297: Carrick DEAL DONE! Neves BID!?

0:00Save big money on everything for your next project when you shop at Menards. Get your project started right with our huge selection of concrete and mortar mixes. Our concrete products are great for a variety of applications, from installing a walkway to setting a post. View our entire selection of concrete mixes and supplies in-store and on Menards.com. Plus, check out the weekly flyer for more great deals happening now. Save big money at Menards. Hello everybody, good morning, welcome to the United Stands. I'm in the studio and we've got a here we go. It's not a surprising one, it's Michael Carrick, but a lot to unpack on the morning show this morning.

0:41Could United be bidding for Ruben Neves? We'll also talk about what the plan should be for Manchester United over the next few months and also post Carrick. Some interesting stuff about loss of revenue, how does that fit in? and I've got a very good list to read you about why optimism should not be the order of the day at Manchester United. But first of all, I think there is a responsibility to say welcome to Michael Carrick as our interim manager for the remainder of the season. It's going to be very interesting to see what he can do. I mean, I've heard some people describe it as, you know, exciting optimism.

1:16I mean, come on, let's get real here. that, you know, before we get into that, though, Michael Carrick, let's hope he can come in and do a job. Jonathan Woodgate and his brother, I think, are going to be part of his backroom staff with Johnny Evans and Darren Fletcher. It's no surprise. I mean, I think we've, over the last 24 hours, realised that Man United are going with Michael Carrick. Thankfully, it's not Solskjaer. And I think, as I said yesterday, out of all the choices, that's probably the best one. I don't think there's any guarantees with it, if I'm being completely honest. I don't think there's any guarantees that it's going to work.

1:50I think it's going to be very, very difficult, but I still think there's good players at Man United when you think about Ahmad and Bermot, Masrawi to come back, Bruno, De Ligt, you know, we've got some good players and hopefully we can get European football. But beyond welcome to Manchester United, Michael Carrick as an interim, I don't really have any excitement about it. I mean, look, the reason for that is, I would say this, is loads of people messaged me last night saying, oh God, you know, the United stands the only one keeping it real, You know, you've got people out there talking about optimism and how things might get better.

2:21I mean, I would hope they do get better. I mean, I would hope they do get better based on the last week where you've got people out there buying midfielders when we need midfielders. We're sacking a manager a year into a project because he's fell out with the board. But this is my issue and I'm going to steal this. So when people talk about optimism and people talk about, you know, this could be the start of something at Manchester United. I think that my big statement that I wanted to bring in, and I've completely messed that up because I'm not on my desktop. How do we do this? Profile. OK, likes.

2:57God, I like my gran. OK, this is what I wanted to read. It was a tweet that went out from Marco Alcaraz, which I've stolen. Two years of Ineos, sacked two managers, 15th league finish, sacked Dan Ashworth, first round EFL Cup exit, first round FA Cup exit,£500 million wasted on two managers, laid off half the workforce, written off two seasons in January, no midfielders bought. and you think, you know what? Yeah, I'm dead optimistic. I'm dead optimistic about an interim manager coming in halfway through a season where the January transfer window should be about buying players. We're buying nobody.

3:35We're sacking a manager and we're bringing an interim in who used to play for the team. And we've sacked two managers, spent£500 million. We're out of both cups in the first round. We've sacked half the workforce. We're 15th in the league last season. We've sacked Dan Ashworth. We've written off two seasons by January. We've bought no midfielders. how anybody can sit there with their face and say, oh, I'm optimistic about the future of Manchester United. You know what? It's a little bit like your wife and kids have left you. Your family doesn't want anything to do with you. Your boss has sacked you.

4:04You're messaging all your friends and they're blanking you. But you get home from work, you put UK gold on and there's a classic episode of Only Fools and Horses. I mean, is that not the reality of what we're in? If we're getting excited about an old player coming back, you know, oh, there's something good on the telly. look at the carnage around you that's the way I feel about Manchester United at the moment so look welcome to the club Michael Carrick I wanted Ruben Amrim to do well under the glazes I can I can support a manager and I can support a team whilst having no faith or trust in the ownership and I think some people do struggle with that it's all or nothing and I think that's why some people are trying to be optimistic because they can't do nuance they can't be supportive of the club and the manager but hate what the club what the owners and the board are doing to the club i can some of you can so the pressure needs to stay on um but hopefully michael carrick and uh his team can get us some points because it's embarrassing you know it's embarrassing i was reading something from i'll give the exact figures in a minute but they're talking about the saudi friendlies again because we've got two sat two weekends free one in february and one in march because it's FA Cup weekends and we're not in it.

5:15We've got loads of midweeks free because we're not in Europe. We've had loads of midweeks free because we're not in the Carabao Cup like this week. It's amazing how unfit our players have been this year because the amount of games we've played is pitiful. So they're now looking at the Saudi league again, not the Saudi league, the Saudi friendlies again to try and get some money in. But the warning sign for that is that the athletic, I mean, whatever you say about The Athletic, The Athletic are a massive organisation. So they don't just report on Man United. But when it comes to the journalists associated with The Athletic, some of them just feed Glazer propaganda, in my opinion.

