IN the world of football management nothing should come as a surprise.

But Coventry City's sacking of Mark Robins this week was met by astonishment across the board in the game.

It was only six days ago that Robins guided Coventry to a 3-0 victory at Middlesbrough, and while the Sky Blues have endured a difficult start to the season, the Championship's longest serving manager had plenty of goodwill in the bank having led City on a quite remarkable resurrection during recent years.

It was quite fitting, really, given Coventry's repeated recent joy against Boro that Robins' last win in charge came at the Riverside.

Considering Michael Carrick was winless in six games against Coventry, including, of course, those play-off games at the end of the 2022/23 season, you'd understand if Boro's boss was relieved to not be coming up against Robins again any time soon.

But that doesn't mean he wasn't gutted and stunned by this week's developments, for Carrick revealed Robins - another ex-Manchester United player - has been hugely supportive ever since he arrived at Boro two years ago.

"It was really unfortunate and sad to hear," said Carrick of Coventry's decision on Thursday.

"Listen, I know when we've come up against him we haven't had a great record but the way he's gone about it and the contact I've had with him, he's been fantastic with me.

"I've been really impressed with him. I'm really sorry to see him go. He's done an unbelievable job, to be there seven years and carry them though the experiences and the highs they've had. It was a sad day. I liked him a lot and still do. I'm sure he'll be back and successful in the future."

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Robins' Coventry departure means Carrick is now the second longest serving manager in the Championship.

Only Paul Warne at Derby has been in his current position for longer than Boro's boss and Carlos Corberan at West Brom and Rob Edwards at Luton are the only others to pass the two-year mark.

Proof of the bonkers business managers find themselves in?

"Maybe it is. I don't think about it that way, to be honest," said Carrick, who knows he's fortunate to take his first steps in management at a club like Boro.

"We're totally focused on trying to improve things here and seeing where that can take us.

"It's the only way to do it. I'm lucky to be here at a club that backs us the way they do and that is so stable. It is, when you throw it at me like that, a little bit strange, but that's the business I suppose."