Middlesbrough expert weighs in on ‘tough call’ regarding Michael Carrick’s future amid Steve Cooper links

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Michael Carrick is one of the longest-serving managers in the entire EFL, but his time at Middlesbrough could be coming to an end very soon.

The former Manchester United and Tottenham midfielder took over at Middlesbrough way back in October 2022. Given the lifecycle of a football manager these days, Carrick is virtually a veteran now.

But, with the Teesside outfit suffering a dip in form of late and dropping out of the play-off places in the Championship table, the 43-year-old is under immense pressure.

Steve Cooper has been linked with the role at the Riverside should Carrick be removed from his post as Middlesbrough manager, but we have to question whether that would actually be the best decision for the club at this point.

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Michael Carrick pressure is warranted, but it comes with a risk

Just a couple of weeks ago, Middlesbrough were in the top six and looked good value for a play-off finish this season. Now, after four defeats on the bounce, Carrick’s men have dropped to 11th in the table.

So, where did it all go wrong? And, more importantly, is the pressure on Carrick warranted? We spoke to Middlesbrough expert Josh Barker about the situation.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
8	Bristol CityBristol City	33	11	13	9	41	37	4	46
9	Sheffield WednesdaySheffield Wednesday	33	12	9	12	46	50	-4	45
10	WatfordWatford	33	13	6	14	43	48	-5	45
11	MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough	32	12	8	12	50	43	7	44
12	NorwichNorwich	33	11	11	11	51	45	6	44
13	QPRQPR	33	11	11	11	39	41	-2	44

Barker said: “It’s easy to understand why rumours over Michael Carrick’s future are beginning to circulate. The play-offs were the target going into this season and while a top-six finish is still on, results of late just haven’t been good enough.

“On their day, ‘Boro can compete with any side in the league going forward, but we’re two-thirds of the way through the season and Carrick still hasn’t been able to fix their defensive frailties. Losing Emmanuel Latte Lath hasn’t helped but it wouldn’t surprise me if Steve Gibson made a tough call very soon.”

While sacking Carrick may look like the obvious thing to do at this stage, Barker does warn that it may have long-term ramifications if the next decision isn’t right.

He added: “There’s a danger Middlesbrough return to type and begin appointing mangers for a short-term fix, such as when Neil Warnock and Tony Pulis were brought in, rather than building a long-term vision and style as they have done under Carrick.”

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Steve Cooper would be a good hire for Middlesbrough, but they should wait until the summer

According to reports from TBR Football, Middlesbrough may be lining up former Nottingham Forest and Leicester City man, Steve Cooper for the top job. It’s not a bad idea, Barker says, but the timing would be all wrong right now.

He said: “I don’t mind a potential Steve Cooper appointment in the summer. He’s a good manager and probably didn’t get enough time at Leicester, but given the investment in January, I’d give Carrick until the end of this season.

“Even if another manager does get us into the top six, I still think promotion is unlikely as the likes of Burnley and Sunderland are clearly better right now and that won’t change until Middlesbrough can improve their defence – that’s something that will likely get looked at in the summer window.”

Middlesbrough are still only four points off sixth-placed West Brom, with a game in hand on the Baggies. And, the next four games present a very promising opportunity for Carrick to get things back on track against teams that are struggling.

A report from the Northern Echo today suggests ‘Boro are sticking with Carrick for now, with support for his leadership giving him a stay of execution. But, of course, if those results don’t fall into place soon, there is no doubt that Steve Gibson will pull the trigger and make a change at the top.