Manchester United have sacked Michael Carrick, and Mauricio Pochettino is finalising a deal to replace him. Carrick’s departure came on Thursday, after a week in which the club’s intentions became clear to him and his representatives well before the announcement.
On Monday, according to well-placed sources, chief executive Omar Berrada contacted Carrick’s agent to say that he and director of football Jason Wilcox would travel to Monaco for a planned meeting with co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe. The head coach’s future would form part of that discussion. A day later, Wilcox is believed to have held a similar conversation with Carrick. On both occasions, it was communicated that a recommendation about Carrick’s future would be made. It is not clear whether Carrick and his representatives understood that the recommendation would be his dismissal.
A three-game deadline
Following heavy defeats by Como and Bournemouth, United placed huge importance on their next three matches, against Chelsea, Roma and Aston Villa. The club’s leadership team made it clear to Carrick that results and performances had to improve. A defeat, a victory and a draw were not enough to save him. Internally, there was a feeling that progress had been insufficient across that period, particularly in team structure, and United conceded eight goals in those three games.
Carrick leaves with his reputation intact, particularly among supporters, and he handled the turmoil of recent days with great dignity. When United first appointed him on an interim basis following the sacking of Ruben Amorim in January, he had an immediate positive impact on the squad and on results. The club valued his messaging to players and the media, and felt he brought calm to a difficult situation and protected his players at every opportunity. On the pitch, the hierarchy believed his style gave the forwards more freedom, and United won 12 of their last 17 matches of the season.
That form earned him a shot at the job on a permanent basis. The 45-year-old signed a two-year contract, although United protected themselves contractually in the event of an early termination. The aim was to give the players managerial stability at a time when the club had seen considerable turnover of head coaches in recent years. However, the season began poorly with a defeat at newly promoted Hull City, and the team’s fortunes declined steadily from there. United are third from bottom of the Premier League and 17th in the Champions League table.
Pochettino’s route back to club football
Talks with Pochettino have been ongoing since Monday. Sources indicate that United were aware of a $10m (£7m) release clause in his contract with the United States national team, and one source suggested that representatives of the Argentine informed the Premier League club of it. On Wednesday, Berrada contacted the US Soccer Federation to confirm the clause’s existence and United’s intention to activate it. The news reportedly did not surprise those across the Atlantic, as Pochettino had been open with his employers about his talks with United and, most importantly, his desire to return to the Premier League.
United want Pochettino in place as soon as possible, but they are respecting the USA’s commitments. The team still has two fixtures against Haiti, the second of which takes place on 18 November. If Pochettino takes charge of that match, he is expected to be at United’s Carrington headquarters on 19 November, four days before the club face Liverpool.