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| Michael Carrick has been awarded a testimonial match by Manchester United |
He doesn’t want to be handed a contract extension out of sentimentality. He only wants to stay if he can still make a valuable contribution to Jose Mourinho’s evolving team.
At the moment, the midfielder still feels he can be an asset – as he proved when he came on at half-time at Wembley on Sunday to help Manchester United lift the EFL Cup and swell his impressive medals cabinet.
But he will be 36 in August and acknowledges the years and games can suddenly catch up on players. And he is anxious to bow out at the top rather than tarnish a great career with sub-standard displays.
He has spoken to former team-mates and other players about it.
“I’ve spoken to people but really you know in yourself,” he said. “There’s the pride element as well.
“I don’t want to be hanging around too long just for the sake of it. I understand I am not going to play every game. I haven’t really got a problem with that. I need to be playing enough though. I don’t want to be here just for the sake of ‘you’ve been here so long, let’s keep you on board’.
“I’d want to be going out when I still feel I’m contributing enough. It’s about getting the timing right.
“I was listening to Stevie Gerrard talk about it last year. It’s about getting that fine balance of when it’s not too late and it’s not too early.
“There’s no right or wrong. It’s about how you feel personally. For me, it’s a pride thing of knowing what you’ve achieved and the standards you’ve set that you don’t want to dropping right below them.”
At the moment, the midfielder still feels he can be an asset – as he proved when he came on at half-time at Wembley on Sunday to help Manchester United lift the EFL Cup and swell his impressive medals cabinet.
But he will be 36 in August and acknowledges the years and games can suddenly catch up on players. And he is anxious to bow out at the top rather than tarnish a great career with sub-standard displays.
He has spoken to former team-mates and other players about it.
“I’ve spoken to people but really you know in yourself,” he said. “There’s the pride element as well.
“I don’t want to be hanging around too long just for the sake of it. I understand I am not going to play every game. I haven’t really got a problem with that. I need to be playing enough though. I don’t want to be here just for the sake of ‘you’ve been here so long, let’s keep you on board’.
“I’d want to be going out when I still feel I’m contributing enough. It’s about getting the timing right.
“I was listening to Stevie Gerrard talk about it last year. It’s about getting that fine balance of when it’s not too late and it’s not too early.
“There’s no right or wrong. It’s about how you feel personally. For me, it’s a pride thing of knowing what you’ve achieved and the standards you’ve set that you don’t want to dropping right below them.”
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| Michael Carrick has won every honour in the game |
Carrick’s standards are so high he has won every honour in the game – the Club World Cup, Champions League, five Premier Leagues, the FA Cup, three League Cups and several Community Shields.
Not surprisingly the 2008 Champions League victory over Chelsea in Moscow was the highlight of his career and he is trying to reassemble that team for the testimonial game he has been awarded by United.
So far Edwin Van Der Sar, Rio Ferdinand, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Neville have confirmed they will play in the game on June 4 at Old Trafford against an All-Stars XI featuring Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Michael Owen.
“It would be great to get every single player together but there are reasons I can’t say 100 per cent at the moment who is going to be there,” he said. “Most of them will be there. Carlos said he would love to play but didn’t know where he’d be and since then he’s gone to China.
“I’ve spoken to Ronaldo but it’s the Champions League final the day before!”
All the proceeds from the game will be used for a cause close to his heart. He was hugely influenced by the time he spent at the famous Wallsend Boys Club in his native North-east and wants to set up similar sustainable community-centred projects in Manchester and Newcastle to give youngsters somewhere to go after school.
“When I was growing up a spent a lot of time at the Wallsend Boys Club and it’s had a huge influence on my career. I want to give youngsters the sense of belonging that I had there.”
Tickets for the game can be obtained from www.manutd.com/carricktestimonial or telephone 0161 868 8004. All proceeds will go to www.michaelcarrickfoundation.org.
Not surprisingly the 2008 Champions League victory over Chelsea in Moscow was the highlight of his career and he is trying to reassemble that team for the testimonial game he has been awarded by United.
So far Edwin Van Der Sar, Rio Ferdinand, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Neville have confirmed they will play in the game on June 4 at Old Trafford against an All-Stars XI featuring Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Michael Owen.
“It would be great to get every single player together but there are reasons I can’t say 100 per cent at the moment who is going to be there,” he said. “Most of them will be there. Carlos said he would love to play but didn’t know where he’d be and since then he’s gone to China.
“I’ve spoken to Ronaldo but it’s the Champions League final the day before!”
All the proceeds from the game will be used for a cause close to his heart. He was hugely influenced by the time he spent at the famous Wallsend Boys Club in his native North-east and wants to set up similar sustainable community-centred projects in Manchester and Newcastle to give youngsters somewhere to go after school.
“When I was growing up a spent a lot of time at the Wallsend Boys Club and it’s had a huge influence on my career. I want to give youngsters the sense of belonging that I had there.”
Tickets for the game can be obtained from www.manutd.com/carricktestimonial or telephone 0161 868 8004. All proceeds will go to www.michaelcarrickfoundation.org.
Source: Express
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