Former Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick has revealed he sought advice from Sir Alex Ferguson before accepting the offer to become Middlesbrough's new head coach.
The former England international was appointed the Championship club's new boss on Monday. He's taken over at the Riverside with the club currently languishing 21st in the table, only outside the relegation zone on goal difference.
Despite taking temporary charge of United last season, occupying the managerial hot seat for three games between the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and the arrival of interim manager Ralf Rangnick, the Middlesbrough job represents Carrick's first permanent role in management.
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Carrick picked Ferguson's brains for advice before stepping into the cut and thrust business of football management. "I spoke to Sir Alex a few times," Carrick said. "I've spoken to him more since I stopped playing – I didn't want to get too close to him when I was a player.
"I spoke to him a lot. It's well documented that he has real pride and care about ex-players progressing and being coaches and managers and takes real pride and care in helping them as well. He's certainly done that to me, and I really appreciate the advice he's given me."
On taking the job, Carrick added: "I'm really excited to be here and to be part of a club with such a deep history and tradition. 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.
"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."
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