- Carrick played in the same position as Casemiro
- Praises the interim boss ahead of departure
- Brazilian will leave Old Trafford this summer
Ahead of his departure, Manchester United star Casemiro has praised ‘specialist’ Michael Carrick in his role as interim boss.
Carrick was drafted in by INEOS after Ruben Amorim was sacked in January. The former Middlesbrough boss faces early criticism from some ex-United legends, such as Roy Keane, for not being ‘good enough’. Even though he has been successful, he has been described as another Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who also impressed mid-season in an interim role.
The United boss has overseen just one defeat in his 10 matches in charge, collecting 23 out of 30 points. It has transformed lowly United into one of the most in-form teams in the Premier League. The Red Devils sit six points behind second-placed Manchester City and eight points clear of sixth-placed Chelsea. The cushion of fifth-place being enough to secure Champions League football also helps his cause.
Casemiro: Carrick ‘Always Talking’ to United Squad
The Brazilian praised the current interim boss in his post-match interview after Brazil’s latest friendly. He said after a 2-1 loss to France:
“Above all, Michael is a specialist in my position on the field, he was a truly great player. That makes everything much easier and he is always talking to us.”
One of the key drivers of Carrick’s approach has been to simplify matters on and off the pitch. Players are not rigorously glued to a system and positions like they were under Amorim. The relaxed nature of the squad is quite apparent, whilst simultaneously delivering on the pitch.
Playing under the floodlights at Old Trafford is also something that Carrick knows all too well. That relatable nature can make it easier for players to better understand a manager.
Amorim Suppressed Casemiro
It is quite interesting that Casemiro chose to praise Carrick’s previous life as an elite midfielder. His predecessor, Amorim, also played in the same position, as a defensive midfielder, for SLB Benfica. Yet, this was never brought up as a strength of Amorim’s during his spell in charge.
Last week, Gary Lineker and Micah Richards were discussing Casemiro’s time under the Portuguese manager on The Rest is Football podcast. The Brazilian often looked like a shadow of himself, with much of it due to excessive demands on a player in his mid-30s.
Richards said: “He was sort of hung out to dry a little bit. If you have someone who, physically, he’s got it. He can read the game, he’s aggressive, and he’s not a bad passer when need be.
“But if you’re leaving him exposed in the middle of the pitch where you have got runners either side of you, it was always going to be difficult.”
Sitting Kobbie Mainoo next to him has alleviated the running demands and allowed Casemiro to position, intercept, and orchestrate much more efficiently. He has also been chipping in with the headed goals, adding to his strong end as a Manchester United player.
Casemiro may not have as many games for United under his belt as Carrick did, but he has left a delicate mark on his time at Old Trafford. He is one of modern football’s all-time greats who will be sorely missed next season.
