Southgate praise for boss Carrick
GARETH Southgate knows all about cutting your managerial teeth at Middlesbrough, having spent three years in the Boro hotseat.
But as the England manager prepares to again lead his country out in this summer’s European Championships, he has sent a ringing endorsement of the man who is currently following in his footsteps on Teesside.
Michael Carrick, like Southgate, is taking his first real steps in management at Boro and, after some challenging spells this season, has his side back in form and aiming for a late surge to the play-offs.
The former Manchester United and England star impressed in his first season in charge, galvanising a side struggling at the bottom end of the Championships and taking them to the play-offs, before losing to Coventry City in the semi-finals.
This term has been more difficult, with a huge summer turnover of players and damaging injuries meaning Boro haven’t quite kicked on from where they left off. However, recent results have indicated that a strong finish could be on the cards, and Southgate has ‘no doubt’ that his old side have got a ‘very good manager’ in their dugout.
“Firstly, I think Middlesbrough have got a very good manager,” Southgate said of Carrick. “It reminds me of when I took over because you’re still learning and you don’t know everything at that stage. He’s had the team playing some brilliant football though, and last season was an incredible season - probably better than you could have hoped for. This season they’ve shown at times, the run in the cup especially, that they can play well.
“They’ve had it difficult with injuries and losing some key players at the end of last season. But there is no doubt in my mind that Michael is going to be, and already is, a very good manager.”
While Southgate oversees two England friendlies against Brazil and Belgium over the coming week, Middlesbrough will be focusing on the challenge ahead in the remaining fixtures when the Championship campaign resumes after the international break.
Boro kick-off their run-in against promotion hopefuls Southampton at St Mary’s on Good Friday before an Easter Monday clash with struggling Sheffield Wednesday at the Riverside.