5:55Because they've done a piece this morning and they're talking about in the summer, Man United are going to go for two midfielders with Elliot Anderson and Adam Wharton and Carlos Beleba as their primary targets. And I go, what level of idiot do you have to be to believe that then? You know, why would Elliot Anderson come to Man United? We don't know who the manager's going to be. We don't know whether we're going to be in Europe. You know, why would he come to Man United? Why would Adam Wharton come to Manchester United? And where do we get the money from? Where do we get the money from? I think it was James Ducker who said this, that, and again, I wish I'd not just gone off this, but I was looking at this earlier.

6:29I thought it's a really good thing to bring in. Manchester United won't have a game between facing West Ham on February the 10th and February the 10th and Everton on February the 23rd. So between those dates offer potential for mid-season friendlies. Also no game between Newcastle. OK, we've done that one. But this is the main bit. Man United's early exits from the Cup will financially hit the club and could strengthen the prospect of money spinning mid-season friendlies. 30 home games last season saw matchday income reach£160 million. Only 20 home games this season will see matchday revenues drop by tens of millions.

7:01So we're talking about, right, we've just sacked a manager, which has cost us money. we've not bought anybody in January and we probably won't although there is a story about Neves to talk about they're talking about two midfielders who are worth 80 million pounds each so 160 million pounds are going to get spent on midfielders okay in the summer apparently but factually we might not be in Europe which will be a massive loss factually we're losing money all over the place and factually we're only going to play 20 home games this season compared to 30 last year so if We earned£160 million from home games last year and it's dropping by a third.

7:38That's basically£50 million lost. So we've lost£50 million in a year by not playing games. And that's not European revenue. That's just home match revenue. So we're hemorrhaging money massively. And we're already in debt. And we're meant to believe that there is the appetite and likelihood of us going buying midfielders in January who are worth£80 million. It's bollocks. I think what will happen is these journalists in The Athletic and others are happy to talk shit because they've been told it by the club. So the club are obviously saying to them, yeah, we're not buying anyone in January because we're going for big players in the summer.

8:23and then when we get to April the same journalists will get fed the same thing again where yeah obviously not being in Europe is going to hurt us really hard so you know it's going to be very difficult in the window and you know it's coming that's why I don't take any notice of we're going to buy good players in the summer because it's always the same how many transfer windows have closed and the day after it closes on September the 1st you get an article from the Manchester Evening News or The Athletic saying United intend to spend half a billion next summer It's all just spin to make, you're all just being played.

8:53It's emotional warfare. They're just trying to make you feel positive to defend you from, you know, to protect themselves, basically. It's like, you know, there's a big pile of poo on the floor. Oh, look at the ice cream van. No, look at the ice cream van. Look at the ice cream van. Yeah, no, I can smell the shit, but look at the ice cream van. I'm not buying you one, but look at it. There it is. And that's the tactic, isn't it? It's like Ruben Neves. Look, there was an interesting piece last night. I that Manchester United may go out and buy a midfielder for Michael Carrick in the next couple of weeks.

9:26I think it was Jamie Jackson, the journalist who mentioned Ruben Neves. Now, Ruben Neves is available in the January transfer market for about£15 million. I think he's doing quite well in the Saudi league, but what's the standard there? I don't really know. The incredible thing about going for Ruben Neves is I'm sure Michael Carrick would say yes, but being Portuguese, he would have been perfect for Ruben Amrim. So why didn't you buy Ruben Amrim, Ruben Neves, if we go and get Michael Carrick? But then this morning, you've got Villa being linked to Ruben Neves now because they didn't get Conor Gallagher.

9:58So we could be in a situation where Spurs and Villa, who are technically our rivals. I know Spurs are behind us, but they could catch us. Villa are ahead of us. I mean, we're not even talking Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Man City anymore. We're talking Spurs and Villa, by the way. You know, we're not talking the top four. We're talking the next tier. they're out there buying midfielders we're not but why didn't you do this plan this already you know surely Ruben Amrum was asking for players and you said no now they might go and get Ruben Neves for Michael Carrick but then the Athletic this morning are saying no that's not the case there are no plans to change what the transfer policy was before there was no transfer conversations with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer or Michael Carrick, their plan is to only sign anybody if they can get somebody they want in the summer, which is obviously not going to happen.

10:50It's a double negative. How do you sign a target in the summer that you don't know whether you want? So what the basic saying is we don't want Ruben Neves and we don't want Conor Gallagher because we want Elliot Anderson, right? But they don't even know if they want Elliot Anderson because they don't even know if they can afford him. And again, this is the detail you just don't get in many places. they're pretending that they would only sign a player that they want in the summer in January but they can't afford that player now so it's a lie you know if Elliot Anderson said I want to play for Man United and Forrest said you can have him for 70 million we wouldn't do the deal because we can't we can't do that deal we haven't got the money to do that deal we don't know whether we're going to be in Europe we don't know who the manager is going to be we wouldn't do that deal so it's a smokescreen lie again isn't it well yeah we would be active in January but we'll only be active if a player we want in the summer comes now so who's the player you want in the summer elliot anderson yeah yeah okay he wants to come we haven't got the money why you got the money because we might not be in europe i don't know who the manager's going to be yeah we did lie we're not buying anyone in january we have an idea what we might go for in the summer but only if we hit certain parameters yeah so you're not you you were never going to bring them forward were you no no no so you're just not going to buy a midfielder in january are you no do you think that's a good idea?

