Roy Keane slams Michael Carrick’s first decision on return to Man Utd | Football

Roy Keane has questioned the appointments of Jonny Evans and Jonathan Woodgate to Manchester United’s coaching staff, particularly doubting former Red Devils defender Evans.

Michael Carrick has returned to the club as interim manager until the end of the season, with his first game in charge the Manchester derby at Old Trafford on Saturday.

He has brought with him a coaching team of Steve Holland, Jonathan Woodgate and Jonny Evans, while Travis Binnion and Craig Mawson were already at the club and step up to first team duties.

Speaking on The Overlap Gary Neville praised the appointment of former Chelsea and England coach Holland, saying he would be a big plus for Carrick and the Red Devils.

Keane has doubts over the arrivals of Woodgate and Evans, though, specifically questioning why Evans recently left his position as loans manager at the club, only to return as a coach under caretaker boss Darren Fletcher and now under Carrick.

The Northern Irishman has precious little coaching experience at the top level, but was on holiday with Carrick in Barbados recently.

 ‘What about the other coaches he’s brought in?’ Keane asked Neville. ‘He’s on the beach two weeks ago Jonny Evans. Jonny Evans leaves Man United four or five weeks ago as a loans manager and then Fletch gives him a job, strangely enough gives him a job.

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‘He has two games, Fletch goes and Carrick gives him a job, great isn’t it. We should all go to Barbados for a week.

‘You’re on about getting your coaching staff in, we’re praising one of them saying he’s experienced and then we just let the other two go, Jonathan Woodgate and Jonny Evans. What has Jonny Evans done to be a coach of Man United’s first team?

‘He left the job four weeks ago, loans manager, and ironically comes back working with the first team. That’s a big step up isn’t it?’

Manchester United are leaning on their old players again in Carrick and Evans, as they have in the past such as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s stint in charge.

‘It can work, but it doesn’t work always’

Carrick was on the Norwegian’s coaching staff and then took interim charge himself after his departure, but Keane is not so sure it is a good idea, as illustrated by another former Red Devil Fletcher’s brief stint as caretaker which resulted in a draw with Burnley and defeat to Brighton.

‘It can work, but it doesn’t work always, this idea of bringing someone in from the club,’ said Keane.

‘Fletch, the last few weeks before Burnley and Brighton: “Fletch knows the club, he works at the academy, he knows the girl in the canteen, he rings Ferguson to ask him what socks he’s going to wear in the morning.” How did the two games go?’

Keane really hammered home his point about Evans not being qualified to coach the Manchester United first team, feeling that his meagre CV is being ignored just because Holland comes with a glowing reputation.

‘What about the other two?’ Keane asked Neville again. ‘You’re saying you don’t know anything about Jonny Evans’ coaching, because he’s never coached! That’s my point!

‘But he’s gone into Man United! And that’s ok because we’ve got Stevie Holland! A new guru!’

Carrick hailed two of his new coaches on his appointment as interim United manager.

‘Steve’s got, an unbelievable wealth of experience at Chelsea,’ he said.

‘Jonathan is loyal and very knowledgeable. He’s the perfect balance for me, I think that’s important you know. He pushes me. He has done for the last three years and he’ll keep doing.’

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