Michael Carrick - Middlesbrough Manager

Just smashed Norwich 5-1. Despite Carrick only arriving mid-season and them struggling for goals before that, Boro is now the top scorer in the league this season, even ahead of Burnley.



There was a funny moment for the third goal where the Norwich manager Wagner went mad and started shouting at the referee and the Boro bench because one of his players sat down expecting the referee to stop the game. Carrick just walked past Wagner, completely ignoring him, but sent his two assistants to argue with him instead.
 
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I put this match on on 40 minutes and seen 5 goals before half time, it was frantic
 
Brilliant stuff. Hopefully he can get them promoted and we get to see what he's about as a PL manager. That would be extremely interesting.
 
3-1 win over Hull to secure their place in the play-offs. Not easy as Hull was decent but also diving all over the place and the ref bought it everytime.



Quite a few injuries pilling up for them now: 3 CBs, 1 RB & 3 Wingers all out. Ended the match with their CM having to step in at CB. Hopefully, they'll have a few key players back for the play-offs.

An endorsement from Sir Alex:
 
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philnguyen1994 said:
3-1 win over Hull to secure their place in the play-offs. Not easy as Hull was decent but also diving all over the place and the ref bought it everytime.

Quite a few injuries pilling up for them now: 3 CBs, 1 RB & 3 Wingers all out. Ended the match with their CM having to step in at CB. Hopefully, they'll have a few key players back for the play-offs.
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Yeah I’m a bit worried for the playoffs. They’ve gone off the boil recently, expectedly so.
 
Hope Boro give a good account for themselves under Carras as manager in the playoffs. Would be great to see them play in the playoff final at least, they deserve it.

If Boro do not gain promotion under Carrick, what do you think Carrick will do? I think he should stay at least another season but nothing is guaranteed with his players, him getting another offer, etc.
 
I really want us to loan him some of our young and talented players, whether its still in the championship or the PL I really don't care, just want us to loan players to a manager that knows what we're all about and knows what it takes to be a top player for Manchester United.
 
SAF is the GOAT said:
I really want us to loan him some of our young and talented players, whether its still in the championship or the PL I really don't care, just want us to loan players to a manager that knows what we're all about and knows what it takes to be a top player for Manchester United.
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They’re not our B team.

There’s also the side that Boro need to gain something from loaning those players. If they get promoted the pressure to stay up is huge and you might prefer more experienced players. His priority is to do stuff that favours Boro, not United.

I’d love it if Boro & Ipswich signed some of our biggest talents on loan but it’s not that simple.
 
Keane did similar with Sunderland in all honesty.

Lets see how his second season plays out before any judgement.
 
Rotherham vs Boro live on Sky 13:00. They really need to gain some momentum again for the playoffs. Rotherham need a point from their last two games to stay up.

It's really impressive the way they play and how press-resistant they are, considering they've got players like McNair & Jonny Howson in their backline/base of midfield. They've done really well on the loan market this season. Steffen is crucial to the way they play it out from the back and they've struck gold with the two Villa loans in Ramsey & Archer.
 
top1whoisman said:
Rotherham vs Boro live on Sky 13:00. They really need to gain some momentum again for the playoffs. Rotherham need a point from their last two games to stay up.

It's really impressive the way they play and how press-resistant they are, considering they've got players like McNair & Jonny Howson in their backline/base of midfield. They've done really well on the loan market this season. Steffen is crucial to the way they play it out from the back and they've struck gold with the two Villa loans in Ramsey & Archer.
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Lot of rumours they will try to sign Archer at the end of the season. I've watched him play a few times and can't see Villa letting him go. Once he matures a bit and becomes more consistent in front of goal he'll do very well in the Premier League, even for a club at Villa's level.
 
whitbyviking said:
Lot of rumours they will try to sign Archer at the end of the season. I've watched him play a few times and can't see Villa letting him go. Once he matures a bit and becomes more consistent in front of goal he'll do very well in the Premier League, even for a club at Villa's level.
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I don't think they will sell him either. Even if they entertained the idea, the price for an England U21 international (4 goals in 4 caps) who has a contract until 2027 would be something Boro couldn't afford. They might even loan Duran and have Archer as a rotation option for Watkins.
 
dal said:
Keane did similar with Sunderland in all honesty.

Lets see how his second season plays out before any judgement.
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It’s a fair point. Maybe the one distinction is that Carrick hasn’t been back massively financially, though, from what I can tell.

In terms of personality and temperament, Carrick looks far better suited to a long career.
 
