Roy Keane has branded Michael Carrick and his coaching staff ‘lucky boys’ to still be in their jobs at Manchester United, insisting they need to ‘grow a pair and start getting results’ after the under-fire manager narrowly avoided the sack this week.
Carrick has been given more time to turn things around at Old Trafford after his bosses met for crunch talks in the wake of a dismal week that saw the Red Devils thrashed 4-1 by Como before suffering a 3-0 defeat by Bournemouth on Sunday.
His reprieve comes after a turbulent fortnight off the pitch, with captain Bruno Fernandes dropped after publicly criticising Carrick’s tactics, while Lisandro Martinez took aim at United’s hierarchy for showing a ‘lack of ambition’ in the transfer market.
Admitting he is both surprised and pleased that Carrick has been given more time, Keane told the former United midfielder he should consider himself lucky to have avoided the axe.
Speaking to Gary Neville on Stick to Football, brought to you by Disney+, the United legend said: ‘When he got the job last year and Carrick went in there, we said from day one we didn’t think he was probably good enough long term.
‘It’s alright managing a few games, all of a sudden then you’ve got to manage the football club, preseason, expectations, recruitment.
Roy Keane has branded Michael Carrick and his staff ‘lucky boys’ to still be at Man United
Carrick has been given more time after Manchester United’s chiefs met for crunch talks
‘They were getting results last year and people were saying you’ve got to give him the job because of results. All of a sudden, they’re not getting the results. Oh it’s the board, it’s (Jason) Wilcox. It’s somebody else.
‘Michael Carrick, his coaching staff, Jonny (Evans), (Jonathan) Woodgate, (Steve) Holland – they’re lucky boys to still be involved at Manchester United. They have to grow a pair and start getting results on Saturday. Get a result to Chelsea.’
Carrick and United head to Stamford Bridge with a record of eight games without a win, with captain Fernandes expected to return to the side after being dropped against Bournemouth, having held clear-the-air talks with the boss on Wednesday.
Even during Carrick’s fruitful spell at Old Trafford as interim head coach, Keane doubted his credentials and insisted the former Red Devils midfielder should not be given the job permanently.
Back in March, as Wayne Rooney and other former United stars called for Carrick to be handed the job permanently, Keane made his opposition clear, telling Sky Sports: ‘I wouldn’t. I think there are better options out there.
‘I think the games where he’s come in and in terms of winning football matches, he’s done a very good job. He’s obviously simplified things but there’s been no jeopardy in those games.’
Last season, Keane also took an extraordinary cheap shot at Carrick’s wife, Lisa Roughead, on an episode of the Stick to Football podcast.
‘His wife can always come in [if Carrick doesn’t do well], cause she’s got a bit of a big mouth sometimes. She’s probably doing the team talk,’ he said.
Keane said Carrick’s wife Lisa (right) had a ‘big mouth’ in a scathing remark last season
Lisa deleted this message on X back in 2014 and said her emotions got the better of her
Responding to the remark in a press conference, Carrick brushed it off by insisting he ‘wasn’t bothered’ – but the jibe appeared to open old wounds between the two former United stars.
After criticising Carrick following Manchester United’s 2-0 defeat by Olympiacos in 2014, describing his performance as ‘flat’, Lisa hit back at Keane on social media with an expletive remark accusing him of saying things to provoke a reaction.
He added: ‘We go back to the players – are they playing for him? The players are contracted to Manchester United, they’re not contracted to Michael Carrick. Managers will come and go but if the players aren’t, people say they might care but they don’t care enough. They don’t care enough.
‘We talk about stats and stats are important, particularly for goalscorers. But I always feel, as a midfielder, just cover the yards – even if you have to be smart with it.
‘I always think if you run a bit more you might get the break of a ball, you might get a little bit of luck. But the goals they are giving away show the gaps in the team.’
She subsequently deleted the post and apologised, although it did not stop Keane from reigniting the feud with his remark on the podcast last season.
While insisting Carrick was fortunate to keep his job, Keane also took aim at Manchester United’s players, accusing them of not ‘caring enough’ about the club or manager.
He added: ‘We go back to the players – are they playing for him? The players are contracted to Manchester United, they’re not contracted to Michael Carrick. Managers will come and go but if the players aren’t, people say they might care but they don’t care enough. They don’t care enough.
‘We talk about stats and stats are important, particularly for goalscorers. But I always feel, as a midfielder, just cover the yards – even if you have to be smart with it.
‘I always think if you run a bit more you might get the break of a ball, you might get a little bit of luck. But the goals they are giving away show the gaps in the team.’
Fellow former Manchester United captain Neville suggested that Carrick needs to be ‘put out of his misery’ at Old Trafford – and that a sacking could be the best thing for him.
Ex-United captain Gary Neville suggested Carrick might need to be ‘sacked for his own good’
‘I reckon what’s happened in the 24 hours after Bournemouth is that they’ve literally debated it back and forth,’ he said.
‘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”.
‘I think staying with him is a result of the lack of planning, the lack of probably available options, the lack of decision-making around the two people that probably are available. That’s when you’re really struggling.
‘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.’
