Exclusive: Sky Sports pundit drops claim on Michael Carrick's future - Some Middlesbrough supporters may disagree | OneFootball

Speaking exclusively with FLW, Lee Hendrie has been discussing the future of Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick.

More and more Middlesbrough supporters are beginning to lose their patience, and indeed belief, in head coach Michael Carrick.

Boro's 2024/25 season can be described in many different ways, but perhaps it's best reflected with the adjective: inconsistent.

Such is the carelessness with which they've handled a winning feeling when they've had it, Middlesbrough's highs have soon been followed by frustrating lows throughout the campaign.

A last-gasp win over Plymouth Argyle on Good Friday flooded Teessiders with renewed optimism that despite all their bumps and bruises this season, their team might still just sneak into the play-off places.

However, an abject away performance at Hillsborough on Easter Monday swiftly drained away that feel-good factor, and reignited fan frustrations over recurrent problems that have plagued Carrick's Riverside reign.

"I disagree with the Boro fans" - Lee Hendrie makes claim on Michael Carrick's Middlesbrough future

Speaking exclusively with Football League World, we asked Sky Sports pundit and former player, Lee Hendrie: 'A lot of Middlesbrough fans are getting fed up with Michael Carrick and his inconsistencies at Boro - Do you fear for his job if play-offs are not achieved?'

Hendrie said: "Boro getting a little bit frustrated with Michael Carrick and the inconsistencies - I think that's the Championship, I really do.

"I think, when you haven't got your own players - and that's what Boro haven't done - that model has always been the same. They brought players in, they've loaned players, they've sold players - that disrupts the group.

"The likes of Emmanuel Latte Lath going who scored them goals, I know they've got Tommy Conway and they've brought players in to try and replace, but sometimes that doesn't work.

"That's the problem with the model that Boro have. I think wishes have to be careful in this situation, because Michael Carrick's done a brilliant job. I know he hasn't quite got over the line, and he's got close to taking Boro to that next level.

"But, if they don't meet the play-offs, then he's going to come under massive pressure. But, I think I have to kind of disagree with the Boro fans. I get the inconsistencies, but when you're getting disrupted throughout a season, you haven't got a squad of your own you can keep and build on, it's hard as a manager to take the club forward.

"You're asking players to come into the club and identify what model and how you want to play. So, I would always be keeping Michael Carrick, and I'm pretty sure if they get rid of him, he'll go somewhere where, I think if he's got a better structure and a better policy going forward, he'll be successful.

"He's done brilliantly at Boro for what he's had to do under that regime of having loan models, injuries, all the rest of it. I don't think it was as tough a league this season, but he's still had to come across a lot of things whilst he's been manager there."

Michael Carrick hasn't proven himself in key promotion categories - That's where Boro frustrations are coming from

In order to win promotion to the Premier League, there are certain key boxes that your team and its manager have to be able to tick.

A clinical attack, a watertight defence, tactical flexibility and effective in-game management are four of those main credentials: Carrick's Middlesbrough can perhaps only truthfully claim to have met the first criteria in that list during his time on Teesside.

For all the good work his team's have done in attack, the defense has always been the predominant area of the pitch that has let him, and Boro down since his October 2022 appointment.

Middlesbrough's defensive recruitment under the 43-year-old has been largely poor, with few of his signings across the back line proving to be viable starting options for a side with clear promotion aims.

Carrick's in-game management has also been coming under huge scrutiny this season, with a perfect example of this in Boro's latest outing against Sheffield Wednesday.

The Boro boss took off forward Morgan Whittaker - a player Boro spent up to £7.5m on in January - in the 77th minute with the scores level at 1-1, and replaced him with centre-back Dael Fry, in an attempt to ensure Middlesbrough would leave Hillsborough with a point.

Only for Middlesbrough to concede a fairly shambolic goal in the 89th minute of the game, which would cost them the chance to take anything from the match, rendering that substitution rather pointless.

Rarely do Middlesbrough divert from plan A either, with Carrick seldom seen deploying anything but his 4-2-3-1 system. When it works, his slow build-up, possession-oriented approach looks excellent, but when it doesn't, it's rare to see the Boro boss ripping up the gameplan and changing formation mid-game in an attempt to solve the problem.

Therefore, whilst the Boro boss has improved the team in certain areas, and undoubtedly has helped the club collect big profits on players in recent times, he's yet to prove himself as having the full coaching package required in order to take the club back to the Premier League.

As such, it's understandable as to why Teesside heads are beginning to be turned to other options. Maybe to someone who has been there and got the t-shirt, someone such as Steve Cooper for example, who has been linked as a potential Carrick replacement this season.