Michael Carrick addressed the media in an embargoed press conference ahead of Manchester United's match against Brentford. He discussed the future of his coaching staff and their plans for the summer.
Every word of Michael Carrickās embargoed Brentford press conference
Michael Carrick has been speaking to the media ahead of Manchester Unitedās Premier League clash with Brentford on Monday evening. This is the transcript of the embargoed section of the press conference. For coverage of the first part, click here
The first question was, āI know youāve been asked a lot about your future. Youāve obviously brought a coaching staff with you as well, and Iām guessing those guys probably want some kind of clarity. Theyāre all at different stages of their careers. Have you spoken to them or have they spoken to you about what the summer might hold? Do you kind of envisage staying together as a coaching group, or have you had to have chats with them about what might happen this summer?ā
Carrick replied:
āWeāre very close even though we came to that together specifically for the role here. Weāre all very clear in terms of what it looks like. Itās not something that we need to overly discuss, to be honest. I think weāre all on the same page. We know it, itās pretty obvious. I keep saying the same things in some ways every week, but it is what it is. Weāre all right, weāre fine with that, and the coaches are fine with that.ā
The reporter pressed him, saying, āWhatever happens, would you like to carry on working with those guys kind of wherever it might be?ā
He answered:
āYeah, sometimes you connect with people and you get on and you work together and you work well. And for me, it is all about people, whether thatās players or staff, whatever, supporters, family, whatever it is. I think connecting with people is really important to try and get the best out of each other. And I have to say, the staff have been top class, absolutely top class in different ways, different personalities, different roles. But to come together in a coaching office thatās not much bigger than this table and to be around the desk day in, day out, when itās new and itās fresh takes a lot of effort, but credit to everyone. You know, itās been all but positive, I have to say, since we come together in January.ā
Michael Carrick indicated that he has had discussions with his coaching staff regarding their future and the possibility of staying together.
Manchester United's Premier League clash with Brentford is scheduled for Monday evening.
Carrick's press conference covered his coaching staff's future and preparations for the upcoming match against Brentford.
The transcript of Michael Carrick's embargoed press conference is available in the article covering the event.
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āObviously thereās like a lot of talk about what might happen to the midfield this summer,ā the next reporter said, ābut just at centre-back, obviously Harryās obviously signed a new deal, youāve got two young defenders in Leny and Ayden Heaven. Just on Martinez and De Ligt though, obviously Martinez has made 62 starts in almost four full seasons now, heās not been on the pitch enough. De Ligtās been out since late November. Is that potentially, particularly if you end up in the Champions League next year, is that an area of the pitch you might have to look at in the summer, or an area of concern? And can you also just let us know whatās the latest on De Ligt?ā
The boss responded:
āitās not an area of concern for me at this moment in time. Again, at the moment and timing-wise, talking about the summer and what goes beyond that, I think itās difficult to elaborate on that really. Lichaās actually missing games for a different reason at the minute, which I donāt know, we wonāt go into, but I understand why youāre asking it.ā
āBut no, no, I havenāt got concerns. I think weāve got a mixed blend there of experience, of real quality, and some young, Iād say more than talent really, two promising young players that have already shown what they can do. I thought Ayden was fantastic last week. And in such a difficult game. So I havenāt got concerns as I sit here what the future looks like. I canāt really get involved because Iām not sure myself what that looks like. But, and in terms of Matta, heās working towards being fit again, really, you know, heās doing a little bit on the grass and itās progress, but itās one of those injuries and itās rehab and heās working to get fit. So weāre hopeful to have him back as soon as possible, really.ā
Might De Ligt need surgery?
āHeās back on the grass at the moment in a small capacity, but heās working towards it, so thatās positive. So yeah, weāre all hoping that it keeps going in that direction.ā
āJumped ahead quite quick there, arenāt you?ā he joked. āWell, weāre living in the moment. We want to be there, right? Of course we want to be there, but, um, weāre not getting too ahead of it both ways, you know, and we understand as things can go right, things can not go to plan. So we know where we are. Last week was a big result for us to put us in the position that we are, but nothingās done yet.ā
The next reporter asked, āWith regard to your scorers, you havenāt yet got anyone with double figures Premier League, but you have got three or four, well, I think itās five players, on nine or eight. Does it matter not to have a scorer, I donāt know, of mid-teens, high teens? Does it really matter, or would you like to have by the end of the season an 18 or 20 goal Premier League person?ā
Carrick answered:
āThereās different ways to look at it sometimes, to have one and scoring an awful lot of goals certainly can help in some ways, but then not relying so much, not expecting one player to just produce the goals being able to share it is a good thing. It is a good thing that everyoneās capable of doing it and chipping in. At some point someone hits a bit of form and a purple patch and has big moments, it comes around a little bit. I think weāve got good flexibility within the team for that, whether thatās set plays, whether thatās transitions, whether thatās in and around the box, we feel like weāve got a good mix. So Iām okay with that. Weād like to score more goals, of course we would. Weād like to concede less goals. Football, right? But I think the balance that weāve got and sharing the load is a good thing.ā
The MENās Samuel Luckhurst asked, āI donāt know if you noticed that the VAR in the City-Arsenal game at the weekend was the same as your game against Leeds last week, where heās deemed Lisandroās minor hair pull to be a red card, but Gabrielās headbutt on Haaland wasnāt deemed to be a red card, and it feels like most people thought he should have been sent off. Is that another incident where itās particularly frustrating for you, where thereās that inconsistency?ā
The boss replied, āI donāt want to comment on other games, and other teams and other individuals. I donāt think itās right for me to get involved in that. I do think thereās been some instances that have made it more difficult to understand how Licha is suspended and continues to be.ā
āThe Calvin Bassey incident last week?,ā he was asked.
