One Middlesbrough staff member has had a huge impact on Michael Carrick since he moved to the North East.
After several years of struggling under the likes of Chris Wilder and Neil Warnock, Steve Gibson appointed Michael Carrick as Middlesbrough manager in October 2022.
Carrick had very little prior experience in management, taking charge of just a few games while acting as caretaker manager for Manchester United.
The former midfielder had a great start to life at the Riverside Stadium, however, and earned a fourth-place finish with Boro in 2022/23 – their highest since their last relegation to the Championship in 2016/17.
2023/24 did not go quite as well, with the Teessiders missing out on the play-off places by just six points.
But it has still been a largely positive spell for the former England international, who has now praised one member of Middlesbrough’s coaching staff.
How one Middlesbrough staff member has helped Michael Carrick
Middlesbrough lost Aaron Danks to Bayern Munich over the summer, with Carrick’s brother, Graeme, coming in to replace him.
However, it is not Graeme who the Middlesbrough boss has been heaping praise on recently.
Instead, it is another coach, Jonathan Woodgate, who had two spells on Teesside as a player and also endured an unsuccessful managerial stint at Middlesbrough back in 2019.
Now, as per the Northern Echo, Carrick has detailed the ‘massive’ impact Woodgate has had on him since he became Boro manager.
He said: “Woody has been massive ever since I’ve walked through the door.
“The impact on me and around the place is massive – his character, knowledge and love of the game.”
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Jonathan Woodgate impact at Middlesbrough clear to see
Woodgate may have struggled when appointed to the Middlesbrough dugout but his impact as a coach in the North East has been clear.
Woodgate played a key role in Boro signing Ben Doak in August and that move has proven to be a superb one so far.
But the ex-Real Madrid stopper is not the only coach making his presence felt behind the scenes.
Carrick praised Grant Leadbitter when revealing the key role the former midfielder played in Matt Clarke’s rise in form in 2024/25.
Hayden Hackney name-dropped Leadbitter as well for helping him improve his finishing this season, with the Englishman scoring two in his last three for Boro.