Michael Carrick has been tipped for an instant return to management with Crystal Palace after being sacked by Manchester United.
Carrick was finally dismissed as Man United boss on Thursday after a torturous week of waiting for official confirmation of his exit.
The Red Devils are now in the process of appointing Mauricio Pochettino on a two-and-a-half year deal as his replacement.
Former Tottenham and Chelsea manager Pochettino will look to turn things around at Old Trafford, while club legend Carrick will have to figure out what his next steps in the dugout will be.
Carrick had been put through a long wait for his sacking, with United’s approach being slammed as ‘disgusting’ and ‘undignified’.
So, he may opt to take a break from management to bounce back from what was a tough end to his time in Manchester.
However, talkSPORT’s Angelina Kelly believes that an immediate return to a Premier League job could be his best way forward.
Kelly said on the latest episode of the Fiery Fridays podcast: “I think a lot of people have some empathy for him – a bystander in the circus that is Man United.
“We know the root of the issues are not him but that the owners and executives are making the terrible decisions.
“And in hindsight, he was always unqualified for this level of management, if we’re being honest.
“But the people above him have failed him, hindered his team’s progression due to not signing enough players, the one’s they brought in are not the right fit, and he’s just swimming against the tide with Man United.
“But I don’t think that should mean he’s cast into the abyss and never seen again… he’s a manager who finished third in the Premier League last season and got the best out of some top quality players.
“He’s a promising English manager, who clearly has the ability to succeed, so I say he needs to get back on the horse immediately. He deserves another chance to prove himself.
“Why shouldn’t Crystal Palace be the answer?”
Could Carrick become the new Crystal Palace manager?
On the same day as Carrick’s dismissal at Man United, Pierre Sage was also sacked as Crystal Palace manager.
Sage had only been in charge for four months after taking over in the summer, but with the Eagles sitting at the bottom of the Premier League, he has lost his job.
talkSPORT understands that ex-Tottenham and Brentford boss Thomas Frank is on a three-man shortlist for the role.
But could Carrick be a contender to take over at Selhurst Park?
Kelly said: “Palace are being heavily linked with Thomas Frank, which makes sense on paper with the body of work at Brentford.
“But his time at Spurs did damage his reputation, and as much as Carrick’s season at United has gone badly, he did have a good first six months as manager. Frank was halfway out the door at Tottenham by then, he was sacked after eight months.
“With all due respect, I know Palace and United are just one point apart in the relegation zone, but given the chance in a less high pressured job, Carrick could come good.
“There’s way less noise around the club, maybe the pressure of it not being a club so close to his heart will help matters. He’s proven he can take over a team mid-season and improve them.
“He’s warmer than Frank when it comes to training, knowing these Premier League teams well as he’s coached in the league at the moment.”
“I know this might not happen and there’s more than one manager out there that might come good for Palace, and Carrick might want some time off after all this,” she admitted. “But I would love to see him get the Palace job and see him grow as a coach.”
Carrick to Palace is ‘too risky’
Kelly believes Carrick becoming the next Crystal Palace manager is the best thing for him, but Adrian Durham disagrees.
The talkSPORT host doesn’t think the Man United and England legend is the right man to keep Palace in the Premier League and has tipped him for a job in the Championship next instead.
“I think Carrick is not qualified for that job,” Durham responded.
“In terms of relegation battles, as a young player he went down with West Ham…I think that that’s a very risky appointment.”
He added: “He’s had Championship experience and he’s not done what he should have done with Middlesbrough, but I think he would have learned those lessons.
“So I think a Carrick going in to, say a West Ham or a club that wants to go up from the Championship, I think that’s his next step.
“If he goes to Palace, gets relegated, that feels a bit end of management career to me, so I think that’s too risky a move for Carrick and for Palace themselves.”
