CARRICK: NEW SIGNINGS CAN BRING SUCCESS
Michael Carrick is “desperate” to win trophies during his 10th season at Manchester United and the evergreen midfielder believes the club’s new signings will support that ambition.
The Reds began the highly-anticipated 2015/16 season on Saturday with an important 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford, where Sergio Romero, Matteo Darmian, Morgan Schneiderlin, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Memphis Depay all made their competitive debuts for the club.
Carrick gave an in-depth interview to the official matchday programme, United Review, to discuss his new team-mates, the fascinating battle for places in midfield, the club's famed youth policy and his recently-celebrated 34th birthday.
We have signed five new players this summer and quite a few have left the club as well. How does it feel in the squad after all that change?
It has been pretty settled actually, all things considered. The new boys that have come in have settled very quickly and I think it helps that four of them were here before the tour. Being away in each other’s pockets every day, you get to know each other quickly. It’s a good squad, there is a good spirit among us and it is a really happy camp. We are looking to carry that on.
As vice-captain, what role have you played in helping everyone settle in?
You obviously get to know them, speak to them and make them feel comfortable but I think it is a general thing among our squad. It is a friendly bunch of lads and the boys have settled in quickly. One of the things, when you do have a new signing, is finding them a home, finding them an apartment, a house, and things like that. So I have just been helping them, telling them about the areas, the restaurants, where to go, where not to go and all that type of thing.
How much quality do your fellow central midfielders Morgan Schneiderlin and Bastian Schweinsteiger add to the group, and have you been impressed by them so far?
Well, we all know about them. Morgan has been at Southampton for a number of years and has been a very good player in the Premier League. Over the last three or four years, he has had some really great performances and we have all seen that. Basti is slightly different, he is new to England, but at the same time we all know exactly what he does and what he is all about. He has had an incredible career so far and he is going to have a big say in this team and this squad going forward.
Bastian seems to be settling particularly well - are the players tapping into his experience?
He has achieved so much. It is like any new signing, the boys – not just myself – ask questions and you try to pick things up, how they have done things in their past experiences and try to learn from it. He has been at the very top. He is a World Cup-winning captain - what more can you ask for?
Personally, are you relishing the competition for places in central midfield?
Yeah, but it is what I have had since I have been at the club. It is what this club is all about, having competition for places and a strong squad. That is how it should be. We want to be challenging on all fronts. We want to be going for the Champions League, we want to be challenging for the league title and to do that you need a big squad, and strength in key areas. It is good that the club has made these key additions and given us a chance to have a good season.
Having recently celebrated your 34th birthday, how do you feel physically?
I feel good, 34 creeps up on you and time has gone quite quickly, but it is not something that bothers me. I just have to judge how I feel, how I am and how I am performing. At the moment, I feel good, I feel fit and I am just trying to do the right things, look after myself right and give myself the best chance of playing for longer.
How good are the other lads, Matteo Darmian and Memphis Depay?
Yeah, I can speak for all of the new lads and say they’ve all done really well. With Memphis, you can see the ability he has got and obviously he is still learning the way we play and he is trying to fit in. But you can see instantly that there is real talent there. Matteo has been very impressive in training and in the games. He is doing really well, you can see what type of player he is and I am sure he’s going to have a good time here.
The boss played a lot of young players on tour this summer. Did they catch your eye?
I think they all did well. It was great to see that seven of the 11 that finished the Barcelona game came through the system. It is great to see in this day and age when there is so much money around with signing big players, that it is still hugely important to have the young boys coming through. This club prides itself on that and it has done for many, many years. It is vital that it carries on. Certainly this year, the big part of the squad is home-grown and there is some real talent in there as well. They just need to develop and when they get their chance, they should take it.
You’ve already won five league titles in your United career, but have the last two seasons made your hungrier for more success?
I wouldn’t say hungrier, because every year when I have been here we have been desperate to win something and to win the league. That hasn't changed, whether we have won it or not, to be honest. Every season, we have started the same and gone again. Regardless of whether you won it or not, you start from scratch and go again. One thing we have always done when we have won something is look at the next one and I think that is a real strength in how we have achieved what we have. Having the two years, that is gone now. When we haven’t been serious contenders and challenging is frustrating. Now is the time for us to get right back up there.
