‘He's still got it' - Harry Maguire hails interim boss Michael Carrick and reveals ex-Man Utd midfielder still showing his quality in training

United are off to a strong start under the former England star following his appointment as Ruben Amorim's replacement. The Red Devils have pulled off sensational wins against Manchester City and Arsenal under his guardianship. While pundits and fans have been impressed by his impact on United's performances, it seems the coach is regularly leaving his players in awe on the training field.

According to Maguire, Carrick has not lost the technical quality that made him the heartbeat of United’s midfield for over a decade. Speaking on the latest episode of the Inside Carrington podcast, the centre-back disclosed that the interim boss frequently steps into training drills to demonstrate what he wants, often with humiliating ease for the current squad.

Maguire described a recent session where Carrick’s ability to "bang it through the lines" left the players in awe. "He still does demos in passing drills and he still bangs it through the lines like he’s still got it," Maguire laughed. "He was doing the demos the other day, and I think he did two passes. Everyone did about 300. I think his two were the best I’ve seen out of them all!"

The technical excellence serves as a reminder to the squad that their manager has played at the very highest level, winning every major trophy available during his playing days at Old Trafford. "But no, he’s still got it," Maguire added. "And he’s really hands-on in training."

The appointment of Carrick as interim boss this month has also seen the arrival of highly respected coach Holland, formerly Gareth Southgate’s right-hand man with the England national team. Maguire, who worked closely with Holland during his time with the Three Lions, believes the combination of Carrick and Holland has brought a proactive energy to the training pitches.

"Also, you’ve got Steve [Holland] as well there," Maguire explained. "When I was working with Steve at England, he was really hands-on in terms of taking most of the training sessions. So you’ve got two coaches there who like to get involved and I think it’s really good."

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While some may view Carrick’s elevation to the interim role as a steep learning curve, Maguire insists he saw the potential years ago. Carrick previously served as a first-team coach under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and it was during this period that Maguire first noticed his natural authority and communication skills.

"I knew he would do that just from the experience of knowing Michael and also knowing the way that he coached when he was here under Ole," Maguire stated, reflecting on how the former captain handled his initial steps into coaching.

"He spoke really, really well in the dressing room when he spoke back then and he was really just new into coaching then, so I had no surprises when he came in and the way that he spoke in his first meeting and the way the sessions have gone."

The positive atmosphere at Carrington is further bolstered by what Maguire describes as a unified backroom team. In the turbulent world of football management, cohesion amongst the staff is often the first step towards consistent results on the pitch. Maguire has been "really impressed" by how quickly Carrick has organised his team and conveyed a clear message to the players.

"And I do think that he’s got a great, great staff with him in terms of they’re all on the same page," the defender concluded.

With United currently sitting fourth in the Premier League and looking to secure Champions League football for next season, the stability provided by Carrick and his staff could prove decisive. If the manager can get his players passing the ball half as well as he apparently still does, the Red Devils will be in safe hands for the remainder of the campaign.