When Michael Carrick was unveiled as Middlesbrough head coach, he was understandably reluctant to make any bold and major long-term predictions, but he did outline one short-term ambition.

"We’ve got that World Cup break coming up, so it’s an opportunity in the five games before that to create some momentum and get the boys playing with some confidence and freedom," said the newly-appointed head coach.

Tick. Less than three and a half weeks have passed since that unveiling and Carrick has managed to do exactly that, even more impressive when you consider he had to lift his Middlesbrough side after his opening game in charge ended with a last gasp defeat, always hard to stomach.

READ MORE: Boro's plan for World Cup break as Carrick focuses on positives

Four games and 10 points later and Boro went into the break courtesy of a last gasp victory, "the best way to win in terms of feelings and the buzz of it", said Carrick.

In between, the head coach has quickly and very impressively transformed Boro.
Carrick's CV as a player is quite incredible but if you weren't previously aware of all he'd achieved in the game then you certainly wouldn't have guessed it. Staff around the club have been struck by how humble and understated the head coach is.

Rather than take credit for positives and improvement, he's taken every opportunity to shift the direction in which praise has been aimed. He's hailed the players for their attitude and the way they've taken messages on board and the staff for making him feel so welcome.

After Norwich, he talked about how he feels like he's been at the club for much longer than he has. That, he says, is credit to the staff. From minute one, Carrick made it clear he wanted to tap into the knowledge base already at the club.

A word that has been used by and about Carrick on several occasions since his appointment is "calm". Stepping into his first role as a manager, Carrick faced the rather daunting task of taking charge of a side precariously placed and facing five games in a fortnight.

Has it been frantic? Unnerving? Nothing of the sort.

"It's been calm and focused," he said last week.

"A lot of work has been done but we haven't been chasing our tails, it's all been good stuff and that's thanks mainly to the staff."

Nothing has ruffled the feathers of Carrick. He's maintained that calm, steady state. Even during the high points. When the camera cut to the head coach after Riley McGree's stunner at Carrow Road, he was unmoved.

From moment one, he identified the importance of the connection between the side and the fans. With four of his first five games away from home, Carrick has been blown away by Boro's support on the road, which was a big part of why he was so delighted with 
the last minute winner at Norwich - it was a reward for the away day faithful.

He's been hands-on on the training ground but was keen not to overload the players with too much too soon.

Early on, he said: "I’m quite patient and pragmatic in terms of how we need to go about that. But of course, there is a vision of how we want it to look in the future and obviously that will be climbing up the league by winning games by playing attacking and entertaining football."

Against Bristol City, Blackpool and in the second half against Norwich, Boro certainly entertained.

Jonathan Woodgate has slotted straight back in seamlessly. His return was celebrated by many inside the club and his knowledge of many members of the squad - as players and people - paid immediate dividends. Woodgate is a huge Dael Fry fan and with a bit of shrewd man management and an arm around the shoulder has quickly helped the Teessider look back to his best. The Fry and Darragh Lenihan partnership is looking more solid by the week.

Where individual players are concerned, the brilliance of Hayden Hackney and Chuba Akpom can't be ignored.

Leo Percovich deserves immense credit for immediately involving Hackney after the exit of Chris Wilder. He started the win over Birmingham City in Leo's first game in charge and hasn't looked back. Carrick immediately took to Hackney and loved his "no-fuss" approach. The positivity of the young midfielder has quickly become integral to Boro's play.

Given his level of performance, it's staggering to think Hackney wasn't involved in the early stages of the season.

In his first press conference, Carrick told of how he was "hugely passionate" about giving young players opportunities. He's been true to his word. Not only has Hackney started every game, but at Blackpool Pharrell Willis was included in a matchday squad for the first time in his career and introduced from the bench late on to make his debut. He'd impressed Carrick with his "spark" in training and earned an opportunity. Two days after his debut, he signed a new deal.

If Boro's youngsters impress, they know the head coach will give them a chance.

Akpom's resurgence has been the story of the season. Only last week he told about how he was waiting for his agent's call in the summer. He thought he was finished at Boro. But it's testament to his character that he still trained as hard as he could to make sure he was ready if an opportunity presented itself.

He impressed in the early stages of the season but has found another level again under Carrick, who expertly and instinctively identified the qualities in Akpom's game that he believed would make him a success playing in a deeper striker role, almost as a No.10.

Akpom's goals have understandably hogged the headlines but his all-round play has been terrific. His work in the build-up to the opening goal at Blackpool and the winner at Norwich was outstanding.

Now comes a break for Boro, which Carrick has described as an "important time". After a week off, the squad return next week for a "second pre-season", a first opportunity for the head coach to spend some quality time on the training pitches.

Back to Carrick's unveiling.

The head coach said: “Success ultimately comes from taking small steps and building things - building momentum and building confidence, putting a team together and putting across my ideas and principles of how I want to play. That’s something I’m really looking forward to.

"You have to enjoy what you’re doing too. That’s what we’re here for. We want to win games and we want to do it in a certain way. We want people to come and support Middlesbrough Football Club and be happy in doing that. As you can probably tell, I’m really excited and have been walking around with a smile on my face for a little while, looking forward to this moment."

After an impressive first month, Carrick has Boro's players, staff and fans smiling now as well.

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