Let’s not beat around the bush. Many Manchester United fans will be pleased that Michael Carrick has committed himself to remaining at Old Trafford until the end of the 2013-14 season while just as many would have liked Sir Alex Ferguson to have shipped him out elsewhere. I can understand both points of view although I must admit that I belong to the former group. Carrick has not had a good 12 months in much the same way that Wayne Rooney has struggled during that period yet we all know that they are both capable of producing the goods.
To his credit – and wisdom, Ferguson has maintained his faith in them just as he did with Dimitar Berbatov, Nani, Anderson and to an extent, Darren Fletcher despite their many critics. Carrick, 29, joined United in July 2006 and has since made 218 appearances, scoring 17 goals. He has won three Premier League titles, the Carling Cup, the UEFA Champions League and the FIFA Club World Cup with the club.
Ferguson said “I am delighted Michael has signed a new contract. He has been outstanding since joining us from Tottenham Hotspur, he is a true professional and it’s great he has committed his future to the club” In response Carrick added “I am thoroughly enjoying my time at this great club. There is fantastic team spirit within the squad and I’m pleased to have committed my future to United. We are in a very good position at the moment and I am confident this team will be successful for many years to come.”
So the question from this admitted cynic is ‘How good are the chances of Carrick seeing out his new deal?’ The days when club and player signed a contract in guaranteed good faith appear to have gone forever. The new era means that the market value of a player nearing the end of his contract is vastly diminished, his club is in a far better position to obtain a higher transfer fee if he was contracted for a longer period.
It must be emphasised again that unlike some others, I see Michael Carrick as a big asset to the United squad, one which I sincerely hope sees out his new contract at Old Trafford but the nagging feeling remains that there could be more to this than meets the eye. Football has sadly reached a stage where what you see is not always what you get.
Do you expect Carrick to remain at Old Trafford until 2014?
