Middlesbrough, a struggling Championship team, has named former England and Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick as head coach.
The 41-year-old had not played since leaving Old Trafford after serving as interim manager for three games following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s ouster.
Since Chris Wilder was fired, Boro has been without a permanent manager, with Leo Percovich serving as the interim manager.
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The Championship match at Preston will mark Carrick’s debut on Saturday.
He had initially stated that it was not the time for him to return to football, but following a successful second round of negotiations, he had a change of heart.
As someone who was born in Newcastle, it is also a return for Carrick to the north-east of England.
“Middlesbrough was the first professional club I played for as a nine-year-old boy, so it’s a very special feeling to be back here as a head coach,” he said.
“Growing up in the north-east myself I’m fully aware of what football means to people.
” It’s a real privilege for me to be in this position and to feel all the passion and enthusiasm you’ve got for the game and for Boro.”
Jonathan Woodgate will support him. The former Boro player, who managed The Riverside from June 2019 to June 2020, is back.
Percovich will now serve as the organization’s head of player pathway and development, the club has additionally announced.
Carrick made 463 appearances for United over the course of a 12-year career, winning 17 trophies at Old Trafford before retiring in 2018. He also played for West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur.
Between 2001 and 2015, he earned 34 England caps and was a member of the teams that competed in the 2006 and 2010 World Cups.
He joined United’s coaching staff after retiring, first working briefly for Jose Mourinho before the Portuguese was fired, and then under new head coach Louis van Gaal.
Following his retirement, he joined the coaching staff at United, first working briefly under Jose Mourinho until the Portuguese manager was fired, and then – most noticeably – for over three years under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Before stepping down after Solskjaer’s departure, Carrick guided United to victories over Villarreal in the Champions League and Arsenal in the Premier League, with a draw at Chelsea in the middle.