Michael Carrick reacts to Como thrashing in Champions League | "I apologise to supporters"
Carrick apologises: Manchester United's display against Como was unacceptable
After Manchester United's heavy Champions League defeat to Como, head coach Michael Carrick apologised to supporters and called the performance unacceptable, lacking intensity and fight. He also responded to Bruno's questioning of the pressing instructions, stressing that the issue is not about him personally but about representing the club properly.
- I must apologise to the supporters; the performance was completely unacceptable. — We should have built on the intensity, spirit and aggression of the previous game, but tonight was the total opposite and tough to watch.
- I cannot understand how the performance could be so different; poor form can happen, but playing in that manner is completely wrong. — That kind of contrast and manner of performance should not happen.
- Going over to the fans was not a special gesture but an acknowledgement of their support; I feel the same as them, and the way the team played was unacceptable. — Fans spend time and money to support the team, and beyond winning or losing, the way the club is represented has to be right.
- I do not see myself as personally let down by certain players; the issue is the responsibility and manner of representing the club. — What made it hard was not just the goals conceded but the team's manner and attitude.
- The focus should not be on whether I personally want to carry on; what the team and club should look like is the priority. — Results can come and go, but the game has to be played in the right way, and tonight it was not.
- The instruction not to press man-to-man came from the coaching staff, and he questioned that arrangement. — The journalist relayed Bruno's post-match comments in the press conference.
- The team actually half-pressed man-to-man in the second half and conceded a goal from it; whatever the system, you will not win if you do not run forward and back. — He used that goal and the demand for running to answer the pressing question.
- Players are not playing for me but for the club; I carry the responsibility to the club and supporters and give everything. — My life revolves around the club, but the focus is not on my relationship with the players.
- I would like to think all the players give as much as I do, but I did not like what I saw tonight. — I can only say I would like to believe it, while the performance left me unhappy.
- I have not given my own position any thought; I am more concerned about the supporters because I was one of them tonight and was not happy at all. — I put my personal position aside and focused on the fans' feelings.
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Transcript
to answer. >> Hi, Michael. How do >> And here he is. Let's see what he has to say. >> First of all, I want to I I have to apologize to the supporters. I went over to the end and um I care about this football club is is as um as much as anyone if not more, you know, the position that I'm in and what what what I value this football club and um for us to play in that way is is it's not acceptable. Um it wasn't a good performance at all. We we built on we wanted to build on what we brought to Leads in the performance that we had at Leads. Um and that that bit of intensity, that spirit, that aggression, that real willingness to to um to give everything and um tonight was the the the totally opposite of a performance, I have to say. And um it was tough to watch. >> Um evening, Michael. I appreciate what you're saying, but how do you explain a performance like that? As you mentioned, feeling like Sunday was a fresh start. I mean, when you're watching that on the touch line, what's going through your mind? Because it's quite clear. >> Yeah, there's a lot going through my mind, I have to say, watching that. Um, genuinely, it's it's difficult to to understand how how how it can be so different. Uh, it's it it shouldn't it shouldn't be like that. We can all play well. You can all have poor performances, but to to do it in that manner is is is really not right at all. >> Michael, you were at Watford when Oie went and acknowledged the fans and he obviously cared a great deal about Manchester United in the same way that you do. A lot of people tonight will look at you and wonder whether the same outcome is is going to happen. what what is your view on that? >> I I always go over to the fans anyway regardless. So, um it it wasn't a particularly different kind of um reason why I went over. I think it's the appreciation and um the acknowledgement of um what they gone through and they have done over a period of of a few weeks now. But particularly tonight, I think um as I said, I was one of them. I'm feeling the same as them. So um for them to make the effort and spend the money and come and and hope for something um you know we got we got a lot values and this football club and what we represent and how we want to go about it. We might win we might lose but um the way we went about it tonight. I wouldn't say every everyone but the way we went about it in some ways tonight wasn't was uh unacceptable and I just got to let the fans know that um I feel for them for sure. Michael, you're always very diplomatic when when you speak to us. But is there a sense inside you that you have been let down by by some of these players because you know they are experienced internationals, they've won a lots of you know trophies etc. and then to concede you know in the manner that you did is just kind of it must be really kind of frustrating for you. >> Um yeah it's I don't take it personally. It's it's um everything's wrapped around the football club um what you do, your behaviors and and how you perform and how you go about it. more importantly is um is the responsibility of representing this football club. It's it's I'm in a position Yeah, of course I am in and I take that with with um with real privilege, but it's um it's about the football club, you know, and what we represent and the supporters. Um it wasn't it wasn't just the goals if if if I'm totally honest, you know, um it wasn't just the goals, it was it was the manner in the way we played at times and the way we went about. It was was the difficult thing to watch for me. >> Uh Michael, when you said before that you lot's going through your mind when you watch that on the on the touch line, is there any part of you that that thinks I just I don't want to carry on? >> No, that's not that's not about it's not about me right now and and and my feelings in that regard. It's more of um as a team and as a football club, what what we want to look like, what we should look like. Um and as I said, it's the results can can come and go at times, but you you got to do it in a certain way. Um, and that wasn't it. >> Hi, Michael. I'm not sure if you're aware, but Bruno spoke afterwards and he said that the instructions to not press manto man, that was coming from the staff, from you, he seemed to to question that. I mean, when your club captain is, it looks to us he's questioning the manager. What do you make of that? >> Um, we actually were half pressed man-to-man the second half and ended conceding a goal from that. And, um, there's a little bit on whatever system you play, whatever tactics you play. If you don't run and you don't run forward and you don't run back, you ain't going to win. >> Thank you. >> Hi, Michael. Um, obviously it's a very deflating night for everyone connected to United. How on earth do you raise the mood ahead of Bournemouth? How how do you raise yourself? How do you raise the players? What What does this look like now? >> Again, it's not about me. I'm I'm I'm um I'm okay. I'm bitterly disappointed. I'm frustrated. More than frustrated. I'm really angry to be honest. But um it's a it's you got to move on. you got to deal with what's next and um see what that looks like at at this moment in time. It's it's um there's a lot to do before before that next game to to get the team ready because um that was that was a difficult night for for everyone tonight. Hi Michael, given Bruno's comments and given what you've said here about co what you think of some of the players tonight and the efforts they've put in. Do you still think these players are playing for you and and are wanting to play for you what you said tonight? >> Shouldn't be me. It's not about playing for me. It's about playing for this football club. Um it's the responsibility that comes with whether I'm in the position. I'm responsible for the football club and the supporters and giving my best um absolute best all the time. care care about it. Um, my whole life's wrapped around it. Um, listen, it might go well, it might not go so well, but it's um I I genuinely give everything I and I and I that I possibly can. Um, it's really not about me and the relationship. It's about what we all give players, staff um for this football club. >> Do all of the players give as much as you do? >> Say again. >> Do all of the players give as much as you do to the club? >> Um, I'd like to think so. I'd like to think so. Um, I didn't like what I seen tonight though. >> Fear the job will be taken away from you. >> Sorry. >> Did you fear the job may be taken away from you by the hierarchy? Absolutely. >> Listen, I I've not given my own position any thought. I fear this is the supporters and I was one of them tonight watching that and I wasn't happy at all. >> All right. Cheers, guys.