‘Don’t be fooled’ by Carrick’s ‘calmness’ – Rooney

Wayne Rooney says caretaker head coach Michael Carrick will “steady the ship” at Manchester United, but fans shouldn’t be fooled by his calm persona.

United confirmed that Carrick would take charge until the end of the season – succeeding Ruben Amorim – on Tuesday.

Rooney and Carrick were team-mates at Old Trafford, playing together on 366 occasions and winning five Premier League titles together.

“Michael’s great fun. He is a great character, but don’t be fooled by how calm he looks,” Rooney said on the latest edition of BBC podcast The Wayne Rooney Show.

“He can have fun as well, but make no mistake, he’d be going in there now with full focus.”

Carrick made 464 appearances for United across a 12-year spell and had a three-game stint as caretaker manager at the club in 2021, winning two games and drawing one.

The 44-year-old managed Middlesbrough between 2022 and 2025.

“It is probably the obvious choice really because I don’t think there are any top, top managers available at the minute.

“I think it is the right choice at this moment in time.

Carrick’s short-term appointment still leaves questions around who the board will turn to in the summer.

Xabi Alonso, who left Real Madrid on Monday, and England manager Thomas Tuchel are among the names to have already been suggested.

“Alonso did incredible at Leverkusen and I think you have more chance of him sitting and waiting and hoping with [Liverpool manager Arne] Slot,” Rooney said.

Manchester United sit seventh in the Premier League after winning just one of their past six games.

Carrick’s first assignment comes on Saturday (12:30 GMT) when Manchester City make the short trip to Old Trafford.

“It is a massive game for the club, for Michael,” Rooney said.

“I think what he will do is bring a bit of calmness, a bit of grit to the game, which I think is needed. It is going to be very difficult, Manchester City are obviously a top team and it will be difficult to get anything out of it even at Old Trafford.

Carrick has brought former England assistant Steve Holland in as his number two, with Jonathan Woodgate, Jonny Evans and Travis Binnion also part of his staff.

Holland worked under Gareth Southgate when England finished fourth at the 2018 World Cup and were runners-up at Euro 2020 and 2024.

“I was really impressed him tactically at England, how he worked and his organisation,” Rooney said.

“Steve Holland did all the training, Gareth Southgate didn’t really, he’d be more the manager and Steve took all the sessions.