Neville delivers Carrick sack verdict in three-minute rant: ‘They’ve conned him’

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Robin Bairner | Chief Editor

Gary Neville has delivered his verdict on the prospect of Manchester United manager Michael Carrick being sacked – claiming that the players have ‘conned’ their boss.

Carrick faces the prospect of losing his job following a 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth, which represented an eighth match in succession the Red Devils have failed to win.

But it was not just the result that caught the eye. It was also the nature of the defeat. United turned in a lacklustre, error-strewn performance in which the players seemed to lack motivation.

Meanwhile, captain Bruno Fernandes found himself on the bench after making comments following the midweek loss to Como that explicitly targeted Carrick’s tactical approach.

And the Portuguese was called out by Neville during an astonishing three-minute rant on Sky Sports, in which he said Carrick will be ‘disgusted’ by the attitude of the playmaker.

Neville: Carrick will look at those players with disgust

“I did say at the end of last season, I wondered whether Michael himself might just step away and say, ‘No, go and get someone. I'll continue my journey,’ and walk away in a really strong position,” Neville said.

“But I get why Michael would have wanted this job. The fact that he thought he could change this club, the fact that he could change this group of players who have been getting managers sacked for a number of years now and underperforming.

“They've teased him, haven't they? They've conned him for a few months. They have. They've conned him.

“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.

“Thirteen, fourteen years now without a Premier League title. That'll be another five or 10 before you know it, because there are other clubs that are set up for success right now for the next few years, and Manchester United aren't. They're making really poor decisions.

“From a business perspective, this is really bad for Manchester United, but it can't just be the manager. There can't just be the consequence of the manager again. There's got to be consequences above that. There just has to be, because you can't keep letting the people pick the manager who keep getting it wrong.

“So, it's going to be a turbulent week. A shocker today. Nothing of a performance. Nothing against Tottenham here. Nothing against Como. Nothing really against Madrid. A little bit against Leeds, it was a bit of a fight. Nothing against Fulham for me. Waste of time.

“So this is a pattern of nothings, a pattern of players switching off, of downing tools, and Michael Carrick, a brilliant man, a man of integrity, credibility, decency, professionalism, high-quality football, consistency and reliability, is going to suffer for it because he's not been able to deliver.

“It's been too much for him in these last few months, and he's not been able to get a tune out of them, and they've turned on him.

“And I know that because if Bruno's 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.

“And there's a few of them who aren't that professional, because a couple of them are... You know, I live in Manchester. They're not that professional, some of them, so I've got no time for them.

“Do you know what I mean? There's a few of them that don't go to bed at the right time, don't eat the right things, don't think about Manchester United every single minute of every single day. They're not living and breathing this football club as they should be, like professionals should.

“And why? Why? Because it's gone to their heads. But they still walk around like they're King William. They're not. They're nothing. Some of those players are nothing.”

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