Michael Carrick Makes Manchester United Return - Who are his Backroom Staff?

Michael Carrick Makes Manchester United Return - Who are his Backroom Staff?

Manchester United have appointed former player Michael Carrick as their caretaker coach until the end of the 2025/26 season.

Michael Carrick is back 🤝

Our former captain is our Head Coach for the remainder of 2025/26 🔴

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) January 13, 2026

Carrick beat out former teammate Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to get the job. Both players impressed during their talks, but Carrick was given the nod over the Norwegian, who formally managed Manchester United between 2018 and 2021.

Carrick has also experienced the dugout at United, as he took over on an interim basis for three games after the dismissal of Solskjaer in 2021.

Carrick is set to deploy a 4-2-3-1 formation, marking a clear departure from Ruben Amorim’s three-at-the-back system. This is not unfamiliar territory for the Englishman. At Middlesbrough, Carrick coincidentally oversaw the same tactical change when he took over the reins from Chris Wilder in 2022.

This precedent will have not gone unnoticed by the decision makers at United, and would have been one of the reasons why Carrick was appointed.

Carrick will be joined on the dugout by Steve Holland, who will become the Red Devils’ assistant manager, whilst Jonathan Woodgate, Steve Binnion, and former player Jonny Evans will become members of the first-team staff.

Steve Holland

The former England assistant manager to Gareth Southgate will become Michael Carrick’s right-hand man at Manchester United as he joins the club as assistant manager.

Holland has had experience as a staff member for 33 years, working at a myriad of clubs, including Crew Alexandra, Chelsea, and, most recently, Japanese side Yokohama F. Marinos, where he had his first stint as a manager.

His time at Yokohama F. Marinos went poorly, however, with Holland winning just one of his 11 league games, picking up eight points in the process. He was sacked on the 18th April after just 122 days in charge.

His most prominent years came between 2009 and 2024, where he worked in various roles for Premier League side Chelsea (2009-2017) and the English national team (2013-2024).

Between 2009 and 2011, Holland worked as the reserve team manager and won the 2011 Premier Reserve League, beating Blackburn in the play-off final at Stamford Bridge.

He then moved on to an assistant role for Andre Villas-Boas in June 2011, holding that role until 2017.

For England, Holland remained by Southgate’s side for 11 years, following him through the youth setup to first-team manager. He was the assistant manager from 2016 to 2024, where he oversaw a golden generation of England players reach the 2018 World Cup semi-final, and runners-up in both the 2020 and 2024 editions of the European Championship.

His already established connections with England players—such as Kobbie Mainoo, Luke Shaw, and Harry Maguire—will be a valuable currency inside the dressing room.

Steve Holland has assisted Premier League and Champions League winning managers at Chelsea.

An excellent assistant manager and one the club should look to retain no matter who comes next. Put a club coach or two on their staff, just like Chelsea have done for over a decade. pic.twitter.com/hkXXYXuDw5

— UtdResurgent (@UtdResurgent) January 13, 2026

Jonny Evans

With 14 total years at Manchester United, every fan knows the name Jonny Evans.

The former Northern-Irish international had two stints at the Red Devils, the first coming between 2004 and 2015, where he won a myriad of titles, including the 2008 Champions League, and the latter coming between 2023 and 2025.

10 Months after his retirement on August 28, 2024, Evans took up the role of Manchester United's Head of Loans and Pathways. He held the job for just seven months, stepping down in December of the same year, citing a desire for more family time.

Less than a month later, on 6 January 2026, he took up the role of interim assistant manager, working with fellow former player and teammate Darren Fletcher.

Jonny Evans has returned to Manchester United to assist Darren Fletcher 🚨 pic.twitter.com/gsl61Mx6Lf

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 6, 2026

Evans is now confirmed to be back in the thick of it, as he has taken up the role of a first-team coach.

Jonathan Woodgate

Jonathan Woodgate reunited with Michael Carrick for the second time as he joins Manchester United in the capacity of first-team coach.

Woodgate and Carrick have managed together before. When Carrick was announced as the manager for Middlesbrough in 2022, Woodgate was brought in as a first-team coach, the same role he has now.

The two oversaw a semi-successful two-and-a-half-year stint at Boro, finishing 4th, 8th and 10th respectively.

And Carrick is not the only member of staff that Woodgate has spent time with. Jason Wilcox, Manchester United’s director of football, was a teammate of Woodgate’s for four years between 1999 and 2003 at Leeds United.

Woodgate has had two stints as manager at a club. He was in charge of Middlesbrough between June 14, 2019 and June 23, 2020, before taking the role at Bournemouth from February 3, 2021, until June 30, 2021. Both roles were in the Championship.

🚨 OFFICIAL:

Michael Carrick's backroom staff at United:

Steve Holland
Jonathan Woodgate
Jonny Evans
Travis Binnion

[@SamiMokbel_BBC] pic.twitter.com/RxPlOijCff

— UtdXclusive (@UtdXclusive) January 13, 2026

Travis Binnion

Travis Binnion is the only member of Michael Carrick’s coaching staff who was already employed by Manchester United.

He has held a role in three capacities since joining United in 2019. The first was Head of Player Development for the Under-14s to Under-16s phase, before being appointed as head coach for the Under-18 side in 2021.

Since 2023, he has been the head coach of the Under-21 side and the Academy's Head of Player Development and Coaching.

Binnion’s inclusion as a member of the first team staff could provide a vital link between management and Carrigton. Within the current Under-21 side, players such as the Fletcher brothers, Sekou Koné and Shea Lacey are playing key roles in the club’s development pathway.

Prior to Carrick’s appointment, Binnion had already stepped up to support Darren Fletcher on a temporary basis. Following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim, Binnion assisted Fletcher for his two games in charge on an interim basis.

Steve Holland & Travis Binnion have the mental makeup (intelligence, temperament, communication, experience) to be ELITE assistant coaches for Manchester United for a long, long time if that is the plan.

Very impressed by the hire of the former & faith shown in the latter. pic.twitter.com/hFjGqrwEYb

— Robbo (@utdrobbo) January 13, 2026