Former Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick has revealed the advice he got from the club’s former manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, before he accepted to manage Middlesbrough.
Carrick was announced as Middlesborough manager on Monday after serving as assistant to Ole Gunnar Solskjaeer at United and also managing the club on an interim basis.
The 41-year-old was also a member of the backroom team under Jose Mourinho.
“I spoke to Sir Alex a few times. I’ve spoken to him more since I stopped playing – I didn’t want to get too close to him when I was a player,” Carrick told reporters at his Boro unveiling.
“I spoke to him a lot. It’s well documented that he has a real pride and a care about ex-players progressing and being coaches, managers and takes a real pride and care in helping them as well. He’s certainly done that to me and I really appreciate the advice he’s given me.”
A statement by United revealed that Carrick won everything there was to win during a glittering 12-year playing career in M16, having been signed from Tottenham as a long-term replacement for Roy Keane by Sir Alex in 2006.
Ferguson influence on Carrick
“Hugely,” Carrick replied when asked how much Sir Alex has influenced him. “I thought I knew football to a point until I got to United, and it taught me a whole different way of living, breathing, how to play football, how to win, and it all stemmed from the boss.
“He was a huge, huge influence, improved my game, made me a better person in all sorts of different ways, so I’ve got a lot to thank him for.”
Times have change, says Carrick
Carrick described Ferguson as one of the best managers in the world while revealing that he looks forward to forging his own style as a manager.
“Do I look like an angry Scotsman? Listen, you’ve got to be your own person to a point. Society and social circles are very different now to what they were some time ago.
“I’m well aware of that and I think you’ve got to treat the individuals all differently to a point and get the best out of them individually – which he did, by the way, in different ways, so I learned a lot from that.
“But again, I’ve got to trust my instincts and not try to copy too much. I’m my own person and I’m comfortable with that.”
