“He’s really impressive”: Carrick purring about “fantastic” player for whom time is running out at the club

Michael Carrick has been addressing the media ahead of Sunday’s Premier League clash with Crystal Palace at Old Trafford.

Long-term Injuries

The first question of the day was from BBC’s Simon Stone, who asked “We’ve asked a few times about Mason Mount and Matthijs de Ligt. What is the situation with them? Because Matthijs has not played since last time he played Palace, and Mason scored against Palace. So it’s a shared history.”

Carrick replied:
“Mason is getting closer, really. He’s on the grass, he’s getting closer. So he’s looking to train and being around it pretty soon. So he’s getting close. Just have to be patient, really, a little bit. And he’s a big player for us, Mason. So looking after him, making sure he’s ready for a big finish to the season. So good news that he’s getting really close.”

“Matthijs a little bit longer. He’s had a back issue, which has just been a little bit slower to progress, really. It’s something that we’ve been working through. He’s getting there, he’s in the right direction, but as I said, he’s just a little bit further behind. It’s one of those things that’s disappointing, but it’s unfortunately part of football, so we’re getting back when we can.”

“Is there even a remote time scale for him?,” Stone asked. “Because obviously, when he was injured the first time, Ruben said, Oh, will he be back next week. And clearly we’re months down the line now. We’ve got an international break coming up.”

“No, it’s just the nature of the injury and the issue in the back,” the boss explained. “It’s a difficult one to pin down in some ways, especially time-wise. He’s definitely improving, so that’s a good thing. We’re just working towards that, really. There’s not much at this stage that I can give you anymore.”

Harry Maguire’s Contract

The next question was “one player you’ll be familiar with is Harry Maguire from your previous time at the club. Just wonder when you’ve returned, what player you now see ahead of you? And of course, his contract situation. Does the club plan to maybe sit down with him in the near future, just about where his future could look like?”

The boss answered:
“Harry is an impressive character. He’s had a great career so far. Hopefully, there’s a lot more to come. I think even what he’s been here in the journey and the experiences that he’s had, certainly since he’s been here in England as well, I think it showed exactly what he is. I think we all know the player that he is and what he’s capable of doing. Again, the other night there, I thought he was fantastic. Experience helped and that. He served to his attributes help and that. And his character, his willingness to put himself out there. He’s really impressive. He’s been really important for us.”

Clear Messages to the players

The next reporter asked “in a recent interview with your goalkeeper, Lammens, he was talking about one of the reasons why he feels there’s been an upturn in form is the clarity of the messaging that’s coming through to the players. Can you give us an insight into how you go about making sure that you convey to each player what it is you want from them?”

The Wallsend man replied:
“Yeah, you could talk for quite some time on that, in terms of how we want to play, what we want to do for each other and behaviours. There’s all sorts of things that come into it, really. But yeah, I think I’ve said it at times over the last few weeks. When you’re putting a team together and you’re putting a team on the pitch, I think it’s not always… You try to make it as clear as you can. I think clarity is important.”

“It doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s simple. Sometimes there’s quite a lot of detail that needs to be put across, but I always try and feel that we do it in a simplistic form, really. So the players maybe think it’s simple, but there’s quite a lot of work behind that. So that’s always the balance, I think, for any coaching manager. You’re trying to give the players going out there, that their minds are as clear as possible, really, and they know the jobs effectively. So it’s a constant balance. But the boys have been great, and anything we have, try to help them with, implement them, give them bits of tips. I think they’ve all been taking it on board ever so well.”

What about Manuel Ugarte?

The next reporter noted that Manuel Ugarte is “yet to start a game under yourself, have limited playing time;” and asked “what do you see his role at the moment? What does he need to do to get back into the side?”

Carrick responded:
“I like Manuel a lot. He’s been terrific around the group and hugely impressed with his attitude and how he goes about it and his training qualities. He’s got a lot of really good attributes, Manuel. I think that whenthe team is winning, there’s obviously a big upside to that. And there’s always one or two boys that maybe haven’t played so much. Obviously, it makes it a little bit tougher to get in the team, but I think that creates that competition as well in a really healthy way that everyone’s pushing each other.”

“And Manu’s obviously desperate to get on the pitch more, and he’s doing everything he can in training, and he’s a big part of the group. So I think it’s just a case of the results and the boys playing so well that there’s going to be times when we might need to change things and freshen things up, and then certainly he’s a big part of that.”

Will Carrick be involved in Maguire contract decision?

The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath then asked “just another question on Harry. How much input will you have into that decision on whether he stays or goes? In terms of his experience, I think you’re going to lose Casemiro in the summer. That’s a big lump of experience gone out of the squad. How important is it to keep that level of experience, that player that Harry’s got, in the future?”

“Yeah, I think within the squad, I think there’s always that balance,” Carrick answered. “You certainly want that younger potential and that excitement of developing players and helping players. You need that little sweet spot in the middle, I think, where players are at the peak. I think you certainly need that within the group. And experience is massive. It’s hard to put a price on how valuable that can be, whether that’s individuals, or that’s experience as a whole group. But Harry, as I’ve just said, he’s gained an awful lot of experience in different ways through this club. And yeah, Casemiro is another one with experience, and it’s something we’ve got to obviously understand and what that means.”

On Champions League aspirations

The next question was about today’s Champions League draw, and whether Carrick feels United should be involved at that level.

“It’s certainly where we want to be,” he agreed. “We can’t take things for granted, that is the past that it takes care of what should happen. We have to earn it and show we’re good enough, that’s why when you achieve success it is warranted. At the moment it’s laser focused on what is ahead for us, there is no point us looking elsewhere. We know where we want to be and what we have to do to get there. Looking at what else is going around Europe is not going to help us, but it’s where we want to be.”

The conversation then went back to Maguire for a third time, with a reporter asking if he is better than ever.

“There is a case, as your career goes when you’re a young player and everything is fresh and knew your fearless and there’s not many scars there,” the manager said. “You get to your peak years and you feel good and everything is there, but you’ve had a few ups and downs. You get towards the later times and the experience should make you a better player, we’ve seen that with Harry’s performances of late. That’s why experience is important, I felt it when I was playing, 31 or 32 were my best years of being and that sweet spot to do it physically still but use the experiences to know what is coming.”

Squad rotation

The next question was about Carrick’s team selections and the fact that he invariably makes very few changes to his starting XI’s.

“It’s something we’re aware of,” he said. “We’ve had quite a big break before the last game. When there is a lot more games we have rotation or having to change things physically. There are huge positives with the results we’ve had, playing well and winning games, but a big awareness from me and the staff how important everyone is in the group. Even though it’s the same players, game to game we have tweaked things, some of the front players have changed in different positions, Luke has played in different role in possession, but there is a feeling of trying to keep the momentum.”

Will Sesko start?

The Big Slovenian has scored three goals in his last four games, all with less than 30 minutes off the bench. Carrick was asked about giving the striker a place in the starting XI.

“The whole thing is a real positive,” Carrick replied. “It’s certainly not a decision that is one I look at in a negative way. We’re playing well as a team, we’re not getting carried away and thinking that carries on. The forwards have scored a good number of goals, Ben has been so good in so many ways. It’s really not a drama. It just shows the quality Ben has got. If he starts the next game or the one after, it is what it is, but he’s doing so many good things.”

“I don’t think we’ve played a false nine, I tink Bryan has played high on the last line a lot of the time. We’ve played in different ways. Four points in two games away from home isn’t so bad, being able to change it from the bench is a real strength.”

The embargoed section of the presser will be released at 10.30pm on Saturday and will be covered in full here at The Peoples Person.

Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images

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