Michael Carrick told which two big-name managers would stop him getting Man Utd job permanently as former Red Devils star urges club to ‘ride the wave’ with interim boss

Hargreaves first met Carrick when playing for the England Under-21 side in 2001. “I would say he’s always been the same,” he added. “I just think there’s such a compliment to him, because he never gets too up or too down. He’s just himself. It’s so hard to just be yourself in this space where everybody’s trying to make you into somebody. He’s so comfortable in his own skin. 

“He carries himself with class. He treats everybody with respect. And he’s a smart guy. He doesn’t have to shout or yell. He’s always watching. People think, ‘Oh, I’ve got to shout as a coach’ but you’re there to help people get better. One of the things people forget is it’s about people. It’s not about you. You know, a lot of these guys are trying to make it about them. 

“Yeah, you’ve got to be in charge, you’ve got to make decisions in big moments. But ultimately you’ve got people trying to follow you, and you’ve got to inspire them to help you, help the team do well. And I think the more people you can reach and connect to, the better they’re going to play for you. He’s got to feel what United need and he’s finding solutions, and everybody’s playing well.”