Michael Carrick: Man Utd manager on trusting Kobbie Mainoo and his pride in the academy

Sign: How do you work as a foursome with the three staff you brought in (Steve Holland, Jonathan Woodgate and Jonny Evans)? Because there was a lot of attention on the people you brought…

Michael: There’s also Travis; Travis Binnion, who has been here through the academy for several years. And goalkeeping coach Craig Mawson. It’s a really strong group and it feels like we’ve been together for a long time, but we didn’t all know each other. I didn’t know Steve very well personally. I thought everything would come together nicely and be balanced, and there’s a reason I wanted to include Steve.

Jonathan… I caught him at Middlesbrough – he’s loyal, he understands me, he knows me, he pushes me, he challenges me… a really good relationship. Jonny knew the club. He’s been here for a long time and he’s got a really good relationship with the players… He loves coaching, he loves helping, he cares a lot. With Travis, the club needs an academy. He’s a big part of this football club.

I think there’s a really good balance between the responsibility of passing on the knowledge of the academy, the young players and Jonathan and Jonny, two of the best centre-backs you’ve come across in the last 20-25 years.

Steve – with his experience in many ways… Chelsea, changing managers and different managers, top players and England. All the staff can cope with being around and I think that’s very important.

Sign: And they challenge you? Do they tell you when you’re wrong?

Michael: Absolutely yes.

Sign: Not every manager accepts this.

Michael: I can’t always be right; this is impossible. That’s why we have a group of six people in our office. We all have strong opinions but I think we all filter them and it’s important to have a connection and understand which direction we want to go. Of course we have to push each other.

Sign: You are talking about the academy. What does the academy mean to you?

Michael: Too much. Listen, I’ve always retained a sense of what it was like to be a young actor. This is a subject I have always focused on and am passionate about. It is natural to undertake this because of the tradition of this football club. Giving a young player his debut is no less a proud moment and there is certainly a desire not only from me but from all the staff and everyone at the club to try to develop young players and give them as many opportunities as we can.

Sign: A player from United’s academy has always been in the first-team squad since the 1930s, right? Is it a sense of pride? If you are the one to break this run, how much of a millstone can this turn into?

Michael: I think there is a great sense of pride on behalf of the whole football club. To have had this long is truly remarkable and we need to hold on to it. That’s what this football club was actually built on and has been for decades. So yeah, I’m definitely aware of that and we want to continue that.

Sign: When you watch the academy and you also watch the underage teams… it’s a pipeline and I’m not putting pressure on them but is the academy healthy?

Michael: Yes, I think he’s in good hands. I guess that’s what happened. I think historically this place continues to produce players year after year. We always hope for the next group or the next individual. There are a lot of good jobs going into academia.

Sometimes we get caught up in football and the results. Where we are now, wins, draws and losses are important in some ways. But it’s about developing young people and their behavior, helping them. There are a lot of players at this club who maybe didn’t make their debut here but have moved on and gone on to have incredible careers in the game. And I think that’s again something that we’re really proud of as a football club.

Sign: Judging from the academy chat, there’s a lot of noise on Kobbie Mainoo this season… and he doesn’t stand out, and now he always stands out with you. What did you see when you first started working with him? What was it like mentally and how did you get to where it is now?

Michael: I’ve known Kobbie for a long time. I started working with him a few years ago, I think around 13 or 14, when I started getting my coaching badges. Just small pieces. And of course when I first got here he was kind of in and around too.

So, I think it’s getting to know him, having experience with him and seeing him perform so well in such big organizations… I said before that the coaches can handle being here and are at a level to handle it. It’s truly incredible what Kobbie has done at such a young age.

We still forget how young he is. I was a big fan of watching him play and knowing what he could do. So it wasn’t actually a big decision to play him. And honestly, it’s not easy when you’re not playing to find your rhythm and form.

There are things he can get better at, there are things he can improve on, but we haven’t started any of that yet because we’re letting him find his flow and find his rhythm of playing football again. I was really conscious of not giving him too much – a few little tips, some positional stuff and some bits and pieces here and there – but I’m confident in what he is. He is a fantastic football player and has great talent.

Sign: In many ways, it sounds like you’re relying on the human side of things—and I don’t mean this in a derogatory way—rather than the flipchart.

Michael: I love being around people. I like to share things. I’m not one to be that kind of individual and I don’t support the fact that I have all the answers. I’m quite happy to discuss this. I think it’s about getting the best out of people – whether it’s in the TV industry, sports or the business industry… I think it’s about treating people with respect. I think whatever the technical side, the tactical side, we can make all of these things better, but if you don’t have a connection, if you don’t have that engagement and willingness to come with you and follow you, then all the other pieces lose their value and you can’t realize all that potential. So I see making that connection with people as a huge thing.

Sign: Do you yell at them?

Michael: I haven’t done it yet, no. There is a time for every emotion and that is the beauty of being in this position; You must choose the right time and press the right kind of buttons to get the right reactions.

Sign: When you witness the hair dryer [which Sir Alex Ferguson’s fiery outbursts became known as] Were you like ‘Crikey’?

Michael: Yeah, I’m not sure I can repeat that! I won’t try to do it! I’ve seen this a few times and it puts you in the back of your seat and tries to move further away from it. But you still talk about Sir Alex, and he was a genius at using people and getting the best out of people in so many different ways – support, push, sometimes a little stronger than pushing – but it worked. The important thing was to get the best out of his players.