Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick has admitted that playing careers have minimal impact on managerial success.

The Manchester United hero has seen his old teammate Wayne Rooney lose his job at Birmingham City.

Carrick nearly got Boro promoted last season, but has seen his side slip into mid-table this term.

Asked about management, he told reporters: “Yes, of course it's not easy, it's challenging.

“Player or no player, it almost becomes irrelevant in some way, you are judged for how good or how successful you are or what you're achieving in the role that you're in.

“Me currently in this role and the fact that I played a little bit and had some experience, yes that will help and hopefully it will help me to understand certain situations. But ultimately the fact that I played a little bit…

“It's me sitting here now, the boys are playing on Saturday, I'm in a totally different role.

"It in some ways becomes irrelevant what's gone on in the past, it's about what's next."