LONDON, England, January 16, 2026 – Wayne Rooney says caretaker head coach Michael Carrick is the “right choice at this moment in time” to “steady the ship” at Manchester United.
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.
“It is probably the obvious choice really because I don’t think there are any top, top managers available at the minute,” he said on the latest edition of BBC podcast The Wayne Rooney Show.
“I think it is the right choice at this moment in time.
“It is a difficult task of course. Where Manchester United are at the minute is not a good place and Michael has to go in and steady the ship.”
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.
“Tuchel is the one for me. He knows the Premier League, has won trophies. He is doing well at England. Time will tell.”
‘Don’t be fooled’ by Carrick’s ‘calmness’
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 2002 and 2005.
“Michael’s great fun. He is a great character, but don’t be fooled by how calm he looks,” Rooney said.
“He can have fun as well, but make no mistake, he’d be going in there now with full focus.”
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.
“But as we’ve seen over the years, Manchester United if they do turn up can win the game and hopefully that happens on Saturday.”
Carrick and Holland will bring ‘organisation’
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.
“I think what they will bring, Michael and Steve, is an organisation to Manchester United and I’m sure we’ll see on Saturday, they’ll be harder to beat.”
