Manchester United manager Michael Carrick’s situation at Old Trafford continues to be under scrutiny after a slow start to the new season. The English manager was brilliant in his caretaker capacity last season after taking charge in January.
The Red Devils embraced an attacking brand of football for the second half of last campaign, scoring goals galore and securing third place in the Premier League table. That earned Carrick the full-time job at the Theatre of Dreams before the end of the season.
After a summer of midfield reinforcements, the English giants were expected to take another step this season, but that has hardly been the case. United are languishing in 12th place in the league table after five games, winning just one game so far.
They have also exited the EFL Cup after a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Brighton & Hove Albion. The situation has prompted talk of another managerial upheaval and former Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has been mentioned as an option.
Conte’s Premier League credentials could appeal to United
Conte has extensive experience of Premier League football, having won the league during his time at Chelsea. The Italian manager was also in charge of Tottenham Hotspur, but his time there turned out to be a disappointment.
Conte won the Serie A three times during his managerial stint with Juventus and once with Inter Milan. The Italian also helped Napoli to the Scudetto in the 2024/25 season, before finishing second last campaign and leaving in the summer.
Antonio Conte: Managerial Stats
| Team | From | To | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | GF | GA | GD | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arezzo | 1 July 2006 | 31 October 2006 | 12 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 10 | −6 | 8.33 |
| Arezzo | 13 March 2007 | 12 June 2007 | 15 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 22 | 17 | +5 | 53.33 |
| Bari | 27 December 2007 | 23 June 2009 | 67 | 32 | 22 | 13 | 98 | 63 | +35 | 47.76 |
| Atalanta | 21 September 2009 | 7 January 2010 | 14 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 14 | 21 | −7 | 21.43 |
| Siena | 23 May 2010 | 30 May 2011 | 44 | 22 | 14 | 8 | 71 | 38 | +33 | 50.00 |
| Juventus | 31 May 2011 | 15 July 2014 | 151 | 102 | 34 | 15 | 280 | 101 | +179 | 67.55 |
| Italy | 14 August 2014 | 2 July 2016 | 25 | 14 | 7 | 4 | 34 | 21 | +13 | 56.00 |
| Chelsea | 3 July 2016 | 13 July 2018 | 106 | 69 | 17 | 20 | 212 | 102 | +110 | 65.09 |
| Inter Milan | 31 May 2019 | 26 May 2021 | 102 | 64 | 23 | 15 | 214 | 102 | +112 | 62.75 |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 2 November 2021 | 26 March 2023 | 76 | 41 | 12 | 23 | 136 | 85 | +51 | 53.95 |
| Napoli | 5 June 2024 | 24 May 2026 | 91 | 52 | 22 | 17 | 138 | 83 | +55 | 57.14 |
| Career Total | 703 | 408 | 165 | 130 | 1,223 | 646 | +577 | 58.04 |
Source: Wikipedia.
Following United’s struggles this season, Conte has been tipped to return to the Premier League for the third time. The Italian has now provided an insight into his plans.
Conte enjoying his rest
Conte was invited to the Festival dello Sport in Trento, as part of the celebration of the 30th anniversary of Juventus’ famous Champions League triumph in 1996. The Italian tactician, however, could not make it in person to the event and sent a video message instead.
Conte said: “It is wonderful to celebrate 30 years of the success that was the most important for that Juve side.”
“From that group, I above all remember the human connections, with a great coach like Marcello Lippi as its guide.”
The Italian appeared to hint that he is taking a brief sabbatical, adding: “I would’ve liked to be there with you, but at this moment I am not in Italy. I’m still enjoying my vacation, seeing as this year I have the opportunity to rest and relax.”
Final Thoughts
Conte’s words suggest that he may not be available to immediately take over should United decide to part ways with Carrick. However, all that could change depending on the circumstances.
For now, fans will hope that the English manager can script a turnaround once club football resumes next week and get his team firing on all cylinders again.
Featured image by Francesco Pecoraro via Getty Images
