‘Pressure comes’ – Middlesbrough pundit offers verdict on Michael Carrick’s future
Former Middlesbrough striker Kris Boyd is convinced that Steve Gibson will give Michael Carrick one more chance next season.
The Boro head coach has come under scrutiny after a difficult campaign saw Boro underwhelm to finish tenth overall. It meant they missed out on their target of reaching the play-offs, as they continue to push for a shot at promotion back to the Premier League.
It’s widely accepted that Boro’s season was one of failure and, as a result, Steve Gibson and other members of the club’s hierarchy are currently conducting a thorough review into the season to identify areas for improvement. The review will also determine whether Carrick remains in charge next season, with the general feeling right now being that he will, providing he accepts the changes that Boro wish to make in conclusion to their audits.
On such decisions, Boyd told topratedbingosites.co.uk: “I felt as if when Tommy Conway scored a late penalty kick against Plymouth that they could kick on from there but their performance against Coventry City wasn’t great and they fell down the table. It’s a difficult one for Michael Carrick, sometimes in the Championship when you’ve not got into the playoffs you’re going to be under scrutiny.
“Steve Gibson has been very good to his managers though and he has been a fantastic chairman who has backed the club. I don’t think that he will rush and sack Michael Carrick. A conversation will be had to see if the club can go forward. Michael will admit the second part of the season wasn’t where he expected it.
“They have not found the consistency in the second half of the season. There were little parts where you thought they could get into the playoffs, but it wasn’t to be and they came up short. Michael Carrick may even think that he has taken the club as far as he can take them and he has not got them to the playoffs or gained promotion. He may also think with a couple of new additions that he will have a chance to kick on.”
While Boyd appreciates that Boro ultimately fell short over the course of a frustrating season, and was particularly disappointed with their efforts at Coventry City on the final day, the former Scotland international notes the increasingly difficult climate Boro operate in as clubs come down from the Premier League with parachute payments. With that in mind, he believes Carrick will get one more chance.
He continued: “When you look at the teams who have been relegated from the Premier League in the last couple of years, the likes of Sheffield United and Leeds have gone straight back up. Burnley have been down and came back up so it has been difficult for teams to break into that top two and then that third place to sixth goes down to the playoffs and if you can’t make it that’s where the pressure comes.
“Middlesbrough will feel they should be in there challenging but overall, Michael Carrick has done a decent job and may be looking at the start of the season and think of getting off to a good start and further down the line if that doesn’t happen then they may look to make a change. I don’t think they will move Michael on and I think he deserves one more chance.”
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