Man United boss Michael Carrick has said the saga surrounding Lisandro Martinez‘s explosive rant at the club’s hierarchy has been dealt with – and insisted his squad haven’t been affected.
Martinez gave a bombshell TV interview shortly after United’s 2-0 defeat by Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.
In it, he accused the Old Trafford board and director of football Jason Wilcox of failing in the transfer market last summer. Other senior players are understood to share his views.
His comments attracted significant controversy and on Thursday, the defender apologised and was fined.
Speaking on Friday ahead of United’s clash at Leeds on Sunday, Carrick was pressed on what had gone on.
He said: ‘It’s done, really… as a group we’ve moved on, it’s not a drama. Someone says something they shouldn’t but that doesn’t distract us from what we’re creating here and the spirit within the group.
Man United boss Michael Carrick has given his verdict on Lisandro Martinez’s explosive rant
Martinez ripped into United’s hierarchy on TV after their defeat by Atletico Madrid on Tuesday
‘The boys have trained really well. They were in good spirits in training. The squad today was in a fantastic place. The best that I’ve seen in a while.
Carrick added Martinez ‘acknowledges that it was a mistake from him’ and said there is a ‘really good feeling within the group’.
He later added: ‘I think he’s issued his statement and realised his mistake, that’s good enough for all of us. From our point of view the acknowledgement is enough.
‘From the outside [you are] after some big information about big discussions but it was pretty simple. We all understood the situation and what it meant. He made his statement and acknowledges that it was a mistake from him and that was it really.
‘Results-wise it hasn’t gone to plan of late but the spirit, the togetherness, again I said it but today was one of the better training sessions that we have had and you can see there’s a real sense and a feeling within the group that we want to do something about this situation and want to do something about it quickly.
‘We understand the situation that came up after the game but we feel that has been dealt with and we have moved on.
‘Genuinely moved on and there’s a freshness about the group today which I really liked.’
The United boss also confirmed that Martinez was in the squad for the Leeds clash.
Martinez had taken aim at the United hierarchy in the wake of a fourth defeat in nine games in Madrid when he was asked if the club have backed Carrick enough.
‘I don’t think so,’ he said. ‘He does his best. You can’t keep changing, changing, changing the manager.
‘What about other areas? Tonight it is easy to say the coach and easy to say the players, but also we have to see other areas.
‘I expect more (investment) 100 per cent. I expect more from our technical director. I have to be honest, as players we have to do more but it is also important when you make a strong squad to be ready for this kind of night.
‘I have to control myself a lot but sometimes is a reflection of the mirror of how is our club at the moment.’
United technical director Jason Wilcox (left) was on the receiving end of Martinez’s anger
On Thursday evening, after talks with United, Martinez shared a social media post apologising.
‘Today I met with the club’s leadership and the manager,’ he said ‘It was a very positive conversation, where we were able to exchange views and speak openly about what happened after Tuesday’s game.
‘Everyone knows that I am a passionate person and that I live football with great intensity.
‘The frustration of the defeat led me to express how I felt at a time and place that perhaps were not the right ones, and for that I want to apologise.’