Great to see him doing well. I hope he doesn’t fall into the Lampard/Gerrard trap of taking jobs too early and damaging their careers just because they were having some short term success.

Hopefully he can get them promoted and then have a go at keeping them there.
 
top1whoisman said:
Rotherham vs Boro live on Sky 13:00. They really need to gain some momentum again for the playoffs. Rotherham need a point from their last two games to stay up.

It's really impressive the way they play and how press-resistant they are, considering they've got players like McNair & Jonny Howson in their backline/base of midfield. They've done really well on the loan market this season. Steffen is crucial to the way they play it out from the back and they've struck gold with the two Villa loans in Ramsey & Archer.
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Are Boro not in great form themselves then? I was assuming they'd blow us away today, given we've been crap lately, and we'd be left having to do it on the last day against a Wigan side that have suddenly starting winning games despite already being relegated.
 
DOTA said:
Are Boro not in great form themselves then? I was assuming they'd blow us away today, given we've been crap lately, and we'd be left having to do it on the last day against a Wigan side that have suddenly starting winning games despite already being relegated.
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3-2-3 in their last eight. Not poor but not ideal going into the playoffs. Of course the form they've been ever since Carrick took charge sets the standards so incredibly high that it's virtually impossible to keep that form forever. They're favourites of course, but they lost to Huddersfield while drawing against Bristol City and Stoke recently.
 
I guess the form was always likely to drop off when automatic promotion was off the table and their place in the play offs was virtually safe. I’d expect them to take things up a notch when they start.
 
I see a positive to whether they get promoted this season or not.
If they go up, Carrick gets an instant taste of the Premier League and we can see how he avoids dropping back down to the Championship. Would be cracking experience for him.
If they don't go up, he gets another season of experience in the Championship - to which I have no doubt he'll have a good crack at automatic promotion.

The romantic in me would love to see him as United manager post Ten Hagg era. Ideally, I don't want that era to finish for a long time yet.
 
Hope it isn’t the typical Middlesbrough boom and bust cycle - they keep getting new managers who they call the messiah and have an uptick in form and then fall off a cliff after 3-6 months or second season.

Would love Carrick to keep this going but we’ll see. Like with Amad, I’m still reserved and not fully buying into the hype.
 
Matt007a said:
Great to see him doing well. I hope he doesn’t fall into the Lampard/Gerrard trap of taking jobs too early and damaging their careers just because they were having some short term success.

Hopefully he can get them promoted and then have a go at keeping them there.
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I hope he goes the Gerrard route and goes to a league that can offer him European football, for as much of a meme Gerrard's last 18 months have been, a more self aware coach would use the massive learning experiences he had to their advantage.

I would have him as a hot favourite to take over from Ange if he decides to move on from Celtic.
 
I'd like to see him at Southampton if he can get that job. They might go down but they have a ton of talent on that team.
 
Hernandez - BFA said:
I see a positive to whether they get promoted this season or not.
If they go up, Carrick gets an instant taste of the Premier League and we can see how he avoids dropping back down to the Championship. Would be cracking experience for him.
If they don't go up, he gets another season of experience in the Championship - to which I have no doubt he'll have a good crack at automatic promotion.

The romantic in me would love to see him as United manager post Ten Hagg era. Ideally, I don't want that era to finish for a long time yet.
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The cynic in me says that this isn't a scenario which should be of consideration for us (or any other big club) with regards to choosing a United manager. The United job is probably a Top 5 post in club football and accordingly it should fall to managers who have a legitimate contention as a Top 5/10 coach in Europe. It is statistically unlikely that Carrick or one of our decorated ex-players would suddenly become that level of coach. And then the gaps in the tactical ability are filled with hyperbole of how "he's United through and through". We saw the situations with Ole here, and Lampard at Chelsea. Its puts the fans between a rock and a hard place. If anything, managers who have some playing or other affiliation with the club should be analyzed more harshly while appointing them.

Without digressing from the actual topic, I'm absolutely chuffed for Carrick. He's one of my favorite players from the Fergie era and the way he has conducted himself post-Ole is superb. He has gone in a hard league and like great managers, improved on a group which was nowhere near playoffs while playing a positive brand of football. Even if Boro don't get promoted, I wish his next steps are positive and properly thought through. It doesn't take long for ex-players who become managers, from being heralded as the next big thing to obscurity within a short span. Lampard, unfortunately, is the prime example.
 
