"In many ways Michael Carrick is the antithesis of Ruben Amorim but Manchester United's soon-to-be-appointed interim head coach does have something significant in common with his Portuguese predecessor. Like Amorim, Carrick has proved remarkably resistant to tactical change. So much so that at Middlesbrough the former United and England midfielder's determination not to compromise a philosophy constructed around a patient, possession-heavy passing game arguably cost him his job."
"At its best that vision was easy on the eye. During Carrick's early days in charge, after succeeding Chris Wilder in October 2022, Boro's pass-and-move approach had the Riverside Stadium rocking as they rose from 21st in the second tier to finish fourth, reaching the Carabao Cup semi-finals the following season. As Boro prepared for a playoff semi-final against Coventry in May 2023 the club's biggest concern was whether Gibson could ward off interest in Carrick from bigger clubs,"
Michael Carrick favoured a patient, possession-heavy passing game throughout his managerial spell at Middlesbrough. That philosophy initially produced a dramatic improvement as Boro rose from 21st to fourth and reached the Carabao Cup semi-finals after Carrick succeeded Chris Wilder in October 2022. The style proved attractive to supporters and generated early optimism. Performance declined over subsequent seasons, with an eighth-place finish in 2023-24 and a tenth-place finish in the Championship last season. Club owners and board members concluded in a post-season review that Carrick's reluctance to alter his tactical approach, despite departures such as Emmanuel Latte Lath, contributed to dismissal.
Read at www.theguardian.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]