Gary Neville has new fear about Man Utd making Michael Carrick permanent boss | Football | Sport

Gary Neville says that Manchester United should cast their net wider than Michael Carrick in their hunt for a permanent head coach given the current state of affairs at the summit of the Premier League. The former Red Devils defender reckons his old club have a “genuine opportunity” to claim the title within the next couple of seasons given that the other elite English sides have their own concerns to address.

Carrick is viewed as a leading candidate to remain as head coach on a permanent basis after guiding the club to the brink of Champions League qualification with nine victories from his 13 matches in charge, but United are still anticipated to weigh up all available options before making an appointment.

Carrick was formerly part of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer‘s coaching setup at Old Trafford, with the 44-year-old’s sole prior managerial experience coming in the Championship with Middlesbrough.

And while some consider Carrick is now the frontrunner for the role on a permanent basis after helping rescue Manchester United‘s campaign, Neville has made a case for appointing a ‘world-class’ manager given where some of the club’s competitors currently stand, questioning whether Carrick is the right individual to capitalise on the present Premier League landscape.

Speaking on The Overlap Fan Debate, brought to you by Sky Bet, about whether United now have a genuine chance, Neville said: “If he beds the foundations in over another year – good principles, good culture, the club happier again, the staff trusting him because everyone would trust Michael Carrick and love him – you could then go and make a bigger appointment. That could be applied.

“But then there’s another part of me that thinks: Arsenal aren’t brilliant. They’re better than United, but Liverpool are just shaking a little bit. Chelsea are all over the place.

“Tottenham are all over the place. If Manchester City were to be found guilty of some of the more serious charges, there is a genuine opportunity to win the league in the next year or two.

“There aren’t that many things happening up there right now – it is as poor at the top as it has been for a while. Who is the best person to go and try to exploit that potential window? And is Michael the right person for that, or is it someone else? That’s the confusion I’ve got.

“I was adamant, four months ago before Ole, Ruud, and Michael were all interviewed for the role: please, whatever happens, do not appoint any of them at the end of the season.

“Bring one in now, stabilise the club, then put someone world-class in who has a great coaching pedigree. That’s where I was three or four months ago. Why am I changing now just because of some results?”

Neville’s former United team-mate, Paul Scholes, also appears to harbour doubts about handing Carrick the permanent head coach role beyond the summer.

He noted that Carrick has yet to contend with the demands of European football, and that the success he achieves now will make the job considerably more demanding next season for whoever takes the helm.

On the question of whether Carrick should be handed the role on a permanent basis, Scholes said: “I don’t know. It’s not straightforward, is it? From what’s happening now – just playing Premier League games – to the start of next season is a totally different challenge.

“Suddenly, you’re playing three cup competitions, playing Saturday-Wednesday. That’s a big deal for him in terms of getting the job next year, and he should maybe question himself seriously about whether he wants it.

“They’ve got to get players in as well. If they can get [them into] Champions League football, I think that’ll enable us to move forward.”