Some positive (ish) team news from Carrick as two players are moving closer to full fitness while he heavily praises captain Bruno Fernandes for how influential and superb he's been throughout his time at United.
He also provides an update (sort of) on his future.
The interim confirms that Dorgu is "making good progress" and is closer to training with the first team but remains out for Brentford. He did however, say that Yoro is still a possibility but is still unsure whether he will take part or not.
On when he expects to get clarity over the permanent position, Carrick replied that it's not a deadline that he's chasing. "It will become clear, when it becomes clear." His focus for the moment, remains on getting better.
He adds that he loves being at United and the role he's in. Carrick talks about how United under him have picked up good results but doesn't want to give too much away in terms of his future.
The interim admits there's been both "ups and downs" but it is not something that he's surprised by. He enjoys working with the players and that there's a passion there to help them develop and get improved results. Carrick says that "When you get important wins and big wins, and you have moments to enjoy their moments, that's what we're all here for in the end, so we've got to make the most of them as well."
The former midfielder discusses how it's about helping set up a structure that helps to get the best out of the players, like current midfielder and skipper, Bruno Fernandes.
He likes to see Bruno in "attacking positions" but has praised his work ethic with and without the ball pointing out to his performance at Chelsea. Carrick repeated several times that he "trusts" Bruno and he's a big influence in the side.
On the sacking of Liam Rosenior, Carrick says that there's two sides to it. On the one hand, it's about getting instant results but on the other, it's about looking ahead and making the future "bigger and better."
He was asked about whether managers have a short amount of time to get things right to which Carrick answered, "not massively."
It's not something that he thinks about daily. He instead focuses on what is achievable both as an individual and as a club.
Final Thoughts
I'm just gonna say again, Carrick is FUCKING BORING in his interviews. He says a lot without actually saying anything. The ability to dodge questions is unbelievable but even in that swerved answer, there's nothing that we can truly work with. Nothing at all.
He's got to work on his interviews.
Obviously he isn't going to reveal much when it comes to him potentially getting the permanent job. From reports, it seems likely that he will get it but until it's confirmed, we're not going to get a proper answer.
Of course he loves being at United. Who wouldn't?
I've said many times he has done a good job and picked up good results but every time we look for positives with him, that's about it. Good results.
Yet people seem very happy with that.
I think when you're manager of Man Utd it has to go beyond just results. We have to see a proper style and just general improvement. As he says that they're trying to get better, I think it's time we saw this improvement. There's been nothing from him or the coaching staff that indicates they are moving the team forward other than with good results.
I just feel that we are going to make a very important decision based solely on results and UCL qualification. It is a form of false progress imo.
When he talks about getting important and big wins and it's about enjoying moments, he is correct. It is about enjoying them.
But, that's all they seem to be: moments.
The big wins have been great but what about the poor performances or awful results against the likes of West Ham, Newcastle and Leeds? Those showed us the reality more than any of the victories over City, Arsenal or Chelsea ever could.
We have it in us to beat the big teams but it's about doing it consistently against all sides. And when you look at those teams I mentioned above, it's those lower league opposition that really causes us trouble.
This isn't specific to Carrick because this has been a problem for a long ass time. Where he can turn my reservations about him around is if he and his coaches can find a way to beat such teams, then maybe I'll start to believe in him and be optimistic about the future because this has been a major stumbling block for managers over the years.
With Brentford on Monday, it provides him with another opportunity to showcase his coaching abilities and perhaps display what I'm talking about: properly beat a low block team.
Where deserves credit although it was a bit of a tap-in, was in playing Bruno as a no 10. I think we all knew that this was a huge flaw of Ruben Amorim's and was a major reason as to why he got poor results.
You look at Bruno in that position and you can see exactly why we were all crying out for him to be played further forward.
Carrick has done that and reaped the rewards.
And how.
Bruno has 14 goal contributions in Carrick's 12 matches so he would absolutely be praising him as much as possible.
I won't say he's singlehandedly given Carrick the opportunity to become permanent manager, but he's definitely played a big part.
When he talks about managers needing to get instant results in terms of helping them not be under pressure at a club, I almost feel as if he's bigging himself up here.
This is exactly what he's done and it might be his way of saying 'well, I did that' in an attempt to back himself.
To then talk about improving the future, again, I just don't see what and his coaches have firstly, done differently to what we've seen in the past in terms of formation and style of play and secondly, there's been no real improvements in said style and even in some of the players. If anything, the likes of Amad and Mbeumo have gone backwards. Sesko was getting better but has slowly dipped again. Cunha is in and out of it and Mainoo has only now started to look slightly like the player we all know he can be.
But it was in this reply where I really saw that he can dodge a question but just talking and repeating shit. He never truly anwsered it other than discuss how instant results are key.
Whatever you think about Rosenior, he was dealt a very difficult hand by Chelsea because of incompetence at board level. That is exactly what we've said is the issue at United.
Whether Carrick himself thinks that or not, I think we all know that it is still there even if we do want him to succeed as manager.
Michael Carrick | Image credit: Getty Images via Goal