As most know, I was in the camp that felt he was harshly treated and he seemed set up to inevitably fail, while the budgets, wages of the high earners were replaced with inferior alternatives, Arca, Euell, Dong Gook Lee followed by Hoyte, Aliadiere, Shawky, Mido, Alves, O’Neil. Ok we had Huth and Woody but the squad was so inferior to before, Sir Gareth took the blame for something he had little control over at the time, but he had brownie points because of his playing days. I said then he would go on to manage England and was royally laughed at.
However, I would not want him to endure a second spell here, he deserves better, I’d be surprised if after England he takes a club role as manager anywhere. I see him stepping up into an FA ambassadorial role of some type myself, we’ll see.
Carrick is in post, has my full backing no matter what the season brings, he isn’t Head of Football, just the Head Coach trying to blend a lot of projects he has been given, hopefully he has some magic beans and knows how to make a silk purse.