Paul Scholes: Michael Carrick and Manchester United coaching staff ‘all should have gone’ with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Scholes’ former United teammate Carrick is acting as caretaker boss at the club

Alex Pattle
Tuesday 23 November 2021 12:38 EST
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Paul Scholes has said Michael Carrick and his staff should not be at Manchester United following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s sacking as head coach.

Former United striker Solskjaer was relieved of his duties on Sunday after three years in charge, a day after his side were thrashed 4-1 by Watford in the Premier League.

Carrick served as assistant coach to Solskjaer – and to Jose Mourinho before the Norwegian’s tenure – and the ex-United midfielder is acting as caretaker manager while the club seek a permanent replacement. It has also been suggested that United could appoint an interim coach until the end of the season, before recruiting a longer-term manager.

Carrick’s first game in charge sees United take on Villarreal in the Champions League group stage on Tuesday evening, but – speaking on BT Sport ahead of the game – Scholes suggested that his former midfielder partner at the club should have left with Solskjaer.

“It’s the same people running the team, the same people given massive responsibility every week to put that team on the pitch,” Scholes said.

“Arguably it’s more Kieran McKenna and Michael Carrick who’ve been preparing the team. Ole gave them that responsibility, so how that changes now I don’t know.

“Four weeks ago, that Liverpool game, that was the time we knew Ole was going to go – it was plainly obvious. So then the people above had to prepare the next manager and the next batch of staff.

“I’d be almost embarrassed being the staff now, after what happened to Ole. I think they all should have gone.

“They were part of Ole’s team, Ole trusted them each week to prepare the team, and they’ve let the club and players down as much as Ole has.”

As reported by The Independent, Mauricio Pochettino could leave his role as head coach of Paris Saint-Germain to join United before the end of the season.

Former Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde has reportedly been spoken to about serving as interim manager of United in the meantime.

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