Peter Schmeichel backs Carrick and condemned Manchester United’s treatment of its coach, describing the situation surrounding the head coach as “very disrespectful” amid growing links between the club and Mauricio Pochettino.
The former United goalkeeper believes Michael Carrick is being unfairly blamed for problems that have developed over several years, arguing that the club’s leadership and recruitment decisions are largely responsible for the team’s struggles.
Pochettino has emerged as the leading candidate to replace Carrick, with Manchester United reportedly opening discussions with representatives of the 54-year-old manager, according to ESPN.
However, Schmeichel has questioned the wisdom of considering a managerial change before giving Carrick an opportunity to strengthen the squad during the January transfer window.
Speaking on The Overlap Daily, the former Denmark international expressed sympathy for the current United boss and criticised the manner in which speculation about his future was unfolding.
“I absolutely do feel sympathy for him. I think the way this is playing out is very disrespectful to him,” Schmeichel said.
He added: “If I’m honest, I don’t think he’s doing anything wrong. I know the team that he’s in charge of is where they are in the table, but I don’t put all of that on him.”
Schmeichel questions Manchester United’s leadership
Schmeichel believes United’s decline cannot simply be attributed to the manager currently occupying the dugout.
He traced the club’s persistent difficulties to decisions made after the departures of legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson and former chief executive David Gill.
According to the former goalkeeper, Manchester United have struggled to appoint the right people to important positions, allowing structural problems to become increasingly serious.
“There are so many things that have been going on at Manchester United literally since Sir Alex [Ferguson] and David Gill left the club. And it’s never been corrected,” he said.
“It’s not been the correct people, not the right people in charge, and slowly it’s just gone worse.”
His comments suggest that replacing Carrick without addressing the wider problems could leave the club facing similar difficulties under another manager.
Schmeichel’s position is that the responsibility for United’s performances must be examined beyond the technical area, particularly when decisions about recruitment and squad planning have repeatedly failed to address obvious weaknesses.
Defensive recruitment failure raises questions
The former United captain also identified the club’s failure to recruit defenders during the previous transfer window as evidence of poor decision-making.
He argued that the team’s defensive problems were obvious and should have been addressed before the season progressed.
Schmeichel insisted that even people with limited football knowledge could recognise United’s need for defensive reinforcements.
“And if you think about this transfer window now, it’s abundantly clear to everyone — everyone who knows just a little bit about football — that Manchester United needed defenders,” he said.
“They got through a whole transfer window without signing a single defender. You can’t win games if you concede 30 goals in 10 games … that was not addressed.”
The criticism highlights his belief that Carrick has inherited a squad with significant weaknesses, making it unfair to judge his managerial performance without considering the players available to him.
For Schmeichel, the absence of defensive additions represents a major recruitment failure that has contributed directly to the club’s difficulties.
January window should determine Carrick’s future
Rather than dismissing Carrick during the current period of uncertainty, Schmeichel wants Manchester United to give him an opportunity to influence the next round of transfers.
He believes the club should first stabilise its performances, then allow the manager to identify the players required to improve the team.
The January transfer window could therefore provide an important opportunity for Carrick to address the squad’s shortcomings and demonstrate whether he can move the club forward.
“So yes, I do feel a lot of sympathy for Michael. I think what is happening is wrong. I think we should stick with Michael,” Schmeichel stated.
“I think we should just try and steady the ship a little bit and then get into January and then sign the players that he feels he needs to bring the team forward and then be realistic about what this season is all about …”
His recommendation is effectively a call for patience, with recruitment and realistic expectations taking priority over another managerial appointment.
Pochettino speculation adds pressure
Despite Schmeichel’s support for Carrick, speculation about Pochettino’s possible arrival continues to create uncertainty around Manchester United.
The former Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain manager is reportedly the club’s preferred candidate should it decide to make a change.
Discussions with his representatives indicate that United are exploring their options, although the information supplied does not establish that an appointment has been agreed.
The situation places Carrick under increased scrutiny at a time when Schmeichel believes he should be receiving support rather than facing uncertainty over his position.
The former goalkeeper’s intervention also echoes his wider argument that a change in manager alone will not automatically resolve the club’s long-standing problems.
For now, the debate surrounding Manchester United centres on whether the club should continue with Carrick, strengthen the squad in January and assess progress later, or pursue Pochettino as the next manager.
About The Author
