Michael Carrick denies any problems at Man United after Lisandro Martinez's comments | ESPN FC
Carrick denies problems at Man United as pundits debate Martinez's comments and United's form
This video centers on Michael Carrick's press-conference response to Lisandro Martinez's comments. Carrick insists there is no dressing-room divide and that the squad trained well, while the studio pundits question United's poor results, suggest Martinez may be angling for a move, and warn that the trip to Leeds will be difficult.
- There is no dressing-room divide, the issue is done, and the squad's mood in training is good — He says everyone has acknowledged the situation, the group has moved on, the players trained well this morning and there was a really good feeling around the squad
- It is hard to believe there is unity because Martinez's comments were damaging and he did not apologize for what he actually said — The journalist notes Martinez only apologized for how it came out, and says many fans and people in the game, including ex-pros, agree with what he said
- Outside critics do not necessarily understand what is going on, and the players totally believe him — He says people talking from the outside does not make it the truth, and insists the squad was in a fantastic place, better than he has seen for a while
- Martinez most likely knew exactly what he was saying and was angling for a move — He says it is either Martinez being emotional after a game or a calculated move, and Don thinks the calculated explanation is the real reason
- Martinez is setting the stage for an exit and could be moved on in January or the summer — He says Martinez missed a summer move, wanted Spain or Atletico Madrid, has one year left on his contract, does not see the club going anywhere, and is making a chess move
- Carrick saying the players are in a fantastic place is ridiculous — He points to United sitting 13th, losing three and drawing two of their last five, with both draws at Old Trafford against bottom clubs Fulham and Spurs
- New signings and teammates could and should take offense at Martinez's comments — He says if he were in that dressing room, or if he were a new signing like Tielemans, he would take offense at what Martinez said
- United need the next game to come quickly and they need to win it to move past this — He says six points after six games is not good by any measure, the speculation is understandable, and Martinez's comments may be just the tip of the iceberg
- Carrick was only talking about the mood at the training ground that day, not the whole season, and he handled it well — He says the question was about the mood in the camp, Carrick said they trained well and had an edge, and he avoided drama; under Amorim the headlines would have been crazy
- United's away form is terrible and going to Leeds will be a nightmare — He says Leeds will attack them at pace, United cannot handle that kind of energy through midfield, and the back four is probably their weakest part
Don Hutchison, Shaka Hislop and Steve Nicol join Kay Murray on ESPN FC to react to Michael Carrick's comments on the drama at Man United after Lisandro Martinez's outburst. The crew also discuss their upcoming match against Leeds. ✔️ Subscribe to ESPN Unlimited: https://plus.espn.com/ ESPN ESPNFC
Transcript
Lots of the newspapers surrounding Manchester United right now. A sorry state clown show and Martinez sorry for his rant. Well, Michael Carrick has addressed the Landro Martinez situation in the pre-match presser ahead of the leads game saying that there is no dressing room divide. >> Um yeah, it's done really. Um moved on from that. It's kind of um it was one of those things I think um each has come out and and acknowledged the situation and um as a group we've moved on. It's um it's really not a drama for for us as a group. I think the boys have trained really well as this morning. There was a really good feeling around the the squad. Um a really good feeling. I have to say they they were in really good spirits and and trained really well. So uh we've moved on pretty quickly. >> Trained really well today and take you at face value on that. But how >> I'm telling you the truth, >> but how how how do you >> Do you not believe me? >> Well, how when Lisandro comes out with something like that, how can people believe that there is unity in the squad when what he said was so damaging? He didn't apologize for what he actually said. He said it he apologized for how it came out. There's a lot of fans, a lot of people within the game, not just supporters, but ex pros that are in agreement with what he said. So, how when you're saying the things that you're saying, >> a lot of people that say a lot of things and expros or not expros, it doesn't necessarily mean they understand what's going on here. >> But, but why should people believe you when there is so much >> the play the play the players totally believe me? Um, I've said, you know, it just cuz people talk from the outside, that doesn't mean that's the truth. I'm telling you the truth. The the squad today was in a fantastic place, better than I've seen it for a while. Actually, >> Don Hutcherson back with us to talk more about this. Let's get to this situation and what Carrick had to say there, Don, in that press conference. He's denying that there's any problems. Journalists putting it to him that looks like there might be. Where are you on it? I've got to say, I watched the whole interview that Michael done and I thought he was very very impressive. He he he tried to squash it as quickly as possible, which is what you do when you're in house and you and you want to just get rid of that question as quickly as possible. The journalist had a every right to ask the question because it was pretty big news. But I think Michael was saying even the meeting didn't take that long between the hierarchy, Michael and Landra Martinez. It was there's two ways to look at this from from what he said. I don't know Landra Martinez at all. So, I'm not judging his character, but there's one or two things you can look at it. Either he's really emotional and he was really upset and everything just came out after a game or he knew exactly what he was saying to Angle for I which I I think is the real reason why he done it. >> So, that's how you look at it. >> What do you What do you think? >> I think so. K. I think he knows exactly what he's doing. I think he's an intelligent guy who missed out on his move in the summer. I think he was hoping for a move to Spain or Atletico Madrid, I think, was his was his favorite destination. That didn't come off. He's got one year left on his contract. I think he probably believes that he served his time and he's being a good pro. Um, but he doesn't see the club going anywhere. So, I think it's a bit of a bit of a chess move from his point of view that he's just sewing that seed to say, "Well, I've only got a year left. I might cause a little bit of trouble. I'll apologize after because it's not a thing you should say." Um, but it would not stun me. whatsoever if we get to this point either in January or in the summer and he has been moved on. Do you know in terms of Landro Martinez I mean we we spoke about it yesterday but I have to say listening to Michael Carrick what is he talking about the players in fact actually I've noticed they're in a really good place. So, you don't agree with Don that he that he said what he had to say here and handled this pretty well. >> At least obviously he's tried to downplay it, but you can't come out and say the players are in a fantastic place. They've just they've lost they've lost three of the last five and they've drawn two of the last five and both of them are against the two teams that are bottom of the league at Old Trafford. So, how can you possibly turn round and try and tell anybody that the players are in a fantastic place? How can Manchester United as a club sitting in 13th position having lost three and drawn two of the last five and as I said against the two bottom clubs in the league Fulham and Spurs and they're in a fantastic place. How does that make one ounce of sense for Manchester United? If it was Fulham or if it was Ipsswich then we'd be like you know what yeah 13th. