Erling Haaland's manager at Norway has criticised Sir Jim Ratcliffe over the way Manchester United handled Michael Carrick's sacking. United finally parted ways with Carrick nearly a full week after the dramatic 4-4 draw against Aston Villa, despite the fightback against Villa and a two-goal turnaround win over Roma in the Champions League.
As reports emerged that United were closing in on a deal with Mauricio Pochettino, Carrick was still turning up at Carrington to take training for players who were not away on international duty. Asked about the situation at a press conference ahead of Norway's Nations League matches against Wales and Denmark, Stale Solbakken suggested Ratcliffe had made another mistake. "It says a bit about what kind of club man he is," Solbakken said. "How strongly he is connected to that club and what loyalty he has. If it is true, then it is probably not the first mistake Ratcliffe and co have made."
Ratcliffe made the decision after consulting with club chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox in Monaco. Following their meeting on the Wednesday, Berrada informed Carrick in person at Carrington the next day, Thursday. Reports of United closing in on a deal with Pochettino had already surfaced the day before that meeting, suggesting Carrick was likely aware of the speculation while still taking training sessions.
Former United captain Gary Neville also criticised how the situation was managed. "In the last 24-48 hours it's been spectacularly bad," Neville said. "To be in Monaco as an executive and an owner whilst your manager, who's a club legend, is taking training on the pitch and simultaneously approaching the US Soccer Federation to approach Mauricio Pochettino. It's just quite simply disgusting. That falls well below the standard of what you would expect in any other business, in any other industry. It would be constructive dismissal and you'd be getting sued." He added that the optics of being in Monaco while staff ran the club day-to-day in Manchester "reflects badly on the leadership," concluding that "I don't think anybody comes out of this well at all."
Pochettino has yet to be formally announced as United's new manager. He still has duties to fulfil with the USA, who are due to face Haiti in a two-legged CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final tie.
Carrick's sacking followed a run in which he won just one of his last 10 Premier League games, leaving United in the relegation zone, according to an earlier report. That same report noted Pochettino's new USA contract reportedly contains a £7.5m release clause that could pave the way for his move to Old Trafford, and referenced Carrick's reported clashes with Bruno Fernandes and Matheus Cunha during his time in charge.
