Cisse urges Man Utd to keep Carrick until December

Former Premier League striker Djibril Cisse advised Manchester United officials to retain Michael Carrick as manager through the December break. Speaking to Mr Gamble, Cisse argued that the current coaching staff has earned the backing of key players and should not be dismissed prematurely during the season.

Cisse, who played under Roy Keane at Sunderland, identified the former United captain as a potential future leader for the club. He described Keane as an icon with the necessary history and personality to drive change. "Roy Keane has the weight of experience and history. He is a strong personality, and he’s an icon of the club," Cisse said. "He wore the armband for so many years during United’s glory days, so bringing him back would be a really good thing."

The former France international credited Keane with a direct coaching style that fostered trust. Cisse recalled his time at Sunderland, noting that Keane did not judge his character based on outside rumors. "I really enjoyed working with him [at Sunderland] because he didn’t judge me on what he’d heard or what people might say about my character," Cisse stated. "He trusted me, it worked very well, and I was very disappointed when he left."

Addressing the current scrutiny on Carrick, Cisse warned against frequent managerial turnover. He pointed to public support from senior defenders like Lisandro Martinez as evidence of the current manager's standing within the squad. "It’s always good to have your squad behind you and to know your players support you," Cisse explained. "How long they’ll give him, I don’t know, because Manchester United is a huge club, a huge institution, and they’ve been in a difficult situation for quite a few years now."

Cisse acknowledged the pressure from owners and fans for immediate results but cautioned that football is not a simple process. He questioned whether Carrick is the primary cause of the team's struggles, noting his tactical understanding of the game. "Is Michael Carrick the main problem? I’m not sure," Cisse said. "He was a great player who knows the game, and as a coach he’s shown he knows what he’s talking about tactically. So is he really the one who should be sacrificed? I’m not sure."

The former striker recommended patience as the preferred course of action for the board. He suggested that continuity allows players to build a relationship with the coaching staff, a dynamic he observed with Martinez and other senior figures. "I’d give him more time, at least until December, to see what happens," Cisse added. "Sometimes continuity in the squad and the club is a good thing."

Cisse concluded that Carrick has demonstrated good qualities in his work so far. He urged the club to remain steady in the short term to allow momentum to build before making further personnel decisions.