12:07Don't know. Doesn't matter. We're only interested in building a stadium. As long as we can kid you all for five years, we're fine. So look, yeah, I mean, the Athletic are now saying that there won't be any activity in January as things stand, and it wasn't part of the conversations with Michael Carrick. So Michael Carrick's got a very difficult job. If you're tuning in a little bit late, it has been, here we go from Fabrizio Romano a few minutes ago. Here we go, Michael Carrick interim to the end of the season. He's got a very difficult job. He's got to work with what he's got, which is not good enough.

12:41I saw one of your comments saying that they disagreed with what I said yesterday, that our midfield's got more work to do now, defending a back two instead of a back three. But somebody said, well, they don't have that much work to do now because they haven't got Bruno Fernandes in the midfield. Yeah, I mean, look, I don't like Bruno in the midfield, but having watched us at the weekend, as sad as it sounds, I think we've said this a few times, I don't like Bruno Fernandes in the midfield, but he was probably playing in the midfield because he's one of the best options, which is why we were talking about signing players.

13:16I don't necessarily think Agathe, Casemiro and Maynou are much better than Bruno in the midfield. So I don't like Bruno in the midfield. He should be playing as a number 10. It's criminal we had to play him in the midfield, but I don't think taking Bruno out of the midfield makes our midfield stronger necessarily. And remember, when we had Bruno as number 10 last. Midfield was getting dominated under 10 Haag with Casemiro and Maynou in it. So it's going to be very difficult for Michael Carrick, I think. Isn't part of the sponsorship deal contingent than I was playing in Europe and we get less if we don't?

13:45You'd think the Glazers would at least care about that. I don't know, Slazy. I don't know how that works in relation to United. But what I do know is, is that if we're not in Europe this summer, then we are definitely going to lose a lot of money. So it's a contradiction to say that we're going to buy two top midfielders in the summer because we won't. Look, what we need is home truths, right? People talk about optimism now that we've got Michael Carrick in charge and they completely, I mean, Michael Carrick in charge is an interim working with the players that he's got until the end of the season.

14:25Ridiculously hard job. You choose to be optimistic about that, but you don't choose to call out the fact that we've sacked two managers, gave them half a billion in the space of 18 months. We've sacked half the workforce. We're crap. We've sacked a director of football. And there is absolutely no vision and we're in a worse position than we were under the glazes. You know, you ignore all that, but you get optimistic about Carrick coming in as an interim. I don't think there's optimism around the club at the moment. I think we need a few home truths. And all these people who talk about, wow, we're going to go and buy these players in the summer.

14:58how are we buying these players? On multiple levels, how are we buying these players? Explain it to me. How are we going to buy players when we can't speak to them and tell them a plan? You're asking them to do it on vibes. Like if I'm Elliot Anderson, I'm being spoken to in early April, maybe late March, and I'm going to get United going, we really, really want you. And all we can offer you is Manchester United, but we promise you this is going to be a really good move. Oh, well, like you promised Van de Beek, like you promised every other player that's come in and flopped at the club. Yeah, I don't think I actually fancy that for my career.

15:37I'm an England starter at the moment, you know. Does Holland as assistant mean Southgate full-time? I don't know what we're talking about there. Carrick at the wheel, says Lara. What's sacking half the workforce got to do with anything, says Neil. What? Sorry, I've just read the most stupidest comment of the day from Neil. What do you mean? What's it got to do with everything? Are you a Manchester United fan? Are we Manchester United? Are we just going to moan about sacking managers or are we going to actually look at the core of what Man United is? You ungrateful, selfish shit. I mean, so you're not bothered about 500 people being sacked who've been working at the club?

16:18That's fine, is it? God, Neil. You should kneel and apologise for that. Absolutely horrible comment to come out with. What's sacking 500 people got to do with anything? I mean, God, you must be bloody ruthless. I hope you've got no pets. Anyway, we'll move on from that idiotic comment. One thing, I was talking about this with the producer, Ryan, before the show started, actually. We were talking about Wilcox's incredible comment. Not comment. I can't remember where it came out from we spoke about it last night I think it was the Athletic again that Jason Wilcox's plan is to build a club on younger players like Sesco and Dorgue and Le Mans etc and we were talking about this this morning and how United seem to be obsessed on a long-term strategy and we know why everything they want to sell you is long-term because the stadium the regeneration will be great in 10 years time we'll be great in eight years time so yeah buy young players it's almost it's always the most stupid football strategy in the world because they know it's going to take years to build the stadium and then if you buy young players that automatically it's almost like they've thought well if we buy young players that are going to take a few years to become good and the stadium's going to take a few years psychologically fans will accept it's going to take a few years but we won't we that's that's the worst strategy in the world maybe that's what Sir David Brailsford's strategic review was.

