Michael Carrick brought an end to his glittering 19-year playing career at the end of last season.

Twelve of those years were, of course, spent at Old Trafford with Manchester United.

And it was the Red Devils who handed Carrick his first opportunity in coaching last summer.

The 37-year-old joined Jose Mourinho’s backroom staff, taking the place of Mourinho’s long-term assistant Rui Faria on the United bench.

However, Carrick’s first half-season working alongside Mourinho did not go to plan. Just a few months into his coaching career, following a dismal start to the season, Mourinho and his fellow Portuguese coaches were sacked.

Carrick, though, retained his place on the coaching staff along with Kieran McKenna, the 32-year-old who joined United in 2016 after impressing in his role as Tottenham’s Under-18s coach.

The retired midfielder has since been working closely alongside his former United teammate Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who has led United to six wins on the bounce.

Carrick, according to the Daily Mail, now wants Solskjaer’s position to be made permanent at the end of the season after seeing the mood around Old Trafford transformed.

The Mail’s report also reveals some eye-opening details about Mourinho’s questionable behaviour towards Carrick during the final weeks of his ill-fated tenure.

The Mail’s Chris Wheeler writes: “Despite being appointed to the first-team coaching staff this season, Michael Carrick and Kieran McKenna are said to have felt marginalised towards the end of Mourinho’s reign as he surrounded himself closely with his Portuguese backroom team.

“Carrick and McKenna were even excluded from briefings Mourinho had with his coaches before key games as he headed for the sack.”

That is poor form from Mourinho. During a time when it was imperative for everyone at the club to pull together, the Portuguese tactician took it upon himself to exclude two of his colleagues from coaching briefings.

No wonder Carrick seems to have a permanent smile on his face at the moment. He must be delighted that Jose is gone.

Wheeler adds: “Both coaches feel more comfortable under Solskjaer, who has been joined by Sir Alex Ferguson’s former No 2 Mike Phelan and also brought in his own long-time assistant Mark Dempsey.”

Although Carrick and the players want Solskjaer to land the job permanently, the Mail understand that Mauricio Pochettino remains the favourite if - and that’s a big if - he can be lured away from Tottenham.