The Introvert, the Innovators, and the Road to Old Trafford: Carrick x Alt Labs

Michael Carrick’s football journey began at Wallsend Boys Club in Tyne & Wear at the age of four. The youth club also produced Manchester United legend Steve Bruce and Premier League icon Alan Shearer. Between the three of them, they went on to play more than 2,000 professional games in their decorated careers.

Bruce is arguably Sir Alex Ferguson’s most successful former player in management, accumulating over 1,000 games in the dugout. From the most experienced to the most exciting, Carrick is the currently the name on everyone’s lips, having guided Manchester United to victories over Manchester City and Arsenal in his first two games in charge.

The 3–2 win against Arsenal marked the 141st match of Carrick’s managerial career, continuing the remarkable story of a humble boy from Wallsend making it. Forty‑four miles south of Wallsend stands the Riverside Stadium, home of Middlesbrough FC. When Carrick arrived there in October 2022, the former midfielder inherited a team sitting 21st in the Championship but led them to the play‑offs in his first season. It was closely followed up with a run to the Carabao Cup semi-final in 2023/24. Despite setbacks, including multiple departures of star players such as Chuba Akpom and Morgan Rogers, his tenure ended after narrowly missing out on the play‑offs in consecutive seasons.

During his time on Teesside, a consultancy firm called Alt Labs, founded by Imran Anwar, worked closely with the club and with Carrick in particular. Speaking to me shortly after Carrick was appointed as Manchester United’s manager, Anwar said:

“We [Alt Labs] sponsor Middlesbrough Football Club. We’re part of the community partnership. Last season, we also sponsored Michael Carrick.”

Although based in Teesside, Anwar described himself as an avid Manchester United supporter. “If you go into my boardroom, we’ve got the signed Michael Carrick shirt and all the players in the squad. Right next to it, we’ve got the ‘Holy Trinity’ of George Best, Denis Law, and Sir Bobby - all in a massive frame. So, when the club said Michael Carrick was still available to sponsor, I just went, ‘Yes!’”

Not only did the Alt Labs logo appear beside Carrick during Middlesbrough press conferences, but the CEO also had the chance to meet him. His impression of Carrick’s personality will surprise few:

“He’s quite introverted, very calm, and very relaxed. When we met, we had dinner with him. He’s a tall, handsome-looking chap - taller than you’d expect if you’ve never met him in person.” An anonymous employee at Manchester United similarly described Carrick as a “top guy” who had “all the time in the world” for them.

As a player, Carrick carried himself with composed grace, a trait that drew criticism early in his United career. Signed in 2006 to fill the void left by the irreplaceable Roy Keane, Carrick’s quiet, methodical style was the antithesis of Keane’s ferocious intensity. Even two decades later, Keane voiced concerns about United appointing Carrick, claiming he “failed” at Middlesbrough - criticism to which Carrick simply replied that it “didn’t bother me.”

Anwar highlighted this contrast in personality: “The vibe I got was that you could win a game 10–0 or lose 10–0, and he’d still be the same. That’s an interesting dynamic when you look at players from the Fergie era - like Roy Keane or Gary Neville. You see them on The Overlap, very vocal. He’s the opposite.

“He doesn’t get angry; he won’t shout and scream. I think he’s quite an intelligent bloke. Not all footballers can articulate themselves, but Michael is articulate and intelligent. He can express himself and get the point across without needing to shout.”

Carrick’s early success has already sparked conversations in the media about United appointing him permanently, mirroring the path that led Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to the job in 2018. Following Rúben Amorim’s dismissal, the club held talks with Solskjaer, Carrick and Ruud van Nistelrooy before ultimately choosing the former England international. Anwar believes Carrick’s approach may have helped him secure the opportunity:

“Michael’s intelligence on the negotiation side was saying, ‘What I can do is take this interim job, prove myself right now, and then look at the long-term rewards.’ That takes commercial thinking. In the business world, it’s like he’s sacrificed here for the long-term win. That suggests he’s commercially switched on. He knows what he’s doing.”