17:50It's going to take years to build the stadium, so you need to buy loads of players that are going to take years to come good, because psychologically that'll make fans be patient. Well, it won't. I'll tell you what, I'll tell you what, getting smacked up in the Manchester derby, no one's going to think about players being good in three years' time or a stadium in five. Football is about your next game, it's about your next result. Which is why, and we were talking about this, why are Man United not doing the most obvious strategy in the world. The most obvious strategy in the world for Man United is short term.

18:22We need a short term policy, not a long term. And we all think we need a project. We all think we need a long term. And I've said it, but when you think about it, what we actually need is a short term project. We need some stability. We need some money. We need a manager to come in and be given players that are ready now to get us into Europe tomorrow. Because if we're not, we're hemorrhaging money and making the job harder. Like the next manager, if he comes in in the summer and we're not in Europe and he's got a team full of kids and a team full of players that don't want to be here anymore, Maguire, Bruno, Casemiro, Shaw, all could be going in the next 18 months and then you've got a load of kids, it's a horrible job to take on if you've got no money.

19:07So the way I look at it is is that we should probably be looking at a short-term plan where you go, well, the January transfer window would be perfect. Let's get an interim now that can get the best out of these players with a couple of experienced players to get us into Europe. And then in the summer, we'll have a lot more money. And next year, let's prioritise getting back into Europe again. The next two years, it's absolutely non-negotiable that we're in Europe. but United aren't doing that they're going interim coach with very little experience reliant on younger players and what he's got work with what you got I mean basically Carrick is a learner driver working with a banger of a car right what you should have is somebody coming in who you know is ridiculously short term you know Chelsea used to do it with Gus Hedding all the time right you bring in somebody that's got a lot of experience who can do it for the short term and you give them a couple of short-term players and you get into Europe.

20:07Why has nobody thought about that? You know, Carrick might only be here till the summer, but why did we not think about a short-term coach with lots of experience and a couple of short-term players with experience to come in? You know, I can't think who those players... Well, Ruben Neves wouldn't be a bad idea. But it's crazy to me that you've got Wilcox sat there going, yeah, we need more Sescos, we need more Le Mans because they'll be good in a few years' time. We need another long-term project. We desperately need status. And with that status comes money. That's what we desperately, desperately need.

20:46So the way I would look at it is I would have money coming in with... Sorry, some people are saying W here. Oh, we've got 10 memberships. Sorry. I can't go back to that. How do I look at that? There it is. I'm not on a touch screen. I really am. King Zoom has gifted 10 memberships. You're a legend, pal. Thank you very much for that. So, yeah, look, I genuinely think we've got the strategy of the club wrong. We're obsessed with youth. We're obsessed with projects. But tell me this. If we're not in Europe this year and we're not in Europe next year and we weren't in Europe last season, the project doesn't work.

21:29Look, we've not not qualified for Europe two years in a row ever in our Premier League history. And we are six months away from that. So that's another thing to add to the list of failures by Ineos. So the way I'm looking at it is I'm going, why haven't we got a short term strategy? Sacking your manager in January and bringing an interim till the summer is a golden opportunity to bring a manager in who can get you short term results over a very short period of time to make sure you get European football. and the January transfer window is a golden opportunity to get a couple of experienced players in to help you over the line.

22:04Now, look, I'm not saying get Sam Allardyce and Jordan Henderson. I mean, it's not a bad idea. No, I'm joking. I'm not saying go and get Sam Allardyce and Jordan Henderson because Sam Allardyce would be a bag of shit and Jordan Henderson's, you know, an ex-Liverpool player. But there will be examples of that out there. There will be a manager that could come in for four or five months, inspire and get results, and also a couple of experienced players. It amazes me that Sir Jim Radcliffe has not figured that one out. We have a policy at the club of not buying players over 26 as well. We're crying out for short-term success, European football, and we could get that.

22:45It's achievable with Michael Carrick, but it's based on inexperience and working with what you've got. When experience and a couple of experienced players in January could get us over the line. I mean, you look at some of the deals that we've done in the January transfer window in the past, and I don't know what's available out there, but I'm pretty sure there'll be a couple of experienced loan deals that you can do. I'm not fully aware of what the market is in January, but Ruben Neves is not a bad deal as an experienced player, is it? Ruben Neves makes us better in the midfield with experience.

23:18I can't believe we haven't thought of that short-term strategy, but we can't think of a short-term strategy because basically the guy at the top has said, everything's got to be long-term, everything's got to be young, nothing can be over 26. I'll tell you what, I don't give a shit who the interim is and I don't care how old they are if we're in Europe at the end of the season. I don't care. And a couple of those young, a couple of those experienced players could be loan players as well. I mean, look at what we did with Subitza. Look at what we did with Agalo. And I'm not saying get Agalo and Subitza, but why don't we have a short-term policy?

