Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick has been quizzed on a number of topics during the second part of his press conference to preview Monday's game against Brentford.
The boss talked about the dynamic with his staff, having a cup of tea with Sir Jim Ratcliffe, planning for the summer and whether Matthijs de Ligt can return before the season is out.
Here is everything he had to say in the embargoed section of his briefing at Carrington...
You’ve obviously bought your coaching staff with you, I’m guessing those guys want some kind of clarity, they’re all at different stages of their careers. Have you spoken to them or have they spoken to you what the summer might hold? Do you envisage staying together as a coaching group and have you had to have chats with them about what might happen?
“No, listen, we're very close. Even though we came together specifically for the role here, we're all very clear in terms of what it looks like. It's not something that we need to overly discuss, to be honest. I think we're all on the same page. We know it. It's pretty obvious, you know. I keep saying the same things in some ways every week, but it is what is. We're alright, we're fine with that, and the coaches are fine with that.”
Whatever happens, would you like to carry on working with those guys, wherever that might be?
“Sometimes you connect with people and you get on and you work together and you work well. For me, it is all about people, whether that's players or staff or supporters, family, whatever it is. I think connecting with people is really important to try to get the best out of each other. I have to say the staff have been absolutely top class in different ways, different personalities, different roles. To come together in a coaching office that's not much bigger than the desk, to be around the desk, day in and day out, when it's new and it's fresh takes a lot of effort, but credit to everyone, it's been all positive since we came together in January.”
There is a lot of talk about the midfield for the summer. But just at centre-back, Harry [Maguire] has signed a new deal and you have two young defenders in Leny [Yoro] and Ayden [Heaven]. Just on [Lisandro] Martinez and De Ligt, Martinez has made 62 starts in nearly four full seasons, he’s not been on the pitch enough. De Ligt has been out since November. Is that, potentially looking at the Champions League next year, an area on the pitch you might have to look at? Can you also let us know the latest on De Ligt?“It's not an area of concern for me at this moment in time. At the moment and timing wise, talking about the summer and what goes beyond that, it's difficult to elaborate on that really.
Licha’s missing games for different reasons at the minute, which we won't go into, but I understand why you are asking it. But no, I haven't got concerns. I think we've got a mixed blend there of experience, of real quality and some young - I'd say more than talented really – two promising, young players that have already shown what they can do. I thought Ayden was fantastic last week in such a difficult game. I haven't got concerns. What the future looks like, I can't really get involved, because I’m not sure myself what that looks like. In terms of Matthijs, he’s working towards being fit again. He's doing a little bit on the grass and it's progress, but there is not much else I can say. It's one of those injuries and he's rehabbing, he's working to get fit. So we're hoping to have him back as soon as possible. There is not much I can add on that.“
Have you ruled out surgery?
“He's back on the grass at the moment, in a small capacity, but he's working towards it. So that's positive, so yeah, we're all hoping that it keeps going in that direction.”
If you qualified for the Champions League, which you may well do, do you think you can win it next season with the right investment? Because you are Manchester United...
“You've jumped ahead quite quick there, haven't you? No, listen. We're living in the moment. Of course, we want to be there. We're not getting too ahead of it, both ways, you know. We understand this things can go right, things can not go to plan. We know where we are. Last week was a big result for us to put us in the position that we are, but nothing's done yet.”
With regard to your scorers, you haven't yet got anyone double figures in the Premier League. You have five players on eight or nine. Does it matter or would you like to have an 18-20 goalscorer by the end of a season?
“There are different ways to look at it sometimes. To have one scoring an awful lot of goals certainly can help in some ways, but then not relying or expecting one player to just produce the goals, I think being able to share is a good thing for us. Everyone's capable of doing it and chipping in at some point. Someone hits a bit of form and a purple patch and has big moments. It comes around a little bit. I think we got good flexibility within the team for that, whether that's set-plays, transitions, in and around the box, we feel that we’ve got a good mix. I'm okay with that. We'd like to score more goals, of course we would. We'd like to concede fewer goals. That’s football, right? But I think the balance that we've got and sharing the load is a good thing.“
The VAR in City v Arsenal game was the same as your game against Leeds. He deemed Lisandro’s minor hair-pull to be a red card but Gabriel’s headbutt on [Erling] Haaland wasn’t deemed to be a red card. Is that another incident where it is frustrating inconsistency?
