Michael Carrick missed out on the Preston job back in December but has made a first TV appearance since losing out to Ryan Lowe.
When Frankie McAvoy was sacked by North End back in December, a number of candidates were linked with replacing the Scot.
The Sun claimed that Callum Davidson and Graham Alexander – up in Scotland with St Johnstone and Motherwell respectively – were in the running.
Their most interesting claim was that Preston officials had discussed appointing Carrick as the new manager.
In the end, Preston went with Ryan Lowe and he seemed to be the first choice for the job all along.
The rumour of a move to North End came shortly after Carrick left his position as Manchester United’s interim manager.
Carrick had stepped up to take the job after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s exit, taking charge of just three games. With two wins and a draw, Carrick did what was asked of him.
Carrick stepped away, paving the way for Ralf Rangnick to come in as his replacement – and many expected Carrick to head into management on his own.
Preston could have offered a great opportunity for Carrick, but North End clearly felt that Lowe was the better candidate. So far, you can hardly argue against that.
So what now for Carrick?
The 40-year-old has been very quiet since leaving United and then missing out on the Preston job, but made a first notable TV appearance on Monday.
Working for Premier League TV, Carrick appeared as a pundit covering his former club Tottenham Hotspur against Everton.
Carrick may now be looking to get himself back out there and into the media before returning to coaching, taking a more relaxed approach after leaving United.
Carrick’s first managerial role surely won’t be far away, and it will be fascinating to see just where he ends up after Preston chose Lowe.