Michael Carrick has revealed Jose Mourinho gave him the chance of a lifetime – and made him a better coach.
Mourinho makes a quick return to Old Trafford on Wednesday after taking over as new Tottenham boss – and Carrick will be happy to see him.
The controversial Portuguese boss installed Carrick on his back-room staff at Manchester United six months before the midfielder ended his playing days – and the Geordie born star will always be grateful.
“I have got a lot to thank him for. He knows that,” says Carrick .
“He gave me an opportunity, the next chapter if you like with the coaching, and I will always be grateful for that.
“It wasn’t something he had to do, it was his choice. For what he has achieved, there is no way I couldn’t learn from him.
“It was my first time coaching as well so it was all new to me. To have him there and learn off him and guide me as he did then, obviously I am all the better for that.”
Carrick knows Mourinho is a master of mind games – but if he tries it on with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer he claims it won’t work.
“Ole is a terrific manager. He is all about his belief in the club and anything outside that, it doesn’t affect Ole or where our focus is," says Carrick, who joined United from Tottenham in 2006.
“I am not going to compare him to another manager or what he will do if something is said or not said, there is no need for that.
“Tottenham have some terrific players. It is going to be a big game in the middle of a big week.
“It was a strange game between us last season when they came here and won 3-0. We played some good stuff in that game. They have some real talent, but so do we.”
