Manchester United hit back at Nicky Butt over leaked Carrick management doubts chat

Manchester United have pushed back against Nicky Butt after the former midfielder disclosed details of a private conversation with head coach Michael Carrick, in which Carrick reportedly admitted he had doubts about pursuing a career in management following his departure from Middlesbrough.

Speaking on his podcast The Good, The Bad & The Football, Butt revealed that before Carrick was appointed as Ruben Amorim’s permanent successor at Old Trafford, the 45-year-old had told him: “No it’s not for me, it’s too much. My head’s all over the show. I’d only do it for the big job. The big job is Man United.”

According to the Daily Mail, sources at Old Trafford are ‘bemused’ by the disclosure and have questioned why Butt chose to make the conversation public now rather than during last season. It is also reported that this is not the first time the club has taken issue with comments made by Butt on his podcast.

Carrick was initially appointed as interim manager in January before being handed a permanent two-year contract after guiding United to a third-place Premier League finish in the second half of last season. That momentum has stalled sharply this term, with United sitting 13th after just one win from their opening six league matches.

The latest episode adds to a pattern of friction between the club and Butt, who played for United from 1992 to 2004. Last month, Butt and fellow podcast co-host Paul Scholes drew criticism after questioning the seriousness of Benjamin Sesko’s shin injury. “How can Man United have one centre forward? Who is injured, with what, a shin injury?” Butt said, with Scholes adding: “How do you injure your shin? Ain’t that a broken leg? Can’t you just put your shin pads on?”

Butt also criticised Carrick’s deployment of Matheus Cunha, arguing that playing the Brazilian as a centre-forward “kills him” and limits his effectiveness. “He’s nowhere near the player he is off the side,” Butt said.

The disclosures come at a sensitive moment for Carrick, whose position is already under scrutiny given United’s poor early-season form. Whether the club takes any formal steps in response to Butt’s comments remains to be seen.