Michael Carrick maintains that Manchester United can achieve success under the Glazer family’s ownership, even as thousands of fans plan protests against the American owners and Sir Jim Ratcliffe ahead of this weekend’s match.
Fan Protests Set to Proceed Despite Recent Wins
The 1958 group has organized a demonstration against the current ownership structure before Sunday’s clash with Fulham. Confidence in Ratcliffe’s influence on change has waned, leading to expectations of around 6,000 supporters participating. The event persists despite Carrick securing consecutive victories over Manchester City and Arsenal in his initial two matches as interim manager.
The 44-year-old expressed no concerns about the protests and appreciated the backing from fans since his appointment. “I don’t think it connects with the two wins,” he stated. “It doesn’t affect the team. I fully respect the supporters. They’re incredible. They have been for so long and had a lot of ups and some downs as well.”
Carrick added that neither he nor the players feel offended by the actions. He highlighted the exceptional atmosphere inside the stadium, which he has observed consistently. “I’m not offended by it or anything, and the players certainly aren’t, I think. Within the stadium, the support we’ve felt, and that’s been there for all the games that I’ve watched for quite some time, has been of the highest level and I’m sure it will continue to be like that.”
He emphasized the strong bond formed in recent weeks, noting how both the team and fans have drawn energy from it. “The connection that we’ve had over the last couple of weeks has been pretty special and we’ve both fed off that. I think the supporters have fed off it. We have as a group, the players certainly have, and that’s something we need to keep building on moving forward, because that’s exactly how we wanted it to be.”
Long-Standing Ownership Discontent
Fan dissatisfaction with United’s ownership has persisted since the Glazers’ arrival in the summer of 2005. Protests have intensified in recent years, exacerbated by a series of setbacks following Ineos’s minority investment in February 2024.
In his 2018 autobiography, Carrick described the Glazers as “great owners.” Having played and coached under their tenure, he remains optimistic about the club’s potential for success with their involvement. “Yeah, I think we’ve had a good couple of weeks and we’re moving in the right direction,” he said. “We want to keep building on that. I think that’s part of the focus here is it’s never get satisfied with what we’ve just done and keep moving forward.”
Carrick stressed that off-field matters should not impact on-pitch performance. “Off the pitch, whatever goes on in around the club, it’s not really for us as a playing group to worry about and let that affect performances. I think it’s what we feel, what we can grasp at the minute, we feel the utmost support from the supporters as much as ever, and that’s where we want to keep moving towards.”
