Michael Carrick Told Me Management Isn't For Me, Claims Nicky Butt

Nicky Butt has claimed that Michael Carrick expressed reservations about management, stating it wasn't for him, prior to accepting the managerial position at Manchester United.

Carrick, 45, returned to Old Trafford in January following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim. Despite guiding United to third place in the league last season, he is now facing pressure after the team secured only six points from their opening six matches this season. The club's difficult start has seen Carrick become the second favorite to be the next Premier League manager sacked, according to Paddy Power, with odds of 5/2, trailing behind Alvaro Arbeloa at 2/1.

Butt recounted private conversations with Carrick, telling The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, "I was with Michael before he got the Man United job and spoke to him about management." Carrick reportedly said, "no it's not for me, it's too much, my head's all over the show, I'd only do it for the big job. The big job is Man United."

Butt suggested that the allure of managing Manchester United was too significant for Carrick to decline. "So because that club's gone to him he's naturally going to go and do it. I think when he's gone through that door, put aside last year because like Scholesy said that's totally different to this year, I think he's realised he's gone into a club that's different to the club that he knew and was at." Butt added that many players, including Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and potentially Roy Keane, would not turn down such an opportunity.

Carrick's side recently drew 1-1 with ten-man Tottenham, a result that drew criticism. This season marks Manchester United's worst start in 40 years, with only one win in their first six Premier League games.

However, Carrick defended his team and their situation ahead of Tuesday's Champions League match against Atletico Madrid. "I love this part of sometimes when it's not quite going for you, you see who's really there in the group, players, the squad, who's really there and who wants to be there in the long-term," he stated. "[You see who is] really attached to it and [who it] really means something [to]. The supporters are there, they’re desperate for it, and we’ve got to give them something."

Addressing the notion of pressure, Carrick said, "It depends how you define pressure. There's our own expectation. We know what we're capable of doing as a team, what we expect as a group and as a football club. That comes from us. I certainly don't look outside or elsewhere of what it should look like. I know fine well what it should look like. I've felt it and I've felt the ups and I've felt the downs. I don't feel the pressure from that at all."

Following the Atletico match, Manchester United are scheduled to play Leeds, Bournemouth, Chelsea, and Aston Villa in the Premier League before the November international break. They also have European fixtures against Como and Roma.