Former England international Darren Bent believes Michael Carrick should stay at Middlesbrough even if West Ham United offer him a chance in a Premier League dugout, speaking to talkSPORT (6 March, 5.30pm).
Last month, both Leeds and Southampton missed out on their leading managerial targets before handing short-term deals to Javi Gracia and Ruben Selles; the likes of Marcelo Gallardo and Arne Slot opting against joining a club battling against the rising tide of relegation with two-thirds of the season gone.
Carrick, Bent says, would benefit from doing the same. That is, in the admittedly purely-hypothetical situation that West Ham turn to a former midfielder to take over from the increasingly-beleaguered David Moyes at the London Stadium.
West Ham and Middlesbrough, after all, may be exchanging divisions if current form is maintained.
“I think if you had the option, (I would pick) Michael Carrick all day long,” Bent said when asked about the prospect of life-after-Moyes for the relegation-threatened Hammers.
“Middlesbrough are absolutely flying. (If I were him) I am sticking with Middlesbrough.”
Would Michael Carrick replace David Moyes at West Ham?
A 5-0 thumping of Reading on Saturday saw Boro climb back above Blackburn Rovers and into third-place. Carrick, in his first ever senior managerial role, has 14 wins from 20 games. A statistic made all-the-more remarkable when you consider Middlesbrough were floundering at the opposite end of the table when the vastly more experienced Chris Wilder was sacked in October.
“Carrick at West Ham ain’t a bad shout, you know,” adds former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara.
West Ham, while Middlesbrough were rattling in the goals, found themselves on the other end of a lopsided scoreline. Brighton hammered the Hammers 4-0 at the Amex; chants of ‘you’re getting sacked in the morning’ ringing out from a furious away support.
Bent, however, believes West Ham should stick with a man who guided them clear of the drop zone back in 2019/20.
you look at the last time they were in trouble. Who did they turn to? David Moyes. You’re better off just sticking with him,” the one-time striker told talkSPORT a few weeks back.
“(West Ham) finished seventh last year. I know they’re struggling but they played a lot of games last year, with the European stuff.
“They are still in a great position to win the UEFA Conference League. I get that their form is not great. But I would probably stick with David Moyes until at least the end of the season.
“He’s been in this situation with this club before. He knows how to get out of it. If they get a couple of wins, they’d be out of the relegation zone.
“I would probably keep him.”
