- 19 minutes ago
Carrick on Martinez criticism of hierarchy, team spirit and Leeds preview
16/10/2026
Carrington Training centre, Manchester, UK
16/10/2026
Carrington Training centre, Manchester, UK
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SportsTranscript
00:00Hey Michael, it's been an eventful few days, can you just give us an update on how the
00:05Lissandra Martinez situation has unfolded over those days and kind of where we're at now?
00:10Yeah, it's done really, we've moved on from that, it was one of those things, I think
00:17each has come out and acknowledged the situation and as a group we've moved on, it's really
00:24not a drama for us as a group, I think the boys have trained really well, this morning
00:29there was a really good feeling around the squad, a really good feeling, I have to say
00:34they were in really good spirits and trained really well, so we've moved on pretty quickly.
00:38You said it's done but he did have some big things to say after the game, he also said
00:43yesterday there's been some talks with yourself, the club's hierarchy, Jason Wilcox, Omar Barada,
00:48he said those were constructive, can you just maybe give us an idea of what was discussed
00:53and do you feel like everyone is aligned from the squad, yourself and the hierarchy?
01:00Yeah, I mean it's, from the outside I can, you know, after some kind of big information
01:08about big discussions, it was pretty simple, we all understood the situation, what it meant,
01:15Leach obviously made his statement and he acknowledged that it was a mistake from him and that was it really,
01:24you know, we've got a really good feeling within the group, I have to say, we've got a really good
01:30feeling within the club from the inside,
01:34results-wise, you know, it hasn't gone to plan of late but the spirit, the togetherness is, again I said
01:42it today,
01:44today was one of the pair training sessions we've had and you can see there's a real sense and a
01:49feeling within the group that we want to do something
01:51about this situation and we want to do something about it really quickly and hence what I'm saying about moving
01:57on,
01:57we all acknowledge where we're at, we accept that, we understand the situation that came up after the game but
02:05it's been dealt with and we have moved on,
02:09genuinely moved on and there's actually a freshness about the group today which I really liked.
02:19Michael, is Martinez available for some of these games, is he part of the squad?
02:23He's part of the squad, yeah.
02:24Can I just check on the other players that have been out injured as well, Luke Shaw, Kobe Menu and
02:29what's the latest on Benjamin Sessman his injury?
02:32Yeah, we'll see on Luke and Kobe, Ben's kind of still undergoing a couple of kind of checks that we're
02:41really trying to,
02:43before we kind of update on timelines and everything we're just trying to be clear with what that looks like
02:48so,
02:50he's still a little bit further away but when we know a little bit more we'll let you know.
02:56Michael said you trained really well today and take you at face value on that but how…
03:03I'm telling you the truth.
03:05But how, how do you…
03:08Do you not believe me?
03:09Well, how, when Lissandro comes out with something like that, how can people believe that there is unity in the
03:19squad
03:19when what he said was so damaging, he didn't apologise for what he actually said, he said he apologise for
03:26how it came out.
03:28There's a lot of fans, a lot of people within the game, not just supporters but ex-pros, that are
03:34in agreement with what he said.
03:37So how, when you're saying the things that you're saying…
03:41There's a lot of people that say a lot of things and ex-pros are not ex-pros, it doesn't
03:44necessarily mean you understand what's going on here.
03:47But why should people believe you when there is so much…
03:52The players totally believe me, I've said, you know, just because people talk from the outside, that doesn't mean that's
04:00the truth.
04:00I'm telling you the truth, the squad today was in a fantastic place, better than I've seen it for a
04:05while actually and that's it, it's plain and simple.
04:10You know, we're living it every day, we know what it feels like, we're emotional, we're passionate, we care a
04:16lot.
04:16Sometimes someone says something that's a little bit, maybe you shouldn't say it at a certain time but that doesn't
04:23distract us from what we're creating here and the environment and the spirit within the group.
04:31It's not affected, I'm telling you as it is, it's not affected, we're in a good place and I'm really
04:36happy with the boys today especially.
04:38I thought there was a really good reaction to it.
04:39You also know that you need, you personally need results.
04:43I don't need results, I don't need results, we all need results.
04:48It's not about me, you know, it's not about me.
04:51Manchester United is a lot bigger than any individual, bigger than me, bigger than any player, anyone else who works
04:58at this football club.
04:59It always has done and it's not about me.
05:01So please, I don't go into everyday work and this situation, this game thinking about me.
05:07It really is not about me and it's not about any individual player.
05:11It's about the football club, what we stand for, what we live for, the history, the things that we need
05:16to live up to and that's what drives us.
05:20So whatever's best for the football club and for the team on Sunday is the most important thing.
05:25It really is not about me.
05:28Michael, your next opportunity to get that result then is at Leeds this Sunday.
05:32What is your assessment of them, the way they're playing and what have you seen that Daniel Fark has changed
05:36there that's resulted in their upterm in four?
05:38Yeah, I think Daniel has done a fantastic job, you know, from the start of last season and then the
05:45change and the run that they've gone on, the consistency, the way they play.
