Wayne Rooney says interim manager Michael Carrick is “the right choice at this moment” for Manchester United to “steady the ship”.
On Tuesday, United confirmed that Michael Carrick will take over from Ruben Amorim until the end of the season.
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Rooney and Carrick were teammates at Old Trafford, playing 366 times together and winning five Premier League titles.
“It’s probably an obvious choice because I don’t think there are any top managers available at the moment,” he told the latest episode of the BBC’s The Wayne Rooney Show.
“I think it’s the right choice at this moment.
“It’s certainly a tall order. The position United are in is not a good place and Michael has to go in and steady the ship.”
Carrick’s short-term appointment still leaves questions about who the board will turn to in the summer.
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Xavi Alonso, who left Real Madrid on Monday, and England manager Thomas Tuchel are among the names that have been suggested.
“Alonso’s performance at Leverkusen was unbelievable and I think you have more chances of him sitting back, waiting and hoping [Liverpool manager Arne] Slot machines,” Rooney said.
“Tuchel is someone I like. He knows the Premier League and has won trophies. He has done well in England. Time will tell.”
“Don’t be fooled by Carrick’s ‘coolness'”
Carrick played 464 games for Manchester United in 12 years and played 3 games as the club’s caretaker manager in 2021, recording 2 wins and 1 draw.
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The 44-year-old coached Middlesbrough between 2002 and 2005.
“Michael is very funny. He’s a great character, but don’t be fooled by how calm he looks,” Rooney said.
“He can have fun too, but make no mistake, he’s going in with all his focus right now.”
United have won just one of their past six games and sit seventh in the Premier League.
Carrick’s first assignment comes on Saturday (12:30 GMT) when City make the short trip to Old Trafford.
“It’s an important game for the club, for Michael,” Rooney said.
“I think what he has to do is bring a little bit of composure and courage to the game, which I think is needed. It’s going to be very difficult, Manchester City are obviously a top team and it’s going to be difficult to get anything out of it even at Old Trafford.”
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“But as we’ve seen over the years, if Manchester United turn up they can win the game and hopefully that will happen on Saturday.”
Carrick and Holland will bring ‘organization’
Steve Holland was sacked in April after just four months at the helm of Japanese club Yokohama Marinos [Getty Images]
Carrick has hired former England assistant Steve Holland as his number two, with Jonathan Woodgate, Jonny Evans and Travis Binnion also on his staff.
Holland helped England to a fourth-place finish at the 2018 World Cup under Southgate and runners-up at Euros 2020 and 2024.
“I was really impressed with his tactics, the way he worked and his organization in England,” Rooney said.
“Steve Holland does all the training, Gareth Southgate doesn’t really do it, he’s more of a manager and Steve does all the training.
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“I think Michael and Steve will bring an organization to Manchester United and I’m sure we’ll see on Saturday that they will be harder to beat.”