Ronaldo’s Carrick verdict looks even better with hindsight

When Manchester United are wobbling, as they so often do these days, old quotes have a nasty habit of resurfacing and biting everyone on the backside. And that’s exactly what’s happened with Michael Carrick, whose name is back in the frame after a rough spell in the dugout and Cristiano Ronaldo’s glowing old verdict on him has popped up again.

Ronaldo made it abundantly clear he rated Carrick as coach material when the two were at Old Trafford, saying the former midfielder was a “class act” as a player and had every chance of becoming a great manager. That was no throwaway line either — this was Ronaldo, a man who’s played under, alongside and against just about everyone, giving Carrick a proper thumbs-up.

Carrick’s managerial journey has had its highs and lows. He started impressively at Middlesbrough, steadying the ship and dragging them away from any relegation panic. But the second season never quite matched the early promise, and he eventually moved on in June 2025. Before that, of course, he had his brief but eye-catching stint as United caretaker in 2021, when he temporarily took charge of a dressing room that still had Ronaldo in it.

A short spell, but one that left a mark

People forget just how tidy Carrick’s first run in the United hotseat was. He came in after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer departed in November 2021 and immediately delivered a Champions League win over Villarreal, with Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho striking late to seal qualification. Then came that excellent 3-2 victory over Arsenal, a result that made Carrick look far more composed than many expected.

His interim spell was brief, but it was the sort of cameo that leaves you wondering what might have been if the club had given him a longer crack at it. Three games, two wins and a draw is a decent return by any measure, especially when you’re facing sides managed by the likes of Unai Emery, Thomas Tuchel and Mikel Arteta.

Why Ronaldo’s praise still matters

Ronaldo and Carrick played together 127 times in the Premier League, and that partnership yielded some seriously strong results. In fact, the pair’s points-per-game record was the best Carrick enjoyed with any teammate he played alongside at least 50 times. That tells you plenty about the trust and understanding between them.

And Ronaldo was not the only one who saw the intelligence in Carrick’s game. Louis van Gaal once referred to him as his “trainer coach during the game”, while Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, Xavi and Xabi Alonso all sang his praises. That’s a pretty elite list of football minds tipping their cap.

The Telegraph even once called him the most underrated player of his generation, which feels about right. Carrick was never flashy, never one for theatrics, but he had the sort of brain and technique that coaches love. No surprise, then, that his own style in the dugout has leaned towards calm possession, building from the back and trying to control the pitch rather than simply chase chaos.

United’s mood turns sour again

Of course, football being football, a good early impression counts for very little if the results later go south. United’s current slump has seen the atmosphere turn ugly again, and that familiar sense of crisis is hanging over the club. The irony is obvious: the same supporters who once loved Carrick the player are now left debating whether his managerial ceiling is high enough at the top level.

Still, Ronaldo’s belief in him is worth remembering. If one of the game’s fiercest competitors thought Carrick had the makings of a top coach, that’s not nothing. Whether he can prove it over time is another matter entirely — and at Old Trafford, time is usually the one thing nobody is ever given enough of.

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