is not the only player who has benefited from the change at the helm. Kobbie Mainoo, who did not start a single game this season under Amorim, has also played every game under Carrick and has consequently won a recall to the England squad.
“He’s been through a lot in his short career where he’s probably thinking, ‘I need to get out and go and play some games’,” Maguire said. “To be back in with a chance of being at a World Cup is a great turnaround for him.”
Maguire’s contract runs out in the summer but he is now in talks over an extension, and he hinted that a deal was close.
“I think there’s been talks [over a new contract],” Maguire said. “I think we’ll reach an agreement where it’s best for the club and myself.
“What that agreement is, I’m sure you’ll find out over the next few weeks. But, yeah, I think it’ll get sorted sooner rather than later, whether I stay or leave. But I think it will – it should – get sorted pretty soon.”
The defender added: “Yeah, I love this club, but it’s got to be right for myself. It’s got to be right for the club as well.
“I don’t want to be staying on a sentimental value. I want to be staying because I want to be there and the club want me to drive the club forward still, and they feel like I’ve got a big part to play in it.
“And if that’s the case, then I’m sure we’ll sit down and reach something.”
Now back with the England team under Thomas Tuchel, Maguire said he is determined to secure a place in the World Cup squad after returning from an 18-month absence.
“I’ve played 60-odd games for England, been to three major tournaments but when you’re in the moment and you’re playing every game [for England], you don’t want to say you take it for granted but you get comfortable with the set-up,” he said.
“And then when it’s taken away from you all of a sudden, it hurts. You see the team doing so well in qualifying, they’ve done amazing so, yeah, it was an amazing feeling.
“I knew, to be honest, if I wasn’t in this camp, I don’t think I’d have been back in the England set-up with my form and how I’ve been playing, it’s a high level I believe, so it was amazing to get the phone call.”
