Michael Carrick is hoping to use the World Cup to rescue his United career.
The England midfielder’s Old Trafford future is under serious threat as Sir Alex Ferguson looks to return United to Premier League supremacy.
Carrick found himself on the fringes as Fergie tried to hold off Chelsea in the race for the title and could find himself on the way out as the United boss firms up his plans for next season.
With Rafael van der Vaart, Luka Modric, James Milner and Joe Cole all on Ferguson’s radar, it is becoming increasingly likely that Carrick – who won three successive titles in his first three years at the club – could be the one to make way.
The 28-year-old former West Ham and Tottenham star still isn’t guaranteed a place in Fabio Capello’s World Cup squad.
With Gareth Barry facing a race to be fit for the tournament, it could present Carrick with the chance to put some gloss on a season that petered out disappointingly at club level.
He will be well aware that Nicky Butt’s impressive form in the 2002 World Cup saw him earn a starting berth at United the following season.
Carrick will have to hope he can do the same – or at the very least put himself in the shop window for potential suitors.
It has already been mooted that he could be used as a makeweight in any deal to bring Modric to Old Trafford, even if Harry Redknapp insists the Tottenham playmaker is not for sale.
Carrick came under criticism for the size of his fee following his £18.6m transfer from Spurs in 2006 but silenced doubters by immediately helping United to their first title in four years.
A year later he was a pivotal part in their Premier League and Champions League double and again in their third successive title in 2009.
But he struggled to find consistency last season, with Ferguson saying he was a notoriously slow starter as he toiled in the opening weeks of the campaign.
By the end of the season he found himself left out of the side for Scholes and Darron Gibson as Ferguson finally appeared to lose faith in him.
Do you think Carrick can re-establish himself in the United midfield next season? Have your say.
World Cup could be United tonic for Carrick
May 28, 2010
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Why were is he watching it?????
Carrick has been very poor this last season, but he is better than Gibson who can only hit a ball and has no tactical nuance at all.
No, his particular skillset is no longer required.
The photo just about sums the answer up surely!
Another anti-United article from James Robson.
Carrick wasn't on the fringe, he played more league games than any other midfielder.
Why should he have to "rescue" his career,he is excellent?
Carrick should be sold. His mistakes cost us the match with Bayern and missed chances on numerous occasions. He is too slow for our team and was rubbish for England against Mexico this week.
no not really as he showed against mexico he cant pass a ball to save is life, one decent pass in six is not good, he is very ordinary ok to hang on to for cover i guess but no one special think is world cup will be the same as club form nothing special
Sorry he is yesterdays hero did a Tim Howard and he's is now looking for the exit door at OT SAF wont forgive him for that EC mistake as he didn't Tim Howard against Porto! Dont think SAF was to happy with Evra either so he may be on his way this summer. Remember as they say you can't win anything with KIDS! Keep the faith and who knows what next season will bring.
He's been awful for the past 18 months and thats being generous!
I'll bet he'll be playing for Newcastle next year.
normance why was SAF not happy with evra? we dont wanna be losing one our best performers
carrick is a fool & not england or united standard. he wouldnt even get on for poo or spurs imo! he should be sold this summer & hopefully well get 10m & if we do i would love modric
also if weve the money i rather silva to play in behind rooney over another striker as whats the point of a striker when we play 1 striker in most games so whats the point of havin to place rooney or new striker on bench or worse rooney back to the left wing
Not impressed with carrick this season and against mexico he again showed he is having a poor spell. When he came i thought he gave us a good option and played a large part in our success. however he seems to have become more pedestrian, cant score for toffee and very rarely made incisive passes
I can only think that the McEN set out to provoke resentment amongst it's readers in an attempt to promote itself ??
If he gets included it only shows England have no chance. He's less of a player than when he arrived at United & wasn't special then. He's had plenty of chances to redeem himself & it's time to face up that he's not good enough for United. I've no time for overpaid players like Carrick who dont put their heart on the line for the team.
And what happens if Carrick doesn't even make the squad? His fragile confidence will be shot even further leaving us with a pup for the new season!
Balders!, W3106, Tier2 (28/05/2010 at 12:32)
"I can only think that the McEN set out to provoke resentment amongst it's readers in an attempt to promote itself ??"
To promote itself as a Manchester City fanzine ?
The current agenda surprises me because given City's worldwide network of fans, which must only equate to about 50,000, the MEN would be lost without United's "hit-rate" on the internet.
Totally rubbish article - not a single quote from the player, SAF or Capello - designed solely by MEN to prompt anti-Carrick comments from the usual suspects and "debate" among the regulars.
When Rooney was injured, it's believed that Carrick helped him off the pitch. Also, shortly after the second leg against Bayern Munich, he became a father for the second time, so that would go some way to explaining why he hadn't featured as much. Combine that with the form of Scholes, Fletcher and Nani, and the fact that he'd played more games than the other midfielders, and it's understandable that he wasn't starting. He was in the squads, then sometimes on the bench.
To counter the wave of hate, let's not forget a few truths. In Munich, he accounted for half the interceptions, completed the highest percentage of passes of our midfielders on the night, and BOTH Ribery and Olic's goals happened AFTER he left the pitch, yet he was scapegoated then for goals which he couldn't possibly have done anything about. Tactical suicide on United's part, and also an illustration of how many idiots we have for fans- Those antis aren't worthy of the name Manchester United. Also, he didn't play at home to Chelsea- so, he's not at fault there. Also, he didn't play at Blackburn, where points were dropped again. We're worse off without him. You could just as easily write an article saying 'No Carrick, No title', but that wouldn't sell papers, would it? I could go on. So sick and tired of the hate; He was nowhere near as bad as people are saying, so stop getting on his case.
Carrick's had a decent couple of seasons, but the last 18 months have not been his vintage best. Will he even make it into the England squad for the world cup? Doubt it. What we need is someone who will do the business for United because I think it's about to get harder in the league, and Carrick needs to shape up or he get's shipped out.
Doc....as expected the McEN doctored (no Pun intended!) most of my scribe, as it referred to the author and my opinion on the articles he writes/reference to SaF.
It appears still, that you can write whatever you like about Utd (if you're a bertie).....but make comment against the BLue regime et al........... and you'd better start checking under the car before you leave tonight !!! ;)
Hi Demo Sorry to have upset you but I really dont think SAF is very happy if you goof in the Champions League! Well did Evra not commit the ultimate defenders crime and turn into his own goal in Munich and Olich said thanks a million! And we watch the final we should have been winning! Whilst like you I think Evra has been top has struggled at times I think he was overplayed due to our injuries. From what I read & hear from Europe we may cash in on him in the summer.
[quote name=chris, oxford]And what happens if Carrick doesn't even make the squad? His fragile confidence will be shot even further leaving us with a pup for the new season![/quote]
chris, why do you think his confidence is fragile? Because James Robson thinks so?
sell him
Which in all fairness says a lot about how much the midfield needs to be improved.