Boro have dropped to 11th in the Championship after a run of four successive Championship defeats, which led to some uncertainty surrounding Carrick’s position earlier this week.
But club sources confirmed on Monday that Carrick still retains the backing of chairman Steve Gibson.
Carrick, the Championship’s longest-serving manager, spoke with Gibson in the aftermath of the disappointing 1-0 defeat to Watford at the Riverside last Saturday, and appreciates the ongoing support of the club’s owner.
But he says reassurance from the club’s hierarchy is not something he seeks.
He said: “Honestly, for me personally, it doesn’t change what I do. I don’t need that sympathy from anybody.
“I don’t look for that. I look to myself to get on with it. I feel the support. I’m not downplaying the support. I’ve felt that. It hasn’t changed this week for me, I’ve felt that all the time.
“But I understand the situation. I’ve said it, without repeating myself, I get where it’s at, but it doesn’t change my mood or how I go about my work or needing any reassurances off anyone. Honestly, for me it would be pretty pathetic.
“I’m a head coach of a fantastic football club. I don’t need someone else to tell me ‘you’ll be alright’. I think I am here where I am for a reason, and I fully believe in what we’re doing and I fully believe in the group.
“I’m still really excited about what’s possible this season. I understand the disappointment and being a bit downbeat. I get it. I totally get it and I understand the situation. But 14 games to go and a lot to play for. That’s where I’m focusing on 100%.”
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Carrick played down his discussions with Gibson this week and says he’s on the same page as the owner.
“We understand the club, where we’ve been, where we’ve come from, where we’re trying to get to,” he said.
“I’m a grown man. I feel like I’m strong enough to accept the situation. I understand it.
“You know, I’m not stupid and that’s part of being at this level. You’ve got responsibility so I take that head on. There’s no issue with that.
“In terms of levels of support, I’ve felt it since the day I’ve came here all the way through and it’s up to me to keep getting the results and to put things into place so we can be successful as a team.
“That won’t change personal relationships with anyone at the club. We’re still giving everything we can to put things right and not far away.
Carrick added: “Nothing’s changed for me, really, as I said, I don’t need any special conversations at certain times.
“I don’t need pulled down when we’re winning and told to calm down and don’t get carried away with it. And I don’t need someone overly backing me in that sympathetic, kind of patronising way.
“I don’t feel it, I don’t need it, but the support, I’ve felt it all the time and it’s there for me and I really, really appreciate it.
“It’s a fantastic club. Steve’s an unbelievable owner and I felt it. But my main point is just for this week, I haven’t felt a need for any change whatsoever.”
Despite the poor run of form and Boro’s fans making their frustrations known at the Riverside after the Watford defeat, Carrick insists he didn’t fear for the sack this week.
He said: “It’s not something I think about in that manner. What’s the point? It’s not going to get me anywhere.
“It’s never something that I’ve done in the past, professionally anyway. I think it’s, ‘what can I do today and tomorrow to be better for the next game’, really.
“That’s the ultimate aim, that’s my responsibility. If I’m starting to think about other things then my head’s gone, and then you’re finished. It’s not how I approach things and I’ve definitely not changed this week.
“I understand. We’re not at the end of the world here either. You know, we’ve lost a few football matches and if we lost a few football matches with a team that was really struggling and didn’t look like we could get another result, different story.
“We’ve got a good team, we’ve got good players and we got a stable club and, you know, it’s there for us. It’s there for us to make the most out of.”
