The feeling that Michael Carrick arguably provides greater hands-on coaching expertise than Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was at the heart of why Manchester United decided to take the path they have.
Both candidates impressed during talks, and both made absolutely clear their interest in replacing Ruben Amorim was in order to help a club they hold so dearly to their hearts out of its current difficulties.
The potential for Solskjaer to again inspire a squad so clearly in need of a pick-me-up – as he did when he initially replaced Jose Mourinho on an interim basis in 2018 – was a key consideration for United chiefs.
But the sense that coaching was at the heart of Carrick's appointment ultimately became one of the overriding factors behind the decision.
Carrick – during his relatively short managerial career – has developed a reputation as one of Britain's most adept young coaches.
Intriguingly, it also has not gone unnoticed by United chiefs that at Middlesbrough he oversaw a transition from a three-at-the-back system deployed by predecessor Chris Wilder to a 4-2-3-1 formation.
He is expected to make the same tactical transition at Old Trafford, with Carrick set to move away from Amorim's 3-4-3 system to a formation far more aligned with United's traditions.
And while Solskjaer's initial success in shaking players out of their malaise in the 2018-19 season was a factor, it is also acknowledged that much of the coaching during his reign was completed by Carrick and Kieran McKenna, who were his assistants.
