Ex-Man Utd star makes Michael Carrick U-turn and names ideal Old Trafford replacement

· Mirror

Manchester United boss Michael Carrick is a man under the cosh and Dwight Yorke, who had backed the ex-player, believes giving him the Old Trafford job may have been the wrong call

Former Manchester United star Dwight Yorke admits he will "hold his hands up" and concede that appointing Michael Carrick perhaps wasn't the right call - despite backing him initially.

The ex-Middlesbrough boss came in to steady the ship in January and enjoyed a stunning interim period, which saw United rise up to third place in the Premier League and return to the Champions League. Those exploits landed him the job on a permanent basis.

However, he's found things much tougher this season and Carrick has now presided over the worst start in 40 years with United winning one of their seven league games thus far and being dumped out of the Carabao Cup.

The pressure is very much on the United boss, who had the backing of several former players last season. United's desire to stick by a manager is clear following several poor calls by the hierarchy, but Yorke is no longer convinced he's the man for the job.

He told Keys & Gray Unleashed:

> "That (sacking managers) is the current trend, isn’t it? It’s been the trend for the last five years: you get the manager, you say you’re going to back them and then at some point you end up getting rid of them,’ the former Trinidad and Tobago international went on. Obviously that is something that’s been in the DNA certainly for the past five years.

> "Putting my hands up, I was one that said give Carrick the chance, but then I look back at it now, see what we’re doing, and I’m not sure if that was the right decision."

> "These guys are brilliant guys when you meet them and you know them like I have done. They’re brilliant. I’m not sure they’re made for managerial jobs when the pressure is on. Like anything else, when the going is good then it’s fantastic. When it’s not so good, I’m not so sure. I’ve seen it with Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer] and I’ve seen it with Carrick."

United have tried several different types of managers over the past decade. They've gone after proven big names, up and coming talents and ex-players - none of whom have worked out.

Antonio Conte is being linked with the job but Yorke admits he's consider going after Eddie Howe, who left Newcastle in the summer after several successful years.

He said:

> "Who is out there? Howe would be one of those guys who stand out out there at the moment. He’s not in a job, looking for a job. But if you expand it out there even more, who else is out there? There is nobody else and that’s why Carrick will survive for a little bit longer. There are no top managerial candidates out there who can come in and really excite the people and the fans at Manchester United."

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