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On the 40th anniversary of Sir Alex Ferguson's appointment as Manchester United manager, Michael Carrick confidently declared that "it's not impossible" for the Red Devils to recapture the level of success achieved during Ferguson's reign.
As a player, Carrick was an integral part of United's achievements under Sir Alex, having joined the club in 2006 and remaining until the legendary boss departed in 2013—the last occasion United claimed the Premier League title.
The golden era United experienced under Ferguson may feel like a distant memory, yet Carrick remains optimistic that the Red Devils can one day reach that same level of achievement.
"It's not impossible, anything is possible," Carrick said on Friday. "You've got to build, you got to be realistic, you got to put things in perspective as well. The recent history that we have and where we want to get to, it's not going to happen in a blink of an eye, it's not going to happen overnight.
"Success does take time and we don't like having to spend time, but it does take a period of time to build. We showed a really quick response and improved a lot last season. It shows what is possible, but again, sustaining it is the key, consistency is the key. There's no other way of doing it, there's no shortcuts to it, and in the end, thats where you get to. But it's definitely possible."
Carrick continued: "Achieving success is never easy. It was hard back then, and it remains hard now. It just highlights how challenging it is to maintain sustained success, let alone fleeting moments of it. We've got to live in the moment. We know what we've got to do, and we've got to be focused on delivering success week to week in games.
"Then things fall into place. If you do that enough, and do it often enough, you'll bring a bigger version of it [success]."
Remembering Sir Alex Ferguson's Glory Days at Man Utd
A legend among legends.
Today marks the 40 years since Sir Alex Ferguson began his glorious association with Manchester United ❤️ pic.twitter.com/E6anjZtHQu
"It's something definitely worth celebrating as a football club," Carrick said, reflecting on the Ferguson era on Friday—and he couldn't be more right.
Sir Alex Ferguson arrived at the red half of Manchester on Nov. 6, 1986, and over his remarkable 27-year tenure, he guided the club to extraordinary success, cementing his place as by far the most decorated manager in English football history.
After helping United end a 26-year league title drought in the inaugural Premier League season of 1992–93, the Red Devils went on to claim an astonishing 13 Premier League titles before his retirement following the 2012–13 campaign. His record of 528 Premier League victories as manager stands as a benchmark unlikely to ever be surpassed.
During the 1998–99 season, Ferguson's United became the first English club to achieve a treble, capturing the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League in an unforgettable final against Bayern Munich.
In total, United accumulated 38 trophies under Sir Alex, including the aforementioned 13 Premier League titles, five FA Cups, four League Cups, and two Champions League titles.
Carrick Knows Man United Won't Be As Patient With Him
Michael Carrick revealed he shares a closer bond with Ferguson now than he did during his playing days, describing the influence his former manager has had on him as "immense." Nevertheless, it's difficult to imagine United showing Carrick the same patience they extended to the most successful boss in the club's history.
From the moment of his appointment, it took Sir Alex seven years to deliver Man Utd's first league title of his tenure. In today's game, even the most accomplished managerial stints rarely last that long. Football has changed, and Carrick is well aware of that reality.
"The game has certainly changed, no doubt," Carrick said. "It always does. It evolves, and it had evolved by the stage probably after Sir Martin and in the years after that to then Sir Alex. It evolves all the time, that's how it is.
"It changes, and we've got to deal with what's in front of us. There's always different things to compare, but we have to live in the present as well and definitely use past experiences to help us. Time and patience, but we're all desperate to win football matches and win them as quickly as we possibly can."
Winning—and winning quickly—is crucial for Carrick to retain his position in Old Trafford's dugout, let alone begin mirroring Sir Alex's legacy. A nine-game winless streak had placed Carrick's job security in serious jeopardy, until a stunning 3–2 comeback victory over Roma in their last outing provided some breathing room.
Next up is a must-win Premier League home fixture against Aston Villa on Sunday. Anything short of three points could see the Red Devils slip into the relegation zone and Carrick shown the door before the November international break comes to an end.