Michael Carrick: Rooney explains why United coach deserves permanent role

Manchester United’s interim boss Michael Carrick has rekindled belief around Old Trafford with four wins and a draw from his opening five league fixtures, and club icon Wayne Rooney believes the former midfielder has already done enough to earn the job on a permanent basis.

Carrick, placed in temporary charge after the departure of Ruben Amorim, has overseen victories against Manchester City, Arsenal, Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur, with only a 1-1 draw at West Ham blotting an otherwise perfect record. The surge has lifted United to fourth in the Premier League table after 26 matches, leaving Champions League qualification firmly in sight.

Speaking on The Overlap, Rooney argued that Carrick’s greatest impact may be cultural rather than purely tactical. “We talk about Luis Enrique and stuff,” the United record goalscorer said, referencing the PSG coach reportedly on the club’s shortlist. “I think they’ve been there and tried different managers, between Mourinho and Van Gaal, then we saw the likes of Ten Hag and Amorim, which don’t work.”

Rooney, whose two sons are currently in the club’s academy, highlighted a re-forged bond between Carrick’s first-team staff and the youth setup. “There was a massive disconnect from the academy and the first team,” he explained. “Immediately, what we’ve seen is this connection come back together, which Man United was known for. It was known to be a family club, and Michael’s done that actually in a very short period of time.”

The 38-year-old recalled simpler days when he and Carrick would wait in the Carrington car park while their children trained, suggesting that intimate knowledge of the club’s identity should count heavily in the next appointment. “Two players that were very experienced, that know the football club… having someone in there who knows the club, cares for the club, it makes a big difference.”

Carrick’s on-field tweaks—restoring Bruno Fernandes to the No. 10 role and promoting teenager Kobbie Mainoo—have drawn widespread praise, while an attacking style has revived crowd enthusiasm. Although INEOS is expected to delay any permanent decision until the summer, supporter momentum for Carrick to remain in the dugout is intensifying with each positive result.