Former Middlesbrough manager has been tipped for a surprise return to the dugout with Championship rivals Wrexham.
The 43-year-old landed his first permanent managerial position at the Teesside club in 2022 after leaving his coaching role at Manchester United the year prior. He had impressed during a brief interim period in charge with the Red Devils after he temporarily replaced Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The former England midfielder provided the spark needed in his opening few months at the Riverside Stadium to climb the table, eventually securing a play-off place. However, they were narrowly beaten by Coventry City in the semi-final.
The next two seasons somewhat underwhelmed. They finished eighth in the 2023/24 campaign, but they were expected to break into the top six the following year. A series of injuries and sales to key players saw Boro struggle though, and they missed out on the play-offs by four points.
An end-of-season review followed, which led to Carrick’s departure.
Carrick Tipped For Shock Role
Wrexham will embark on their first second tier campaign for 23 years next season after rising through the divisions. Three successive promotions have taken them from the National League to the Championship, thanks to their Hollywood backing.
Phil Parkinson has guided the team throughout all of their successes, but former Premier League striker Matt Jensen believes he could be under pressure if he fails to get off to a good start. The 47-year-old spent a brief spell at the Red Dragons in the twilight years of his career and believes Carrick could be the perfect replacement. Speaking to Genting Casino, he said:
“I think he (Carrick) did really well in his first season when he took over. I think they were bottom of the table when he took over, and then they got into the play-offs.
“Then they’ve sort of stagnated, they haven’t really pushed on and I think with Middlesbrough being such a big club their expectation levels are maybe a little bit higher than some others.
“I think it was maybe a little bit harsh that he got the sack, but I think it’s just because of the size of the club and the expectations of Middlesbrough.
“I think Wrexham would be a good fit and they could be ruthless. Football is ruthless and money is a big driving factor in that. He’d certainly be a good fit.
“He likes to play expansive football and he knows that level. He knows the Championship, he’s been there three seasons so he probably would be a good fit and I do think they’d be ruthless with Parkinson.”
Writer’s View
Michael Carrick is probably someone who Wrexham would be interested in if they found themselves in a situation where they were looking for a new manager. However, Phil Parkinson has done wonders at the SToK Cae Ras stadium and it’s hard to see him losing him job anytime soon. The only way this would realistically happen is if they find themselves in a relegation battle. With their financial pull though, this seems unlikely.
