Carrick Is The Ultimate Players' Player

Following the announcement that Michael Carrick has agreed a one-year contract extension at Manchester United, we examine his career to date with help from a list of footballing greats…

Few players have split opinion more in the modern game than Michael Carrick, the United maestro who is repeatedly overlooked by his country – despite being the cornerstone of a club that has won nine major honours during his illustrious 10-season Old Trafford career.

Beloved by his team-mates and respected by opponents, the Wallsend boy is a cult hero for many observers who enjoy the beautiful game's subtler details. And yet, there is a list of England managers who have not regularly utilised this pass-master’s talents, including Roy Hodgson – which is puzzling, given the Three Lions’ reputation for losing possession against more aggressive, technically imposing foes.

While United fans are expected to defend one of their own, those from Old Trafford are not alone in championing Carrick’s cause. Indeed, one such supporter is Xabi Alonso, the former Liverpool and Real Madrid midfielder who is widely regarded as the finest mover of a football outside of Barcelona icons Xavi and Andres Iniesta, as well as Reds legend Paul Scholes. As a neutral to this debate, the World Cup winner’s opinion on England’s failure on the international stage carries a lot of weight.

“I’ve missed a player like Michael Carrick in the England midfield, somebody who knows how to be in the right place at the right time,” the current Bayern Munich man was quoted as saying a few years back. “You gain a lot from having a player like Carrick as a partner.”

Thankfully, England’s loss has been United’s gain since Carrick moved to Manchester in the summer of 2006, when he instantly inherited the iconic no.16 shirt that was previously worn by Roy Keane. But what does the man himself think about his critics? Is he enraged by the lack of acclaim, annoyed by his treatment by England or perhaps even irked by the managers who’ve dismissed him?

“To be honest, it doesn’t really bother me,” Carrick answered with a smile in May, 2013. “Anybody that knows me will tell you that I am not one for shouting from the rooftops or promoting myself. I just play my football and I gauge my form on the manager here and his response. You can't please everyone, it is impossible. As a footballer, if you are going about your business, doing things that other people from outside of the club want or expect you to do, then you are not going to be successful.”

As Carrick readily admits, a quietly efficient display in front of the defence rarely troubles the editors of Match of the Day, whose job is to cram 90 minutes of high-voltage Premier League action into a tidy 10-minute package that can be easily digested. As such, you should not expect praise if your performance is not highlighted on national television. But rather than pushing forward in search of a moment that would be beamed into the front rooms of houses across the nation, Michael is only interested in doing his job.

“That is what people want to see, players scoring and creating goals, that is the highlight of watching football,” he explained. “But not everyone can do that. You have got to have positions and you have got to have a place in the team. We have got plenty of players here who can score goals and can produce miracles. I am happy to be the supplier for that.”

Carrick’s former manager Sir Alex Ferguson signed him from Tottenham Hotspur and had his finger on the pulse when describing the midfielder’s personality at the end of the 2012/13 season, a campaign that had seen the player rekindle his outstanding partnership with long-term team-mate Scholes.

“Michael is not a guy that seeks a lot of publicity,” Ferguson explained. “He is a quiet lad. He goes about his life in a similar way to Scholes. It doesn't mean he is not recognised by us. You get players like that. Denis Irwin was the same. He was not the type to trumpet his achievements. It is quite refreshing in the modern game that we have players who can rely on their ability, not only by promoting or projecting themselves. Michael is mentally strong, too. He has a different personality to most players. That can be misread by a lot of people, thinking he has to be encouraged all the time. That is not the case.”

Even Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, a long-term rival of United’s, has spoken of his admiration for the players’ player who often goes under the radar. “Carrick is a quality passer and he could play for Barcelona; he would be perfectly suited to their game,” the Frenchman said in May 2013. “I think Carrick is an underrated player in England and sometimes not only should the goal scorer be rewarded but the real players at the heart of the game.”

While Carrick may have been underrated and overlooked by the national team, the fans at Old Trafford have acknowledged his true value with a popular chant that claims "it's hard to believe it's not Scholes," which is high praise indeed when you consider the stature of the now-retired Ginger Genius.

Like Scholes, Carrick has always remained self-assured and he played an invaluable role in Sir Alex’s all-conquering side that claimed English, European and world titles in the late 2000s, exporting his unique brand of under-stated football to a global audience while winning the respect of a former captain.

“From the players' point of view, Michael is a very important player for us,” Nemanja Vidic told us, prior to his departure. "Maybe he's not the most attractive footballer – he doesn't often do fancy tricks – but, for our team, he plays a key role. He's a top player and has a lot of passion for the game.”

Since Sir Alex retired in 2013, with a number of experienced Reds soon following, Carrick has become an indispensable figure inside United’s dressing room, as both a vice-captain and mentor to the club's young players. His experience was particularly important during the 2015/16 campaign as he registered 42 appearances, before finally lifting the FA Cup - his one missing trophy - at Wembley Stadium.

Carrick’s future now rests in the hands of United's new manager Jose Mourinho, who has decisively tied down the evergreen midfielder inside his first fortnight in charge. It is a shrewd move, too, and supporters can now look forward to another season of subtle quality from the ultimate players' player.

The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and should not be considered as representative of Manchester United Football Club.

Credit: Manutd.com