Despite potentially not being where they’d like to be this season, Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick has emphasised that plenty of positives can be taken from this season before they challenge for promotion next year.
Achieving promotion to the Premier League next season seems to be the obvious goal for Carrick at the minute after his side were eliminated from play-off contention two weeks ago. Middlesbrough currently sit in eighth, six points off of the play-offs with just one game to be played.
It’s still been a successful season for the club, who have once again established themselves as one of the Championship’s stronger sides. Furthering that, they’d also reach the EFL Cup semi-finals, losing out to Chelsea over two legs.
Although they have taken a backwards step from their fourth-placed finish last season, positives can be taken from this year. Boro are also finishing the season strongly, showcasing their strengths and emphasising that there will be something to build on over the summer.
With many first team players under contract, we should see a very similar side line-up at the Riverside Stadium next year. Given that they have been handed just a singular loss in their last 11 matches, that’s quite an exciting thought for fans next season.
In an interview with The Northern Echo, Carrick stated what he thought would be important for the club going forward as well as where positives can be taken from this season’s campaign.
“Mentality is massive. It overrides talent. If you’re in a good head space, confident and you feel good about yourself, it’s a lot more powerful than having a bit of talent.
“It’s encouraging, definitely. As I’ve said before, the ups and downs and challenges we’ve had this season, to come through them in a certain way, certainly the players and the experience, when you’re going through a tough spell you find out where everyone is at. We’ve found out we’re all there and looking after each other.”
“We wouldn’t have ever ended up having the season we’ve had, in terms of the cup run and finishing where we’ll finish, if we didn’t show that (character). As much as anything, that’s encouraging.
“Hopefully, there’s excitement for the start of the season and what we’re capable of doing. We’ve shown it against what you’d argue to be the better teams in the league, who are ahead of us. We know we can produce performances – we just have to be consistent with it.”
Writer’s View
Middlesbrough are certainly a club to watch out for next season given how they ended the current one. The Championship looks set to potentially be a slightly ‘easier’ one, if there was such a thing, next season with there being less of a likelihood of teams like Leicester, Ipswich Town and Leeds United dominating.
As Carrick said, they’ve potentially not quite reached the heights they’d have wanted, but have undergone a significant transformation throughout the season, something which should stand them in good stead for next year.
Keeping the bulk of the squad will certainly help them going forward and after a summer of change last season, the club now look to build around what they currently have.
