Middlesbrough Sack Head Coach Michael Carrick After Consecutive Missed Playoffs

Middlesbrough Football Club has sacked head coach Michael Carrick after failing to secure a promotion play-off spot for the second consecutive season, finishing tenth in the Championship. Carrick, a former Manchester United and England player with a decorated career, initially led Middlesbrough to a fourth-place finish and the playoffs in his first year but oversaw declining results thereafter. Alongside Carrick, his assistants Jonathan Woodgate and Graeme Carrick have also departed as the club seeks a new direction under owner Steve Gibson. Despite an internal review and early support for Carrick to continue, the club decided change was necessary following inconsistent form and tactical criticisms during the 2024/25 season. Former Nottingham Forest and Leicester City manager Steve Cooper is the current favorite to succeed Carrick. This managerial change reflects a broader trend in the Championship, where 17 of 24 teams have changed managers since the previous August.