āThereās other instances, yeah,ā Carrick admitted. āI donāt want to get involved in it. I donāt think itās fair for me to comment on other teams, genuinely, but when you see all the other things in and around it for the offence that was allegedly committed and the punishment thatās come with that, I donāt think it fits it at all. I find it hard to understand, I have to say.ā
āAnd just on a separate note,ā Luckhurst continued, āthis is going to be the seventh evening game youāve managed out of 13. The club have had a lot of evening kick-offs this season. Do you sympathise with match-goers? I know the club arenāt in Europe, but does it feel like there have been too many of them, particularly given the travelling support the club have and the amount of people who go to home games?ā
The Wallsend man replied:
āYeah, I totally understand the difficulty of getting to games at times and for different reasons, for transport, for purely on timings and throughout the week. I understand that itās not something that we can always control, but, and this season and certainly since Iāve been here, the schedule has been a little bit unique in some ways. So, but I totally sympathise with the supporters. I have to say the support last week at Chelsea was special in the moments like that, and hopefully they enjoyed that. They seemed to, and we did certainly. So weād like a little bit more of that. But yeah, without doubt, thereās a lot of sympathy for the supporters and the effort and everything that they have to give us to get to games.ā
The next question was, āJust on De Ligt, itās a difficult one because youāre not quite sure whatās going to happen with him, but given thereās only five games left now, is it fair to say that he wonāt play again this season?ā
āI wouldnāt say not at all, no,ā the boss responded. āIād like to think, or we certainly hope, that thereās a chance that he can without putting any pressure on it or deadlines on it. Of course, itās something that weāre working towards and heās working towards as well, so hopefully itās the case, but thereās certainly no pressure to get him back. He needs to come back at the right time when heās ready.ā
Is he still happy that De Ligt has a big future at United?
āWell, again, like Iāve just said, I think weāre talking about the summer and beyond,ā he answered. āI think itās difficult for me to sit here and make judgments and comment on that. We just want him to get back fit. I think as any footballer, to be out and missing football matches and not being able to train is a difficult time, and itās probably one of the toughest times that you go through as a professional. So obviously weāre helping him through that, supporting him through that, and trying to get him back as quick as we can.ā
Laurie Whitwell of The Athletic then asked whether he had had a chance to speak to Sir Jim Ratcliffe when he visited Carrington this week.
āYeah, he came in,ā Carrick confirmed. āWe had a chat, we had a cup of tea and casual chat, to be honest. It was nice to see him showing his support, obviously. And yeah, that was it. It was quite informal, but it was nice to see him.ā
āIt feels a good thing to have an owner that is connected and can be across what the current situation is, right, at Carrington?ā the reporter asked.
āYeah, I think as a football club weāre hugely connected and all the way through. I think itās a big part of it, Iām really conscious of that. Thatās how it should be, and Iām trying to do my part with that as well as is everybody else. So Iāve felt that since Iāve been, since Iāve been here, since January, for sure.ā
The next question was, āJust how important is it for a club like this to be in the Champions League every season? Not just obviously from a financial point of view, but also just the prestige. And is this the sort of club that should be in the Champions League most, if not all, seasons?ā
Carrick replied:
āItās certainly where we want to be. Weāve had some success in the competition. Weāve had some great occasions and great nights in the competition, and itās without doubt where we want to be. You can never take for granted and just assume thatās where you should be. I think thatās part of football and performance where you need to earn it, simple as that. You need to earn it. At the moment weāre in a decent position. Thereās hopefully more to come as well, and we want to keep pushing, but it just shows you how difficult it can be to be at the top, to stay at the top, to live at the top. Champions League is definitely where we want to be.ā
The final question was, āyouāve said in the past that youāre involved in discussions about the summer, whatever your future may hold. Presumably, are there two sort of sets of plans dictated by the finance of whether or not youāre in the Champions League?ā
He answered:
āI think that like anything, planning and moving forward of what it could look like, you have to be ahead of the game and not be caught by surprise or reactive. What their plans look like, obviously some of the discussions Iāve been part of, some of them Iām sure are going on, and fair to make plans and make the best of whatever happens next season, whatever happens in the summer.ā
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