Carrick discusses prospects of permanent appointment, changes Manchester United training schedule! Players battle Spurs while cutting hair for fans

Manchester United manager Carrick has notably altered the weekly training schedule, differing from Ten Hag and Amolin by giving players a day off after matches. This mirrors Mourinho’s method, while Ten Hag and Amolin had players come back the following day for recovery sessions, and substitutes completed full training.

Among Manchester United managers after Ferguson, only Mourinho allowed players a day of rest regardless of the match outcome. Both David Moyes and Louis van Gaal retained the right to call players for training on rest days when results were poor.

In Carrick’s first three matches in charge, he gave players the day after games off, with recovery training scheduled for the following day. Correspondingly, he increased the intensity of daily training but shortened its duration.

The coaching staff focuses more on one-on-one sessions targeting specific player needs; for example, former defenders Jonathan Woodgate and Jonny Evans are responsible for coaching central defensive tactics.

Carrick also has Manchester United arrive at Old Trafford later before home games, unlike Ten Hag who usually arrives four hours ahead. Carrick believes arriving too early is pointless and may distract players, negatively affecting performance.

This season, Manchester United’s midweek schedule is light, with nearly every Tuesday off, but they trained as usual this Tuesday. This is likely because the team will rest on Sunday and only has Monday to prepare for the West Ham match.

Manchester United aims to secure a fourth consecutive win against Tottenham. If they succeed, a globally recognized Red Devils fan who has recently gained attention may be very happy, as he is getting closer to cutting his straw-like long hair.

Frank, born in Oxford but living in Spain, vowed on October 5, 2024, that he would not cut his hair unless Manchester United won five consecutive matches. Having witnessed the tenures of Ten Hag and Ruben Amolin, he has now gone nearly 500 days without a haircut.

Manchester United players are aware of his promise. A source told The Sun, “The players really enjoy the recent improvement, and the atmosphere at training is very positive. They know Frank well because he often appears on social media. Some players joke, ‘Come on, let’s give this guy a haircut.’”

If Frank eventually cuts his hair, he plans to donate it to a UK charity trust that provides wigs for children who have lost their hair due to illness.

If Manchester United keeps winning, calls for Carrick’s permanent appointment will naturally grow louder. However, the 44-year-old Englishman stresses that the club will not rush the decision as they did during Solskjaer’s time. He said making a choice before the season ends on May 24 would be problematic.

“Nothing has really changed,” Carrick said. “This won’t affect how I behave or feel about the situation. I believe I fully understand my role and responsibilities here. We all want success, whether it’s me or anyone else, and the club hopes to achieve its goals by the season’s end. But at this stage, I can’t control the outcome and can only wait and see. Our objective is definitely to strengthen the team, make Manchester United strong again, and keep progressing.”

Carrick stated that short-term results do not define success. “Nothing has changed, and short-term outcomes won’t alter the plan. If they were to change things hastily, that would be a problem. You can’t make rash decisions whether things are going very well or there are many issues to fix. Progress is stable for now, but as you know, football situations can change in an instant. So, we must stay calm and keep focusing on our work.”

The Manchester United manager declined to discuss whether he desires to continue coaching next season: “I enjoy what I’m doing now. Being here feels like home. But I fully understand the current situation, so I’m not overly excited.”