One on One | Carrick on his start as interim Man United boss!

4.52 - 25.204 Joe Tomlinson

Hello and welcome back to a one-on-one from Sky Sports, the podcast where we chat to some of football's biggest names. I'm Joe Tomlinson and regular listeners will know that on the last episode, I was pretty damn excited to chat to the gaffer, Manchester United's new head coach, Michael Carrick. Well, I've quite literally just got back from Carrington and he was on brilliant form.

25.224 - 44.918 Joe Tomlinson

So I couldn't wait to share my interview with you. And no wonder he's in a good mood. He's making it look pretty damn easy right now, isn't he? He followed up the Derby win against Man City by beating Arsenal in impressive fashion at the Emirates.

44.938 - 45.799 Unknown

What a sensational hit from Matthias Konya!

79.508 - 90.767 Joe Tomlinson

Nearly a week on from the Arsenal game now and the scenes at full time were pretty awesome. From your perspective, sweeter as a manager or sweeter as a player? Because you've done both for Manchester United now.

92.791 - 116.398 Michael Carrick

It's just different. It's just different. I think it's certainly not a feeling you ever get sick of or you've ever had enough of, you know. I think... All that kind of everything you put into a game, whether you're a player or a coach or managing, whatever it is, I think, and as a supporter, all the energy and the excitement, the passion and everything, the will to win goes into the game.

116.418 - 139.472 Michael Carrick

When you come out the other side in such an important one, and late winners have always created the biggest emotion, really. To get it in such a game was a great feeling. you keep a lid on it to a point and it can last for so long, but certainly in the moment and the supporters, the way they've supported us, it was nice to have that few minutes with them.

143.671 - 148.159 Joe Tomlinson

Your daughter was in there. That's been bouncing from their perspective.

148.179 - 170.06 Michael Carrick

Yeah, for me, that's one of the biggest feelings of helping play a part in everyone getting that emotion, you know, that supporters come, pay a lot of money, travel and support us everywhere. That's what they want. So to be able to give them that, yeah. That's probably the biggest thing that's came back to me even during the week when you see people for that emotion, that excitement.

170.902 - 180.765 Michael Carrick

Listen, it's not going to be like that every week and we understand that but it's kind of our duty to try and produce that and the boys were incredible and fully deserve all the credit they get.

220.705 - 239.76 Michael Carrick

We're in a good place. The boys are there. They're really desperate to do well. They're a really tight group. If anything, at the moment, you're holding them back a little bit and they're so desperate for the next game. It's a great place to be at the moment. We've just got to keep that feeling and bottle it as best as we can going into the next game.

239.842 - 265.596 Joe Tomlinson

next game then we should talk about Fulham just sat in your press conference there there's lots of questions about how you might play in your build-up to these kind of games obviously it's not a Man City or an Arsenal in terms of club stature but do you take Fulham the exact same levels you would 100% yeah and I think anything else is is um first of all out of respect anyway but in terms of us for for going into the game it's criminal for us to think anything else um

266.015 - 293.642 Michael Carrick

And then when you watch anyway, you see the level that they're playing at. They're a very, very good team in so many ways, and coached so well. So we totally understand that. The boys understand that and are fully prepared for that. It's not about who we play against so much. It's about how can we be at our best with the emotion, with the level of concentration, the obviously tactical awareness,

311.358 - 336.64 Joe Tomlinson

I think it's quite interesting in a game like Fulham because I've sat in the press conference just there and I've been watching lots of media this week and people talking about Man United dominating the ball and not playing on the counter like they have in the past do you see that the same way or do you see you know each game is separate like Fulham might have a bit of the ball and we might have to come out against them I'm sure Fulham will I think yeah it's the way they play and again it's accept and understand what the game is going to be respect and have fully respect for that

336.738 - 356.123 Michael Carrick

I'm certainly not going into the game feeling all of a sudden we've done that and this game's going to be different and we'll go and enjoy it and let's play with the ball and score loads of goals and that's just totally couldn't be any further away from it with the total opposite if anything and the things that have enabled us to get the results is working together, defending well as a team.

356.704 - 375.165 Michael Carrick

We've got good players and we can play good football at times. And we did second half against Arsenal. We came out, we controlled it, we ended up scoring. So we've got to get the balance. And again, I can't say it is strong enough. It doesn't matter who we're playing. It's about what we do and we've got to keep repeating them and if not improving on the levels of performance every week.

393.849 - 414.94 Michael Carrick

Is it giving them information? And it's got to evolve. It's got to change. And sometimes you get a feeling for that, you know, kind of understanding what they're going through and mentally and coping with the situation. So it changes a lot. I think the boys are feeling that I'm with them. The coaches are with them. We're all in together. There's that unity. I feel that really strongly already.

414.92 - 432.971 Michael Carrick

That's important to me, I think. And then, yeah, it's just feeling the moment, you know, and the boys, to be honest, have been in such a good place that you're just tweaking things here and there. They're so desperate to do well, which All you can ask is to give the best, you know, and they're there. They're really invested in it and they're keen and they're hungry.

432.991 - 437.656 Michael Carrick

And hence the results and the performances we've got. It's what we've got to keep moving forward.

437.676 - 453.853 Joe Tomlinson

This feels like there's some real leaders in that dressing room as well. And now we're actually sitting here today on the six year anniversary of Bruno signing. So we should touch upon him and his impact on this club as a whole. Where does he sort of rank for you amongst some of United's best midfielders? Because his output is just unbelievable.

454.087 - 475.112 Michael Carrick

Yeah and I'm not going to get involved in terms of where he's to others but I think he's such an important part of this team and he has been for six years now and I was here when he came to the club and seeing the impact he had his attitude his mentality his His willingness to sacrifice and put himself out there every single time.

494.933 - 508.339 Joe Tomlinson

And we should talk about some of the other players in that that have been such big parts of that team anyway. Brian and Boomer, for instance, the start he's made to life under yourself, playing a little bit more of a central role. Do you think that's his best role potentially in the side, playing a little bit more centrally because he's a deadly finisher?

508.78 - 527.646 Michael Carrick

I just think he's flexible, Brian. You know, he can play different roles across the floor. Yeah. To be honest, pretty much all the boys across the front within reason can play different kind of roles and be fluid and be flexible. I think it's important to enable you to kind of be dangerous and try and create different movements.

528.387 - 539.005 Michael Carrick

But yeah, scoring, for Brian scoring, he's played a big role in terms of his discipline and his responsibility for the team with and without the ball and he's got his rewards. So yeah, he's doing great.