15 Oct 2026 12:54:46
Just a reminder: Carrick is not the manager, he's the head coach who works under the DOF Jason Wilcox. As the coach he's responsible for training, selection, tactics and what happens on the field, but he's not responsible for the acquisition or sale of players.
Now maybe Carrick should be getting more out of these players. There's really no excuse for being outrun, outfought, being second to every ball, or having no apparent tactical plan either to break down defenses, or organize to defend. But if the coach isn't given the sort of players needed to achieve those objectives then that falls directly on the DOF and those higher up the food chain.
I think it's absolutely clear that the manager hasn't been given the tools to compete at the highest levels in the short term. What we don't know is whether Wilcox wanted the club to buy certain players but was met with resistance because the club simply doesn't have the money. If that's the case then the responsibility falls on those above Wilcox. If that's the case, and I suspect it is, then firing Carrick and/or Wilcox won't make a scrap of difference beyond a possible short term bump.
Ever since the Glazers took over the club's cash flows have been used to finance their debts and the incompetence of their chosen management team. Woodward was a footballing disaster. Now cash flows are being used not only for debt financing but to prepare the ground for a new stadium, leaving the club, after 7 straight years of losses, in a position where it does not have the financial wherewithal to compete for the best players. That £60m+ for land could have been used to buy a good full back, but no, it was used too fuel a pipe dream that most United supporters hardly care about.. at least not if it compromises the team's ability to compete.
Many of us have been saying it for years. The malaise starts at the top, with the owners, and the debt that's strangling the club's performances on the field. I, for one, don't care about whether we have a stadium that can house a Taylor Swift concert or some other mega event. I only care about the football and the fan experience, which is for most of us a short term week to week thing. Manchester United, based on its revenues, should have a team able to compete on all fronts for titles now, in the present moment. That is doesn't, and that it hasn't now since SAF retired - and the signs were there before that - is entirely the responsibility of the owners.
Without quality football the new stadium is a fool's errand, a vanity project for a distant future. The first priority has to be the football itself. Everything else stems from that. It's what the club and its revenues were built on - and It's what has been destroyed by the Glazers. Ratcliffe has no capacity to fix it because his businesses are also carrying too much debt to effectively resolve United's debt laden structure. he's tried to bring in competent people but ultimately there's a clear correlation between what you pay and what you get.
We all know Martinez was right to criticize those above. He chose Wilcox, but I believe the main problem remains what it's been since 2005.
15 Oct 2026 15:31:48
What makes you think the manager is capable of operating at the highest level?
Team aside, all I have seen from Carrick is lack of in game management
No Plan B
Strange substitutions
The two games opposing team when down to to 10 men prime example what did Carrick do nothing .
I don't see anyway in the world that Carrick warrants the job or the coaches yes he been given poor players, but he should still be doing something with what he got, after all many kept saying Tielemans is fantastic signing and Chelsea fans were up in arms about losing Santos and Cunha and Lammens are great signings. if any of that were true and Carrick should be doing much better.
15 Oct 2026 15:43:10
Carrick has been clueless along with his coaching staff and has not prepared the team to compete for this season since it started. The evidence is clear to see with our performances even if we ignore the results.
Wilcox has to go if Carrick is sacked period.
It's a blessing in disguise that our scum owners didn't back Wilcox/Carrick and held back on spending on more players.
Our whole backroom including ex players should be sacked on the spot for this disaster we are enduring.
15 Oct 2026 19:05:43
If you read my second paragraph I think it's clear I'm not exonerating Carrick. He's not the manager anyway. He's the head coach and, for whatever reason, he's failing to get the squad ready for action.
No one at United comes out well right now.
15 Oct 2026 20:45:36
So are we saying we don't have a squad capable of more than 6 points from 6 games, 2 of which were against promoted teams?