The former England international recalls receiving minimal feedback from Sir Alex Ferguson during his time at the club, acknowledging that he wasn’t the type of player who required constant encouragement. Despite settling in well, Carrick was always motivated to push himself further.
He shared, “The remarkable thing about the club is that, while I integrated smoothly and experienced a degree of success, which was incredible, it never felt like enough. Regardless of whether we won the league or the Champions League, it was always about ‘what’s next?’
“I never felt truly comfortable thinking ‘this is it.’ There was always that drive for the next achievement, and you couldn’t predict how long the success would last, so the only option was to keep striving. That was the culture we embraced, and it was key to our success.”
Carrick went on to win the Premier League five times with the Reds in total, starting with his first season, before retiring in 2018. His impressive trophy haul also includes the UEFA Champions League, FA Cup, four League Cups, and numerous other accolades over his 12-year tenure at Old Trafford. Truly successful.
Don’t miss Carrick as he puts on his boots once more during the upcoming Legends match between Celtic and United in Glasgow.
