Casemiro interviews Rio Ferdinand at Old Trafford (Image: Rio Ferdinand Presents)
Midfielder Casemiro, who is leaving Manchester United, has offered his full support to manager Michael Carrick in his bid to secure the permanent managerial position. The five-time Champions League winner has even drawn comparisons to club legend Sir Alex Ferguson.
The 34-year-old, who is expected to join Inter Miami when his contract expires this summer, has experienced a resurgence since Carrick took over as manager in January. But there is a special side he has shown during this period, which Casemiro believes sets him apart as a candidate for a permanent role. Casemiro, who missed Saturday’s 0-0 stalemate against Sunderland, appeared on the Rio Ferdinand Presents YouTube channel and characterized Carrick’s situation as a “huge problem”.
When asked by the presenter about the reasons behind this, he elaborated on the rapid improvements his soon-to-be former manager has introduced at Old Trafford. “He deserves to stay,” said the Brazilian. “The team is playing very well. He will win any game. The team is improving every day. Every game the team is improving.
“So, for me it’s a big question, because in my opinion he deserved this opportunity. Especially for me, because he was playing in midfield, he talked to me as a midfielder versus midfielder, and it was easier that way. But for me he deserved a chance, because the team is very comfortable. The team is playing very well, we are winning big, so for me he deserved this opportunity.”
Ferdinand, 47, pressed further on why Carrick and his management style make him such an attractive person to play for. Casemiro explained that this was because “he has played at this level”, comparing him to former Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti.
But more specifically, Casemiro suggested that Carrick’s best quality is his deep knowledge and understanding of United. He cited the recent fixture against Leeds last month as a prime example of the manager’s astuteness and awareness of what really matters to the club.
Casemiro interviews Rio Ferdinand at Old Trafford (Image: Rio Ferdinand Presents)
“He’s very smart,” Casemiro continued. “But for me, he knows the club best. He understands the club. I remember we played against Leeds and the meeting was about the history of this game… But not everyone knows about Leeds.”
He went on to highlight that Carrick also mentioned the 1958 Munich Blitz in preparation for that match. Ferdinand used a familiar analogy: “It’s like Ferguson. This is what Ferguson does.
“It’s great, yeah,” Casemiro said. “Because in the meeting he knows where he needs to be. He knows and for me (this is) very important.” United lost 2-1 at home to Leeds thanks to two great shots from Noah Okafor. Casemiro himself scored United’s only goal, and Lisandro Martinez received his marching orders.
Carrick would be honored to be compared to the former United manager. And his historical knowledge and experience playing for United is certainly one of the factors that distinguishes him from his marquee predecessors such as Ruben Amorim.
In that sense, the Old Trafford icon has made good use of his time and made the most of the assets he has. So while he may still be relatively inexperienced as a first-team manager, it is clear that he is using every advantage he has to prove his qualities.
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