Michael Carrick will likely get sacked by Manchester United, if he has not been already.
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BLAME GAME HAS NO WINNERS By the time you’re reading this, Michael Carrick will probably have been sacked.
If not, it will happen soon enough.
Who to blame?
The people have spoken.
Acknowledging supporters after Manchester United did their usual and got pumped by Bournemouth to send the latest patsy handed the reins towards the door marked “Do One”, Carrick was applauded by the Stretford End, and Old Trafford’s stands east, south and north.
A proud man walking, as Claudio Ranieri once described the fate of the manager who knows the end is approaching.
Among the paying public, on the long list of those held responsible for the latest betrayal of a legend, Carrick is towards the bottom.
If even on it.
Those heading the list felt their ears burn in a atmosphere crackling with mutiny.
Once Carrick’s head dipped below the tunnel, the players behind him on the walk of shame learned their place in the hierarchy of culpability.
Boos and insults rained down on the latest unfortunates to wear the red shirt.
Bruno Fernandes, talisman turned turncoat, arrived at Old Trafford knowing his outburst in Como had led to his de-selection.
The former fan favourite, last season’s player of the year, hardly heard his name sung all afternoon.
Et tu, Bruno?
Fernandes sulked under his club-issue hoodie throughout the game, less a leader of men than a moody teenager with his phone confiscated.
With good reason, it turned out; later on Sunday, Bruno’s official InstaChat account was liking a motivational post on the subject of “loyal” people getting “pushed to the point where they no longer care”.
That such things cut both ways has escaped the attention of his social media disgrace team.
Who else was on the list?
“Sell the club and **** off home,” rang out, aimed at the Glazer family and Big Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
What sounded like “Jason Wilcox, you’re a banker” was also heard.
United fans doubt the credentials of the former Blackburn and Leeds winger and Manchester City backroom staff member as a club suit.
Alongside Wilcox in the posh seats, Omar Berrada’s name was not taken in vain, perhaps mostly because it’s hard to scan into contemporary song.
Berrada shook his head as Bournemouth scored their second.
When “best in class, you’re having a laugh” rang out, they meant you, Omar.
Ratcliffe was not present, though his biggest brainwave, his master plan for his beloved boyhood club, came into sharp focus.
The call from United fans was to “stick your new stadium up your ***”.
The weekend saw club members receive a survey, invited to give their thoughts on a design that resembles a circus big top, a truly irresistible metaphor.
Presumably, Sunday’s request to Big Sir Jim will be filed under “other” in the collation of the survey.
Who’s next?
Eddie Howe, Antonio Conte, Julian Nagelsmann, Unai Emery, Fabian Hürzeler, Sean Dyche, Shaun Ryder?
Does it matter when so much is broken?
The cycle of hope followed by failure that did for Carrick would surely do for them too.
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QUOTE OF THE DAY “I just opened my phone to a message from Vince saying ‘Well done’ and he was happy.
I just replied saying ‘Brilliant – now go rest’.
I sent him a kissing emoji, so hopefully he rests up” – Bayern Munich’s assistant coach, Aaron Danks, after his side reclaimed top spot in the Bundesliga with a 3-1 win at Freiburg, days after head coach, Vincent Kompany, was hospitalised when he collapsed at training.
Kompany remains in hospital and is being treated for a mystery virus, with Bayern saying the coach is likely to be out for week, not days. skip past newsletter promotion after newsletter promotion Aaron Danks urges his players on in the absence of Vincent Kompany.
Michael Carrick will probably have been politely asked to fold up his umbrella permanently by the time today’s Football Daily is published, but in the meantime I can’t help but wonder what sort of a brolly he owns, if it keeps other people dry, but not him?
And why did he buy something that doesn’t perform the basic function for which it is purchased – isn’t that Jason Wilcox’s job? – Phil Taverner.
So, in the upcoming inevitable search for yet another Messiah, we’ve almost completed the cycle twice of the Dutchman Van Gaal to the Portuguese Mourinho to the ex-Ferguson player who knows the club Solskjær to German pressing-obsessive Rangnick and back round to van Nistelrooy, then Amorim and Carrick … which suggests that next chump to end up with a bunch of players who only try until the end of the season under a new manager and then give up completely and leave the manager to take the fall for their (and the board/owner) failings will be a German.
Good luck in 2027/28 trying to get this mob to press, or even just make a basic effort and pass 5-10 yards to a teammate under no pressure, Julian Nagelsmann! – Noble Francis.
Is it too late to nominate Noble Francis for the Fifa presidency?
I think we could get him 1,057 votes – Jonathan Chester-le-Street.
Your Memory Lane on Nwankwo Kanu’s glorious hat-trick against Chelsea (Friday’s Football Daily, full email edition) reminded me of the confusion he caused to some Dutch fans sitting in front of us at Dennis Bergkamp’s testimonial, the first game at the Emirates Stadium in 2006.
When he scored what would turn out to be the winner against an Ajax legends side, we all erupted in the standard ‘Kanuuuu’ roar, at which point the Dutch fans turned round and asked us, with real concern, why we were booing him.
I don’t think they were entirely convinced by our explanation – David Madden.
So, in Friday’s letters, Daniel just assumed the good luck message that signed off Thursday’s full email edition was aimed at him?
It’s all just “Mee, Mee, Mee” with some people, isn’t it? – Daniel Derek McGee.
If you have any, please send letters to the.boss@theguardian.com.
Today’s prizeless letter o’ the day goes to … Jonathan Chester-le-Street.
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