HAVE NO DOUBT, CARRICK WILL BE A MANAGER
MICHAEL CARRICK has announced that he will retire at the end of the season and I hope that people will recognise what a great career he has enjoyed. And it has been a great career. He has got all the medals to show for his efforts — a full set of domestic honours to go with both the Champions League and Europa League — but what has marked him out as being different is the time he spent at Manchester United. Michael signed for them in 2006 and it takes a special type of character to last that long at a club where there is so much pressure and expectation. I got three years at Liverpool and would have loved more, but for him to get 12 at Old Trafford highlights his mentality and ability. I started playing with Michael for England’s Under 18s and we progressed together all through to the seniors.
The best passers of a ball I played with were Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso but, on his day, Michael wasn’t far behind them.
He got 34 England caps and was unlucky not to win more.
He is a clever footballer, one who you rarely see out of position. He was always calm in possession and had an ability to be in the right place at the right time; that helped dictate the pace of games.
He understands football and I have absolutely no doubt he will be a manager in the future.