AS one of the finest midfield players of his generation, Michael Carrick never really had to worry about spending time on the substitutes’ bench. As a head coach, however, he has quickly had to learn that handling the players who are out of the team is often more important than dealing with the members of his starting XI.

An unhappy squad is generally an unsuccessful one, so while Carrick has been delighted with his Middlesbrough side’s performances in the last few months, he has been even more impressed by the strength of the team ethic that has evolved within his first-team group.

From the moment he walked through the door at Boro’s Rockliffe Park training ground, Carrick sensed he had inherited a squad that was pulling in the same direction. And while there have been ups and downs in the last three months, he has seen nothing to dissuade him from that view.

“The boys have been unbelievable,” said Carrick. “I’ve not had one issue, not any bad attitude, not anyone causing a fuss. Yes, there’s been disappointment, 100 per cent, and you should be disappointed when you’re not playing.

“But they’ve not shown that towards me in any way or towards the coaching staff or any of the other players. I think that’s credit to every single of one of them. I keep saying it, but that’s the spirit of the group.

“It’s not clouding over the fact that boys want to play, especially when the team is doing well and you want to be part of it. But since I walked through the door, they’ve been absolutely first class, every one of them. The standard of training has been going up and up, and it’s really competitive in a good way, with the lads all driving each other.”

Carrick has not shied away from making bold decisions during his time as Boro boss, which has meant some previously key performers finding themselves on the bench for prolonged periods.

Dael Fry, Isaiah Jones and Matt Crooks were all named among the substitutes for last weekend’s 3-0 win over Blackpool, with Anfernee Dijksteel not even making the matchday squad of 18.

Paddy McNair found himself on the bench for the best part of three months in the autumn, but the Northern Irishman got his chance when Darragh Lenihan was ruled out of last month’s game against Millwall and found himself back in the team when Fry was suspended following his dismissal against Sunderland.

Having impressed in the win over Watford, McNair retained his place for last weekend’s win over Blackpool, scoring Boro’s third goal, and Carrick is happy to use the centre-half as an example of how he wants his players to conduct themselves when they are out of the team.

“Everyone’s got each other’s backs, and the biggest thing I can say is that in and around the changing room on a matchday, whether the boys are playing, subs or haven’t even made the bench, the support they give each other is incredible,” he said. “From the subs’ bench, the noise I can hear, and the encouragement and how happy they are for the boys, is brilliant.

“They’re so supportive when they’re not on the pitch, even to the other lads that are in their position, and that just sums up where we’re at. We’re going to need that to be successful, I’ve said that all along.

“I understand it’s not easy when you’re not in the team, but to have that is powerful and it then puts you in a great frame of mind when you do get your chance because you’re right in it, you’re part of it and you’re just as important as anyone else."