Manchester United: Why the Club is Hesitant in Choosing its Future Coach

The spectacular revival of Manchester United under Michael Carrick's leadership is prompting deep reflection among the Old Trafford management, steering clear of emotional haste. With three consecutive victories against renowned coaches like Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta, Carrick has not only put the Red Devils back in the Champions League race but has also reignited the debate over his legitimacy for a permanent position. However, despite this positive momentum and the clear support from the locker room, the club's management, now led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, appears determined to adhere to a rigorous and thorough selection process, resisting the current euphoria.

This caution is largely attributed to the still-fresh memory of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's experience in 2018. At that time, the Norwegian's idyllic beginnings led the club to prematurely offer him a three-year contract, only for a drastic performance drop to tarnish this record. The Manchester board now wishes to avoid this pitfall by allowing the situation to 'breathe', especially since the coach market looks particularly rich with the upcoming World Cup. Highly qualified profiles like Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, or Julian Nagelsmann, currently leading national teams, could become viable options once the international competition concludes, although any formal agreement before summer is seen as diplomatically perilous and destabilizing.

Beyond contractual stakes, this observation period also allows for assessing the durability of Carrick's project. While uncertainty could theoretically weigh on summer recruitment or contract extensions, the current coach expresses total calm, asserting that his players remain solely focused on sporting objectives. By choosing patience, Manchester United is betting on a long-term vision rather than immediate relief, aware that the club's future success depends on a well-considered structural decision rather than a reaction to a series of results, no matter how brilliant they may be.