Michael Carrick's stay at Manchester United has been extended for another season after a long-running debate about his future, allowing people to now look ahead to what the midfielder has to offer in the 2016-17 campaign. While there are those who might point out that he is not the player he once was, there are still plenty of reasons why manager Jose Mourinho can argue that he has done the right thing in rewarding an experienced and decorated member of the playing staff, certainly as a squad player at least.

Here are five reasons why Carrick is worth the extra season at Old Trafford.

1. Level-headed leadership

Carrick, 34, is a leader by example for younger teammates both on and off the pitch. Rather than ranting or lecturing, he acts and plays in a respectful way, making him a role model for them to follow. Despite glittering successes, he is not a braggart and there has been praise from within the club for his humility. He has a quiet approach, but he still gives out advice when it is needed. With a big character in place as manager and possibly others to follow among the playing staff, Carrick could be a useful go-between for the group should they encounter challenging times.

2. Unique role

Carrick is the only holding midfielder currently at United who can play what some would describe as an effective quarterback role. There are others who were deployed in deep midfield positions by Louis van Gaal, but they failed to offer the same range of skills. Marouane Fellaini can provide physicality, Ander Herrera can provide ammunition, Bastian Schweinsteiger can probe, and Morgan Schneiderlin can add drive, but Carrick can consistently protect his defence and instigate quick attacks in a unique fashion. Along with his shrewd reading of the game, he also has an authority both on and off the pitch, made evident in the countless times he has bravely and calmly faced questions after being sent out to speak following disappointing results.

3. Stability

During the troubled Van Gaal era, there was often a feeling that United looked more stable when Carrick was available. Although he is understandably and naturally not as pivotal as in days gone by, he is still arguably their most reliable central midfielder. During the Dutchman's first season as manager, Carrick was a regular through United's best run of the season, helping them to nail down a Champions League qualification spot, and his absence late in the campaign coincided with a dip in team form. In the second campaign, there were often still signs of his passing ability, but there were also questions to be asked over how and when Van Gaal used him, as United failed to repeat their top-four finish of the previous season. It was not his fault that he was, to cite an extreme case, thrown in as a makeshift centre-back or given an incompatible midfield partner in a restrictive tactical system.

4. Trophy-winning experience

Since his transfer from Tottenham Hotspur in 2006, Carrick -- United's second longest-serving player after Wayne Rooney -- has won nine honours, excluding an additional five Community Shield wins. The respect in which he is held was seen when he lifted the FA Cup along with Rooney when it was presented to United at Wembley in May 2016. That made it a clean sweep of major honours for him while at the club including the Club World Cup, Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup. He buys into the mentality that Sir Alex Ferguson encouraged of winning one thing then moving on to the next rather than indulging. Carrick is what Mourinho might describe as a "serial winner."

5. No distractions

Carrick's England days appear to be over after his omission from the Euro 2016 squad, meaning that he should be able to focus exclusively on his club career. Every extra rest day matters for a player of his age. He is also a settled family man off the field, as seen in his children's appearances as United mascots at their home match against Bournemouth at the end of the 2015-16 season. This will likely be his final contract at the top level of football, so United shouldn't have to worry about off-field issues regarding his future either.

Source:
courtesy of ESPNFC

by Arindam Rej, Man United Correspondent

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