Middlesbrough Manager Michael Carrick Explains Ben Doak Substitution

Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick stated that teenage winger Ben Doak, 18, “needs managing,” defending his choice to substitute the player during the team’s recent match against Norwich City. Doak had previously been with Celtic before joining Liverpool in 2022. Middlesbrough had established a 3-1 lead in the game, but after Doak was removed, they conceded two late goals, resulting in a 3-3 draw. Carrick’s squad, currently ninth in the Championship table, is set to host Coventry City in a Championship fixture on Saturday. Scotland international Doak, who arrived at Middlesbrough in August on a season-long loan from Liverpool, has made 12 appearances for both club and country this season, marking the highest number of senior career appearances he has achieved to date. “Ben is one player of a squad,” Carrick informed BBC Radio Tees. “He is 18 years old and he had a lot of months off injured last year. He hadn’t played a lot of senior football at all, he has played eight games in a row for us, so there is a lot of managing needed to be done,” he added. Middlesbrough has won five of their 12 league games this season. Looking back to the previous term, they have suffered only two losses in their last 12 home league games. Carrick commented, “We have got a good squad, plenty of other players are capable of playing. We are delighted to have Ben, he has started really well. But he is young, we have got to look after him, we have got to take care of him at the right times through the season.”