MICHAEL Carrick has wished Tony Mowbray well for the future after his Sunderland sacking - and while he doesn't profess to knowing the ins and outs of happenings at the Stadium of Light, managerial exits elsewhere make him even more appreciative of the "fantastic" support he has at Middlesbrough.

Former Boro captain and manager Mowbray was sacked by Sunderland on Monday, despite a top six finish last season and the Black Cats currently sitting just three points off the play-off places.

Carrick said: "In the position I’m in, it’s never nice to see a fellow manager or head coach lose their job for whatever reason.

"I know Tony and I’ve spoken to him over a period of time from being here. We’ve played against him a few times, he’s a good man. It’s unfortunate, it’s part of the business now and the sport but it’s never nice. I don’t know what’s going on there, it’s not for me to comment but I wish Tony all the best in whatever is next for him."

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Mowbray's exit was more to do with a long-standing recruitment issue at Sunderland and a disagreement on the vision of the club rather than results on the pitch, but developments on Wearside highlighted to Carrick the "fortunate position" he finds himself in at Boro - where he's on the same wavelength as club bosses in terms of the long-term plan and had the full backing of those above him through the difficult early weeks of the season when he side were winless and at the bottom of the Championship.

He said: "There’s no hiding from the fact everyone wants results here and now. That’s the modern world. Everyone wants everything straight away.

"Patience is getting less and less. That’s how it is. I understand that in terms of my role here. I have fantastic support inside the club in terms of patience and trying to build something and working together.

"I feel very fortunate to be in that position and don’t really feel that pressure from within the club. There’s pressure from myself to want to win, to do things better, I’m in a very fortunate position."