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Michael Carrick believes John O'Shea "didn't get the respect he deserved" outside of Manchester United during his 12 years at the club.
The Irishman was signed as 17-year-old from Waterford Bohemians back in 1999 and went on to amass 393 appearances for United, winning five Premier League titles.
He wasn't flash but O'Shea was versatile and reliable and Sir Alex Ferguson absolutely loved what he brought to the table.
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O'Shea scored a stunning chip at Highbury, kept a clean sheet against Spurs and nutmegged Ballon d'Or winner Luis Figo as well as winning 14 major honours.
But Carrick, a long-time teammate of O'Shea's since he signed for United in 2006, felt he didn't get the credit he warranted.
“Sheasy was a great lad but didn’t get the respect he deserved outside United, except in Ireland, where he’s a legend," Carrick wrote in his 2018 autobiography Between The Lines.
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"That year, Sheasy played right-back pretty much every game and he was superb.
“Midfield, left-back or centre-back, Sheasy would play anywhere for the team. He understood what it meant to play for United, what it took to win and how to act.
"He was a model pro off the pitch, and I could see why Sir Alex kept Sheasy at United for 12 years because he never had to worry about him, never had to babysit him.
“The boss just knew when he needed him that Sheasy was ready.”
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O'Shea moved to Sunderland in 2011 after leaving United and later turned out for Reading, where he is now the first-team coach.
Carrick, meanwhile, secured a 2-0 win over Villarreal in his first game as interim United boss Villarreal following the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The result saw United qualify for the Champions League knockout stages. Although he will only take charge of one more game, O'Shea has said he believes Carrick will do the job because he is "very calm, very calculated and ultimately very focused on the team."
Featured Image Credit: Image: PATopics: Manchester United, Michael Carrick, Sir Alex Ferguson