Quiet Resolve: Carrick Shuts Out the Naysayers in United Debut
16 January 2026
First Test, No Time for Old News
Carrick ignores the noise of the past as he starts United.
Michael Carrick, newly appointed United manager, described the uproar from former stars as irrelevant, insisting Roy Keane's public remarks did not unsettle him. He also inherits the famous number 16 shirt, a nod to his long spell with the club.
His appointment linked him to a past rooted in success, including five Premier League titles and a Champions League triumph, but memories of a 2014 defeat to Olympiakos, and a social media flare from Lisa Carrick, lingered.
Keane has not forgotten the moment, describing it as the mouthy episode during evaluations of new Old Trafford appointments on the Stick to Football podcast this week.
Keane's criticisms did not stop there; he questioned Jonny Evans' inclusion in Carrick's coaching staff, along with former England assistant Steve Holland and Jonathan Woodgate, who had worked with Carrick at Middlesbrough.
Carrick told BBC that the pressure was not something he would chase, adding that there are many opinions, some positive and some not, but none are truly relevant to what he is focusing on.
He said there were no fixed targets for his first 17 games, though European qualification would be a step forward, and that he has spoken with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and several Glazer family members at a Carrington board meeting, while dialogue with Jason Wilcox and Omar Berada continues.
Carrick ended by saying the owners were present at the club's Carrington HQ, and it was good to meet them; they wished the staff well as they move forward.
Final punchline: if Carrick can quiet the noise with a calm grin, imagine what he can do with a 2-0 win—basically a victory lap for the stadium. This season might be easier to navigate than a snow globe.
