Ryan Giggs has said Michael Carrick has brought excitement back to Old Trafford but believes sacked Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim left the team in a "pretty good place."
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Apr 20, 2026, 11:59 AM ET
Ryan Giggs has said Michael Carrick has brought excitement back to Old Trafford but believes sacked Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim left the team in a "pretty good place."
United have been transformed in the 15 weeks since the Portuguese manager left was sacked, with the decision to turn to their former midfielder, captain and coach Carrick for the remainder of the season proving inspired.
He has led United up to third in the Premier League standings and Saturday's hard-fought 1-0 win at sixth-placed Chelsea only strengthened their grip on a Champions League place.
The top five will be at European football's top table next season and former interim boss Giggs is full of praise for the work done by his former teammate.
"For once in a long time, you're excited about the games," Giggs told Rio Ferdinand Presents.
"I've obviously got mates who are season ticket holders, and they can't wait for the next game and they're looking forward to it.
"It was unfortunate the result against Leeds [losing 2-1 last Monday] but obviously we're all cheering Michael on. He's an ex-teammate and he's a brilliant bloke so we want him to do well."
Giggs praised Carrick's short-term impact on a group he would like to see him get the chance to shape during a pre-season working with players he wants.
"There's positivity from me because the hardest thing to do as a manager is win games and he's winning games," the former Wales boss said.
"It's hard at this time of the season to really stamp your own philosophy, your own principles of play."
Giggs has experienced time in temporary charge of United having stepped up as interim player-manager for the final few matches of the 2013-2014 season following David Moyes' sacking.
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There have been five permanent managers since then and the former Wales boss believes the last of those left a sturdy platform to build on with Amorim having been sacked with the team sat sixth.
"I think every manager that goes into a role now is like interim because you don't get time," Giggs said.
"I think 20-30 years ago you're looking at long-term, you're buying players in. Young players, who are maybe not right yet but in two or three years' time they'll be great for the club.
"You can't do that anymore... Well, you can do but you've got to [work] short-term and long-term, and I think Michael will do that.
"And another sign of a good manager is the team that he leaves behind.
"Ruben Amorim took a lot of stick for the way that he played. I didn't enjoy watching it but, actually, I think some of his signings have been good and I think we're now seeing that now.
"Even though his legacy probably isn't great with results and performances, actually for a long time now he's probably left the club, and the players that he got out, in a pretty good place."