Under-pressure Manchester United boss Michael Carrick opened Friday’s press conference with a five-and-a-half-minute emotional address — and pointedly refused to rule out dropping captain Bruno Fernandes for Sunday’s Premier League clash with Bournemouth at Old Trafford.
Michael Carrick refuses to rule out dropping Bruno Fernandes after the 4-1 Champions League defeat to Como.
Carrick’s Five-Minute Address: “We Have Gone Away From That”
Rather than take his seat and answer questions at Carrington as normal, Carrick seized the microphone himself — a tactic Sir Alex Ferguson used, though the legendary Scot rarely spoke at such length. After seven games without a win, capped by Wednesday’s shocking 4-1 Champions League defeat to Como, the United boss wanted to reaffirm what the club stood for.
“Recently we haven’t had a good time, I think that’s pretty obvious,” he said. “Wednesday was a bad night, and it hurt me to see us play like that. It was unacceptable. My responsibility is to get a team on the pitch that represents this football club, and the supporters, and they can be proud of in the identity we show. We have gone away from that recently. It’s important we all recognise that.” (Credits: BBC Sport)
He invoked the club’s “foundation and values” — humility, hard work and resilience — naming Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney and Ferguson as examples of what is expected of United players. “We can never lose that, and I won’t let us lose that,” he said.
Carrick Won’t Rule Out Dropping Fernandes After Captain’s Criticism
The elephant in the room was Fernandes. The 32-year-old midfielder publicly condemned his own manager’s tactics in Italy after the Como defeat, telling Sky Italia there was “too much focus on what’s been done in the past” at the club. Club sources said Thursday that Fernandes would not lose the captaincy or be fined — but when asked directly whether he had considered dropping him for Bournemouth, Carrick would not say no.
“The most important thing for me is the team, the squad and dynamics in the squad,” he said. “It’s about the football club. I’ll always do what is best for the football club.” Asked again about the captaincy, he repeated: “I will always do what is best for the football club.”
Despite the public challenge to his authority, Carrick insisted the dressing room is not divided: “No, it’s not. We just need to get back to doing what we do best.” He added that the club is “doing everything” to support Fernandes and his family after their Cheshire home was burgled on Wednesday — “thankfully they weren’t directly affected even though it is an awful situation.”
Also Read: Should Man Utd Boss Michael Carrick Drop Captain Bruno Fernandes Against Bournemouth? | Fernandes Stays Man Utd Captain After Como Outburst as Rooney Calls Players ‘Babies’
Source: BBC Sport — read the full story there.
