Ian DarkeMar 29, 2026, 04:11 AM ET
Close Darke, who called games for the network during the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, is ESPN lead soccer voice in the United States. He has covered the Barclays Premier League and the Champions League since 1982, and has one of the world’s most recognizable soccer voices.Multiple Authors
Decision day is looming for Manchester United. Do they bite the bullet and make Michael Carrick their permanent manager, or wait for a big name to become available after the World Cup in July?
The case for keeping Carrick is strong. The appointment would give the club certainty and stability moving forward. Plus, what’s not to like about the job the interim boss has done so far? Since he took over, United have won 23 points out of a possible 30, lifting them from seventh place into the top three and giving them a chance to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
Carrick might be somewhat understated, but he is articulate when it comes to the most persuasive languages of all in this game: results and performances on the pitch. He should know, too, having won five Premier League titles as a player with United. Applying heavy doses of common sense when it comes to things such as using players in their best positions, he is lifting the team back toward Europe, which is a financial necessity for a club of its size, history and tradition.
Ironically, the absence of European football this season is probably a big reason for United’s improved showing this time round, as it has given the players more rest and extra time to work on patterns of play on the training ground.
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You might assume that with his calm unruffled demeanor, Carrick might not have the hard-edged personality to deal with a squad of big-name players, but looks can deceive. According to reports, he read the riot act and left a few ears burning in the dressing room after his only loss so far, at Newcastle. The headlines declared: “No more Mr. Nice Guy.”
You could also imagine that with ex-international defenders Jonny Evans and Jonathan Woodgate in the coaching team, any drop in standards would be pounced upon. Add assistant head coach Steve Holland to the mix, and you have a staff that is tough enough to keep egos in check. Holland, who was assistant head coach of the England under Gareth Southgate, famously clashed with Arsenal‘s Ben White over his allegedly lukewarm feelings about representing the national team.
There is a different feel to United’s matches these days; a sense that they can dig out points from games they would have lost last season. Take their recent win at Everton, in which a slick breakaway goal and some resolute defending gave them all three points.
Carrick has been a superb influence since taking over as Man United manager from Ruben Amorim, but it remains to be seen still whether he’ll get the permanent job. Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty ImagesSo, Carrick’s regime has so far been a big success, reigniting the passion and belief among United’s fans after a decade of disappointment and humiliation. (Finishing 15th last season and losing at fourth-tier Grimsby in the Carabao Cup were two low points, among many.)
Key to the upturn in results is the investment in three goal-scoring forwards — Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko — along with the redeployment of the club’s top player, Bruno Fernandes, in an advanced position where he can set up and score goals. (Mysteriously, Amorim used Fernandes in a deeper role.) To underline the point, Fernandes has just broken David Beckham’s United record for assists in a Premier League season with 16, and counting!
Also, the renewed form of Harry Maguire at the back has been a major boost. “Carrick’s decision to revert to a back four has rescued my England career,” he said recently. “Nothing against Ruben Amorim: He has loads of great ideas, but they did not work at United.”
However, United are far from the finished product. The squad needs greater depth if it is to bridge the gap to Arsenal and Manchester City. For starters, it will need to replace the departing Casemiro (and his goals) with a new marquee midfielder. Two England men, Elliot Anderson of Nottingham Forest and Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace, are the level of recruits United require, though both will have several suitors and transfer fees upward of £80 million. There’s also interest in Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali, while an audacious move for Real Madrid‘s Jude Bellingham also stood out in one fanciful report.
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A top-class defender to eventually succeed Maguire, and perhaps a high-quality fullback or two, would also help transform the squad into one able to chase silverware. The big question is whether minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who is leading the football side of the operation, will entrust any summer signings to Carrick.
The case against Carrick is that he has no long-term pedigree as a top-flight boss. The bulk of his experience was a level down at Middlesbrough, where his influence waned a little after a sensational start of 16 wins in 23 matches, which lifted ‘Boro from 21st into the playoffs. The following year, he finished eighth and reached a Carabao Cup semifinal. But Carrick was then sacked in June 2025 after failing to achieve promotion to the Premier League.
Doubters might argue that his bright start at Manchester United is no proof that he can bring sustained success. United went down that route with Jose Mourinho and Louis van Gaal, and neither proved to be the answer any more than other United managers such as Erik ten Hag and Amorim. Carrick might just be less of a gamble than most.
But if he brings Champions League football back to Old Trafford, it’s hard to imagine anyone else getting the job on a permanent basis.
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