Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick has recently been linked with the Crystal Palace job.
Crystal Palace sacked Patrick Vieira last week. The Eagles were quickly linked with Burnley boss Vincent Kompany and Middlesbrough boss Carrick, who’ve both enjoyed impressive starts to life in the dugout this season with Burnley currently sitting in 1st place of the Championship table and Boro in 3rd.
But after watching his side thump Preston North End 4-0 in the Championship on Saturday, Carrick was quizzed on his links to Palace. He’s quoted by HITC as saying:
“No communication. I am delighted to be here with this great group of players. (Middlesbrough is) a great club. The supporters have been incredible with me as well.
“I’m delighted to watch the team play like they did today (vs Preston). And hopefully there will be some more of them between now and the end of the season.”
Carrick has so far overseen 23 games as Middlesbrough boss, winning 16 of them and only losing five so far. His side play a dynamic brand of attacking football which favours risk-tasking and driving forward runs, which has so far worked very well for Boro who’ve gone from near the relegation zone to within touching distance of the Premier League.
After Saturday’s win, Middlesbrough have now lost just one of their last 10 in the league and sit just three points behind Sheffield United in 2nd, although the Blades now have a game in hand.
Going nowhere?
Carrick and Boro are in the midst of a promotion fight and so it seems very unlikely that Carrick will leave for Selhurst Park in the near future.
And Palace, given their poor run of form in the Premier League, will surely want a manager to come in sooner rather than later, so a move for Carrick or even Kompany seems like a long-shot as things stand.
But come the summer time, if Boro miss out on promotion and Palace only end up appointing a short-term boss now, then a move for Carrick or any other manager for that matter could become more likely.
Middlesbrough return to action v Huddersfield Town at the start of next month.
