'We perhaps didn't feel we were going to move in we all ... hoped for'

HEAD OF FOOTBALL OPENS UP ON CARRICK SACKING

- By CRAIG JOHNS [e-mail] @craig_johns

KIERAN Scott has explained for the first time why Middlesbrough decided to sack Michael Carrick this summer, while hinting at issues in alignment after a difficult January transfer window.

Boro brought Carrick's two-and-a-half-year tenure at the club to an end in June after a lengthy summer review into the failings of last season. Boro had finished disappointingly in tenth position their second-worst finish in the last decade - marking a continued decline since Carrick's appointment.

The review took a number of weeks to conclude and, at the time, frustrated many supporters, some of whom even questioned its authenticity.

Detailing why it took so long, and why the decision was ultimately made to sack Carrick, however, Boro's head of football was open but respectful of the Manchester United legend.

In the first public comment about the decision from a Boro official, Scott told BBC Tees this week: "It was a deci sion that was made between Steve [Gibson], Neil [Bausor] and myself that we wanted to review what had gone on the season before. We were disap pointed to finish tenth, we were disappointed to finish eighth the season before.

"We were worried we weren't really showing signs of progressing. It was a lengthy review because, to be fair to Michael and the guys, they deserved that. They'd been with us for two and a bit years, so it wasn’t something we were just going to do overnight.

“We gave them plenty of opportunity for us all to have a big discussion about how we saw things going forward. It did take a little bit of time, for sure, but on the basis that we wanted to make sure we did the right thing. Michael deserved that.