Middlesbrough must appoint ex-Premier League boss if Michael Carrick is sacked | OneFootball

Steve Cooper would be a top appointment for Middlesbrough amid their quest for the Championship play-offs

Middlesbrough have now endured four consecutive Championship defeats and have managed just one win in their last seven league games, following Saturday afternoon's home defeat at the hands of fellow play-off chasers Watford.

That result left Boro 11th in the Championship table and four points below the top-six ahead of Friday night's trip to Bristol City, who are also in the chasing pack.

Following Boro's fourth loss on the bounce, the Riverside Stadium faithful held up a banner that read: "Passion and desire. The basics we require."

Boss Michael Carrick seemingly responded to this when he told ITV's English Football League Highlights show: "There's a lot more to winning games than do you care enough, or do you not care enough.

"I know we care an awful lot."

However, pressure is clearly mounting on the Boro boss amid his side's poor run of form, as former Leicester City and Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper has emerged as a potential Carrick replacement, according to TalkSport.

Middlesbrough must appoint Steve Cooper if Michael Carrick is sacked

The North East outfit are vying to land a play-off spot for the second time in just three seasons, but they have lost serious momentum in the battle for the top-six in recent weeks.

If they do opt to sack Carrick as a consequence of that, then there is no better candidate than Cooper to take on the managerial responsibilities at the Riverside Stadium.

The Welshman has a top record in the Championship and won the 2022 play-off final with Nottingham Forest, despite inheriting a side who sat bottom of the table in September 2021.

Cooper subsequently achieved the feat of Premier League survival at the end of the 2022/23 campaign, guiding the East Midlands side to a 16th place finish in the top-flight.

Furthermore, the 45-year-old also guided Swansea City to the play-offs in consecutive seasons in 2019/20 and 2020/21, which further demonstrates that he would be the right man to guide Boro to the top-six.

Additionally, Cooper is ready to make his return to managerial duties after being dismissed by Leicester last November, as per TBR Football.

West Ham links will feel like a distant memory for Carrick

Back in December, The Mirror revealed that Premier League West Ham were eyeing a move for the Boro boss back in December, amid poor form under then manager Julen Lopetegui.

Ultimately, the Hammers opted to appoint former Brighton and Chelsea boss Graham Potter last month instead, and they now sit 16th following a four-game winless run.

Meanwhile, as Boro are currently losing ground in the race for the Championship play-offs, links to a Premier League side will feel like a distant memory for Carrick, whose side were going well prior to recent weeks.

In the space of just two months, the former Manchester United midfielder has gone from being eyed by top-flight clubs to facing a lack of job security in the second tier.

Ultimately, though, if Boro do decide to sack their current manager, there would be no better candidate than Cooper to replace him, as the Welshman proved his worth during previous stints with both Swansea and Forest.