Manchester United are nearing the end of one of the most confusing and frustrating seasons in the club's history, as fantastic results against other clubs in the top six have been coupled with some truly pathetic showings against sides in the lower half of the table.
The situation surrounding Louis Van Gaal and his future as manager of the club has been the constant narrative since the Christmas period, and many have criticised the board for their handling of the Jose Mourinho rumours and their perceived faith in Louis Van Gaal, but one decision that the board simply must take a stance on is the contract of Michael Carrick.
Carrick's current deal expires in the summer, and the England midfielder this week revealed that he doesn't know if the club will offer him a new deal, despite his desire to keep playing:
I am not sure yet to be honest. I haven’t heard anything just at the moment, no. Hopefully [I will] some time soon. I have been here a long time, I have had some great times here [since 2006] and I love the club. It’s a great place to play. Playing games like against City keeps you having that buzz and enthusiasm to play for longer.
I am not making a big deal of it, to be honest. I will just have to wait and see what happens. I am quite relaxed about it.
Now, Michael Carrick is not the player he was two seasons ago. He is slower and less athletic (something his detractors will have struggled to believe was possible), and his passing appears to have become less adventurous as United have been criticised for their boring play, but allowing another experienced player to walk away from the club, when the manager is pulling children out of the youth team every other week, would be absolute madness.
Carrick and with Wayne Rooney are the only survivors from Manchester United's Champions League win in 2008. He is one of the few players in the current set-up who knows how to feels to win as a United player, and his influence in the dressing-room is such that it is already a farce that he finds himself wondering if he will be at the club next year.
Darren Fletcher is now the captain of West Brom and has played nearly every minute of the current Premier League season, and he is someone who would have been invaluable to have in the first-team at Old Trafford. He was allowed to walk away from the club, along with the likes of Jonny Evans, and the homegrown Danny Welbeck. Experienced pros are leaving, and they are not being replaced.
The main complaint that fans of Man United will tell you about the current squad is that there are not enough quality in the squad, but there is also a complete dearth of leadership and experience.
Allowing Michael Carrick to walk, and continue to ply his trade in the Premier League, would support the idea that the powers that be at Old Trafford haven't got a clue what they are doing.
It would be a different story if Carrick was demanding first team football every week, and wanted to leave to enjoy regular football before he retires, but that is not the case. He wants to play for Manchester United. He is expecting a new deal, and there is a good chance that a further year will be offered, but really he shouldn't have to face the uncertainty that he is facing as the season reaches its climax.
With so much doubt over the competence of Ed Woodward and the rest of the United board, signing Carrick to another deal is something that would ease the fears of the fans. Were he to leave, there would be a queue of Premier League clubs waiting to woo him, and his name would be added to the list of players that pundits are now rattling off as far better than what is currently available.
But really it's just about respect. Michael Carrick has had an excellent Manchester United career despite facing adversity early on, and having made 33 appearances so far this season, the idea that he is finished doesn't really add up.
