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Manchester United boss Michael Carrick firmly denied claims that he had told Nicky Butt management was "not for me" before taking the reins at Old Trafford earlier this season.
In Italy, they say, Piove sempre sul bagnato—It always rains on the wet. Carrick has been caught in a storm of controversy in recent days, with former teammates and friends only adding fuel to the fire.
Amid a poor run of results, mounting concerns over his job security and a reported rift between the dressing room and coaching staff, Carrick now finds himself having to address the accuracy of private exchanges.
Butt, a former England international alongside Carrick who spent over a decade in Manchester United's first team after coming through the club's academy, alleged that the current Red Devils head coach had abandoned hopes of returning to management before Ruben Amorim's exit in January.
"I was with Michael before he got the United job and speaking to him about management," Butt told fellow club legend Paul Scholes on their podcast, The Good, The Bad & The Football. "He went, 'No, it's not for me. It's too much and my head's all over the shop. I'll only do it for the big job and the big job is United.'"
Carrick flatly disputed this account of events.
"I definitely wouldn't be here if that was the case, would I? At this stage?" he said. "It's the best job I could possibly have. I feel a real privilege of being in this position and a real responsibility, but equally a drive of wanting to make a difference and having success here. I'm loving it.
"I love the situation when you're faced with a bit of adversity and you have to find a way through it. I genuinely enjoy that because it's what motivates you to succeed. If you're not prepared for that and can't respond, that's when it becomes a problem. You're never going to be great, so we've got to work our way through it and I'm enjoying the journey."
'Not That Far'—Carrick Makes Bold Premier League Title Claim
Rather than dwell on United's worst start to a league campaign in four decades, Carrick chose to look at the bigger picture, insisting his side remain "in the mix" for both Premier League and Champions League honours.
"We've had a start where we haven't won some football games," the former midfielder acknowledged. "Alright, but correct me if I'm wrong, we are five points off the top four.
"Perspective is important and football can change. I think when we came in, we were a lot further away from third spot and we ended up finishing third. So it depends what you focus on. You either focus on the things that may be issues or you focus on the things that are possible and what can be achieved. It's a very different mentality.
Man Utd's 2026–27 Premier League Season So Far
"For us to win the Premier League is a massive step, of course it is. But it's definitely something we're striving for. We've got to keep pushing for it.
"We've won one game in the Champions League, we've lost one game. We're still in the mix of that. And we're certainly still in the mix of the Premier League, of finishing towards the top. That's the challenge.
"It feels because of the results that everyone focuses on the negative side. It's up to us to turn that corner and it's actually not that far away."