“Yeah, I mean, I don't want to comment on other games and other teams and other individuals. I don't think it's right for me to get involved in that. I do think there have been some instances that has made it more difficult to understand how Licha has been suspended and continues to be out.”
Are you talking about the Calvin Bassey incident last week?
“There are other instances, yeah. Listen, I don't want to get involved in it. I don't think it's fair for me to comment on other teams generally, but when you see all the other things, in and around it, for the offence that was allegedly committed and the punishment that's come with that, I don't think it fits it at all. I find it hard to understand, I have to say.”
On a separate note this is going to be the seventh evening game you've managed out of 13. Do you sympathise with match-goers? Does it feel like there have been too many of them?
“Yeah, I mean, I totally understand the difficulty of getting to games at times and for different reasons for transport on timings and throughout the week, I understand that it's not something that we can always control. But, on this season and certainly since I've been here, the schedule has been a little bit unique in some ways. I totally sympathise with the supporters. I have to say, the support last week at Chelsea was special in the moments like that, and hopefully they enjoyed that. They seemed to and we did certainly. So we'd like a little bit more of that, but, without doubt, there's a lot of sympathy for the supporters and the effort and everything that they have to give us to get to games.”
On De Ligt, obviously it’s a difficult one but given there are only five games left, is it fair to say he won’t play again this season?
“I wouldn't say, not at all. No, I’d like to think, I was certainly hoping there is a chance that he can, without putting any pressure on it or deadlines on it. Of course, it's something that we're working towards and he's working towards as well. So, hopefully, it's the case, but there’s certainly no pressure overly to get him back, he needs to come back at the right time when he's ready.”
Obviously, there were some comings and goings this summer. He’s not played for so long, are you still happy that he has a big future at this football club?
“Well, again, like I've just said, I think we're talking about the summer and beyond. I think it's difficult for me to sit here and make judgements and comment on that. We just want him to get back fit. I think, as any footballer, to be out and missing football matches and not being able to train is a difficult time. It's probably one of the toughest times that you go through as a professional. Obviously, we're helping him through that, supporting him through that, and trying to get them back as quickly as we can.”
I believe Jim [Ratcliffe] was in at Carrington this week. Did you had a chance to talk to him at all? There is plenty to discuss at the moment...
“Yeah, he came in. We had a chat. We had a cup of tea. Casual chat to be honest, it was nice to see him showing his support, obviously. Yeah, that was it. It was quite informal, but it was nice to see him.”
It feels like a good thing to have an owner who is across what the current situation is at Carrington...
“Yeah, I think, as a football club, we're hugely connected all the way through. I think it's a big part and I’m really conscious of that's how it should be, and I am trying to do my part with that, as well as is everybody else. So, I've felt that since I've been here since January, for sure.”
Just, how important is it for a club like this to be in the Champions League every season? Not just financially but also the prestige. Is this the sort of club that should be in the Champions League most, if not all seasons?
“It's certainly where want to be. We've had some success in the competition. We've had some great occasions and great nights in the competition, and it's, without doubt, where want to be. I think you can never take it for granted and just assume that's where you should be. It’s part of football and performance where you need to earn it. Simple as that, you need to earn it. At the moment, we're in a decent position. There's, hopefully, more to come as well, and we want to keep pushing, but it just shows you how difficult it can be to be at the top, to stay at the top, to live at the top. Champions League's definitely where we want to be.”
You've said in the past that you are kind of involved in discussions about the summer, whatever your future may hold. Presumably, are there two sort of sets of plans dictated by the finance of whether or not you are in the Champions League?
“I think, like anything, planning and moving forward of what it could look like, you have to be ahead of the game and not be caught by surprise or reactive. What those plans look like, obviously some of the discussions I've been part of, some of them I am sure are going on to make plans and make the best of whatever happens next season, whatever happens in the summer.”