So what is in store for Boro and its fans next season?

MIDDLESBROUGH have begun the process of looking for the next head coach after sacking Michael Carrick earlier this week.

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The club are understood to have begun sounding out potential candidates and are also receiving applications as they get an early idea of who may or may not be interested in taking up the vacant role at the Riverside next season.

Eventually, a shortlist will be drawn up of the outstanding candidates who will then be interviewed more formally before a decision is made on who will be Boro’s next manager.

Unsurprisingly, there is already plenty of speculation around who may or may not be in the running for the role. Suggestions Robbie Keane was offered but turned down the role are wide of the mark, with the Gazette understanding that no one has yet been offered the role.

Steve Cooper, who was the early favourite, however, has indicated that he won't be applying and has his sights set on a role abroad this summer. As this all goes on, the Gazette’s Boro correspondent Craig Johns hosted a live Q&A on Thursday afternoon, as he answered some of the questions that Boro fans wanted answering after the club’s decision to sack Carrick. Below is a recap.

Are suggestions that Boro tried to force a new assistant coach on Carrick true?

At this stage, the exact reasons Boro decided to sack Michael Carrick are not known. What we know is that there was a review into last season’s failures, but the noise surrounding that review was initially that the preference would be for Carrick to remain in post.

The caveat to that was that there were going to be changes needed and Carrick staying rested on him accepting the changes suggested.

What we don’t know at this stage is what the review found and whether it was a case that the inquest made them come to the conclusion that change was needed, or if changes were put to Carrick, he wasn’t receptive, and therefore the club had no choice but to end his time in charge.