Middlesbrough sack Carrick after missing out on play-offs

Middlesbrough have sacked former Manchester United and Tottenham midfielder Michael Carrick after he failed to guide them to a Championship play-off place.

Carrick ed Middlesbrough as head coach in October 2022 with the club perched perilously close to the Championship’s relegation zone, having previously enjoyed a three-match spell as United’s interim manager following the departure of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

He oversaw an immediate upturn in the North-East as his team motored up the table to finish fourth, though they were beaten by Coventry City in the play-off semi-finals.

Another promotion push followed in 2023-24, while Boro also reached the semi-finals of the EFL Cup and looked on course to reach Wembley after a 1-0 first-leg victory over Chelsea.

However, they were trounced 6-1 at Stamford Bridge in the second leg and ultimately finished eighth in the Championship table, four points off the play-offs.

They remained in the hunt for a top-six spot until the final day of the 2024-25 season, too, but a 2-0 defeat at Coventry saw them finish 10th.

Having failed on three occasions to restore Boro to the big time, Carrick has now paid the price, with assistants Jonathan Woodgate and Graeme Carrick, his brother, also leaving.

A club statement read: “We’d like to 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.”

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