‘Carrick is still the right guy’ – Ex-Man United star offers support for struggling boss

Former Manchester United defender Jaap Stam has backed Michael Carrick to overcome his difficult start to the season, urging the club’s hierarchy to give the head coach more time.

Stam believes Carrick’s understanding of United’s culture and relationships within the club make him the right man to lead their recovery despite mounting pressure.

United have collected just six points from their opening six Premier League matches and suffered an early Carabao Cup exit against Brighton, intensifying scrutiny of Carrick’s position. A 2-0 Champions League defeat away to Atletico Madrid, following a 4-0 victory over Sabah in their European opener, has added to the pressure, with Antonio Conte reportedly among the names linked with the job.

However, Stam believes the club must resist the temptation to make another managerial change, arguing that modern football offers coaches less time to build successful teams than they enjoyed during Sir Alex Ferguson’s reign at Old Trafford.

“Back in the day, when Sir Alex was leading the troops, I think they still had a little bit more time to work with a team, to build a team, to eventually have success. Nowadays, it's very difficult for a manager to get that time to be successful over the long term,” Stam said.

The former Netherlands international also pointed to the difficulties experienced by previous United managers, including Jose Mourinho, David Moyes, Louis van Gaal and Erik ten Hag.

Their struggles, he argued, demonstrate that appointing an experienced coach does not automatically guarantee success, making patience with the current manager particularly important.

Stam believes Carrick’s familiarity with United’s traditions and his relationships with the players and club hierarchy give him an advantage as he attempts to improve results.

“I think Michael is still the right guy to do so. You need to have a guy who is close to the players. He knows the players, he knows the culture of the club, he's in a good understanding with the people upstairs on the board, and they give him confidence and time so he can work it out,” he added.

The former United defender acknowledged that Carrick must demonstrate he has a clear plan, including identifying the right players to recruit during upcoming transfer windows.

However, Stam remains convinced that the head coach can deliver better results, pointing to his work last season as evidence of his ability.

With United struggling to find consistency, Carrick faces growing pressure to translate that confidence into performances on the pitch, especially with a tricky calendar that includes fixtures against Como, Bournemouth, Chelsea, Roma, and Aston Villa coming before the November international break.