Middlesbrough Head Coach Michael Carrick has revealed that he does not miss being a professional football player, but maintains he still has an inner drive that motivates him as a manager. Daniel Wales reports.
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00:00Major honours were not in short supply during Michael Carrick's career as a professional football player.
00:06At Manchester United he won 5 Premier League titles, 1 FA Cup, 1 Champions League and 1 Europa League
00:12during an illustrious period in the club's modern history.
00:16Now back in his native North East and head coach of Middlesbrough, he is aiming to guide the Teessiders
00:22back to the Premier League for the first time since 2017.
00:26The Borough squad boasts many talented players, although someone of Carrick's ilk in the middle of the side would not go amiss.
00:34And so, would Michael Carrick still like to be pulling the strings on a Saturday afternoon?
00:39I've not missed a day since I finished. I think there was a shelf life for that and that's passed and gone
00:44and I think part of it's accepting that your time's up and you've got to move on.
00:48We've both certainly done that and we're both enjoying the roles that we're in now
00:54and different challenges and see what happens next.
00:57With half of the Championship season completed, Borough are firmly in the mix for promotion
01:01with Carrick reflecting on the campaign his side have had so far.
01:06I think we're alright. At the moment we're alright. I think where we are.
01:10I think the way we've played, the way we've approached it, the way the squad's played and coped with it
01:15the season so far has been particularly pleasing.
01:18Everyone's played their part which I think we're very hopeful and we believe going through the season
01:23there'll be a freshness within the group that's continued through the season.
01:28I've really overused many individuals. Some have played more than others
01:33but I think largely the squad's all played a big part and I think that'll help us moving forward.
01:40So, I think we're in a good place.
01:42Carrick was speaking at the annual Middlesbrough Champion Children's Christmas Party
01:46an event he recognised as very important.
01:51Yes, it's an important day for us. It's an important day for us as a football club
01:55I think to spend time with the supporters, different generations of supporters.
02:03I think we understand what it means. We understand the responsibilities of that.
02:06The players are fantastic with that and how they go about it and the appreciation for the supporters anyway.
02:13So, on days like this to come and spend time with the younger generation and the children
02:21and help them make it as nice a day as we possibly can, it's important for us.
02:25The boys look forward to it.
02:28And whilst Carrick may no longer want to play, he made clear what motivates him now as a manager.
02:37I think it's just the motivation to try and be as good as you can be really.
02:43Yes, I think there's an inner drive. There's a bit of a stubbornness there to want to do well really.
02:49And I think you've got to enjoy it and embrace it and give everything you've got to be able to do that.
02:56So, at this moment in time, I'm loving what I do.