Carrick, the former Manchester United caretaker manager, could be back in the dugout

Following the sacking of Ruben Amorim, the Manchester United hierarchy are reportedly looking to hire another interim manager until the end of this current season and then reassess their options going into the summer. This is a path well trodden by the club in recent years. The likes of Ryan Giggs, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Ralf Rangnick, Michael Carrick and Ruud van Nistelrooy have all undertaken such a role since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson at end of the 2012/13 title winning campaign.

The club could never have envisaged such a drop off once the most decorated manager in British football left his post after the madcap draw at the Hawthorns in the final game of that successful season, in which they regained the Premier League trophy from Manchester City. At that point, City had only one Premier League title to their name (three times champions of England overall) following the investment from the Abu Dhabi United Group and Sheikh Mansour. Under Ferguson, United had won the Premier League thirteen times alone and the club had been crowned champions of England twenty times.

Fast forward to now and United have been nowhere near winning another top flight crown and City have added a further seven Premier Leagues to their honors list. There have also been two League winning campaigns for Liverpool, which has allowed them to equal United’s twenty top flight titles. All in all, it’s been a disastrous period in United’s history, when you consider it was a position of relative strength that Ferguson handed over to David Moyes in the summer of 2013.

The reasons are vast and varied to why it has all gone so wrong during the last twelve and a half years, but, alongside the ownership issues, one of the main reasons has been the constant chopping and changing of not only managers and players but also styles and philosophies, as Louis van Gaal would constantly refer to. A club like Manchester United is a footballing institution. It transcends the sport. The club is known for its history, traditions and it’s identity.

Football clubs like United, Liverpool, Celtic and Rangers in British football and the likes of Ajax, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and AC Milan are exactly the same on the continent. They have their way of doing things. It is no coincidence that these clubs are successful when they operate and play the way they are supposed to. With both Ferguson and David Gill leaving in 2013, there was huge power vacuum which has been filled at executive level, especially, by people who just don’t understand what the club is all about. Upon running the club, Ed Woodward famously remarked United was “like Disneyland for adults”. That summed up everything that had gone wrong.

Following the sacking of Ruben Amorim, it appears the current leadership team have realized that they have to get the club back to being Manchester United again and quickly. Many pundits, fans and supporters have been saying this for years. You cannot have the likes of Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ralf Rangnick, Erik ten Hag and Amorim imposing their philosophies or trying to change the style of the club to suit who they are. The club should always identify a manager to suit the club first and foremost and not a manager come in and flip the script.

The current incarnation of Manchester United needs to start behaving as United should. The likes of Jim Ratcliffe, Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox appear, at least, to recognize this and realize that the way Ruben Amorim wanted to play just wasn’t who or what Manchester United are. They have reportedly made the decision to make a short-term appointment until the end of the season and bring a feel good factor back to the club and take stock and assess their options throughout the second half of the campaign and the summer. A big part of this, it seems, is to bring in someone who will behave and play like a United manager.

The reports are that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is set for another stint in charge at the club. However, it could well be that another man who took charge of United on a short-term basis in the past could be a great option. That man could be Michael Carrick. His previous stint in charge brought a calm and assuredness to the role and two wins from three games. He won in Spain against Villarreal in the Champions League and at home against Arsenal, whilst also earning a draw away to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Following these games he decided to step away, likely knowing what the board and leadership team at the time were like. That has now changed and although their track record hasn’t been great so far, at least there is some kind of structure in place and you’d hope the mistakes have already been made and learnt from. In those three games in charge, Carrick dropped Bruno Fernandes from the Villarreal game and Cristiano Ronaldo from the Chelsea match. When asked by reporters as to why he did this, with a wry smile, he simply stated because he is the manager and he picks the team. It was clear he had an authority about him and the respect of the players. He also moved Fred further forward, acutely aware of his defensive frailties.

In appointing Carrick now for the short-term, the club would hire a manager who the players would respect and who now also has a full time manager’s job at Middlesbrough behind him in addition to his stint as caretaker at the club. Although he did not manage to get Middlesbrough promoted to the Premier League, they were always in the top half and play-off positions for most of his time there, despite ultimately falling away. He also liked to play attacking, expansive football and allow his players freedom to express themselves which are some of the key principles of Manchester United football club. He would certainly return a more experienced and well rounded manager.

In appointing Carrick until the end of the season, the club could surround him with staff whom he trusts. The likes of Darren Fletcher and Jonny Evans could become part of the first team coaching team. The club could even bring back an experienced head in Rene Meulensteen to help and have Old Gunnar Solskjaer involved as Technical Director, for example, having a role between the senior and youth teams. It would certainly feel a lot more like Manchester United at least.

If it were to go well the club could go down the Mikel Arteta route at Arsenal. The Basque had never previously managed before taking the hot seat at the Emirates. He did however have plenty of coaching experience working alongside Pep Guardiola at Manchester City and playing under Arsene Wenger and David Moyes amongst others. With regards to Michael Carrick he can count on his own experiences in the dugout and by playing under Sir Alex Ferguson and learning from Jose Mourinho too as part of his staff.

