Paul Scholes Addresses Man Utd Fury Over Michael Carrick Comments
Manchester United icon Paul Scholes has publicly responded to the backlash following his social media remarks about head coach Michael Carrick, clarifying that his words were not intended as a personal dig.
Social Media Storm After Newcastle Defeat
The controversy erupted after Scholes, 51, posted an Instagram story following United's 2-1 loss to Newcastle last Wednesday. His message read: "Michael has definitely got something about him...cos United have been crap last 4 games...night."
Many interpreted this as criticism of Carrick, who has overseen a significant improvement in results since taking over from Ruben Amorim in January. The Newcastle defeat marked Carrick's first loss in charge, making Scholes' timing particularly sensitive.
Among those who took offense was former United defender Patrice Evra, who expressed hope that Scholes' account had been hacked rather than him genuinely criticizing Carrick.
Direct Communication Between Legends
Speaking on The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast on Monday, Scholes sought to clear the air. "It was in no way intended to be offensive towards Michael," he stated emphatically. "Michael's one of the nicest people in football, he would be the last person I want to offend."
The former midfielder revealed he had taken immediate action to address any misunderstanding. "I messaged Michael anyway. I went straight to him and said 'Look I had no intention of upsetting you'. I don't think I needed to say that anyway, and he told me himself he wasn't upset by it."
Context Behind the Comments
Scholes explained that his remarks were focused on United's recent performances rather than Carrick's managerial abilities. "The only thing I was saying was that I don't think they played that well the last four games and he's still managing to get results," he clarified.
He drew parallels with legendary United manager Sir Alex Ferguson's philosophy, noting: "We had the greatest manager in the world and he always said sometimes you need a bit of luck. So with sending-offs and different things that happen through games, sometimes you do need a bit of luck, that's all I was saying."
Carrick's Response and United's Form
Carrick himself expressed disappointment with United's performance against Newcastle, despite the Magpies playing with ten men for much of the match. "We're not happy with the way we played the game," he admitted post-match. "The way it panned out, it was in our hands largely, but credit to Newcastle. We navigated to be in a position where we felt we should kick on. We didn't, really, so bitterly disappointed."
The defeat remains the only blemish on Carrick's record since assuming the United role, with the team showing marked improvement under his leadership compared to the final weeks of Amorim's tenure.
Scholes concluded by emphasizing the misinterpretation of his original comments: "I think people have just taken it differently from what was meant." The incident highlights how quickly social media posts can be misinterpreted in the high-pressure world of Premier League football, even between former teammates who share a long history at Old Trafford.
