Michael Carrick referenced the work ethic and sacrifices of Manchester United greats such as Alex Ferguson and Wayne Rooney in a 5½-minute speech Friday that called for his underperforming players to display “humility and hard work” to get the team out of a crisis.
Carrick is fighting for his job following United’s dreadful start to the season which was capped Wednesday by what he described as an “unacceptable” performance in a 4-1 loss to Como in the Champions League.
He started a scheduled pre-match news conference by giving an address in which he accepted United — for so long the top team in English soccer under Ferguson but now a fading force — had “lost our way” and emphasized the values the club had shown down the years that he wanted to see repeated by the current squad.
“There’s a resilience about this football club that’s been shown for, for a long, long time,” Carrick said.
“Whether that’s bouncing back from adversity, whether that’s comebacks, whether that’s late goals, whether that’s success, whether that’s sustained success — there’s a resilience in this football club that runs very, very deep.”
Carrick then picked out examples of high-profile figures from United’s past who had the kind of work ethic he demanded, including those who helped the club to recover after the Munich air disaster in 1958 in which 23 people were killed — including eight United players.
“Ryan Giggs, arguably one of the greatest to play for this football club — it was never about Ryan Giggs, it was about Manchester United,” Carrick said. “Wayne Rooney was the top goal scorer of this football club — his biggest thing was playing for the team, sacrificing for the team and what was good for Manchester United.
“Sir Alex Ferguson, the best manager of all time, the greatest for me, and working with him — his main priority was Manchester United. Going back to Sir Matt (Busby), Sir Bobby (Charlton), the resilience was beyond belief of what they showed and the way they rebuilt this football club. Again, it was based on being humble, having humility and hard work.”
United, which plays Bournemouth on Sunday, sits in 13th place in the 20-team Premier League after winning just one of its first seven games and is already out of the English League Cup. In the Champions League, United opened with an expected win over Sabah, a competition newcomer from Azerbaijan, but has since experienced back-to-back defeats — after which senior players Lisandro Martinez and captain Bruno Fernandes have launched outbursts in interviews.
While Martinez aimed his frustrations at the club's hierarchy, Fernandes — speaking after the Como match — appeared to criticize the tactics of Carrick, who responded pointedly in his postgame interview by saying: “Whatever tactics you play, if you don’t run, and you don’t run forward, and you don’t run back, you aren’t going to win.”
Carrick insisted Friday that United's squad wasn't divided and he would ensure there is “unity” in the dressing room going forward. Asked if he would countenance dropping Fernandes or stripping him of the captaincy, Carrick said: “Whatever the situation is, I will always do what’s best for the football club.”
Carrick, who was handed a long-term deal in the summer after being a stand-in coach for the second half of last season, also said he was fine with being under scrutiny, with his future the subject of so much speculation.
“I’ll hold that umbrella for me to get wet and for everyone else to stay dry,” he said.
United supporting Fernandes after his home was burglarized
Carrick confirmed media reports that Fernandes' home had been burglarized on Wednesday while the Portugal midfielder was in Como for the Champions League match.
According to the BBC, no members of Fernandes' family were inside the house.
“It's an awful thing to hear about and to go through,” Carrick said. “We are doing a lot to support Bruno and his family.
“Thankfully they weren't directly affected, even though it's an awful situation and I'm not playing it down in any way. We are doing everything to support him.”
Conte says no advanced negotiations with any club
Among the managers linked in the media with potentially replacing Carrick — should he be fired by United — is Antonio Conte, an Italian who has previously worked in the Premier League at Chelsea and Tottenham.
In a posting on his Instagram Stories, Conte — who left Napoli at the end of last season and has also been linked with Juventus in the Italian media — felt the need to clarify his position “following recent media reports in Italy and abroad.”
“My name has been linked with numerous clubs,” he wrote, “but there are currently no negotiations at an advanced stage. Following a wonderful and successful spell in charge of Napoli, I will take the time I need to consider how and when to return to management. It will be a carefully considered decision, one I will make when I believe the conditions are right.”
“Should,” Conte added, “a concrete opportunity arise, that will be the time to hold discussions with the club concerned and jointly consider the terms of a potential agreement, with due regard for both parties’ needs and the qualities and approach that define my work as a manager.”
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AP Sports Writer Daniella Matar in Milan contributed to this report.
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