Michael Owen Backs Caretaker Head Coach Michael Carrick For Permanent Manchester United Job

Michael Owen publicly backed Michael Carrick to be appointed Manchester United’s permanent manager, saying he “can’t believe people are questioning” whether Carrick should get the job after his run as caretaker head coach.

“- Published Michael Owen has said he "can't believe people are questioning" whether Michael Carrick should become the permanent manager of Manchester United”

BBC

Owen praised Carrick’s calming influence at the club and argued that, with improved results and fan support, it would be surprising for the club to pass on him at season’s end.

BBC

This endorsement came during an appearance on the BBC podcast The Wayne Rooney Show and was reported in both BBC coverage and Oz Arab Media’s Arabic-language piece.

Carrick’s short tenure as caretaker has coincided with a clear upturn in results: the 44-year-old won six of his eight matches in charge.

Manchester United climbed from sixth to third in the Premier League during that run.

Oz Arab Media

Both BBC and Oz Arab Media highlighted those statistics as central to Owen’s argument that Carrick deserves serious consideration for the permanent role.

Wayne Rooney also voiced strong support for Carrick, telling the same BBC podcast that "Everyone at Manchester United loves Michael Carrick" and praising the caretaker for giving fans "a taste of the Fergie era."

“- Published Michael Owen has said he "can't believe people are questioning" whether Michael Carrick should become the permanent manager of Manchester United”

BBC

Both Oz Arab Media and the BBC quoted Rooney’s line that fans are understandably nervous about whether a good run will continue, but that Carrick’s performance has been "unbelievable."

Those endorsements from two high-profile former players were used by outlets to underscore the groundswell of backing from within United’s former-players community.

Despite strong vocal backing from Owen and Rooney and the club’s short-term improvement, both BBC and Oz Arab Media noted that Manchester United are still reportedly exploring other candidates for the permanent manager role.

The coverage framed the situation as a complex managerial landscape in which club leadership will weigh Carrick’s immediate success and fan goodwill against a broader search for established or long-term options ahead of the summer appointment window.

Oz Arab Media