Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick has opened up the challenges he has faced this season as speculation continues over his future.
The 42-year-old took over at the Riverside Stadium in October 2022, where he instantly transformed their fortunes. Languishing towards the bottom of the table, Carrick’s arrival sparked a revival which eventually saw them finish fourth. However, they were ousted in the play-off semi final by Coventry City.
The following season also ended in disappointment after they missed out on a top six finish by four points. The expectation this season was to improve on that, but a poor end to the campaign led to a disappointing 10th placed finish.
This has led to speculation that the former Manchester United and England midfielder could depart Teesside, although recent reports have said that he is set to keep his job into next season.
Unpredictability The Biggest Challenge
Work has already begun on improving their standing for next season, with Carrick heavily involved. Reflecting on the past 12 months, the head coach has admitted that the unpredictability of the division was his biggest challenge this season:
“It’s the unpredictability really, from week to week.
“You’re playing against the range of performance levels from different teams, which can be quite different.
“It depends on what time of the season you play them and what kind of run the teams are on.
“There’s a lot of momentum shifts all the way through the league, apart from the top three or four teams. There’s been big momentum shifts for everyone else. The unpredictability of it is the biggest thing.”
The first thing Carrick may have to contend with this summer is the future of key star Finn Azaz. The attacking midfielder is wanted by Leeds United and is valued at £20 million.
Writer’s View
Middlesbrough have to be lauded for keeping the faith with Michael Carrick. The Championship is such a tough division and it would be easy for them to opt to make a managerial change after a disappointing end to the campaign. However, he is still highly regarded by those in charge and they still believe they have the right man to lead them back into the Premier League for the first time since 2017.
