Michael Carrick’s message to Middlesbrough’s ‘frustrated & disappointed’ supporters
Michael Carrick’s message to Middlesbrough’s ‘frustrated & disappointed’ supporters
MICHAEL Carrick accepts and understands the frustration of Middlesbrough supporters and knows it’s up to him and his players to get the fans on side at the Riverside this afternoon.
On the back of three successive defeats and just two wins in 10 games, it could get uncomfortable for Carrick today if his Boro side fail to deliver against Watford, another side struggling for form.
Carrick “understands the disappointment and frustration” of the supporters but says his side will “need the support” against the Hornets.
He accepts, however, that Boro need to put on a performance to lift the crowd.
And while he admitted today’s encounter is crucial, he again insisted “this isn’t the end game for us”.
“I totally understand the situation. I get it, I’ve been involved in football a long time and understand what results do and things that it can create both ways,” said Boro’s boss when quizzed on the frustration of fans.
“It’s something you’ve got to accept and it’s up to us to put things into the game with energy and a performance level for the supporters to get behind us and create that support, noise and atmosphere.
“We’d obviously love them to do that. We need the support, the boys thrive off it.
“From my side of things it’s perspective. We are in a situation were we haven’t got enough points and we want more but I’ve said it before, this is not the end game for us.
“We can come through this and find the next result and whether that’s Saturday or after that, we fully believe that we can have a really strong finish to the season.”
He added: “I understand the disappointment and frustration of supporters because they want and expect results and come to watch winning teams, exciting football and goals.
“I understand that but the boys are giving everything they can in terms of effort and attitude. We need to find better ways, and I need to find better ways alongside them.
“We ask the supporters to be right behind us because the intentions are there from all of us and we care deeply about it and we are hugely motivated now more than ever to try and put this thing that we’ve got going on to the right track.
“We need the supporters with us to do that.”
Today’s visitors are equally in need of a result, with Watford winless in their last five and having only tasted victory once in their last 10 outings.
“We’re around each other in the league, we’ve got similar kind of aspirations for what we want to get out of this season so it’s an important game for that,” said Carrick.
“It’s a big game. We know that. Tom (Cleverley) and his players are going through a similar situation to ourselves in terms of where they want to be and have been at periods in the season and where we find ourselves at this point. So it’s an important game for sure.
“It’s not going to decide the ultimate end of season scenario but it’s going to have a say towards it and we are totally aware of the importance of it.”
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