23:52We need to survive. What is Carrick's CV? He's a Wilcox man, says Marlow. Let me just read that again.

24:06And Rajaf says, after two years of Glynios, it's obvious that the only thing they care about is the stadium they will do the bare minimum to a fees fans and about football and if Ineos is 18 billion in debt how can they get a green light to build a stadium says Kiel and Alexander

24:25I can't even click on it says didn't Arsenal have 10 to 15 years of financial pain after their stadium was built before they could even compete says Alexander they did they did you're right you're right they did so but if that's the strategy then no good player will stay till then because their value will drop. They'll move on. We'll be left with the lows. Worst United is now. I don't know what that means, Seth. Look, I think it's very obvious to many people that the club is on its arse. I think it's very obvious to many people that the strategy is flawed. And I think it's very obvious to many people that we need regime change.

25:02But all I'm saying is, is that the scenario between now and the summer is not going to change. Even if we did get new owners, we'd still have these owners at the start of next season. So I'm looking at the next eight months and I'm going, how do we compete this season? How do we compete next season? I don't think we compete this. I think this strategy is flawed. I think bringing in Michael Carrick as an interim is the best option out of the people they were looking at. I'd take Carrick over Solskjaer, Van Nistelrooy and Fletcher. But why were we not looking at an experienced interim with Premier League experience that could come in, have a pop at the job, see if they can get European football.

25:38and if they do, happy days. Why are we not looking at a couple of experienced players to come in and make sure we get European football? Why are we not looking at that? Why are we looking at inexperience and working with what we've got? I mean, look, you've got two options. Experienced interim, couple of experienced loan players to help us out. Inexperienced interim, do nothing in the market. I think I know which one I prefer. And then into next season, next season, when And Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Villa are all spending loads of money because they've got it again. What are we doing next year?

26:10As everybody else strengthens, what are we doing next year? Well, we're searching for a manager again, aren't we? World Cup summer, won't know who our manager is until... And, you know, people say there's going to... It irritates me that people say, oh, the summer market's really good, right? The summer market's really good for managers. Use your own knowledge. we got Eric Ten Hag confirmed as Man United manager in mid-April. He played his last game, managed his last game at Ajax in the middle of May and flew to Manchester the next day to get to work straight away because he knew he was way behind everybody else, even starting in middle May, right?

26:50We are going to look at Glasner, we're going to look at Tuchel, we're going to look at maybe Ancelotti. We're going to look at Iriola. All these people are managing. Well, Glasner and Iriola are going to be managing until the end of May in the Premier League. Tuchel is going to be managing until maybe the middle of July. So if Ten Hag came in and was chasing his tail from mid-May, our next manager is going to lose at least a month on that. So next season, we're going to have a manager that's barely got his feet under the table if we're being completely honest in a world cup year as well so i think next season is already massively in danger today um love seeing it you in the studio markey says not a banker thank you very much and uh t dead emperor as well um so look i think i think when you look at the strategy of the club i think we're in survival mode if i was Jim Radcliffe, I'd be sat there to Wilcox and Barada and saying, look, I know we've said don't buy people over 26.

27:55I know we've said we want to have a longer term project, but we can have a longer term project and it can work a lot better if we secure our short term future. The way we're heading, everything's about the future and there are massive pitfalls in using inexperience over the next 12 months. It could set us further back. I'm drawing a line in the sand and it's absolutely imperative that we don't fall any further from this point and to secure that situation I want to make a few experienced calls into the team into the board into the into the sorry into the into the management structure of the team to make sure that we get European football this year and next year now that European football may be Europa League but we're out the FA Cup we're not in the Carabao Cup we're not in Europe our only way into the Europa League is to finish in the top six and if we finish in the top five, happy days, but we've got to finish sixth or higher.

28:53I need a couple of experienced players brought in and I need an experienced interim brought in and we've refused to do that. He's refused to do that. He said no signings and we'll go with someone inexperienced. We're basically going to try and get into Europe on nostalgia and that's why we're in trouble. It's not Michael Carrick's fault. It's not the player's fault. it's the board's fault they've made a decision that in my opinion is full of holes and very very risky and it's not my job to know what experienced interim managers there were but I guarantee there was some and it's not my job to know what experienced players there are we can bring in in January but I guarantee there will be some as well and we've ignored that we've ignored that to trust the team that can't be trusted and to trust an interim setup that is very inexperienced in a league that is very competitive.

29:46That is not reflective of the players or the manager. That is reflective of the board. So I don't know how anybody can be optimistic about people that basically should walk around with a big wig on and clown makeup because they're clowns. They're absolutely clowns. The obvious strategy is to go short-term in the short-term and build out a bit of experience into that team because we've got a void coming as well. We're going to be on our hands and knees begging people like Bruno and Maguire and Casemiro to stay in the summer because if they go what are we left with you know I don't want Casemiro and Maguire to stay I think they need to be replaced and moved on but I think we're going to be a position where we're begging them to stay because without them what have we got not a lot if Wilcox quotes Neville he 100 % watches the United stand as well says Matt loves football Manchester United just don't need a head coach they need a proper manager says Tewo and what do you think the good question here just coming in and I will answer it what do you think about Michael Carrick in general I like Carrick I've always liked Michael Carrick it really frustrated me when he played for Manchester United and he was so underappreciated by England and the press in this country they never really grasped what a fantastic player he was.

