Manchester United’s managerial merry-go-round points to a deeper problem

Michael Carrick’s dismissal after one win in 11 matches has continued Manchester United’s familiar cycle of appointing a manager, raising hopes of a revival and then starting again when results decline.

United are third from bottom of the Premier League, and Mauricio Pochettino is being lined up as a possible replacement for Carrick. But the latest change also raises a broader question: are the club’s problems really being caused by the manager, or is the structure around him preventing sustained success?

Since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, United have appointed David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Erik ten Hag, Ruben Amorim and Carrick. Ralf Rangnick also took charge as interim manager.

They brought different personalities, tactical ideas, philosophies and levels of experience to Old Trafford. Yet many experienced similar difficulties. That repeated pattern makes it hard to argue that every one of them was simply not good enough.

Mourinho arrived as one of the game’s most successful managers, while Van Gaal had won league titles across Europe. Ten Hag had established his coaching credentials at Ajax, and Solskjaer initially helped restore an emotional connection between United and their supporters.

Despite that, none managed to deliver lasting success.

When managers with such contrasting approaches repeatedly struggle at the same club, the club itself must come under scrutiny. United’s difficulties have often appeared to extend beyond tactical choices and team selection.

Recruitment has been inconsistent, with expensive signings regularly failing to address the squad’s most obvious weaknesses. Players have arrived for substantial fees without a clear long-term plan linking those deals to a consistent footballing identity.

There has also been continuing uncertainty over who is responsible for United’s footballing direction. Managers are expected to produce immediate results, but the wider structure overseeing recruitment, squad planning and long-term development must also be accountable when those plans fail.

That has created a damaging cycle. A manager inherits an unbalanced squad, tries to impose his methods, encounters resistance or inconsistent performances and eventually loses his job. His successor then brings different demands and often needs different players, forcing the process to begin again while the club continues to spend heavily without finding stability.

Carrick is not free from criticism. One win in 11 matches is unacceptable for a club of United’s stature, and his tactical decisions, handling of the dressing room and failure to produce consistent performances warrant examination. Sometimes a managerial change is necessary.

However, responsibility cannot rest solely with the person on the touchline.

Pochettino could offer new ideas, greater intensity and established knowledge of the Premier League. But if he inherits the same structural weaknesses, recruitment problems and uncertainty within the institution, there is no guarantee his tenure would end differently.

United need more than another manager with an impressive CV. They require a functioning football structure, clear leadership, intelligent recruitment and a long-term sporting vision that extends beyond individual appointments.

Ferguson’s success was not built on managerial ability alone. He worked within an institution that eventually understood how to support sustained success.

Until United recover that discipline, another appointment may generate short-term optimism without delivering meaningful progress. The club’s biggest challenge may not be finding the right manager, but becoming the right club for a good manager to succeed.