Scholes Backs Ancelotti Over Carrick Despite Interim Boss's Impressive Turnaround

Michael Carrick has worked wonders since stepping into the breach at Old Trafford, but Paul Scholes reckons there's a better fit waiting in the wings come summer.

The former United midfielder was full of admiration for Carrick's transformation, calling it "unbelievable" during an appearance on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast. Yet when it comes to the permanent appointment, Scholes has other ideas – and Carlo Ancelotti tops his wishlist.

Carrick inherited a club in freefall following Ruben Amorim's departure in January after just 14 months. After Darren Fletcher's brief caretaker spell, the ex-United midfielder took over and has steered the side back to third place with six wins and a draw from his opening seven games. The turnaround has been remarkable enough to put genuine pressure on the board to consider him for the job full-time.

But Scholes believes United need a different breed of leader – one who can manage personalities rather than obsess over tactical minutiae. Drawing parallels with Sir Alex Ferguson, he suggested the club would benefit from someone who understands players and knows how to extract their best, rather than someone buried in a tactical blueprint.

"You're at a big club with good players who know what they're doing," Scholes explained. "Maybe they need a man-manager more than anything."

He pointed to examples at the highest level: Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid, neither renowned as coaching technicians but both proven winners with the Midas touch when it comes to handling elite squads. Amorim's obsession with tactics, by contrast, had failed to deliver results.

Ancelotti, currently managing Brazil, represents the template Scholes envisions – a figure who would make players "feel a million dollars" while bringing the trophy-winning pedigree United demands. The only reservation? Age. Beyond that concern, Scholes questioned whether anyone else in that mould possesses sufficient experience.

The ultimate litmus test, he suggested, is straightforward: can the manager win the Premier League? Finishing in the top four doesn't cut it at Old Trafford. Carrick's credentials remain untested at this level, though his man-management skills appear first-rate.

Fellow former Red Nicky Butt struck a different note, arguing the case for Carrick has strengthened considerably. With the club having been in "turmoil," Carrick has stabilised the ship and delivered genuine improvement. "If I was a betting man I'd be putting my money on Carrick being the permanent manager," Butt said. "How can you sit here now and say he shouldn't get the job?"

Butt acknowledged the options are thin on the ground. Thomas Tuchel, once a possibility, has committed his future to England. When weighed against the alternatives, Carrick's impressive recent form and the stability he's provided make a compelling case for handing him the keys permanently.