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The Red Devils legend has left the door open to help until the end of the season.
Wayne Rooney has said a return to Manchester United as a member of the coaching staff would be a “no-brainer” if Michael Carrick was appointed interim manager, suggesting Roy Keane could also play a role in helping restore the club’s identity.
United are set to appoint Carrick as interim head coach until the end of the season following the sacking of Ruben Amorim, with many reports suggesting an announcement will be made within the next 48 hours.
The club hope Carrick will be in place to oversee training at Carrington on Wednesday. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reportedly held talks with senior officials Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox on Saturday, but Carrick now appears to be the favored option.
Darren Fletcher took temporary charge of a Premier League draw at Burnley and an FA Cup third round defeat at home to Brighton.
Speaking on his podcast, The Wayne Rooney ShowRooney stressed the importance of appointing figures who understand the club’s culture.
“Whether it’s Michael, Fletch, John O’Shea or myself, you need people who know the football club,” he said. “Roy Keane, I know Roy has had his opinions, I said about his arrival earlier in the season. Having people who know the club, who care about the club and understand what it takes to be a Manchester United player, that’s where the club needs to be.
Rooney believes United have strayed from their traditional values and sees this moment as an opportunity to reset. “The club has lost its identity, it has lost that family feeling, if you like. Whether it’s Ole or Michael, this is an opportunity to bring that back, to bring the spirit of Manchester United back into the football club.”
When asked if he would join Carrick’s coaching staff, Rooney made his stance clear, revealing the pair were recently on holiday together. “Of course I would. It’s a no-brainer,” he said. “By the way, I’m not asking for a job here. Just to let everyone know, if I was asked to go, of course I would. The appointment of the manager is the most important thing.”
Carrick previously worked as a coach under Jose Mourinho and Solskjaer before taking a brief stint as caretaker coach in 2021, during which he oversaw wins against Villarreal and Arsenal and a draw against Chelsea.
He has been unemployed since his departure Middlesbrough last summer, but Rooney believes his former teammate would be well suited to the role.
“Michael is a very intelligent person and he has done a very good job at Middlesbrough,” Rooney said. “I think it would be a very good solution. You don’t currently see any top managers available who, throughout history, have been successful and won trophies.”
He added that the choice seems to be between familiar faces. “Are you going back to Ole or Michael? It looks like one of those two. Michael Carrick knows the club, he would be a great fit. He lives and breathes this club, that’s what the club needs.”
Rooney believes the interim role would give Carrick a chance to stake a long-term claim. “Michael loves the football club and he would step in to do a job if he could.
“It’s an opportunity to go and show what he can do over the next few months and get the owners to look at him and say we don’t need to go anywhere else.”
