Middlesbrough FC told to make ambitious Steve Cooper & Marcelo Bielsa calls if Michael Carrick is axed | OneFootball

There are some doubts over Michael Carrick’s future at the Riverside Stadium, with no decision made yet on the ex-England international's future

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick’s future at the club is yet to be decided, with a club review set to take place in order to determine if he keeps his job.

The ex-England international has been largely applauded for the job he’s done with Boro since arriving in October 2022, but has never quite hit the main goal of promotion.

This season, they were once again challenging for a play-off spot before tailing off towards the end of the season, since when Football League World exclusively revealed that Carrick is at risk of losing his job this summer.

Steve Cooper named as most spoken about Carrick replacement

Having been informed about that potential course of events, FLW asked one of our Boro fan pundits, Phil Auton, who he’d like see replacing Carrick should he be removed from his post.

The first name mentioned by Phil was former Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper.

Cooper was sacked this season by Leicester City, many of whom believe prematurely, as he had the Foxes outside the relegation zone when he was removed and the club only slipped further once he’d gone.

Speaking to Football League World, Phil said: “On the subject of Carrick, you know, we're going on the premise that he is going to leave, or be removed from his position.

“I think for me, the one that keeps getting mentioned quite a lot is Steve Cooper, ex-Leicester City and Nottingham Forest.

“I don't know if there's any weight in it, but apparently Leicester are still paying his wages until technically the end of the season.

"So, there may be some movement if it's true, when that that payment is up, obviously with Ruud van Nistelrooy in post at the moment, you know, there's another, what, fortnight, maybe there's been some tentative rumours that that is one of the reasons and he has been sounded out.

“But I think that's the one, that's kind of being mentioned quite a bit in the local press, amongst fans, obviously for the job he did at Forest in terms of getting them up, and he was probably a bit hard done by at Leicester.

“But he seems to be the one.”

For some time now, since Boro results began slipping, potential candidates have been named and, according to TBR Football in February, Cooper was indeed one of the front-runners.

With the right mix of experience getting teams promoted from the Championship and then helping them remain in the Premier League, namely with Forest, it’s easy to see why Cooper is high on the list, with Middlesbrough in a very similar position.

Slavisa Jokanvoic is not a name currently being spoken about, but was interviewed for the post back in 2019, and Phil believes he could still be up to the task.

Phil continued: “For me personally, probably a couple of wildcards to throw out there who are both out of work, don't know if they’re available, but they're certainly out of work. I think for me, someone like Slavisa Jokanovic.

“Polar opposite to Carrick, I would expect, in terms of the calmness and his posture and how he comes across.

“But I think we need somebody of Jokanovic’s nature to shake things up because we do have a lot of good players in this squad, we have the ability, but what we've seen from January onwards is just the mentality is lacking and there's a lack of fight there.

“It's not the ability, it's the efforts and the demeanour that these players put in, and I think someone like Jokanovic could get them going.

“Obviously, he's proven in the Championship with getting teams promoted. He's done it more than once. I think he would be a bit of a wildcard and one that's not really getting much of a mention.

“But for me personally, I'd be looking at going down that road. We were linked with him three years ago, before Wilder came in.”

He too, like Cooper, has a history of promotion from the second tier with Fulham in 2018, but didn’t last long into the next season.

However, if Boro are looking for a long-term appointment, who has had experience in the Premier League and could feasibly lead them through that transition, Jokanovic may not be that candidate; he has managed just 12 English top-flight games, winning one.

Phil’s next suggestion, however, does meet that description.

The Boro fan continued: “Another wildcard for me, and it would be an absolute no-brainer, but I don't think we could afford it financially, would be Bielsa, ex-Leeds.

“Nearly 70 years old now. I don't know what his appetite is to get back in the club game, he's over in Uruguay.

“But for me, again, going back to the issue was that hampered us, not talking about ability, but pure work, ethic and determination, I think he is the type of manager that would instil that and drive it.

“But for a financial package for him, I think would be quite hefty.”

There is no doubt Bielsa is well-versed in both Championship and Premier League, and would bring a signature style to Middlesbrough that made Leeds United so formidable, but money and age may be an obstacle too great to get this one over the line.

Tony Mowbray backed as emotional Boro appointment

Finally, one name that would have plenty of feel-good factor to is Tony Mowbray, who spent years with the club as a player before getting a shot at the manager’s role in 2010.

Phil can see the positives in reappointing him, but feels it may be a challenge to great.

He said: “Heart over head, Tony Mowbray. Obviously, he’s a club legend, he's now available.

“I think a lot of supporters would be more than pleased to see him get a second go at it, in totally different circumstances to his first, where he was given a poor hand after Strachan.

“But, realistically, is he ready?

“And I think there would still be that element of Boro supporters thinking we've been there, we've tried this.

“So, I think that one would be more heart over head.”

While there would be a beautiful narrative to the story, giving Mowbray a second term in the dugout doesn’t feel quite like a club planning for the long term and building a project.