In a typically forthright, if not slightly abrasive, interview, Huddersfield boss Neil Warnock claimed that it is a ‘bl**dy miracle’ that Middlesbrough and Michael Carrick have managed to command a fee of somewhere in the region of £12.2m including add-ons.
In a report published by The Daily Mail Warnock – of course a former Middlesbrough manager – was speaking after his current side’s 1-1 draw against Boro at The Riverside Stadium. Asked about the sale of Chuba Akpom (a player who Warnock signed from PAOK Salonika for around £2.75m back in 2020 after allegedly watching YouTube videos of the player) he responded, ‘Good luck to him. I like Michael, I think he’s done a good job. To get £12.2million for Chuba [Akpom] is a bloody miracle. So well done to him.’
Only Warnock will know what the insinuation was with that comment, but it would seem to suggest that he does not think that Akpom is worth that money. It may come across to some as if he cuts the figure of an embittered man. It is fair to assume that Warnock was not happy at the way he was treated at the end of his tenure on Teesside and may still hold some frustration to that end.
Praise for Carrick
He followed up his comment with another observation, praising Carrick but taking a thinly-veiled swipe at Akpom and what his future may hold if Ajax do not play him in his favoured position.
‘I think the people at the top will be happy anyhow to get that sort of money in. I think we played quite well against them last year but you can see they’re trying.
‘They’ve signed two players this week for decent money and Michael is a good bloke. There’s only Michael who would’ve got that out of Chuba Akpom.
‘I never thought about playing him in the hole. He can’t play up front. I hope Ajax haven’t bought him to play up front because he’ll be back in England or somewhere else next year.’
Maybe the experienced manager was mildly dissatisfied with Akpom’s performances whilst he he was in charge, but Michael Carrick very quickly found a way to utilise the attacker’s strengths and turned him into a number ten who could make runs from deep.
Warnock missed an opportunity to congratulate Chuba on his performances last season and wish him well, instead choosing to say what he isn’t. Saying he can’t play up front just begs the question, ‘Why did he buy him and attempt to play him there?’