31:10And it's funny because the Spanish media and the Barcelona players loved Carrick. He was our Busquets. He was brilliant. He could run a midfield, conduct a midfield. And to be honest with you, I said this at the weekend, if I have a choice between Michael Carrick and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, I'm going to go for Michael Carrick because on multiple levels, but I'd go for Carrick anyway, because he actually was a very intelligent midfielder who can conduct and our midfield is crap and we're not buying midfielders by the looks of it so at least if I get Carrick in look if I want a striker to start finding the back of the net Solskjaer is probably worth talking to but Michael Carrick as a midfielder might might be able to help our midfield out so I like Michael Carrick I love him as a player and obviously I've got no bad feelings towards him so I want him to do well but I think it's a very very difficult job Carrick was an elite midfielder relying more on smarts than physicality.

32:07Not sure works in the current era, but hope Mayno is better at the end of this, says Shrey. Steve Holland is Carrick's number two, says Viraj. Is he? Oh, I didn't know that. Well, I'd get very worried then. I'd be very worried about that. Steve Holland, as Carrick's number two, is terrifying. Steve Holland will be part of Michael Carrick's backroom staff. Oh my God.

32:42Oh my God. I thought it was a joke. So this guy is shit, basically. Honestly, Gareth Southgate's backroom team at England was fucking rubbish. We played shit football. Why we... And people think this is not sabotage, right? Steve Holland worked with Gareth Southgate at England and England were fucking rubbish, right? We've now got Steve Holland working with Michael Carrick for no reason. I don't think they've ever worked together at all. We've got no idea why Steve Holland's working with Michael Carrick. Apart from, is this a feeder into Southgate in the summer? I mean, God, you know, if you're not protesting, stop buying stuff.

33:26Stop buying merchandise. stop supporting this ownership on decisions. That terrifies me. I mean, I'm reacting to this live, but there is no mention of Steve Holland until this morning. There is no link to Michael Carrick, I don't think. And he is Southgate's number two for the last few years. What the hell is going on at this football club? I mean, if we're loading up for Gareth Southgate, and remember, remember, Remember what I said about the manager? They do need a yes man. They do need somebody who can come in quickly. And none of the Premier League managers can come in quickly because they won't be able to leave until the end of May.

34:11None of the World Cup managers are going to come in till July. But Southgate will be there ready to go. He'll be ready to go. I mean, fucking hell. that that that this is why people need to be calling out wilcox the board and the owners because it can get worse i think some people think it can't get any worse you know sacking two managers in 18 months spending half a billion pounds on them sacking half your workforce finishing 15th in the league sacking your director of football not buying midfielders you know people think it can't get any worse that list is like a shopping list they'll just keep adding to it and it will keep being bad stuff.

34:50So we've now got Gareth Southgate's assistant working with our interim. Where do you think that's going then? That is terrifying. It doesn't surprise me. It does not surprise me at all. This club is being run into the ground by Pratt. I mean, if we've got Southgate in charge next season, oh my God. He's not Premier League experienced. He couldn't get one of England's best ever squads to win a tournament at home. And his football is fucking rubbish. I mean, God. It worries me we've got Steve Holland. The football was rubbish. The football under England was rubbish. Why would I want somebody that was coaching England at Man United?

35:38Fucking hell. Oh, dear me. I agree. I would agree. I've always had a fear that Southgate will end up being Man United manager. And we've not really heard a lot about it for a while. But that there is terrifying. I mean, where's that name come from? Nobody's mentioned that name. Steve Holland, Gareth Southgate's assistant, is now working with Michael Carrick.

36:12wow of all the people in the world you could go on a point and you go and get that that's terrifying Carrick might be a good choice but how will he change the midfield without signings I don't see a future or product the board are just winging it um yeah if Southgate comes in I'm done says Michael Docter look I did a video on that's football yesterday saying Man United finished I did a video on here last week saying there's no way back I'm not going to be a hypocrite those things were not said in jest. They were not said, you know, for dramatic impact. They were said because I meant them. I do not see a way back.

36:46And I think we are finished. There are too many problems in that football club. And I think the thing about decisions are they don't, bad decisions don't necessarily hurt you straight away. You know, eating a Big Mac and chips every single day for 10 years doesn't necessarily hurt you in year five, but eventually it will. And these bad decisions we're making, some of them are clearly bad decisions, but some of them will take time to impact us. And I just think things are going to get worse. I don't, I don't, these people are clueless. Like, you know, even if you think Amrim should have been sacked, right?

