Former Manchester United defender Jaap Stam has called on the club's hierarchy to keep Michael Carrick in charge, despite a tough beginning to the 2026/27 season. Stam is adamant that Carrick remains suited to the role.
Manchester United have had a dismal start this season, collecting just six points from their opening six Premier League matches and crashing out of the EFL Cup after a loss to Brighton.
In the Champions League, the Red Devils suffered a 2-0 defeat away at Atletico Madrid, although they did start their European campaign with a 4-0 victory over Sabah. Such mixed results have intensified pressure on Carrick, with Italian manager Antonio Conte's name being floated as a potential successor in the media.
Stam believes that modern coaches are afforded far less time to build successful teams compared to the era of Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford.
"When Sir Alex was managing the team, coaches had, in my opinion, a little more time to work with the squad, to build a team, and ultimately achieve success. Nowadays, it's very hard for a coach to get enough time for long-term work," Stam remarked.
He pointed out that Manchester United has previously worked with a number of seasoned professionals, but this has not guaranteed success.
"The club has had managers with significant experience at a high level — Jose Mourinho, David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, and Erik ten Hag. But they didn't achieve the success expected. Simply bringing in an experienced manager doesn't mean that they will have the ideas or solutions to guide the team to victories," the former defender stated.
Despite the current struggles, Stam is confident in Carrick's capabilities: he understands Manchester United's culture, knows the players, and maintains a good relationship with the club's hierarchy.
"I believe that Michael is still suited for this job. The team needs someone who is close to the players, knows them, and understands the culture of the club. It's also important that he has a good relationship with the hierarchy, which should trust him and give him time to sort things out," Stam emphasised.
