Mark Ogden

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wasn't really a coach, so I think United looked at it and thought, well, there's no point in hiring a manager who doesn't really spend much time on the training pitch.

So Carrick wins on that score that he's actually a manager and somebody who can coach.

But I think they also realised that going back to a guy who was basically fired before from the Man United job because it didn't work out would be seen as very much of a backward step.

We spoke yesterday on the show about how

some of the senior players at United, I've been told, have expressed their preference for Michael Carrick on that basis, that he's a coach and he's a player that hasn't, you know, hasn't failed at Man United in the past.

So, you know, it's not the greatest scenario, is it, in terms of they're scratching around looking for somebody who can pick up the reins until the end of the season.

They're not looking for, you know, somebody off the top shelf here.

But Michael Carrick, in many ways, is the preferred option because, one, he coaches, and two, he hasn't failed at Man United in the past.

Well, the Amling situation was coming to a head.

I think United knew it was going to happen at some point.

And I was told it was going to happen after the Leeds game, regardless of what he said at Ellen Road.

So United knew it was coming.

But I think the reality is that, you know, the options that are there right now in terms of a proper manager, a full-time manager, there aren't many there.

I mean, people have talked about...

you know, Oliver Glasner, Andoni Arreola.

If they wanted Glasner, they could have got Glasner because he's got six months on his contract.

So it wouldn't be an expensive deal to do.

So it suggests they don't want Oliver Glasner long term.

So the best managers, as we know, are the ones that are probably going to be available in the summer.

Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, Carlo Ancelotti, maybe some others.