A former Leicester City manager has emerged as a surprising contender to replace Middlesbrough’s under-pressure Michael Carrick.
Carrick has won only three of his previous 15 games in charge of the Teessiders, who have slipped from play-off hopefuls to 11th place, four points behind sixth.
The former Manchester United and England star has faced criticism for acquiring former Foxes striker Kelechi Iheanacho.
Middlesbrough supporters criticised Iheanacho’s home debut performance in their 1-0 loss to Watford. A former Leicester manager may be in the running to take over at the Riverside Stadium.
Steve Cooper in the frame to become new Middlesbrough manager
TalkSPORT reports that former Foxes manager Steve Cooper is being considered as a possible replacement for Carrick.
The Welshman has been out of job since November, when he was fired by Leicester, and Cooper has been looking for the ideal team before returning to management.
Blackburn Rovers fans want Cooper to replace John Eustace, who left for Derby County. However, the 48-year-old is not the clear favourite.
Cooper’s most recent appointment as a Championship manager was significantly more successful than his brief tenure at the King Power Stadium. He led Nottingham Forest to promotion to the Premier League for the first time in 23 years.
How does Steve Cooper compare to Michael Carrick?
Although some media criticised Leicester’s decision to fire Cooper, his track record at the club was not very impressive.
The 48-year-old has far more experience in the dugout than Carrick, having managed England at the junior level and spent time at three separate clubs.
Carrick, on the other hand, has only ever managed Boro and three games as a caretaker at Manchester United.
| Stats | Steve Cooper | Michael Carrick |
| Games managed | 303 | 122 |
| Wins | 94 | 57 |
| Draws | 59 | 22 |
| Losses | 75 | 43 |
| Win percentage | 31.02% | 46.7% |
The data above remove time spent in charge of young teams or in a caretaker capacity, yet as seen below, Cooper rates higher in every section; nevertheless, when considering the number of games the duo have managed, Carrick’s win percentage is much greater.
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