Carrick Over Ole: Why Carras is Man United's smartest interim choice

After Ruben Amorim's overdue exit, the response will feel familiar: panic, quick fixes, and chasing a big name that sounds like the answer. 

But this moment calls for something different. This is not about grand promises or complete tactical changes. This is about making sure the club does not hurt its future while trying to fix its present.

That is why Michael Carrick, quiet and unfashionable, might be the most sensible interim manager United can appoint until summer following the Athletic's report the former midfielder is set to be named as the new man at Old Trafford.

Manchester United's main problem is not a lack of ideas. It is too many ideas, changing every eighteen months.

Players have been told to press high, then sit deep. To control the game, then just survive. To play freely, then play it safe. The result? A squad that looks confused about what good football even means anymore.

The next few months should not be about bringing in another big tactical system. They should be about calming things down, bringing back basic structure, and keeping the squad ready for whoever comes next.

Carrick fits that need better than any other option.

Carrick does not need to prove his power. He already has respect.

He understands the club without being stuck in the past. He has learned from modern coaching, worked under top managers, and shown at Middlesbrough that he values structure, spacing, and patience over chaos.

As interim manager, his approach would likely be straightforward:

Fewer tactical experiments. Clear roles that players repeat. A solid defensive shape instead of exhausting pressing. Possession with a purpose, not just passing for the sake of it.

This is not about being brilliant. This is about cutting down mistakes that come from confusion.

Compare that to other internal options.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would bring familiarity, goodwill, and emotional comfort. He knows the club, understands the pressure, and still has strong ties with parts of the fanbase and dressing room.

But Ole represents the past, not a fresh start.

His return would bring back old arguments and wounds rather than set new standards. The football would likely drift back to relying on moments instead of systems, counterattacks instead of control. It would feel safe, until it does not.

Darren Fletcher, the caretaker, despite his leadership and high standards, simply is not ready for the tactical demands and media pressure of the role.

Carrick, by comparison, does not make things more intense. He calms them down.

This is the most important part. Carrick does not take over the future.

He does not force the club to make him permanent too quickly. He does not demand signings built only around his style. He does not need political support to justify why he got the job.

He buys time properly.

That matters if United is serious about making a smart summer appointment, whether that is a proven winner like Zinedine Zidane, a possession expert like Roberto De Zerbi, or a disciplined manager like Thomas Tuchel.

A good interim manager does not audition for the permanent job. He prepares things for whoever comes next.

Yes, Carrick lacks the intimidating presence of bigger names. Yes, he will not dominate headlines or create excitement. And yes, if results drop, criticism will continue.

But this is where United must finally show maturity.

If the club clearly says that Carrick is a short-term bridge, backs him publicly, and keeps goals simple, he becomes a smart choice, not a weak compromise.

Manchester United does not need an interim manager who promises change. The club needs someone who prevents more damage.

Michael Carrick offers calm without weakness, continuity without being stuck, and clarity without ego.

For a club trying desperately to remember who it is, sometimes the smartest move is not to shout louder, but to steady the room.

Carrick will not define Manchester United's future. But he might just stop it from getting worse.