Michael Carrick Keeps It Classy With First Words Post-Man Utd Firing

Michael Carrick released his first statement since being dismissed as Manchester United manager, taking to social media to send an emotional message to the club and its supporters.

The 45-year-old was eventually given his marching orders on Thursday following a dismal start to the season which has left the Red Devils 18th in the Premier League standings, with just one victory from 10 matches played.

The bizarre 4–4 draw with Aston Villa was the final nail in Carrick’s coffin, with United’s hierarchy utilizing the November international break to dismiss their former midfielder and replace him with U.S. men’s national team manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Despite the sour end to his tenure, Carrick insisted he’s “incredibly grateful” for the opportunity to lead the club he adores, and took time to thank the staff, players and fans for their commitment.

“I’ve had the immense privilege of leading Manchester United, the football club that I love,” Carrick wrote on Instagram. “There are very few who get to live that and feel it, and for that I’m incredibly grateful.

“With that comes huge responsibility, and to be at Manchester United, you need to understand exactly what that means. It’s different to anywhere else.

“Ultimately, you need to push to be the best, but there is a culture, there are values and there are behaviors that you have to live by and respect, which have been built over a long period of time. It’s a football club that is unique, with substance and history that cannot be ignored. This is what inspired me every single day.

“I want to say a big thank you to the supporters. I must say, you are a special, rare breed.

“We’ve had some great times this year and moments we’ll all remember. The best thing about being in my position was seeing so many of you lose yourselves in the emotion of those moments, leaving the stadium desperate to come back again next time.

“I just wanted to give you something back. That love never dies.

“I know we’ve not had the results lately, but you’ve shown me nothing but love and support in times when the easiest thing, and what most end up doing, would be to turn the other way. That means more than a win or two. That’s what makes you who you are. That’s why I fell in love with this club all those years ago.

“A special thank you to my coaching staff. You gave me everything you had, every single day, and I couldn’t have asked for any more. I’m incredibly grateful for your loyalty, hard work and support throughout. To all the staff behind the scenes, thank you for everything you do for this football club. So much of your work goes unseen, but it never goes unappreciated.

“And to the players, thank you for your efforts and the moments we’ve shared. I wish you all the very best for what’s ahead.

“I want nothing but success for Manchester United. This club has been such a big part of my life and that will never change. I’ll always be proud to have played my part and I’ll always want the very best for it. I’ll be right there with you from now on, watching from the sidelines, cheering the lads on.”

Support for Carrick has come from a likely source as his former United and England teammate Gary Neville launched an incredible tirade condemning how the club handled his dismissal.

Despite reports of his imminent departure leaking on Monday, Carrick wasn’t actually fired for another three days, and was even forced to take first-team training on Tuesday and Wednesday as he awaited his fate. Eventually, the club’s CEO, Omar Berrada, and director of football, Jason Wilcox, informed Carrick face-to-face, after holding talks with co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe in Monaco.

“In the last 24–48 hours, it’s been spectacularly bad to be in Monaco as an executive and an owner whilst your manager, who’s a club legend, is taking training on the pitch and simultaneously approaching the U.S. Soccer Federation to approach Mauricio Pochettino,” Neville fumed on Sky Sports News.

“It’s just quite simply disgusting. That falls well below the standard of what you would expect in any other business, in any other industry. It would be constructive dismissal and you’d be getting sued.

“The optics of being in Monaco whilst the team, the staff, the people who are running the club on a day-to-day basis are in Manchester, it’s just not good and it reflects badly on the leadership. I don’t think anybody comes out of this well at all.”

Carrick masterminded United’s resurgence and Champions League qualification as interim manager with his back-to-basics approach last season, leaning heavily on positive vibes and simple instructions to rejuvenate a group of his players which were left exhausted by the tactical complexities of Ruben Amorim’s system.

However, after just three wins from 15 matches this season and with United sitting in the relegation zone, there was really no choice but to part ways with Carrick—even if the situation was handled appallingly.