"Man Utd's Own Goal: Michael Carrick's Unveiling Misses the Mark Despite His Perfect Words"

MICHAEL CARRICK posed in front of the Premier League trophy, the FA Cup, the European Cup and the Europa League trophy for his Manchester United unveiling.

Four trophies Carrick lifted as a player. Four trophies are not winning any time soon.

Michael Carrick and four trophies United won’t win any time soonCredit: Getty Carrick had not been in the new training building before TuesdayCredit: Getty

Concept art for the new £50million building at Carrington had the silverware on display by the staircase that leads up the plush canteen.

On its opening day in August, those of us given a tour were told the trophies were present to motivate the players and remind them of what they are playing for.

Well, United were not playing for the league title or any European trophy this season. And they are already out of the.

Those trophies belong in the club museum. A manager from the past surrounded by past glories was a questionable look for a club stuck in the past.

The old joke used to be that United had MUTV, Chelsea had Chelsea TV and Liverpool had The History Channel.

After their two-decade dominance ended in the early Nineties, harped on about their 18 titles and four European Cups.

With United going for the Treble when they played at Anfield in May 1999, Scousers held up signs and placards on the Kop bragging about their feats from yesteryear .

Liverpool’s addiction to nostalgia is not a patch on United’s. Since retired in 2013, there have been documentaries on Ferguson, the Class of ‘92, Sir Matt Busby, Bryan Robson, Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney, David Beckham and two on the Treble.

, attempted to downplay the importance of his playing heyday.

“I’m not getting clouded by ‘the past is great and that’s going to do my job for me and that’s going to make us a good team now’.

“We’ve got to put that in place and I fully believe in the boys that we can do that.”

He has at least brought in a couple of external voices in Steve Holland and Jonathan Woodgate, the latter doubtless relieved United have already played at his former club Leeds United.

Holland brings ample club football nous, having worked with Andre Villas-Boas, Roberto di Matteo, Rafael Benitez, , Guus Hiddink and Antonio Conte as Chelsea added six more trophies to their honours’ board.

Carrick drove Woodgate in on Wednesday morningCredit: PA

Woodgate will not view United through rose-tinted glasses, either, and tends to challenge Carrick.

Carrick stressed United “might have to play certain ways”, which draws a line under Ruben Amorim’s dependence on 3-4-2-1.

Another shift from the Amorim era is Carrick’s enthusiasm for the academy, hardly a shock when his 15-year-old son Jacey is in it.

Travis Binnion, who assisted Darren Fletcher last week, coached Kobbie Mainoo to FA Youth Cup glory in 2022 and has been in charge of United’s under 21s for two-and-a-half years.

Binnion championed Shea Lacey at the start of the season and has also spoken highly of left back Harry Amass, mulling over whether to return on loan to Sheffield Wednesday for the second half of the season.

Lacey was sent off on his third appearance for UnitedCredit: Getty

Jonny Evans is unsurprisingly staying on. Evans left his role as United loans manager on December 8 to spend more time with his family.

Less than a month later, Evans was back at the club’s Carrington training complex, cutting short a holiday in Barbados.

Whether he is at home or at work, Evans cannot entirely escape his family. His wife, Helen, has worked for MUTV for several years and interviewed Carrick on Tuesday.

It is safe to assume now that Evans decided quite quickly that managing loanees in Barnet, Northampton, Shrewsbury et al. was not for him.

Evans was back at United four weeks after leavingCredit: Getty Images

Coaching the United first team was always bound to appeal and it was little surprise that Evans was kept on by Carrick, who was holidaying with him in the Caribbean over the New Year.

The pair go as far back as Carrick’s first ever appearance for United in the Amsterdam Tournament in August 2006.

Carrick ended the pre-season tournament on crutches but Evans, 18 at the time, excelled in a 1-0 win against Ajax.

United won both games, collected a trophy and lifted another one at the end of the 2006-07 season – a first Premier League title in four years.

The current drought is certain to stretch to 14 years.