World Cup-winning England head coach Sir Clive Woodward has shared his thoughts on Manchester United manager Michael Carrick's future, with the former midfielder facing mounting pressure at Old Trafford.
Woodward coached England between 1997 and 2004, leading the national team to Rugby World Cup glory in 2003.
He also took charge of the 2005 British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand, where they suffered a 3-0 Test series defeat.
As the only English head coach to win the Rugby World Cup, Woodward has plenty of experience at the highest level of elite sport and has offered advice on how leaders should handle difficult situations.
Writing on LinkedIn five days ago, Woodward addressed Carrick's position at United, before their 3-2 Champions League victory over Roma last night and their 3-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea.
At the time, Carrick's most recent match had been a 3-0 home defeat to AFC Bournemouth, with many believing the result could spell the end of his tenure at Old Trafford.
"When things go wrong, Champions look in the mirror and take personal responsibility. When things go right, Champions look out of the window and always credit other people.
"I've been following the situation with Michael Carrick at Manchester United with great interest.
"Eight games without a win, players publicly questioning decisions and huge pressure on Carrick. It's a difficult situation, but for me, it highlights one of the most important principles of leadership."
Woodward used Carrick's predicament to explain a leadership philosophy he calls, "The Window and the Mirror."
"When things are going well, champion individuals look out of the window and always give credit to others β their colleagues, fellow players, coaches and everyone around them.
When things go wrong, champions always look in the mirror, ask themselves what they could have done better and take personal responsibility.
"It's a philosophy I've always believed in, and one that was central to how we built our winning culture with England Rugby, which went on to become the best in the world.
"What concerns me when I see situations like Manchester United is how quickly the focus can shift towards blame.
"But winning teams don't operate like that."
Although Woodward acknowledged that Carrick must accept responsibility for some of United's problems, he stressed that accountability should extend to the players, many of whom have been criticised for their performances under previous managers.
"Of course, the manager must take responsibility. But so must every player who pulls on that shirt. Leadership isn't just about the person at the top.
"It's about creating a culture where everyone takes ownership of their own performance and the team's performance, on and off the pitch.
"I don't know what will happen with Michael Carrick, but I do know that changing the manager alone won't necessarily change the culture.
"From the outside, Carrick looks like an ideal choice to be the manager of Manchester United β arguably one of the biggest jobs in football.
"You can change the person in charge, but unless you change the behaviours of every individual in that team, you'll keep getting the same results.
"This applies just as much in business as it does in sport. There is absolutely no difference.
"My question to every leader, and every member of a team, is a simple one:
"When things aren't going well, are you looking out of the window for someone to blame, or looking in the mirror and taking personal responsibility?"
Sir Clive Woodward β Quick Facts π
- π World Cup winner: Led England to their first Rugby World Cup title in 2003.
- πΉ England legend: Head coach from 1997 to 2004, winning 59 of his 83 Tests.
- π¦ Lions boss: Coached the British & Irish Lions on their ill-fated 2005 tour of New Zealand.
- π Former international: Won 21 caps for England as a centre.
- π Knighted: Received a knighthood in 2004 for services to rugby.
- π Grand Slam glory: Guided England to the 2003 Six Nations Grand Slam.
- β½ Football connection: Joined Southampton FC as performance director in 2005.
- π₯ Olympic success: Worked as Director of Elite Performance for the British Olympic Association ahead of London 2012.
- π Best-selling author: Wrote Winning!, sharing lessons from England's World Cup triumph.
- π Age: Born on 6 January 1956, making him 70 years old.