Football is a funny old game and you never know just what might happen. At the time Arteta was appointed Arsenal manager, Carlo Ancelotti was appointed as manager of Everton and the logical assumption was the roles should realistically have been reversed, but despite only winning one FA Cup since 2020 you cannot say that Arteta has not changed the culture at Arsenal, improved their mentality and built a squad which is likely to win the Premier League this season following three consecutive second place finishes. When he took over at Arsenal they were miles away from competing at the top of the table.

This is exactly the position that United are in. The club needs alignment. The leadership team now have to get this right. They have been in situ for a couple of seasons and there are no excuses. They are in charge of running a global footballing institution with its own unique identity. The first part of getting it back on track is to revert back to who United are and in appointing someone like Michael Carrick, with his mentality, personality and experience of the club they may well have someone who can help them in the short-term but also going forward into the future too.

Mark Eckel takes a look at all six NFL playoff games this weekend

The Playoff Rule Everyone Wants Changed

It’s something that almost everyone wants changed, and yet it never gets changed. Way back in the mid 1990s at almost every owner’s meetings it was brought up that if a wild-card team has a better record than a division champion the wild-card team should get the home playoff game.

Several coaches and general managers before the vote was taken told me though those years they thought the rule should be changed. They felt the team with the better record should get the home game.

Then they would vote and it would stay the same.

This year, some 30 years later, it’s still the same. As the 2026 NFL playoffs kick off the Carolina Panthers, the NFC South champion, losers of their last two games and with a record of 8-9, will host the Los Angeles Rams (12-5), a team many consider the best overall team in the league.

Losing Records Hosting Playoff Games

Carolina will be the fifth team to host a playoff game with a losing record. Those teams, including the 2014 Panthers, are 2-2 in those wild-card games.

Here’s the list:

2010: Seattle (7-9) beat New Orleans (11-5), 41-36
2014: Carolina (7-8-1) beat Arizona (11-5), 27-16
2020: Washington (8-9) lost to Tampa Bay (11-5), 31-23
2022 Tampa Bay (8-9) lost to Dallas (12-5), 31-14

Seattle, in 2010, and Carolina, in 2014, lost in the next round of the playoffs.

Can the Panthers, a 10-point home underdog, pull off the upset and beat the Rams for a second time this season? Here’s a look at all six wild-card games.

In a coaching cycle defined by chaos, turnover, and front‑office instability, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers present a rare point of clarity. While several franchises are firing general managers, reshuffling scouting departments, or tearing down their organizational structures entirely, Tampa Bay stands out for one reason above all: stability.

If the Buccaneers decide to part ways with Todd Bowles, they would immediately become one of the most attractive destinations on the market. Few teams can offer John Harbaugh or any top‑tier candidate the combination Tampa Bay already has in place: a fully aligned ownership group, a championship‑proven front office, and a roster foundation capable of competing quickly with the right leadership.

Where other franchises are selling hope, the Buccaneers can sell infrastructure, continuity, and a blueprint that has already delivered a Lombardi Trophy. For a veteran coach like Harbaugh, who values organizational alignment as much as on‑field talent, Tampa Bay represents something increasingly rare in today’s NFL: a place where a coach can walk in on Day 1 and know the building is already functioning at a championship standard.

General manager Jason Licht has been the anchor of the franchise for a decade. He’s drafted well, navigated cap challenges, and built multiple playoff‑caliber rosters. For Harbaugh, who thrives in environments where the front office and coaching staff operate as partners, Licht represents a massive competitive advantage.

Ownership That Spends Big and Thinks Big

The Glazer family has never been afraid to make bold, expensive, franchise‑altering decisions. They traded for Jon Gruden. They hired Bruce Arians. They signed Tom Brady. And they funded the roster that delivered a Super Bowl in 2020.

Unlike several teams in the current coaching market, Tampa Bay’s ownership is:

• Stable
• Unified
• Financially powerful
• Aggressive when opportunity knocks

If Harbaugh wants full staff control, top‑tier coordinator salaries, and the freedom to build a championship‑level infrastructure, the Glazers are one of the few ownership groups willing and able to deliver it.

A Winnable Division and a Faster Path Back to the Playoffs

The NFC South remains one of the weakest divisions in football. That alone makes Tampa Bay a more attractive job than several AFC openings, where Harbaugh would be battling Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Justin Herbert just to reach the postseason.

In Tampa, the path is clearer:

• A division in transition
• A roster with young talent
• A GM who knows how to reload quickly
• A conference with fewer elite quarterbacks

Harbaugh could realistically return the Bucs to playoff contention immediately, something that cannot be said for most teams pursuing him.

A Market That Fits Harbaugh’s Personality and Priorities

Tampa offers a balance Harbaugh would appreciate: a passionate fan base, a major‑league market, and a lifestyle that allows privacy and family comfort. It’s competitive without being chaotic, ambitious without being overwhelming.

For a coach who values culture, stability, and long‑term vision, Tampa checks every box.

The Bottom Line

Other teams may be louder in their pursuit. Others may have flashier rosters or bigger media markets. But no team offers Harbaugh a cleaner, more stable, or more immediately winnable situation than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

If Harbaugh wants the best chance to win now — and build something lasting — Tampa Bay is the job.