Wayne Rooney is showing everything that Roy Keane cannot look beyond when it comes to appointing Michael Carrick as the next permanent Manchester United manager.
Roy Keane has been a vocal critic of the interim head coach reign of Michael Carrick, who has engineered a huge turnaround for the Red Devils’ 2025-26 campaign.
Carrick has dismissed Keane’s criticism in the past after the 44-year-old United legend returned to Old Trafford to replace Ruben Amorim in the short term.
The former Middlesbrough head coach has been able to fully win over Keane, despite winning seven of his nine Premier League matches as United interim boss.
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Roy Keane’s latest ‘rant’ around Michael Carrick is nonsensical amid Wayne Rooney’s assessment of the Man Utd legend
Outspoken pundit Roy Keane was at it again around Michael Carrick in the Sky Sports studio after the latest round of Premier League fixtures at the weekend.
Joined by Jamie Redknapp and Ashley Young on Sky Sports on Sunday, legendary former Man Utd captain Keane dismissed a potential Carrick permanent appointment route.
“No,” he said after Man Utd’s 3-1 Premier League win over Aston Villa.
“I think there’s [sic] better options out there. I think the games where he’s come in – there’s been no jeopardy. Three weeks to prepare for the matches.”
According to Keane, there are “better options” on the market to replace former Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim in the long term at Old Trafford.
But exactly who, Keane? During the iconic former United midfielder’s appearance in the Sky studio, Keane continued to throw his ‘better’ pick line than backing Carrick.
Even when Keane was challenged or pushed back about his dismissal of Carrick, the Irishman went into his de facto reset of ranting about wanting ‘another candidate.’
“If Carrick would have been mentioned three months ago, you would have been locked up,” he continued.
“It was a good time for him to go in, and he’s done a good job. But I think there’s [sic] far better options out there to be the manager of Man Utd. Simple as that.
“Man Utd will have to go out and interview people, and see what’s out there.”
It is not as “simple as that” when it comes to finding a better choice than Carrick, especially when Keane refused to throw his weight around a single standout pick.
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Wayne Rooney’s measured Michael Carrick take shows Man Utd icon Roy Keane is blinded by the ‘truth’
Keane did throw out Paris Saint-Germain’s Luis Enrique and Atletico Madrid’s Diego Simeone when he was challenged by fellow Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp.
However, the 54-year-old no-nonsense Irish hardman hardly put up a comprehensive argument for either Diego Simeone or Luis Enrique during his rant.
Wayne Rooney, on the other hand, arguably echoed the sentiment of United fans around Carrick becoming the long-term replacement for Amorim in the dugout.
“One hundred per cent he should [get the job],” he said on BBC Radio 5 Live, as per Goal.
“I have said this. I knew this was going to happen with Michael Carrick. I know him very well. I know his character, his personality.”
Instead of being dismissive of Carrick’s track record in only a matter of weeks like Keane, Rooney put the full optics around what he has really brought to United.
“It needed a calm head, but someone who knows the place and the players needed some love, and he has given them that,” he added.
“We have seen the players play with more quality, more together as a team, and they look like a very strong team.
“For me, why would you change? He has got the best winning percentage of any Manchester United manager after that many games. For me, he has to get the job.”
Rooney’s feelings after Man Utd’s important result over Aston Villa show the night-and-day difference with making a reasonable argument around Carrick at United.
Are Roy Keane’s concerns valid? Or is he just adding needless negativity to the Michael Carrick debate?
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