That is the view of former Boro favourite Gary Pallister, who has conceded that the Teessiders will head to Coventry City as big outsiders to finish in the top six.
Boro head into the final weekend of the Championship season sitting in ninth position in the table, two points adrift of the play-off places. In order to finish in the top six, they need to beat Coventry on Saturday lunchtime and hope that Millwall and Blackburn Rovers both fail to win their final game.
Carrick’s side were sitting in a play-off place for most of November and December, and returned to the top six as recently as early April, but their form has nosedived as they have won just one of their last five matches.
“I felt as though we had a good chance of reaching the play-offs this season,” said Pallister, who made more than 200 senior appearances in his two spells as a Boro player. “Our form, after a poor start to the season, was really good. I went on record saying we’re playing the best football in the Championship around Christmas time.
“Then we got a few injures, sold Emmanuel Latte Lath, and the team have struggled to get to the heights that they did. We do look fragile at the moment. I know we’ve had injuries, and they’ve maybe taken their toll, but that’s happening a lot in football at the moment.
“That’s what I’d suggest, if I had to put my finger on what’s gone wrong, because we did look so good around that period of time, but we’ve only got an outside chance of making the play-offs now.
“We’ve got a bit of hope, and we’re still hoping that things work out at the weekend and we can get ourselves in there. Once you’re in there, you’ve got a chance, you’ve got a sniff, but I don’t think a betting man would be putting money on Middlesbrough to get through right now.”
If Boro fail to make the play-offs at the weekend, questions will inevitably asked about Carrick’s future as head coach.
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The former England international is the longest-serving manager in the Championship, having replaced Chris Wilder in October 2022, but having described the current squad as “the best” he had presided over during his time on Teesside, he will be seen to have failed if his side finish outside the play-off positions.
Nevertheless, Pallister feels Steve Gibson should stick with Carrick no matter what happens on Saturday, claiming the Tynesider remains the right man to take Boro into next season.
“I think Michael’s got a great future in management,” he said, in an interview with Betway. “The Championship is such a tough division to get out of.
“Teams coming down have got parachute payments, Burnley and Leeds have been getting parachute payments, so it makes it a bit easier for them to bring in the quality you need to get out of the division.
“I think they’ll stick with Carrick, though, and give him another chance next season if we don’t make it into the play-offs this year. But if we get off to a bad start, then his position could potentially be under threat.
“I think he’s a clever lad who wants to do well in management, and if we give him another chance, if we don’t make it this year, to have a strong start to next season, then hopefully he can get us to the promised land.”
