Manchester United: Michael Carrick says former players’ comments are ‘irrelevant’

Michael Carrick described the noise generated around him Manchester United by “irrelevant” former players and says Roy Keane’s personal comments “did not bother him”.

Carrick inherited Kane’s number 16 shirt when he joined United from Tottenham in 2006.

He went on to win five Premier League titles and the Champions League, but United were at the beginning of a downward spiral when they lost to Olympiacos in Europe’s top-flight competition in 2014.

Carrick gave what Keane felt was a harsh interview after that match and the Irishman’s assessment sparked a backlash from Carrick’s wife at the time, Lisa.

Although she quickly deleted an

Keane also criticized the appointment of Jonny Evans to Carrick’s coaching staff, as well as the appointment of former England assistant coach Steve Holland and Jonathan Woodgate, the former Leeds and Real Madrid defender, who previously coached Middlesbrough and was part of Carrick’s coaching staff at Riverside.

Former United captain and Gary Neville will be part of Sky Sports’ coverage of the Manchester derby on Saturday, providing another platform for the controversy.

“They’re not putting any more pressure on me,” Carrick said. “I don’t feel it.

“There are a lot of opinions, some positive, some not so much. It’s completely irrelevant in terms of what I’m focusing on.

“There’s a lot to be said, it’s the way of the world. I wouldn’t give that much attention.

“For me, the players and the staff, we are focused on how we can achieve success.”

Asked about the personal attack by Kane, Carrick said: “It didn’t bother me.”

The Manchester United coach said he had not scored any goals in the 17 matches he played, but spoke of European qualification as a “step forward”.

He also said he spoke to Sir Jim Ratcliffe and members of the Glazer family when they held their monthly board meeting at Carrington on Thursday, although his primary contact was with director of football Jason Wilcox and chief executive Omar Berrada.

“The ownership group was in and around it,” Carrick said. “It was nice to see them and meet them.

“We were able to share a few things and I wished them all the best.”