05:51I think they've turned into a really, really very good Premier League team and credit to Daniel and his staff
05:58and obviously the players for that because they've done it over quite a long period of time now.
06:02So we know it's a fantastic game of football, you know, there's a great rivalry, there's a big history between
06:10the football clubs, between the areas.
06:14I think that's what makes these type of games special, you know, and I think you've got to embrace the
06:20history, you've got to embrace what it means and you've got to embrace the past of certain games that are
06:24a little bit different and that's what makes them special and that's what gets you attached to them and this
06:29is certainly one of them.
06:29So it'll be a fantastic game, I'm sure, a fantastic atmosphere on Sunday and we'll be ready for it.
06:37To that point, I know you've only played in Eldred Road a couple of times in your career but you've
06:41managed there certainly with Middlesbrough, what does everybody need to be prepared for? What does make Eldred Road so special?
06:48It brings an intensity, it's a fantastic atmosphere and there'll be a little bit extra again on Sunday against us
06:56so that's what it is, that's what football is, that's what these games are, you've got to be ready for
07:01it, of course we have and the boys will be.
07:05Hi Michael, Wayne Mooney said on telly after the game that comments like this from Lissandro can sometimes rip a
07:11dressing room apart but can it also have the opposite effect where maybe it sparks some honest conversations between players
07:16and a bit more honesty in the group and it maybe unites and that seems to be what you're suggesting
07:20might have happened this week?
07:22Yeah, there's a lot of things that can affect the group in all sorts of different ways.
07:29Yeah, what I can say, I'll just kind of repeat, from that I think from the game itself, I think
07:37how we were talking about the spirit and the belief within the group, I think the way we started that
07:44game and the run of games we've had, that's very easy for that game to get away from us pretty
07:49quickly and it's one of the toughest places to play in the Champions League to go down so early.
07:56The way we responded to that shows there's an underlying belief and spirit and a collectiveness really within the group,
08:04that's when they're on the pitch and they're on their own and they found a way to really deal with
08:10that pretty well.
08:10I have to say, we lost the game so we're disappointed with that but there's ways of going through situations
08:16and I thought we went through that in the most part in a good way for it to give us
08:22a lot of belief in coming out stronger and then certain situations it can galvanise the group and it's certainly
08:30galvanised the group as this week's progressed and the boys are, I have to say, in a really good place
08:36right now.
08:37Jamie.
08:38Hi Michael.
08:39In Lissandro's original interview, he directly referred to Jason Wilcox, he said, I expect more from my technical director. In
08:48this apology, he does not refer to Jason Wilcox or his technical director. Do you respect that, that he hasn't
08:54actually apologised directly to Jason, is that fair enough from Lissandro's point of view?
08:58I think he's released his statement and he's realised he's made a mistake and I think that's enough for all
09:02of us to move on with.
09:04But it is noticeable that he hasn't directly apologised for his wider spread comment, you know, he's sort of saying
09:11it was the timing and where I did it. So again, would it have been better if he had sort
09:14of said, look, just to clarify, I've got nothing against Jason Wilcox, nothing against my team members, you know, giving
09:20a more comprehensive apology. Would that have been better for everyone?
09:27From our point of view, the acknowledgement of what's been done has certainly been enough and we've moved on and
09:34we're definitely not looking back at it now.
09:37Just one last one, may I politely ask, from your point of view as the manager who really cares about
09:41the club, the team, the fans, the whole thing, did it cheese you off a little bit that Lissandro came
09:46out with this and you thought, you know, thanks a lot, Sandra, just what I need?
09:51No, I think I understand emotion at times, I think we ask for passion, we ask for emotion, we ask
09:57for fire and we ask for players to care. There's a way of doing that and that's already been acknowledged
10:03but we need to carry that intensity and that willingness and that togetherness and that spirit and everything. What else
10:11you can bring with that as a group, we need to use it and we've got to use it in
10:14the right way.
10:15Hi Michael, I appreciate obviously as the manager you have to do these chats and we appreciate our time with
10:21you but given the scrutiny on sporting directors, technical directors, do you think Jason should be speaking more because we've
10:28never heard from him?
10:31I don't think that's for me to say whether we should or not, I think I've got absolutely no problem
10:38with how that's for me sitting here and talking to you guys and leading the group, leading the team, leading
10:46the football club from this position. We're all in it together, we're a really tight-knit group so I'm happy
10:53to face anything that you want to ask me.
10:56One final one for me, did Ahmad explain his post in the week because it was difficult to tell, if
11:02it was a reference to the performance it certainly didn't seem like it was a disgraceful performance from the team?
11:08No it wasn't and again, it's a situation where there's ways of doing it and in one way it shows
11:17the boys care an awful lot but of course there is ways of doing it as part of learning a
11:23little bit, of showing that emotion and like I've just said to Jimmy, I think we've just got to show
11:29that in the right manner and channel it in the right manner.
11:32Thank you so much.