Manchester United, the English soccer club, is set to appoint current first-team coach Michael Carrick as interim manager, the sport’s world governing body said Tuesday.
The Dutch journalist Eberhard Kuhn first broke the news of the move in his blog earlier in the day.
Carrick, a midfielder and assistant coach, has been at United since 2013, having previously played for Chelsea and Tottenham. The player is making no secret of his shock at the news, and posted a message on Twitter this morning.
As expected, Michael Carrick will be in charge of the squad for tomorrow’s League Cup game against Rochdale. pic.twitter.com/6xBCKd1HdQ — Manchester United (@ManUtd) November 4, 2015
Sports Illustrated reported:
#LFC, Carrick confirmed tonight that he will be technical director for Thursday’s League Cup game against Rochdale — Zdravko Mavrodis (@zdravko) November 4, 2015
Michael Carrick has been given the job of interim manager. A few curious twists there, assuming the National Premier League is playing the League Cup tonight anyway. — Martin Rose (@manchesterunitedmet) November 4, 2015
The appointment comes a little more than a week after Louis van Gaal — who had until now taken the reins at United for 3.5 years — was relieved of his duties as manager. Having failed to win the Premier League since 2013, the club chairman, Ed Woodward, felt that changes needed to be made. According to the Guardian, Woodward met with the coach on Sunday to let him know he would be fired. Van Gaal will reportedly take a two-week break in Dubai before starting his job interview process as the next manager of Manchester United.
Carrick will make his managerial debut in Rochdale’s (lower league) fourth round League Cup match.