Every word of Michael Carrick’s embargoed Leeds United press conference

Every word of Michael Carrick’s embargoed Leeds United press conference

Michael Carrick has been speaking to the media in the embargoed section of his press conference ahead of Manchester United’s home Premier League fixture against Leeds United tomorrow.

On the Stadium Redevelopment

The first question of this section was “Michael, the Old Trafford project has been in the headlines over the last few weeks. I just wanted to get your opinion on it. Still, some fans are quite hesitant about the move. They’d like to stay because of the atmosphere, the feeling, you’ve obviously played many games there yourself. What’s your opinion on the situation at the moment?”

Carrick answered:

“To be honest, there’s not really much opinion to have. I think there’s a club and you’re always looking to evolve, you’re always looking to improve things. You always want to put ourselves in a better place moving forward and future proof the football club whether that’s, training, ground, stadium, supporters, relationships, all connections.”

“So there’s always work that goes on. The stadium’s, obviously, is a huge deal, you know, and we love the place. There are great memories there and it is what it is. Sometimes it evolves and things change and it doesn’t take away from what’s been there before or what’s there present. It’s just trying to improve things and make things better, really.”

He was then asked “Have you seen the graphics and whatnot and what it could look like and what have you thought about it? Because it looks very impressive.”

“I’ll be totally honest with you, I’ve not delved into that one just yet,” he admitted. “There’ll be time to at some point, but really at this moment, it’s not something that we’re – from our side of things – that we’re thinking about too much.”

The next reporter asked:

“I think when these two teams last met, you were on a beach somewhere. Does it show how much football can change in a very short period of time that we are where we are now? It was only in January, of course, 11 at Elland Road.”

The boss replied:

“Yeah, it can change quick. Yeah, that’s just, that’s just the way the game goes, you know, you can be in or you can be out, or results can go one way, can go the other way, and players are fit and in form. The game flips and that’s why we can never take anything for granted. And you kind of live in the present and what’s coming up next week and keep trying to improve.”

“Because, yeah, I only went and played Elland Road once and it was a League Cup game many years ago, so I’m not really actually taking part in the fixture an awful lot, but watched it over the years from afar, from previous, and to be involved in it now is pretty special.”

Did he watch it in Barbados?

“I watched a bit of the game, yeah.”

“And when it finished and after the game, of course. Was there any thought in your head at that stage, what might transpire beyond?” the reporter asked.

“No, not particularly, no. I think obviously I watched the games and supported from afar, but now I think there wasn’t really any sign of it at that stage. So I was supporting from afar and enjoying time with the family.”

More to follow … please refresh regularly.

Read every word of the first part of the press conference here.

Featured image James Fearn via Getty Images

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