Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick has revealed that he is in constant talks with chairman Steve Gibson ahead of tonight’s crucial Championship clash with Sheffield Wednesday, according to The Northern Echo.
The Teesside club have endured a dreadful start to the new season and are currently rooted to the foot of the table with just one point from a possible 18. Saturday’s defeat at Blackburn Rovers was Boro’s third in a row and they travel to Hillsborough tonight to face a team who are equally struggling.
Carrick is not thought to be under pressure just yet due to the phenomenal turnaround he achieved last season, where he took over the club in the midst of a relegation battle before guiding them to the play-offs. Boro narrowly lost out in the semi-final against Coventry City, who then lost out on a place in the Premier League on penalties to Luton Town.
A huge squad overhaul has taken place at the Riverside Stadium over the course of the summer, with Middlesbrough heavily reliant on loan signings last season. As a result, the likes of Cameron Archer, Alex Mowatt, Aaron Ramsey, Ryan Giles and goalkeeper Zack Steffen all returned to their respective parent clubs, whilst top goalscorer Chuba Akpom departed to Dutch giants Ajax.
Carrick opted for mainly permanent transfers during the recent transfer window, although the temporary signings of Lewis O’Brien and Sam Greenwood could prove to be shrewd moves.
Despite the big change in personnel, few would have predicted Middlesbrough’s start to the season, although time is required to allow the new recruits to gel. This seems to be a view shared by Steve Gibson, with the former Manchester United and England midfielder revealing that he is in regular communication with the chairman;
“Of course, I speak to him – he’s not hiding from me yet! We speak often and the mood is calm.
“There is an understanding of what we’re trying to achieve and how we go about it. We’re all working together and that’s a big part of it.
“Me, the players, the club in general, the supporters, it’s important that we’re all in it together. There is no me or them, the players or the rest – we’re all in it together and we’re all fighting together.
“We understand it’s a bit of a process, but at the same time, I can’t accept when it’s not quite going your way. You’ve got to do something about it and that’s my job and my responsibility and what I enjoy doing. I back the players 100%.”
Continuing, Carrick refused to accept his team’s poor start was down to the squad overhaul this summer;
“I wouldn’t say I accept it, no.
“In terms of the situation we’re not accepting results. It’s how you deal with it that’s the important thing.
“Yeah, there was a fairly big turnaround in players, but I’ve said it to you enough times now, how much I believe in the boys whatever age they are and however long they’ve been here.
“There’s certainly not an acceptance that it will take a certain amount of time. We want it to be here and now. Everyone does connected with the football club.
“It doesn’t always quite happen, but we’ll find a way, I’m convinced of that and the players are good players, terrific players, we have a really good squad, so we have to keep pushing and getting better and improving as quickly as we can.”
Writer’s View
Middlesbrough are almost a victim of their own success here, with many predicting that the Teesside club would once again be challenging for a play-off place. Whilst that is not out of the question just yet, the team certainly does need time to gel, but it will be a huge disappointment should they fail to get anything out of tonight’s game with Sheffield Wednesday.
The Owls have struggled to adapt to life in the Championship and only Boro’s worse goal difference is keeping them off the bottom of the table. Whilst Carrick seems relaxed about the situation at present, the tide could begin to turn should he suffer a fourth successive defeat at Hillsborough.