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. It's Manchester United. I'm sorry. Well, I that makes no sense. What he said is absolutely ridiculous in my head. >> What should he have said? Because you were saying on the show this week that you think that he would deal with this. He needs Landro Martinez. He'd say, "Why did you say that? Let's get this out the way. Let's move on." What should he have said given that you were kind of partly on his side in that situation that he's probably going to be able to deal with this, >> right? But but then everything he everything he said, he's trying to he's trying to quash it, right? We've moved on. That's fine. We've moved on. That's fine. But then tell the truth. Again, he's he's asking the guy, "You don't think I'm telling the truth?" Is he does he really think they're in a good place? I mean I mean, come on. Seriously. I mean, you know, you've got a you've you've got a situation where Manchester United, they should be telling the fans and Carrick should be telling the fans that I've seen the players this morning. They trained well. There's an edge about them. They're disappointed with the results recently. They want to do better. They want to do better for the fans and for themselves and they want to do better for each other as a group. That's what he should be saying. Try to galvanize things and and and send a message to the fans and the press that the players are not happy with the situation, that they know they should be doing better and they know results are not good enough. That's what Michael Carrick should be doing. not trying to tell everybody they're in such a fantastic place after a complete disaster of run of results. Do >> you know what is fantastic? Shaka smirk throughout your whole run. >> I mean, you said the other day that you you think that the team would be divided with what Lisandro Martinez has said. So, what do you make of Carrick's comments? >> So, I I I I think he's trying to to quash it as as best he can. Um, the truth is I'm I'm I'm looking at Michael Carrick speak and and while to what he's saying, nobody from the outside can speak to what's happening within within the group, within the training ground, the universal truth is Michael Carrick and Manchester United need this next game to come along as quickly as possible and they need to win that game. That's the only way I think they move past this. Um, because the speculation whether Michael Carrick says it's right or not, I I think it's totally understandable. Were I a part of that dressing room or were I one of the new signings and I I kept using Tielemans as as as as the example. It could be anyone of of not just this summer signing but the last couple of years um could take offense and and should take offense u from from what Landra Martinez had had to say. But you're a professional. You get up next morning, you get dressed and and you do exactly as you've done all your professional life and and that is try to be the best player as you can. Try to be the best teammate as as you can. And that's what I think Michael Carrick is is experiencing. But these results continue to to Stevie's point. Six points after six games is not great by any measure. Um you that that continues and what Landre Martinez had to say is just a a tip of the iceberg of of what may be to come from Manchester United within that dress room. Don. >> Yeah, just off the back of what Stevie was saying there. I don't think Michael Carrick was talking about Man United in terms of their season and where they're at and the games they've lost and Drew. I think Michael Carrick was talking about the reaction on the training ground today. I think that's what he was alluding to when he was getting asked the questions from the journalist. How's the mood in the camp? And he's saying they trained really well. There was an edge about them like Stevie said there. I don't think it was a generalization of the season and what Michael Carrick's really good at. If Ruben Amarim had have been in charge and this had have happened under him, the headlines would have been crazy because he would have just he would have just went all in Amarim where Michael's just quashed it and he handled it well. He said the right things. There was no drama. You won't get any headlines out of that from Michael whatsoever. So I think again going back to what he was saying when he was getting asked the questions, it was how is the mood this morning on the training ground. >> Okay. Little light pro. >> Very positive, Don. Really? >> Yeah. really on this show. >> That's the way that's that's the way I took it. That's the way I >> It's It is Leads United against Manchester United. Maybe it's not the rivalry it once was, but Leadeds would like to continue making Manchester United suffering. They're not going to make it easy for them, are they, CB? >> Well, no. And right now, you wouldn't put any money on Manchester United, particularly away from home, they have been rotten. Whether it's been in Europe or in the Premier League, away from home, they've been horrible. And so to go to a historic place in Leeds where it's I mean you you talk about you're going to get peltters from every direction and particularly on the field you know lead leads will be at it. Leads will go at them at pace and Manchester United defensively have shown that when teams do that to them they can't handle it particularly through the middle of the park. You know Tielemans and Mayu can't stunk people with energy and pace getting getting past them. They just can't do it. And so all the pressure is going to be on the back the back four. And again, I would suggest that probably the back four is the weakest part of Manchester United's team. So this this is not a game that they'll be relishing. Go going to leads at any time for any reasons not good for Man United, but on the run that I've just been talking about, absolute nightmare. >> They're in fantastic form though, >> apparently. >> Well, they're in fantastic. >> Apparently they're in a fantastic place. >> They're in a fantastic fantastic place. He He needs a good game. >> Yeah.