'Wouldn't surprise me' - Paul Scholes backs Michael Carrick for top job at Man Utd's rivals

Scholes has identified Tottenham as a viable destination for the current United caretaker boss at the end of the season. Carrick has returned to the dugout to steady the ship following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim earlier this month, and his stock has risen dramatically in just a few weeks. However, the pundit believes the 44-year-old’s audition is likely for a role elsewhere in the Premier League.

Speaking on the latest episode of The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, the retired midfielder discussed the managerial landscape and pointed to the situation at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Frank is currently enduring a difficult campaign, with the Dane under intense pressure during what has been described as a "wretched" debut season in the capital. Scholes feels that the interim United manager's current exploits could make him the perfect replacement.

"It could be like a Tottenham manager from this," the 51-year-old remarked when discussing his former colleague's future. "It wouldn’t surprise me."

The link carries weight given the coach's history; he spent two seasons at White Hart Lane as a player before his move to Manchester in 2006. A return to his old club could offer a route back into permanent management at an elite level, bypassing the uncertainty of the situation at Old Trafford.

The tactician's reputation has been significantly rehabilitated during his short stint as caretaker. Having been sacked by Championship side Middlesbrough last summer, he was thrust into a daunting situation following Amorim’s turbulent 14-month reign. Yet, he has navigated a nightmare fixture list with remarkable composure, securing back-to-back victories against the Premier League's top two sides.

He oversaw a 2-0 victory over Manchester City at home before leading the side to a thrilling 3-2 win away at Arsenal. The victory at the Emirates was particularly impressive, with the visitors showing great resilience to come from behind after Lisandro Martinez scored an own goal midway through the first half.

These results mean the caretaker remains unbeaten across his two spells in charge, having also secured two wins and a draw following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s exit in late 2021. With a home fixture against Fulham approaching, he will be desperate to extend that outstanding record.

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Despite the upturn in form, Scholes remains convinced that United will look elsewhere for their next permanent boss. He argues that the club hierarchy will be "scarred" by the Solskjaer era, where a club legend was given the job permanently after a successful interim spell, only for it to eventually unravel.

To compete for major honours, the pundit insists they need a manager with a proven track record at the highest level, citing Thomas Tuchel as the calibre of coach required.

"He’s come into the job now and it’s been that bad for a year that it couldn’t really get any worse," Scholes explained. "Once you take that job full-time... all of a sudden you’ve got to be winning games straightaway. They will be scarred a little bit from the Ole thing. If the Ole thing hadn’t have happened then it would probably be more likely.

"But if Michael has got to go up against, say, Thomas Tuchel in the summer then there’s only one winner if you’re looking at coaching big clubs and winning big prizes so you can’t really compete with that."

Nicky Butt, appearing alongside his former teammate, agreed. He suggested the interim boss is "bright and intelligent" enough to know his role is simply to get the club moving in the right direction for the next incoming manager, rather than campaigning for the position himself.

While a long-term future at Old Trafford seems unlikely, Scholes also dismissed the notion of his friend staying on as a coach under a new boss. Having spent three years as a manager in his own right on Teesside, a step back down the ladder is viewed as improbable.

When asked if the 44-year-old would stick around in a supporting capacity, the response was blunt: "No, I think that would be weird. He’s had three years at Middlesbrough being a manager and I don’t think he’d want to do that."

Instead, a move to another Premier League club appears the more logical step. Butt noted that if the caretaker continues to perform well in this period, his next role "would be a good job". With Tottenham potentially in the market for a new leader, the calm authority shown amidst the chaos in Manchester may well serve as the perfect interview for a return to London.