Man Utd dysfunction leaves Carrick waiting to learn his fate

LONDON: Michael Carrick drove away from Manchester United's training ground on Tuesday with his future hanging in the balance after the latest contentious move by the troubled club's chaotic hierarchy.

Carrick had awoken to reports that he would be sacked after a torrid start to the season left United languishing in the Premier League relegation zone.

It would be hard for even Carrick's most ardent fan to complain if the axe fell following United's worst opening to a campaign for 40 years.

But, in keeping with the muddled thinking that seems to afflict United's leadership whenever they are faced with a major decision, Carrick got back in his car after Tuesday's training session still none the wiser about his fate.

Rather than put Carrick out of his misery – or hand him an unexpected reprieve – the 45-year-old United boss was left to twist in the wind.

His future will be decided by influential shareholder Jim Ratcliffe, chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox at a meeting in Monaco on Wednesday.

Although it is said that no final call has been made, Berrada and Wilcox are reportedly leaning towards dismissing Carrick.

Ratcliffe and United owners the Glazer family would likely accept that recommendation, plunging the club into yet another managerial crisis.

Weary of their team's steep decline since their last English title in 2013, United fans could be forgiven for feeling a sense of deja vu.

Just two years ago, Erik ten Hag led United out at Wembley for the 2024 FA Cup final against Manchester City amid intense speculation that he would be sacked regardless of the result.

But United's shock win forced Ratcliffe to spend weeks debating Ten Hag's future, including a close-season meeting with Thomas Tuchel in Monaco that ended with the German rejecting the job.

Ten Hag was eventually handed a one-year contract extension prior to the 2024-25 season.

Yet when results dipped at the start of that campaign, he was sacked just three months after being given the new deal.

"They promised me loyalty, they promised me backing, they promised communication. The promises, they didn't keep," Ten Hag fumed.

It was a damning indictment of Ratcliffe and his coterie of advisors, including then sporting director Dan Ashworth.

Ashworth's brief role at United underlined the dysfunction gripping the corridors of power at Old Trafford.

Lured from Newcastle, Ashworth lasted just five months before leaving by mutual consent in 2024, reportedly because he disagreed with the decision to hire Ruben Amorim as Ten Hag's replacement.