2 man midfield said:
I guess the form was always likely to drop off when automatic promotion was off the table and their place in the play offs was virtually safe. I’d expect them to take things up a notch when they start.
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Lost to Rotherham today. W2 D1 L4 in their last seven.

Won't be as easy as pushing a button, football is a momentum game. Coventry next Monday is a big one. They might very well face them in the playoff semi.
 
top1whoisman said:
They’re not our B team.

There’s also the side that Boro need to gain something from loaning those players. If they get promoted the pressure to stay up is huge and you might prefer more experienced players. His priority is to do stuff that favours Boro, not United.

I’d love it if Boro & Ipswich signed some of our biggest talents on loan but it’s not that simple.
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This post sounds very negative. Id like to think Michael has agenda to become a future United manager, what better way to build good relations than to become the place where United kids get exposure.
 
RedStarUnited said:
This post sounds very negative. Id like to think Michael has agenda to become a future United manager, what better way to build good relations than to become the place where United kids get exposure.
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Carrick is intelligent and I am sure he does not think like that. He may have ambitions to become a United manager but he won’t become it just by doing us favours.
If he believes he can use our kids then he will, but he won’t play them in order to develop them for us. He is not on our payroll. Same way he will and also should not hesitate to not play them at all if he has/sees better options.
 
RedStarUnited said:
This post sounds very negative. Id like to think Michael has agenda to become a future United manager, what better way to build good relations than to become the place where United kids get exposure.
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His agenda is probably to become a good manager, above everything. An even better way to build up your career is to win, get promoted, stay up etc.

I’m not saying he won’t take players on loan from us, just stating it’s not as simple as ”a manager with history at United surely will loan players from them”. He didn’t loan any this season.
 
A loved him as a player. So glad he is doing well
In management at Boro. Thought he showed some
Good signs as a coach when he had a very brief spell after ole. Think he has potential to be a future manager here
 
Nickelodeon said:
The cynic in me says that this isn't a scenario which should be of consideration for us (or any other big club) with regards to choosing a United manager. The United job is probably a Top 5 post in club football and accordingly it should fall to managers who have a legitimate contention as a Top 5/10 coach in Europe. It is statistically unlikely that Carrick or one of our decorated ex-players would suddenly become that level of coach. And then the gaps in the tactical ability are filled with hyperbole of how "he's United through and through". We saw the situations with Ole here, and Lampard at Chelsea. Its puts the fans between a rock and a hard place. If anything, managers who have some playing or other affiliation with the club should be analyzed more harshly while appointing them.

Without digressing from the actual topic, I'm absolutely chuffed for Carrick. He's one of my favorite players from the Fergie era and the way he has conducted himself post-Ole is superb. He has gone in a hard league and like great managers, improved on a group which was nowhere near playoffs while playing a positive brand of football. Even if Boro don't get promoted, I wish his next steps are positive and properly thought through. It doesn't take long for ex-players who become managers, from being heralded as the next big thing to obscurity within a short span. Lampard, unfortunately, is the prime example.
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That didn’t stop Madrid/Barcelona from hiring Zidane/Pep unless you think their stint in the B team was enough to make them top 5 manager in the world.
 
elmo said:
That didn’t stop Madrid/Barcelona from hiring Zidane/Pep unless you think their stint in the B team was enough to make them top 5 manager in the world.
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You can’t do that in the PL. The gap in quality and competition here will kick you in the butt immediately. You look at Chelsea and us as an example. When we hired Ole, we didn’t know it then, but it set us back by years.

Naturally, I hope when football execs take decisions, they just don’t label candidates as ex-players and other managers. There would be a vision for team, tactics etc being discussed. In case your ex player and academy coach is Pep Guardiola, you have won the lottery. But given our luck and decisions with coaches, this is one road I would rather avoid.
 
Nickelodeon said:
You can’t do that in the PL. The gap in quality and competition here will kick you in the butt immediately. You look at Chelsea and us as an example. When we hired Ole, we didn’t know it then, but it set us back by years.

Naturally, I hope when football execs take decisions, they just don’t label candidates as ex-players and other managers. There would be a vision for team, tactics etc being discussed. In case your ex player and academy coach is Pep Guardiola, you have won the lottery. But given our luck and decisions with coaches, this is one road I would rather avoid.
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What makes you think that Carrick wouldn’t know what it takes to build a team capable of competing at the top of the PL given his experience?

He’s done a brilliant job with boro, shouldn’t even be considered for United yet, but he’s definitely on the radar for the future.
 
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