For some, success is gauged by points earned and a football club’s position in their particular division.
This sentiment has endured far longer than I have, and serves as a fairly reliable barometer for measuring how well or poorly any team is performing.
At the time of Ruben Amorim’s departure, Manchester United occupied sixth place in the Premier League and sat as many points (three) behind Liverpool in 4th as they were ahead of Everton in 12th.
Fast forward four months, and Michael Carrick has overseen 10 wins from his 15 fixtures as interim chief, drawing three and suffering defeat just twice; that is a 66.7% win ratio, for those interested.
His side sits comfortably in 3rd position, six points ahead of Liverpool, who have not moved since Amorim was relieved of his duties in early January.
Expectedly, this impact has far exceeded internal expectations, inevitably leading Ineos’ sporting chiefs to recommend the 44-year-old’s stay permanently.
Working alongside Steve Holland, few can deny the sum of all parts, with Champions League qualification achieved and Carrick officially nominated for the Premier League’s Manager of the Season award.
Still, despite arriving in January without any pre-season or opportunity to add any players to a disgruntled squad, some continue to belittle his accomplishments.
Why do some believe that Michael Carrick is destined to fail at Manchester United?
Whether referencing a lack of tactical acumen or utilising nonsensical comparisons against past managers, many social superstars are determined to downplay Carrick’s capabilities.
Club legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is a popular stick being used to beat this endless drum, and why, I will never understand.
The Norwegian delivered supporters a brand of football and understanding that has been unmatched since Sir Alex Ferguson paved the way for David Moyes.
Moreso, he was working with an arm tied behind his back by an incompetent boardroom that was more interested in the results of the likes of Saracens and Harlequins.
But modern media has made it as easy to post an uneducated statement as it is to create a social account without any form of personal identification, and it’s handier to disregard Solskjaer.
You see, Carrick is already judged by factors outside of results, and therein lies the fundamental flaw with the Manchester United media; this club will forever be treated differently.
That is not a statement of self-pity; it is a fact.
If United lose, it’s Carrick’s fault. If United win, they didn’t play correctly or profited from individual brilliance. People may choose to rewrite history, but that is a familiar story, one that has been recited numerous times.
Despite a significant collection of victories, including notable successes against Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool, there appears to be a refusal to accept a talented young coach as a top-tier option.
Even when acknowledging the sense in maintaining this existing structure, some repeatedly look past what is currently in place; they can’t help themselves.
“I think they just want continuity,” Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink told Sky Sports. “Where can he bring them next?
“He might not make them champions, but he might put them in a better place for the next one in two or three years, you know?
“I think it’s normal, I think it’s [an] intelligent decision from Man United. They know him, they know how he works, and he knows the club.”
Respectfully, Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox are not prioritising stability over the next two to three years; anybody who has done their homework is aware of their ambitious plans for Project 150.
Ineos requires stability as a professional expectation; they want perennial competitiveness and success across every level as soon as is humanly possible.
The idea of establishing a foundation for another appointment suggests that Carrick and Holland are capable of building the desired structure at the football club. Does it not?
Therefore, the man who has accomplished a 66.7% win ratio en route to a nomination for the ultimate managerial honours after four months of work should be capable of that and much more.
As I have regularly stated, players like Bruno Fernandes, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha do not require a continental enigma to arrive and teach them how to play football.
These men require a person who understands the pressures they face at M16, someone who can advise them and offer a shoulder of support during challenging moments.
With all respect to the likes of Andoni Iraola and Keith Andrews, who are doing amazing jobs with limited budgets, Bournemouth and Brentford are not 20-time English champions.
There is Premier League management, and there is an entirely different level of expectations and difficulties when you sit in the Old Trafford hotseat.
Is Carrick one of the most accomplished managers in world football at this moment in time? No, he is not.
But has the former Middlesbrough chief excelled during his dress rehearsal, inevitably proving many of his naysayers wrong? Yes, he most certainly has.
If Berrada and Co installed a new leader after everything that has occurred, he would need to hit the ground running, as no other manager has before him. Anything other than this would lead to widespread hysteria.
Whatever your opinion is about the state of play in the North West, it is beyond foolish to disregard the achievements of this interim team under such trying circumstances.
As I have previously stated, if it were Miguel Carrico standing in Michael’s shoes today, an army of adoring armchair analysts would be screaming for his stay.
Let us know your thoughts in the comments or across our social channels – photo by operations@newsimages.co.uk via depositphotos.com.
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