Gary Neville says Michael Carrick may need to be sacked “for his own good” after Manchester United decided to keep their head coach in charge despite Sunday’s 3-0 home defeat by Bournemouth.
United are 16th in the Premier League, only one point clear of the relegation zone, but Carrick will remain in charge for Saturday lunchtime’s visit to Chelsea.
The 45-year-old was widely expected to lose his job after the Bournemouth result. However, Neville believes United’s decision came after a confused internal debate and reflected a lack of planning over possible replacements.
“I reckon what’s happened in the 24 hours after Bournemouth is that they’ve literally debated it back and forth,” former Manchester United captain Neville said on the Stick to Football podcast.
“I don’t know this, but they’ve debated it to the point where they’ve got themselves into a muddle, and thought, ‘we’ll just stay with him’.”
Neville said the club had been left with limited options and had failed to make a clear decision over the two people who were probably available.
“That’s when you’re really struggling,” he added.
He also drew on his own experience as manager of Valencia, saying: “Sometimes a manager needs sacking for their own good. I needed sacking at Valencia. I was happy that they put me out of my misery.”
Carrick’s position had already been under pressure before the Bournemouth match. Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes criticised the tactics used in the 4-1 Champions League defeat by Como last week, after which Fernandes was left out of the team to face Bournemouth.
The midfielder and Carrick have since spoken in an attempt to clear the air. Neville said Fernandes’ public comments were likely to represent only a small part of the dressing-room criticism.
“We’ve all been in football dressing rooms, and they’re quite brutal places,” he said.
“If Bruno Fernandes, the captain of the club… if he comes out and questions the manager’s tactics after a 4-1 defeat in Como, where he’s played like a drain, and he’s been playing like a drain for three months, and the rest of them have as well, that is only 1 or 2% of what they’re actually saying internally.”
United supporters sang Carrick’s name as he applauded them after the Bournemouth defeat. Neville described the moment as “effectively a farewell lap”.
The fans then booed the players when Carrick left the pitch and went down the tunnel.
United’s hierarchy are understood to have considered possible replacements, including former Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe and former Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann.
For now, Carrick must prepare the squad for the match at Stamford Bridge. United will then host Roma and Aston Villa before November’s international break.
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher said Carrick would probably prefer the club to end his tenure.
“I think he can never say publicly, but I think Michael Carrick would want to be put out of his misery. I really do,” Carragher said.
“The thought of going into that training ground now… and trying to do that team talk before Chelsea, when you know the players just aren’t having it at all.”
Former United captain Roy Keane added: “He needs the players more than they need him. That’s football in a nutshell.
“The players know he’s gone, but these are the same players who got him the job last year. So they’re running the show.”
