Assessing Manchester United’s Managerial Future: Carragher’s Insights

Michael Carrick won the admiration of Manchester United supporters following a morale-boosting 2-0 victory over Manchester City at the weekend. However, former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher is not convinced that Carrick is the solution to United’s long-term managerial aspirations. During a segment on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, Carragher was tasked with narrowing down a list of 25 potential candidates to succeed Ruben Amorim on a permanent basis. Despite Carrick’s current role as interim manager until the season’s end, Carragher promptly removed his name from consideration.

Carragher’s reasoning is grounded in the exceptionally high standards necessary to secure the Premier League title. He drew a parallel between Carrick’s position at United and Liam Rosenior’s time at Chelsea, suggesting that neither possesses the elite credentials required to challenge the league’s dominant teams.

“I am not going to change my mind,” Carragher stated, dismissing the post-derby euphoria. “I always ask myself when a Liverpool manager is appointed: Do I believe this individual can win us the league? It doesn’t matter if they ultimately succeed, but I must have faith in their potential. I do not believe Manchester United can win the league with Michael Carrick as manager, nor can Chelsea with Liam Rosenior.”

Carragher further emphasized the rarity of managers capable of winning titles, stating, “You have to be truly exceptional. Consider the managers who have won the Premier League; 99 percent of them are special, and I believe Michael Carrick falls short in that regard. I may be proven wrong, but that’s why I will exclude him from consideration.”

After methodically narrowing down the list, Carragher identified a four-man shortlist he believes should be the focus of Manchester United’s hierarchy: Julian Nagelsmann, Thomas Tuchel, Luis Enrique, and Eddie Howe. Of this group, Carragher expressed particular admiration for England’s current manager, Thomas Tuchel, suggesting that he possesses the dynamic energy necessary to revitalize a dormant giant.

“He still exudes energy and drive,” Carragher remarked about Tuchel, noting that the manager has “ruffled feathers” during his tenure with the national team. Carragher highlighted Tuchel’s readiness to ‘go to war’ for his club, a quality United has arguably lacked since the Jose Mourinho era. He concluded with a bold prediction: “If you are Manchester United—while there will be interest in Luis Enrique—there is a strong possibility they could end up with Thomas Tuchel.”

Germany’s manager, Nagelsmann, was included due to his tactical reputation and the motivation to prove himself, while Newcastle’s Eddie Howe was noted for his ability to handle the intense media scrutiny associated with the United position. Although Luis Enrique remains a popular choice, Carragher suggested that acquiring him may prove challenging.

In this segment, Carragher systematically evaluated the credentials of several high-profile candidates before dismissing them. Jurgen Klopp was the first to be eliminated, with Carragher firmly stating that the former Liverpool boss “cannot do that” given his illustrious history with the Anfield club. A similar rationale was applied to recently dismissed Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso, whose connections to Liverpool were viewed as a significant obstacle.

Other elite names were also ruled out due to concerns regarding age, energy, or tactical suitability. Carlo Ancelotti, currently managing Brazil, was deemed too lacking in energy and drive to elevate United in the league. Zinedine Zidane was characterized as a “younger version” of Ancelotti, better suited for Real Madrid than for the rebuilding project facing Manchester.

Tactical considerations led to Diego Simeone’s exclusion as well. Despite Thierry Henry’s comments regarding the absence of a clear “DNA” at United, Carragher maintained that the club must adopt an attacking philosophy. He argued that appointing the defensively-minded Atletico Madrid manager would deviate from the club’s core identity. Similarly, Oliver Glasner was removed from the list due to his preference for a back-three system—an arrangement for which Amorim faced criticism during his tenure at Old Trafford.

Carragher’s scrutiny extended to managers currently making an impact in the Premier League. Although Andoni Iraola and Marco Silva have received accolades for their work at Bournemouth and Fulham, respectively, Carragher believed that the leap to the Theatre of Dreams was too considerable at this point in their careers. “Their next step should be Tottenham,” he noted, suggesting they are not yet ready for the intense pressures of the United position.

Roberto De Zerbi was another notable candidate ruled out. Despite his tactical skills, Carragher dismissed him due to his volatile demeanor, humorously noting that the Italian might “go to war” with the owners within a short timeframe.

Even Cesc Fabregas, touted by Thierry Henry as one of the “next big coaches” due to his ownership role at Como, was excluded at Henry’s request to safeguard his colleague. Ultimately, this analysis underscored the scarcity of truly exceptional managerial candidates available for Manchester United, leaving them with a limited pool of elite options to consider once Carrick’s interim tenure concludes.