Ray Parlour drops Leicester, Ipswich Town claim concerning Michael Carrick and Middlesbrough | OneFootball

TalkSPORT pundit, Ray Parlour, believes Middlesbrough have avoided a situation similar to Ipswich Town and Leicester City by tying Michael Carrick down to a new contract.

For many involved with Middlesbrough, he is the club's biggest asset by far. It will have come as a relief to therefore hear that he has penned a new three-year contract last week, as the club have put their faith in him as the right man to take the club forward.

Boro appointed the former Manchester United favourite in October 2022, and it has turned out to be an inspired decision. Despite Carrick's side sitting outside of the play-off places for the majority of this season, he has earned plenty of plaudits for his work in transforming Boro over the course of the last year-and-a-half or so, not least due to the turnover of some of the club's best players during that time as well.

The Teesiders ended the 2022/23 season on 75 points, with multiple players having benefited due to the switch from Chris Wilder to Carrick - with his more possession-heavy and attack-minded philosophy. He took charge after 16 games in the Championship last season, with Middlesbrough sat in 21st on 17 points, having sacked Wilder.

They ended up losing out in the play-offs and his new-look side were looking to go one better in the 2023/24 campaign under Carrick, with promotion the goal yet again for his side after finishing fourth in a play-off spot last season. They ultimately fell short this year, in part due to an ever-growing injury list over the course of the season, as well as the need to replace plenty of their best loan players and outgoings such as Chuba Akpom as well.

Michael Carrick's contract extension reaction

It also didn't help matters that they began the campaign fairly slowly. However, their end to the season will have given them plenty of hope heading into next season, especially with Carrick agreeing an extension. That has put any doubts surrounding his immediate future to bed, whilst also signifying to their chief that he is their main asset above any players or members of staff.

In light of the news, Ray Parlour believes his former club is the place for Carrick to be, having played 60 times for the club himself between 2004 and 2007. He expects that they will improve under his tutelage again next season.

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, via NetBet Online Betting, he was asked whether Boro’s move to tie down Carrick could help them avoid the manager issues that Leicester and Ipswich have faced this summer. He said: “Absolutely.

“Last year they were too inconsistent and lost silly games to teams around them and then teams at the bottom end of the table too. Proof is there with Boro that they can be a force this year as a win at Leicester showed this.”

The league table doesn't necessarily tell the whole story for his side this season, too, as they have largely played well in the circumstances, with their persistent injury problems also not helping at all, either. Chopping and changing in defensive areas meant his side could not settle as well as they did during 2022/23.

Ray Parlour's verdict

It's a masterstroke from the club to tie him down now whilst in the second tier, given the interest we've seen in Ipswich Town and Leicester City's managers after they won promotion this season. Enzo Maresca departed the Foxes for Chelsea, whilst Kieran McKenna came close to leaving Ipswich, only to sign a new lucrative deal after promotion.

Carrick signing an extension now clears the minds of many at the club, knowing that they are protected should Carrick continue on his current trajectory with the club - naturally, stirring up further interest in his services. Despite his side ending the 2023/2024 campaign outside of the play-off places, his stock continues to rise.

Carrick is one of the most tactically flexible and promising managers in the division, and one of the club's biggest assets moving forwards, which was definitely of slight concern given how many of the Championship's best have been leaving for other opportunities recently, or linked away in McKenna's case.

Carrick is one of the best young English coaches out there currently. He's tactically innovative and flexible, often making numerous proactive changes mid-game to counter the opposition. Middlesbrough hanging onto one of the league's best minds and tinkerers may be the best bit of business they complete in the market this summer.

As Parlour points out, there are plenty of positives to take from certain performances over the course of the 2023/24 campaign, with the scalps against Leicester both home and away just two standout displays from Carrick's side.