How Michael Carrick has won Man Utd job: Trust, bravery and with players ready to DIE for him

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The coronation of Michael Carrick might just be the worst kept secret in English football. But it will also be the best decision Manchester United have made in a long time.

Time will tell if he can lead the fallen giants back to being Premier League and European kings again. But in a world of knee-jerk reactions, vanity projects and absurd decisions, those who run one of the biggest clubs on the planet have had an outbreak of common sense.

In the end, there was no choice but to give the manager's job to Carrick on a permanent basis. It's not a done deal yet. But it should be in the coming weeks. And it will represent a choice of logic over the lure of landing someone with more stardust, like Luis Enrique or Thomas Tuchel.

Because Carrick rode to the rescue when United were drowning in their own delusion and despair. He walked into a madhouse and replaced chaos with calm.

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He also brought some class to a calamitous scenario, one which had resulted in Ruben Amorim signing his own managerial death warrant, following his rambling rant at Elland Road.

What Carrick lacks in personality and charisma, he makes up for with intelligence and understanding. Proof of this was his decision to appoint former England No.2 Steve Holland as his assistant. Holland is regarded as one of the brightest brains in football.

It still took a brave man to accept the challenge of dragging United out of the deep and dark hole they'd gotten themselves into. Not least considering the first challenge was to meet Pep Guardiola and Manchester City head on at Old Trafford.

The second one was to visit league leaders Arsenal at the Emirates.

No problem. United won both games and played with the kind of adventure and bravery that had been too absent for too long.

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United have gone on to despatch Aston Villa, Chelsea and bitter rivals Liverpool as well. There has been the odd blip, of course, but Carrick has transformed the attitude, work rate and application of a team which had lost all sense of direction under Amorim. Not to mention its respect for the Portuguese coach.

United have lacked stability in recent seasons - and Carrick has provided some in abundance. The squad and supporters like him, while joint owners the Glazers and Sir Jim Ratcliffe trust him.

It remains to be seen if club bosses have canvassed opinions from within the dressing room. But Ratcliffe & Co don't have to.

Because when the chance has come along, those Carrick has inspired on the field have not hesitated to back him.

Kobbie Mainoo, who owes the fact his United career has been saved to Carrick, said earlier this month the players "wanted to die for him".

More compliments came from the likes of Casemiro, Amad Diallo, Matheus Cunha and captain Bruno Fernandes. A harmonious dressing room results in a winning one, and Carrick has cracked the code for now.

There will be greater challenges ahead next season, like the demands of European football in the shape of the Champions League. And it remains to be seen if Carrick can succeed at this elite level.

But no-one more than him deserves the chance to prove he can.

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