37:24As I've said before, even if you think Amrim should have been sacked, respect, that's fine. You've probably got your reasons, style of football, results, back three, Bruno in the midfield, the culmination of things may have been why he thought Amrim wasn't the guy. But there is no way anybody who was Amrim out wanted him to be sacked. So we brought in an interim coach who was an ex-player and Steve Holland as his assistant who feeds into Southgate. Nobody would have wanted that. People were talking about, let's go and get Conte. Let's go and get Xavi. Let's go and get Emery. They weren't talking about, let's sack Amrim so we can get Carrick in with Steve Holland.

37:57That's not what they wanted.

38:01fans won't accept this Southgate will end in EOS as Rajaf Dan Ashworth recommends Southgate and gets the sack one year later we're looking to appoint Southgate is delusional says Jack Johnson I've just been sent something here let me just check it Steve Holland was sacked as manager of Japanese club Yokohama F Marinos in April after only four months in charge. So yeah, that's what he did after.

38:38That.

38:43Just got to keep the pressure up. I mean, if you look Manchester United, why would you tolerate this? I don't know how or what you do, but we've got to get him out. We need a regime change. I mean, these are just Pratt decisions, aren't they? I mean, this is just comedy. Steve Holland as an assistant coach at Man United. I mean, we may as well get Big Sam. We may as well go and try and buy Jordan Henderson. I mean, these decisions are just classic Prattism. It's just, you know what? Just when you think things can't get worse, they do. I mean, Michael Carrick isn't the guy I'd go for. I wouldn't go for an ex-player, but out of what was there, I'm pretty okay with Carrick.

39:28And then you bring Steve Holland in. And that leads to Southgate. Hi, Mark. I'm from Australia and bought tickets for United Liverpool. Once in a lifetime chance for me to go to Old Trafford. And I almost feel ashamed to go and support the team. Damn this ownership, says Thomas. Look, we're still going to want Man United to win games. And I'm hopeful that we can still win games. But in the future, you can't, you know, look at the makeup of United at the moment. You've got Joel Glazer and Sir Jim Radcliffe at the top. You've got Omar Barada and Jason Wilcox on the board. And you've now got Michael Carrick, Steve Holland, Jonathan Woodgate as the coaching team.

40:07It's just, and they're not all idiots, but some of them are. What I'm saying is there's nobody there that makes me go, ooh, we're back. You look at Arsenal, right? Good owners, good manager. good director of football. We haven't got anybody that's good at anything in our coaching, through our board, to our ownership. There's nothing in there that makes you go, well, maybe they're the voice that can get us back. It's so depressing. It's so depressing. I mean, I actually, I don't believe it's sabotage. I think that's just ridiculous, but it's incredible incompetence from the top. Like they are absolutely out of, they've got no idea what Man United's all about.

40:49At all. They've got no idea. Absolutely none. It's incredible. It's absolutely incredible. What about Alonso at Manchester United? Says Benjamin. We're not going to... But, mate, we've just brought Steve Holland in. We're not going to go anywhere near. And they probably wouldn't want to come anywhere near. But we're not going to go anywhere near. I mean, Xavi's available. Whatever you think about Xavi, he is available. Never even spoken to him. we'd rather interview ex-players who've had crap managerial careers than interview an available manager in Javi we've not even tried to speak to managers who are you know good at the moment so I don't think we'd go anywhere near Alonso to be honest we're the only club this size to put up with it says William Yokohama FC part of the City Group no wonder we're getting Steve Hollands his dirty deeds I mean it's just I don't know We're like the shit that the City group and Chelsea crap out, aren't we?

41:55There's always a link to City or Chelsea in everything we do. We used to be a club that had our own DNA, and now we're basically got our fingers in the toilet of Man City's poo trying to cling on to any DNA they might as shut out. I mean, Jason Wilcox, Man City. Omar Barada, Man City. Steve Holland from the City Group, Yokohama. And Southgate's mate. Favell, Chelsea. You know, it's Sir Jim Radcliffe, Chelsea. You know, it's...

42:31Look, maybe the next owners won't be very good either, but I just want a vision. I want to get something. I want to get excited. I want to see competence. You know what the worst thing is? Is that Sir Alex Ferguson used to make strange calls at times. So Alex Ferguson used to make mistakes, but you had total respect in his ability and total admiration in his vision and knowledge and expertise. When you're a football fan, you just want to admire the people who are running your football club and go, you know what? I don't agree with that. Let's talk about that. But I do respect and trust them. They've got a vision.

43:10We've got the vision of a bloody blind clown at the moment. It's an absolute circus show. It's ridiculous. Steve bloody Holland. I can't tell you how shit England were tactically. England did get to finals. They did get to semifinals. But we also had some amazing individual players. England should be getting to semifinals and finals just on their squad. Southgate's football was crap, crap. And he was crap at holding on to a lead as well. oh god um if steve can get it you can try your shot marks as toad and um hi mark i'm from australia i've done that one thank you very much um can't afford javi says michael i thought we're going for best in class it's definitely best in ass isn't it oh my god oh my god england full of selfish players don't blame Southgate.

