Carrick: I've Surpassed My Dreams At United

In a revealing interview, Michael Carrick says he has surpassed his childhood dreams at Manchester United, admitting he still has to pinch himself every day. 

The midfielder has enjoyed 11 highly successful years since joining the Reds in 2006, a stellar period of service that will be celebrated with Sunday's testimonial match at Old Trafford (kick-off 14:30 BST).

Ahead of the game, which will pit United's Champions League-winning side of 2008 against a team of All-Stars selected by the midfielder, Carrick sat down with the official testimonial match programme to review his career to date. 

"It’s been a long journey!" he said, when asked to sum up his story so far. "There have been ups and downs along the way. In some ways you look back and it seems a long time ago, and in some ways it’s just gone so quick. As a kid growing up, to play one game in the Premier League was my dream. To play for England once was a dream. To surpass those dreams and play for as long as I have and still be going, you do have to pinch yourself."

Carrick started out as a youngster at West Ham United, where he impressed before earning a move across London to White Hart Lane in 2004. 

"I remember coming to Old Trafford for the first time with West Ham, being excited and thinking: ‘This is what it’s like at the top. Imagine playing here every week,’" Carrick added. "Some of the characters in the United team at that time were people I had looked up to since being a kid. I just remember the intensity of the games against United; they were a different level."

"I was at the World Cup with England in Germany when I first heard of United's interest. When I got news through, my mind was a little bit scrambled, but once I found out they were interested there was only one decision I was going to make. It took a little while, but I remember hearing that Tottenham and United had agreed a fee, and getting the all-clear to travel up. So I packed the car up with some clothes, set off up the M1 and never went back to the house in London after that!"

Few could have predicted the success that would follow for Carrick and United, as the Reds continued to lift silverware at home and abroad. Eighteen major honours later, he says it's difficult to single out a favourite moment.

"The Roma game [7-1 in April 2007] was something else," he enthused. "Roma ended up being massive for how we played and the result we got. The two goals for me and the whole night in general… the place was electric, the atmosphere, the energy in the stadium was something else. 

"My first game in the Champions League at home, against Celtic, was special too. The Barcelona semi-final was probably the best I’ve experienced, atmosphere-wise, at Old Trafford. We’ve had some classics over the years, but the tension in the stadium that night, especially in the last 10 minutes, was incredible.

"Scoring at Wigan to virtually win the league in 2009 [was another highlight], and my first taste of going to Anfield with United, when Sheasy scored in the last minute in 2007, was special."

The full interview with Michael appears in the official match programme, which will be available to buy at Old Trafford on Sunday 4 June 2017. For ticket information, see www.manutd.com/carricktestimonial

Credit: Manutd.com