Rooney Backs Carrick for Permanent United Job: 'Has to Get It'

Wayne Rooney has made a forceful case for Michael Carrick to land the Manchester United job on a permanent basis, arguing the interim manager has done everything required to earn the position.

Carrick's spell in temporary charge has been nothing short of transformative. Seven wins from ten matches have lifted United back into Champions League contention and sparked a noticeable shift in how the side performs. Simple tactical adjustments have yielded immediate results, with players visibly sharper and more cohesive than before his arrival.

The club initially envisioned Carrick as a stop-gap solution through to summer, yet the response from supporters has forced INEOS into an uncomfortable position. Recent withdrawals from contention by Thomas Tuchel and Carlo Ancelotti have only intensified the debate.

Rooney's endorsement carries particular weight given his intimate knowledge of Old Trafford. "I know him very well. I know his character, his personality," Rooney explained. "It needed a calm head, but someone who knows the place and the players needed some love, and he has given them that."

The former striker highlighted the evidence on the pitch: improved quality, better team cohesion, and a squad that looks genuinely formidable. His crucial observation concerns Carrick's win percentage—the best among any United manager after a comparable number of games.

"For me, why would you change?" Rooney asked. "He has to get the job."

Michael Owen, another former United striker now working in punditry, shares this conviction entirely. Owen dismissed suggestions that Carrick shouldn't continue as frankly baffling, particularly given United's chequered history with managerial appointments over the past dozen years.

"They have tried virtually everything," Owen told the Manchester Evening News. "And after a dozen years of trying and failing, you land on somebody that's getting a tune out of the players, they're winning games and looking progressive, some of the players are playing the best football they've played in years."

Owen's argument cuts to the heart of the matter. Replacing Carrick now risks repeating past mistakes. Even if a fresh appointment failed to maintain progress, the solution remains straightforward: the club could part company within a couple of seasons if results deteriorated. The downside is manageable; the upside of maintaining momentum is substantial.

"What's the worst that can happen?" Owen posed. "You give him a couple of years' contract. He starts the next season for the first three or four months, he loses every game and he's useless. You can part company. It's not like you've got to stick with someone for 10 years."