Roy Keane slams Michael Carrick suitability for Manchester United role
The drama at Old Trafford has taken a fresh turn as legendary former captain Roy Keane has once again voiced his strong doubts about Michael Carrick leading Manchester United. Following the sudden departure of Ruben Amorim in January 2026, the club turned to Carrick to steady the ship as an interim manager for the second time.
While many fans were happy to see a familiar face back in the dugout, Roy Keane did not hide his feelings at all. Speaking on television, the straight talking Irishman made it clear that he does not see Carrick as the long term solution for the struggling giants. For Keane, the decision to appoint Carrick is like taking a massive gamble with the club’s future when they should be looking for a world class heavyweight to fix the deep issues in the squad.
The messy history between Roy Keane and the Carrick family
To understand why this criticism feels so personal, we have to look back at the long standing tension between Keane and the Carricks. This latest “wahala” was sparked when Keane made a very sharp comment about Michael Carrick’s wife, Lisa, on a popular podcast. He referred to her as having a big mouth, a jab that dates back to a 2014 incident where she defended her husband against Keane’s harsh punditry.
In the world of Nigerian football fans, where loyalty to the “Red Devils” is almost like a religion, this kind of back and forth is seen as a major distraction. Keane’s beef with the staff Carrick brought in, including the veteran Jonny Evans, shows that he believes the club is becoming a place of “jobs for the boys” rather than a merit based institution.
Why the legendary captain thinks Carrick is a huge risk
The “koko” of Keane’s argument is that Michael Carrick does not have the track record required for a job of this magnitude. He pointed out that Carrick’s time at Middlesbrough ended without the promotion they desperately wanted, which in his eyes constitutes a failure.
Keane is worried that Manchester United is falling into a trap of being “too nice” and settling for sentimental choices. He warned that a 2-0 win against Manchester City in the derby, while fantastic, was a dream scenario that should not blind the board to the reality. For Keane, the club needs a bigger and better manager who can command the dressing room and implement a winning culture without being restricted by old ties to the previous failing regimes.
Michael Carrick stays focused despite the heavy criticism
On his own part, Michael Carrick has decided to take the high road. He described Keane’s comments as totally irrelevant to his current mission. Speaking to the press, the interim boss insisted that he is not bothered by the opinions of pundits and is strictly focused on helping the players succeed.
The win against City has given him a bit of breathing space, but he knows the pressure in Nigeria and across the globe is immense. He has already started making bold moves by bringing in his own coaching staff and managing the exit of older players like Casemiro. Carrick is trying to show that he has his own mind and is not just a placeholder, but a serious contender for the permanent role.
What the future holds for the Red Devils at Old Trafford
As the search for a permanent successor to Amorim continues, the debate over Carrick will only get louder. The Manchester United board, led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, is under serious pressure to get this right. They cannot afford another “bad market” where they hire a manager who cannot deliver titles. While the players seem to have responded well to Carrick’s touch, the shadow of Roy Keane’s warnings will continue to hang over the “Theatre of Dreams.”
For the millions of United fans in Nigeria who stay up late to watch every match, the hope is that the club finally finds a path back to the top, whether it is with Carrick or a new face from outside. The next few months will show if Keane was being too harsh or if he saw a disaster coming before anyone else.
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