Michael Owen has urged Manchester United to appoint Michael Carrick as permanent manager, stating he “can’t believe” the former midfielder’s credentials are being questioned.
Carrick, who took over as caretaker after Ruben Amorim’s January sacking, has led United from sixth to third in the Premier League, winning six of his eight matches.
Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show podcast, Owen argued that Carrick has finally brought “calm” back to the club after 12 years of searching for a successor to Sir Alex Ferguson.
“The one time they are starting to play well and the fans are on board, you’re telling me if he gets third they will say ‘thanks, but no thanks’?” Owen asked. “How is that possible?”
Wayne Rooney agreed, noting that while the club is still scouting other summer candidates, “Everyone at Manchester United loves Michael Carrick.”
The former teammates also reminisced about their England careers, with Rooney admitting he used to “pretend to be Michael” in his garden before eventually playing alongside him.
Despite Owen’s early-career brilliance, he conceded that Rooney “will go down as a better player” overall.
