Carrick’s Man Utd tenure is over – but did he take Bruno with him?

Analysis

Robin Bairner | Chief Editor

Michael Carrick’s last act as Manchester United manager may prove to be his most important. Despite slipping to a 3-0 Premier League loss to Bournemouth, he was hailed by fans as he walked down the Old Trafford tunnel.

It was the latest in a long line of embarrassing results, and one that will very probably result in him being sacked, but the fans made no secret of who they blame for the mess that the club finds itself in.

Once Carrick had disappeared from view to leave the players to trudge off the pitch, the atmosphere changed instantly. The cheers turned to jeers, with the supporters’ anger turned towards a group of players perceived to have let the club down.

Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville spoke for the fans when he went on an astonishing three-minute rant in which he criticised the squad.

“They've teased him, haven't they? They've conned him for a few months. They have. They've conned him,” the former England right-back, a well-known Man Utd fan, said.

“Honestly, I think, knowing full well he'd never say this publicly because he's got class, I can say it for him. He'll look at those players with disgust, some of them. He'll be disgusted with some of those players.”

He added: “They’ve turned on him. And I know that because if Bruno Fernandes is turning on him publicly with that little statement, imagine what they're like behind the scenes. If that's your captain saying that, imagine what they're saying in the dressing room behind closed doors when no one's listening. That's horrific.”

Carrick sacking must be a turning point

Carrick may not be the first manager to suffer from the unprofessionalism of the squad, but United’s board have to ensure he is the last. That means changing the culture of the club from the very top.

And that applies to players as much as it does to sporting director Jason Wilcox and CEO Omar Barrada, who have both been targeted by the anger of fans lately.

Circumstances, for once, favour United here. The club is locked in contract talks with Bruno, who along with Lisandro Martinez was part of a public rebellion against the non-playing staff at the club via comments made after Champions League defeats.

In the aftermath, there were those who defended Bruno, suggesting that his dig was simply the consequence of a non-native speaker being asked to give an interview in English. Carrick clearly didn’t believe so as he pointedly left the playmaker on the bench as United chased the game against Bournemouth.

As captain, Bruno is the man who sets the dressing room culture. So to openly criticise the manager after a damaging defeat was an act of betrayal. Disagreements will, inevitably, happen. This was not the way an experienced pro should have dealt with the situation.

And it’s not the first time in recent years that United have been involved in a public spat with a high-profile star. Cristiano Ronaldo, Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho are just some of those to have crossed the club publicly.

This culture of player power behind the scenes is nothing new, yet this is all the more reason for it to be rooted out.

Offloading a high-performing player like Bruno Fernandes would be a strong signal that it will no longer stand.

Carrick’s inevitable exit may seem like just another chapter in the cycle of turmoil that Man Utd have spent more than a decade enduring, but if the board were paying attention to those cheers that quickly became jeers on Sunday, it will be a long-overdue turning point.

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