Michael Carrick is winning more than matches at Manchester United. He is winning the dressing room.
Amad Diallo has gone public with his belief that Carrick is the “right man” to lead United beyond the end of the season, as the interim manager’s impact continues to reshape a campaign that once looked lost.
United, who dismissed Ruben Amorim at the start of the year, initially wanted breathing space before committing to a long-term successor. Carrick was supposed to be a steady hand until May. Instead, he has dragged the club up to third in the Premier League and placed them in control of the race for a Champions League return. The stopgap has become a serious contender.
That shift is being felt inside the camp. Speaking at United’s training base in Dublin, Amad did not hesitate when asked about the man in charge.
“Obviously it’s not for us as a player to decide, but he’s been very great, he’s been doing so much for the team,” Amad said. “He has a lot of experience, he knows the club and has the DNA. We think he’s the right man. We are really happy for what he is doing right now.”
Those are not the cautious, rehearsed lines of players keeping their distance from an interim coach. They sound like a squad that has bought into a project.
Amad highlighted the clarity Carrick has brought since walking into the job in January. The message has been simple and relentless.
“Since he’s arrived he’s been clear to everyone that he wants to win, he wants to reach the Champions League next season, and he’s been working with each player so he’s doing very well and we are really happy to have him as a manager,” the winger added. “Sometimes this kind of manager can bring the club where they belong. From a personal view he’s the right man but it’s not the players who decide.”
That last line matters. The players know the final call will be made in the boardroom, not the dressing room. But the mood music is unmistakable.
Amad is not alone. Bryan Mbeumo, another voice in a squad that has responded to Carrick’s methods, echoed the sentiment.
“We’ve got good experience with him, playing under him as well. It’s not for us to decide but we going to try to take as much as we can from him,” Mbeumo said.
He pointed to Carrick’s deep connection with the club as a decisive factor in how quickly he has settled into the role.
“He knows the journey of the club, he knows how to talk to us as well, I think it’s been easier because he know the place so he has been great to work with,” Mbeumo continued. “I think the club will decide at the end of the season, but my honest opinion is we’re really happy to have Michael Carrick as a manager and he’s doing well.”
That is the backdrop to United’s run-in: a manager on trial, a team surging, and a fanbase watching a familiar figure restore some old standards.
The board wanted time. Carrick is making their decision harder with every passing week.