44:11No, we're not talking about England. His football was shit, mate. He's always been a shit coach, Southgate. He was shit at Middlesbrough. He was shit at England and he'll be shit if he comes to Manchester United. And if this, I honestly thought people were winding me up about Steve Holland, but if that's what they've done, then it clearly does look like that. Aman says, Glazers are penny-pinching, parasites, Glynios wasting 30 million, sacking Amrin, but won't spend 100 million fixing the squad. Carrick is a cheap distraction to stop fans from demanding someone serious like Xavi Alonso. Thank you very much, pal.

44:51Just having a quick check here. I mean, that, that, that, the Carrick news, I was okay with. In the situation, I was okay with it. But the Steve Holland news has just made me want to hurl absolutely incredible Willcox shouldn't even be here I presume they've listened to him Carrick is already at Carrington Official announcement expected next

45:23Jonathan Woodgate, Johnny Evans, Travis Binion And Steve Holland are set to be part of the coaching staff

45:33Matt Law journalist who was moaning about the Jim will fix it sign says very smart move by United and Carrick to take in Holland in my opinion yeah well of course you're going to say that because you fucking loved Southgate didn't you

45:56yeah they just want Southgate to get the bloody England job

46:15I want to have a look at Steve Holland's career

46:22Let's have a look

46:26He's got an MBE He's got a fucking MBE

46:32Yeah He was Chelsea He was The Oklahoma Mariners After he left England

46:43In August 2013 Holland was appointed Assistant manager For Southgate's Under-21s And then he went with him To the full team

46:59and he was awarded an MBE after England reached the final of the Euro 2020 final. Was that the one we lost and bottled at Wembley against Italy? Yeah, that was the one. An MBE for failure. Fucking hell, this country. And then he went and managed the Oklahoma Mariners and got sacked. Yeah, so basically, I don't know why Carrick's gone for him. Was Carrick anything to do with England? So he's basically spent the last 10 years working with Southgate. Oh, God. I can see where this is going. I mean, oh, God. Get yourself some therapy between now and May, because I can see where this is. This is Southgate in the summer, isn't it?

47:45This is what they're setting us up. This has got to be sabotage. Come on. They've got to be doing it on purpose at this point. I mean, has anybody done the due diligence here? Like, is this... Is Sir Jim funded by Man City in some way? Yeah, pretend you're a lifelong fan, go in, appoint Omar, appoint Jason, they know what to do the rest, right? I mean, I am joking, but am I? Like, is this... The City group have acquired a lot of clubs worldwide. Is this a sabotage, right? from the inside. Like, Sir Jim, go and get Man United. Pretend that you're a Man United fan and then we'll get Omar and Jason in.

48:27Get Steve in. Get Steve Holland in. Get Southgate in. Waste half a billion on transfers. Sack off your workforce. Basically, just destroy the foundations of the club so they'll never come back. It does almost feel like that's what's happening though, doesn't it? It feels like the core of the club is being disintegrated to a point of no return. Hi, Mark. We wish a version of Man City with all their hand-me-down absolute shite, says Lee. And also, I don't Southgate at our club. That Steve Holland thing's really weird. I mean, hopefully we'll get some clarity that it means we're not going to go anywhere near Southgate and that will make me feel happy.

49:08But that's really, really weird. A guy that spent the last 10 years working side by side with Southgate is now in the club. And this is a very Man City thing to do. You get people in before the manager to start putting things in place. I'm terrified now. You bring Holland in, he starts to put the foundations in for Southgate in the summer. I'm not going to say it's nailed on But They've lied again haven't they They've lied again Oh it's just an interim And then we're going to have a proper process Looking for a manager And then they bring in Southgate's assistant To work with the interim It's preparatory work isn't it Oh god So sad

50:03is the banter era final boss says doctor look hopefully we're all wrong on that but it just seems mightily suspicious that you bring in southgate's long-term right-hand man to work with carrick and there's a manager job in the summer yeah it does it really does

50:26My phone is ringing

50:36I was going to answer it

50:42100 % Wilcox is paid by City Says Alex

50:51can only hope outsiders understand midfield needs fixing. They want to appoint you, Mark. No, they're probably telling me to cease and desist. Stop saying stuff about us being linked with Man City. OK, look, hopefully that's not going to end up where it could, but that's very, very, very, very depressing. Very depressing.

51:25Any little glimpse of that's not too bad is always a shovel round the head, isn't it? You go and look at something and go, it's not that bad and the next thing you're getting whacked round the back of the head with a shovel. I can't believe it. It's ruined my week. Again. Thanks everyone for watching. We're back again at two and obviously we will have, there will be an official announcement for Carrick at some point, but he's obviously coming in. We know the backroom staff. We're slightly earlier tonight. We've got a seven o 'clock show tonight because I'm doing the Carabao Cup games the next two nights.

51:58Also, if you're interested on That's Football, Angelo Stiller was a player that we were linked to in the past. Half past five today, we've got live coverage of Frankfurt against Stuttgart. Obviously it's Angelo Stiller. So Stuttgart against Frankfurt it's half past five live match footage on That's Football as well. Take care everyone, stay safe and I'll speak to you on the next one.