TON-UP CARRICK BOYS TO KEEP

AT CARROW Road this afternoon, Michael Carrick will take charge of his 101st game as Middlesbrough manager.

- Chris Dunlavy

In midweek, the 43-year-old became the 20th person to hit a managerial century on Teesside, and he’s in illustrious company. Jack Charlton, World Cup winner. Bryan Robson, England’s captain marvel. Steve McClaren won the League Cup in 2004, and remains the only manager to lift a major trophy in the club’s 148-year history. Gareth Southgate, though no great shakes at the Riverside, stands behind only the legendary Alf Ramsey as England’s most successful manager.

Yet nobody - not McClaren, not Robson, not even Aitor Karanka - can match Carrick’s 50 per cent win rate.

Two years in charge. One hundred games. Fifty victories. A team languishing in the Championship relegation zone on his arrival in October 2022 is now widely regarded as one of the best footballing sides in the division, and a serial promotion contender. “It’s gone so fast,” said Carrick when quizzed about his double milestone this week. “But I’ve loved every minute of it.

“I love working with the squad, I love working with the players individually. The environment is really encouraging. I feel very lucky to be here and if we’ve raised expectations then that’s exactly what we want.

“I actually spoke to the players recently and told them expectation is a privilege, because if people expect good things from you it means that there is something good there.

“And there is, absolutely. There’s been a few ups and downs, a few bumps as you’d expect. But in the time I’ve been here, I think we’ve moved in a pretty positive direction. As I sit here today, I’m very happy with how things are going.”

Caveat