David Beckham has hailed the “incredible” impact Michael Carrick has had on Manchester United, rivaling the opinion of former teammate Paul Scholes, who has staunchly criticized the interim manager.
Carrick, who has only been appointed until the end of the current campaign, has transformed Man Utd’s fortunes on the pitch, winning seven of his 10 matches in charge to catapult the Red Devils up the Premier League table. Having looked dead and buried under Ruben Amorim, they are now up to third and expected to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
Beckham has echoed the general sentiment of United supporters by lavishing praise on his former England teammate, insisting he’s exactly what the club needed during a time of turmoil on and off the field.
“I must admit the last few months have been a lot more comfortable than the last ten years, to be honest. It’s been tough over that time,” Beckham told talkSPORT. “But I think Michael’s got experience. I think he’s got a calmness about him that he’s brought into the club.
“He knows the club. He knows the players. He knows the way Man Utd play and the way Man Utd should play.”
Beckham added: “I think that the way he’s got the team and brought the team together has been incredible. I think as a United fan, it’s exactly what we needed.”
Scholes Unconvinced By Carrick Despite Apology
Fellow United icon and Beckham’s former clubmate Scholes is less convinced of Carrick’s appointment—to put it mildly. The 51-year-old publicly lambasted the interim coach on social media, posting an Instagram story—which he swiftly deleted—that scrutinized United’s performances.
“Michael has definitely got something special about him... cos Utd have been crap last 4 games,” Scholes wrote on Instagram shortly after United’s defeat to 10-man Newcastle earlier this month.
Scholes later revealed that he had apologized to Carrick for his post, with United having since beaten Aston Villa and drawn with Bournemouth to get their Champions League qualification bid back on track.
Scholes is not the only former United legend to take aim at Carrick. Gruff pundit Roy Keane has openly criticized the United boss, insisting he wouldn’t make him the permanent manager this summer despite the upturn in performances and results.
“I think the games where he’s come in and in terms of winning football matches, he’s done a very good job. He’s obviously simplified things, but there’s been no jeopardy in those games,” Keane said in mid-March.
“They’ve had three weeks to prepare for the matches. It’s been good timing for him to go in there, and he’s done a very good job. I take my hat off to him, and if he does get the job in the summer I’ll say, ‘Listen, good luck to you,’ but I think there are far better options out there for the next manager of Manchester United.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as David Beckham Contradicts Man Utd Legend By Backing ‘Incredible’ Michael Carrick.
