England boss Gareth Southgate played a key role in Michael Carrick's Middlesbrough appointment in October, recommending the former Manchester United midfielder to Steve Gibson when the club were looking for a new head coach.

And after taking Southgate's advice on board and arranging an interview, Boro chiefs were instantly impressed by Carrick.

The 41-year-old has backed that up with a hugely impressive start to life in the dugout at the Riverside Stadium, leading Boro away from relegation trouble and only losing twice in his seven games in charge so far.

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At the halfway stage of the Championship season, Carrick's side are now just four points shy of the top six, with the table looking a lot healthier than it did when Chris Wilder was sacked when Boro were in the relegation zone.

Boro were unsurprisingly inundated with managerial interest after Wilder's exit, but it was a suggestion from Carling Cup winning captain Southgate that led the club to their now-head coach.

"It was Gareth Southgate that said to Steve (Gibson) you should meet Michael Carrick, Gareth had found him very impressive in England camps," head of football Kieran Scott revealed in a Middlesbrough Supporters Forum meeting earlier this month.

That set the ball rolling and although Boro spoke to other candidates, Carrick was always in pole position.

Scott added: "Steve called me and asked what I thought of Michael, and if I thought we should meet him. I said yes, and that we can’t turn down an opportunity to meet someone like that.

"You can tell that he has a real football brain and has great attention to detail and the people he has been around has rubbed off on him in a good way.”

After his appointment was confirmed, what impressed Scott about Carrick and first team coach Jonathan Woodgate was how quickly they put their stamp on Boro.

Only a stoppage time goal denied Boro a point at Preston in Carrick's first game in charge and an impressive five-game unbeaten run followed before defeat at leaders Burnley on Saturday.

Scott said: "What I will credit both Michael and Jonathan with is that they had four days together and in those four days when we went to Preston - even though we lost - you could already see what they were trying to do.

"I must say Woody has also been brilliant, I know Michael takes a lot of the credit and rightly so, but Jonathan behind him has been good."

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Carrick and Woodgate have since been joined by Aaron Danks in the Boro dugout.

Scott said: "He will have a slightly different role to Jonathan. They are both on par with each other.

"Aaron is more a specific individual coach so will put a plan in place for individual players like Isaiah (Jones) or Ryan Giles for example or even some of the older lads.

"I knew of him when he worked at England, and he is really well regarded. I will be honest, I said to Michael, that I didn’t think we’d be able to get him in, but he came because he wanted to and I think the Carrick factor also enticed him.

"You will see over a period of time Aaron addressing and ironing out some of the smaller things players need to improve on."