Gary Neville has suggested that Manchester United should look beyond Michael Carrick in their search for a new head coach due to the current landscape at the top of the Premier League.
The former Red Devils defender believes his old side have a "genuine opportunity" to win the title in the next couple of years because other elite English clubs have issues of their own to contend with.
Carrick is seen as a strong contender to continue as head coach on a long-term contract after steering the club to the cusp of a return to the Champions League with nine wins from his 13 games at the helm. However, United are still expected to consider all of their options before making an appointment.
Carrick was previously part of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's coaching team at Old Trafford, with the 44-year-old's only previous managerial experience coming in the Championship with Middlesbrough. While some believe Carrick is now the favourite for the job long-term after helping salvage Manchester United's season, Neville has put forward a case to appoint a 'world-class' coach given where some of the club's rivals are currently, questioning whether Carrick is the right man to take advantage of the current Premier League landscape.
Speaking on The Overlap Fan Debate, brought to you by Sky Bet, Neville said: "If he beds the foundations in over another year - good principles, good culture, the club happier again, the staff trusting him because everyone would trust Michael Carrick and love him - you could then go and make a bigger appointment. That could be applied.
"But then there's another part of me that thinks: Arsenal isn't brilliant. They're better than United, but Liverpool are just shaking a little bit. Chelsea is all over the place. Tottenham are all over the place. If Manchester City were to be found guilty of some of the more serious charges, there is a genuine opportunity to win the league in the next year or two.
"There aren't that many things happening up there right now - it is as poor at the top as it has been for a while. Who is the best person to go and try to exploit that potential window? And is Michael the right person for that, or is it someone else? That's the confusion I've got.
"I was adamant, four months ago before Ole, Ruud, and Michael were all interviewed for the role: please, whatever happens, do not appoint any of them at the end of the season. Bring one in now, stabilise the club, then put someone world-class in who has a great coaching pedigree. That's where I was three or four months ago. Why am I changing now just because of some results?"
Neville's former United team-mate, Paul Scholes, also seems to have reservations about entrusting Carrick with the head coach role beyond the summer. He pointed out that Carrick has not had to contend with European football and that the fruits of his labour will make the job more challenging next year for whomever is in the hotseat.
On whether Carrick should get the job permanently, Scholes said: "I don't know. It's not straightforward, is it? From what's happening now - just playing Premier League games - to the start of next season is a totally different challenge. Suddenly, you're playing three cup competitions, playing Saturday-Wednesday. That's a big deal for him in terms of getting the job next year, and he should maybe question himself seriously about whether he wants it.
"They've got to get players in as well. If they can get [them into] Champions League football, I think that'll enable us to move forward."
