Source: Daily_Mail
How a night on Barcelona's carousel put Michael Carrick¿s career in a spin
During the January transfer window, Harry Redknapp sat in his office after a game in the Barclays Premier League and was asked by a friend about the possibility of re-signing Michael Carrick for Tottenham.[LNB]'I would love to have him here... I would do it in a flash,' said the Tottenham manager. 'But there is no chance. Alex wouldn't let him leave.' [LNB]On Saturday Redknapp brings his team to Old Trafford for a crucial game for his team and for Manchester United. Carrick may well line up for United but, equally, he may not. It has been that kind of season. [LNB] Slipping down the pecking order: Michael Carrick has not featured for Manchester United since their exit from the Champions League[LNB]As such, Redknapp may harbour a little more hope of taking him back to White Hart Lane one day in the future.[LNB]A player who was perhaps at the peak of his powers when he signed a new contract before the 2008 Champions League Final, Carrick remains part of the first-team picture at Old Trafford. Two years shy of his 30th birthday, time remains on his side.[LNB]Nevertheless, Carrick is currently missing a little of his lustre. He has missed recent crucial games against Chelsea, Manchester City and Blackburn. As the season has reached its thrilling climax at Old Trafford, he has not been noticeably absent.[LNB]'The competition here is always fierce,' reflected Carrick recently. 'Your career is not about what you have done over the last few years. It's about what you do now.'[LNB]The United boss, Sir Alex Ferguson, has three category of players. Those he can't leave out of his team. Those he would rather not. And those he will rotate throughout the season.[LNB]Carrick arrived after the 2006 Germany World Cup with a view to making it to the first list. Indeed, he got there on the back of his astute passing and positional awareness developed under Redknapp's care at West Ham a decade ago.[LNB] Grounded: Carrick (left) was left in a spin by Barcelona in the 2009 Champions League final[LNB]But Ferguson's faith seems to have dwindled a little. These days he finds himself in a first-team holding pen alongside players like Dimitar Berbatov, Nani and Ji-Sung Park. For a player who made such strides after joining the club, it cannot be a nice feeling.[LNB]'You need your squad at this level,' said Ferguson when asked about Carrick recently. 'Not everybody can play every week. Michael or any of the other players are no different.' [LNB]Despite the United manager's attempts to accentuate the obvious, it is clear that [LNB]Carrick's cause has not been helped by some of his performances in the really big games. [LNB]Ferguson is well aware of the need for his players to perform consistently well over a season, but in his heart it is contributions on the important nights that ultimately define them. [LNB]To this day, Ferguson remains irritated about his team's failure to step up to the plate when losing the Champions League final to Barcelona in Rome last May and it is very much the case that Carrick in the absence of the suspended Darren Fletcher was among the culprits.[LNB]Spurred on: Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp would love to bring Carrick back to White Hart Lane[LNB]Barcelona's mesmeric midfield passed the ball around him all night at the Olympic Stadium and if the final in Moscow 2008 saw Carrick at the peak of his powers, then the same occasion a year later only served notice of a change in his standing.[LNB]Certainly this season has not seen the best of a player who, just 18 months ago, looked like developing in to the quick-passing, long-striding, rangy midfielder that United so desperately needed on the pitch. [LNB]Carrick has played plenty of games, 28 in the Premier League so far, but the statistics reveal just two goals and one assist this season. [LNB]Against Bayern Munich in the Champions League recently, Carrick endured two of his less memorable nights. In Bavaria, he was anonymous. [LNB]Afterwards Ferguson launched a furious verbal assault on his team in the dressing room of the Allianz Arena. His main complaint was United's failure to keep the ball and use it well. Along with the likes of Fletcher and Paul Scholes, this was supposed to be one of Carrick's strengths. [LNB]At Old Trafford in the return leg things got worse. It did not escape Ferguson's notice that amid the drama of Rafael's sending off and Arjen Robben's stunning winning strike it was Carrick's mistake that allowed the Germans to score and gain a foothold in the tie before half-time.[LNB]Tellingly, Carrick has not featured in Ferguson's team since that night. United say the Geordie is not injured. Even at 68, when Ferguson acts, he does so ruthlessly. [LNB]Ferguson is a long-standing fan of Spurs midfielder Luka Modric and defender Gareth Bale a player he almost bought from Southampton three years ago. If Redknapp did wish to launch an audacious bid for Carrick then he may yet have somelimited bargaining power.[LNB]For now the Tottenham manager must hope Carrick does not return to prominence with a match-winning performance at Old Trafford. Carrick himself will just hope to be back in the team. [LNB] Manchester United are world's richest club ahead of Real Madrid and Arsenal Moyes slams talk of him replacing Sir Alex at Man United as 'nonsense'Anti-Glazer protests leave Manchester United officials red-facedMan City reeling as Benfica ace Di Maria is 'poised' to seal £35m Real dealSpurs star Dawson ready to put in a Fab show against RooneyMANCHESTER UNITED FC
