Wayne Rooney says caretaker head coach, Michael Carrick, is the “right choice at this moment in time” to “steady the ship” at Manchester United.
Rooney said this on the latest edition of BBC podcast The Wayne Rooney Show, “It is probably the obvious choice really because I don’t think there are any top, top managers available at the minute.
“I think it is the right choice at this moment in time.
“It is a difficult task, of course. Where Manchester United are at the minute is not a good place, and Michael has to go in and steady the ship.”
Recall that Man United confirmed that Carrick would take charge until the end of the season, succeeding Ruben Amorim, on Tuesday.
Rooney and Carrick were team-mates at Old Trafford, playing together on 366 occasions and winning five Premier League titles.
“Michael’s great fun. He is a great character, but don’t be fooled by how calm he looks,” Rooney said.
“He can have fun as well, but make no mistake, he’d be going in there now with full focus.”
Carrick’s short-term appointment still leaves questions around who the board will turn to in the summer.
Xabi Alonso, who left Real Madrid on Monday, and England manager Thomas Tuchel are among the names to have already been suggested.
“Alonso did incredible at Leverkusen and I think you have more chance of him sitting and waiting and hoping with [Liverpool manager Arne] Slot,” Rooney said.
“Tuchel is the one for me. He knows the Premier League, has won trophies. He is doing well at England. Time will tell.”
Manchester United sit seventh in the Premier League after winning just one of their past six games.
Carrick’s first assignment comes on Saturday (12:30 GMT) when Manchester City make the short trip to Old Trafford.
“It is a massive game for the club, for Michael,” Rooney said.
“I think what he will do is bring a bit of calmness, a bit of grit to the game, which I think is needed. It is going to be very difficult, Manchester City are obviously a top team and it will be difficult to get anything out of it even at Old Trafford.
“But as we’ve seen over the years, Manchester United if they do turn up can win the game and hopefully that happens on Saturday.”
Carrick made 464 appearances for United across a 12-year spell and had a three-game stint as caretaker manager at the club in 2021, winning two games and drawing one.
The 44-year-old managed Middlesbrough between 2022 and 2025.
(BBC)
