Michael Carrick insists Sir Alex Ferguson has never told him to pull out of an England squad.
It was claimed the Manchester United manager put pressure on Rio Ferdinand to pull out of last month's World Cup qualifiers with San Marino and Montenegro. But Carrick said Ferguson had never pressurised members of the United squad not to make themselves available for international duty.
"I have never had anything from the manager saying pull yourself out or anything in that manner because it's not in his nature," Carrick told talkSPORT.
"We have got players here that travel the world to play international football. Chicharito [Javier Hernandez] goes to Mexico, Antonio [Valencia] goes back to Ecuador and from there he travels to wherever they are playing. If you have got the best players, or the better players, then international football is part of it.
"I don't see a club v country row. There are obviously two agendas because it's two different set-ups, but they can come together and work well."
Carrick is on course to collect his fifth league title in seven seasons since leaving Tottenham for £16million prior to the 2006 World Cup. And it is clear his affection for Ferguson runs deep.
"He [Ferguson] knows how to react and how to get the best out of players - whether it's a pick me up and pat on the back or a bit of a dressing down and kick up the backside," he said. "[The hairdryer] comes out now and again. It's a little bit less these days but in the past it's been known. That's what top management is about and to do it for that long is incredible."
Current England boss Roy Hodgson appears to be creating space for Carrick in his World Cup plans after he was largely overlooked by previous manager Fabio Capello. However, with Steven Gerrard, Jack Wilshere, Tom Cleverley and Frank Lampard providing competition for central midfield berths should England reach Brazil, Carrick is taking nothing for granted.
"World Cups are special but to be in Brazil adds that little bit extra," he said. "We are so desperate to do so well that sometimes it hinders us because everyone goes so over the top. That is the nature of us as a country and how we approach these big tournaments. Hopefully, we can get there.
"We are in a decent position, yet we've still got a lot of work to do. We'll concentrate on that to start with but it's a big dream to get there in the future."
Source: PA