Michael Carrick is “desperate” to win trophies during his 10th season at Manchester United and the evergreen midfielder believes the club’s new signings will support that ambition.
The Reds began the highly-anticipated 2015/16 season on Saturday with an important 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford, where Sergio Romero, Matteo Darmian, Morgan Schneiderlin, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Memphis Depay all made their competitive debuts for the club.
Carrick gave an in-depth interview to the official matchday programme, United Review, to discuss his new team-mates, the fascinating battle for places in midfield, the club's famed youth policy and his recently-celebrated 34th birthday.
We have signed five new players this summer and quite a few have left the club as well. How does it feel in the squad after all that change?
It has been pretty settled actually, all things considered. The new boys that have come in have settled very quickly and I think it helps that four of them were here before the tour. Being away in each other’s pockets every day, you get to know each other quickly. It’s a good squad, there is a good spirit among us and it is a really happy camp. We are looking to carry that on.
As vice-captain, what role have you played in helping everyone settle in?
You obviously get to know them, speak to them and make them feel comfortable but I think it is a general thing among our squad. It is a friendly bunch of lads and the boys have settled in quickly. One of the things, when you do have a new signing, is finding them a home, finding them an apartment, a house, and things like that. So I have just been helping them, telling them about the areas, the restaurants, where to go, where not to go and all that type of thing.
How much quality do your fellow central midfielders Morgan Schneiderlin and Bastian Schweinsteiger add to the group, and have you been impressed by them so far?
Well, we all know about them. Morgan has been at Southampton for a number of years and has been a very good player in the Premier League. Over the last three or four years, he has had some really great performances and we have all seen that. Basti is slightly different, he is new to England, but at the same time we all know exactly what he does and what he is all about. He has had an incredible career so far and he is going to have a big say in this team and this squad going forward.
Bastian seems to be settling particularly well - are the players tapping into his experience?
He has achieved so much. It is like any new signing, the boys – not just myself – ask questions and you try to pick things up, how they have done things in their past experiences and try to learn from it. He has been at the very top. He is a World Cup-winning captain - what more can you ask for?
Personally, are you relishing the competition for places in central midfield?
Yeah, but it is what I have had since I have been at the club. It is what this club is all about, having competition for places and a strong squad. That is how it should be. We want to be challenging on all fronts. We want to be going for the Champions League, we want to be challenging for the league title and to do that you need a big squad, and strength in key areas. It is good that the club has made these key additions and given us a chance to have a good season.
Having recently celebrated your 34th birthday, how do you feel physically?
I feel good, 34 creeps up on you and time has gone quite quickly, but it is not something that bothers me. I just have to judge how I feel, how I am and how I am performing. At the moment, I feel good, I feel fit and I am just trying to do the right things, look after myself right and give myself the best chance of playing for longer.
How good are the other lads, Matteo Darmian and Memphis Depay?
Yeah, I can speak for all of the new lads and say they’ve all done really well. With Memphis, you can see the ability he has got and obviously he is still learning the way we play and he is trying to fit in. But you can see instantly that there is real talent there. Matteo has been very impressive in training and in the games. He is doing really well, you can see what type of player he is and I am sure he’s going to have a good time here.
The boss played a lot of young players on tour this summer. Did they catch your eye?
I think they all did well. It was great to see that seven of the 11 that finished the Barcelona game came through the system. It is great to see in this day and age when there is so much money around with signing big players, that it is still hugely important to have the young boys coming through. This club prides itself on that and it has done for many, many years. It is vital that it carries on. Certainly this year, the big part of the squad is home-grown and there is some real talent in there as well. They just need to develop and when they get their chance, they should take it.
You’ve already won five league titles in your United career, but have the last two seasons made your hungrier for more success?
I wouldn’t say hungrier, because every year when I have been here we have been desperate to win something and to win the league. That hasn't changed, whether we have won it or not, to be honest. Every season, we have started the same and gone again. Regardless of whether you won it or not, you start from scratch and go again. One thing we have always done when we have won something is look at the next one and I think that is a real strength in how we have achieved what we have. Having the two years, that is gone now. When we haven’t been serious contenders and challenging is frustrating. Now is the time for us to get right back up there.