Championship manager pays ultimate price for costly Coventry City defeat
Championship news from CoventryLive as Coventry City’s promotion rivals Middlesbrough part company with head coach in wake of final day failure
Middlesbrough have sacked Michael Carrick after failing to make the play-offs for a second consecutive season.
The decision follows a review conducted by the club since the end of the season last month when Coventry City appeared to have put the final nail in his managerial coffin at Boro with a comprehensive final day victory at the CBS Arena.
Two goals from Jack Rudoni scuppered the Teessiders’ chances of a top six finish on May 3, bringing an end to the club’s campaign which saw them finish tenth in the Championship table.
Owner Steve Gibson backed Carrick when his position came under threat back in February, but although the head coach managed to turn around Boro’s form to take their battle down to the final day, they ultimately fell short with their worst finish under the Manchester United legend.
In the end, after an internal review into what went wrong and how best to move forward, the decision was taken that a new direction was required as Boro continue their pursuit for a return to the Premier League. It brings to an end Carrick’s two-and-a-half-year spell in charge at Boro in what was his first head coach role after ending his playing career and joining the coaching team at Old Trafford.
Along with Carrick, Jonathan Woodgate and Graeme Carrick have also left their roles as part of the first-team coaching staff. A club statement read: “We’d like thank Michael, Jonathan, and Graeme for all their hard work and unwavering commitment. We wish them all the very best for the future. The club will be making no further comment at this stage.”
The 43-year-old had expressed his desire to carry on at Boro next season and stated his belief that he and his players could learn from the mistakes and disappointments of this season and be better for it next season. However, Gibson has made the decision to seek an alternative direction under a new head coach next term, with Boro’s search for Carrick’s successor beginning right away.
A big summer is now ahead for Boro. First things first, Gibson, along with Neil Bausor and Kieran Scott, must decide who the next manager of Boro is to be. On top of that, there is likely to be much change needed in the playing squad too, with the recruitment team already identifying targets but likely needing to wait for now until a new head coach is in place before they can move forward on that front.
