'I was Michael Carrick's Man Utd team-mate – there's one reason he will be a success'

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Michael Carrick has been hailed as the perfect choice for Manchester United 's interim head coach by an ex-teammate. The announcement of Carrick's appointment for the rest of the season came on Tuesday, following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim after just 14 months in charge.

Carrick will make a return to Old Trafford to guide the team, having previously served as caretaker manager in the 2021/22 season. The 44-year-old steps into the role with United currently sitting seventh in the Premier League , trailing fourth place by three points.

Former United goalkeeper Ben Foster , who played alongside Carrick from 2006 to 2010, believes his composed demeanour makes him the ideal candidate for the job. This comes after United decided against offering the interim position to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer .

Speaking on talkSPORT , Foster said: "He [Carrick] is perfect for what they need right now. Whether it's long-term, I think that remains to be seen. The next four months of the season will tell us all we need to know.

"But for now, he's just nice and calm. He never gets too excited, never gets too carried away. He's the kind of person where you never really know what he's thinking, because he is so calm and he's always got it under control.

"I think that carries a weight of respect. With him going into that dressing room, I think the lads will look up to him a little bit."

Carrick led Middlesbrough to the Championship play-offs as manager in 2022/23, but was dismissed in June 2025 following eighth and tenth place finishes. His primary objective at United will be to steer the club back into the Champions League for next season.

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Recent history indicates this won't be an easy feat and Foster has also voiced his empathy for United's beleaguered squad after their FA Cup defeat to Brighton . It comes after the former Watford and Wrexham keeper highlighted the immense pressure players at Old Trafford are under.

He said: "I think it's the hardest club in the worl‎d to play for at Manchester‎ United. The attention that they get is so intense and unless you're mentally able to cope with all of the noise, then you're on the back foot from the get go.

"I've seen Man United sign players who are nine out of ten ability wise, and as soon as they put that red shirt on, it turns them into a six out of ten. The weight of it is so, so heavy."

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Foster added: "I've been there myself. I put a Manchester United shirt on, I felt that weight and I couldn't deal with it. I think I'm a fairly grown up kind of person, but I couldn't deal with the weight of it. I really do feel for a lot of these Manchester United players."

Carrick's reign will kick off with the Manchester derby this Saturday, followed by 17 Premier League matches where he'll aim to imprint his philosophy on the team.

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