Carrick Defends Iheanacho After Leeds Loss, Urges Fans to Stay Supportive
Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick has asked fans to show more support for Kelechi Iheanacho, after the Nigerian striker was booed by some supporters during Boro’s 1-0 home defeat to Leeds United.
Iheanacho, who joined the club in January, was taken off in the second half and replaced by Morgan Whittaker. The Super Eagles forward struggled to make an impact in the game and received jeers from parts of the crowd as he walked off the pitch — something Carrick said he was not happy about.
“I don’t know what the mad fuss is about, to be honest,” Carrick told The Northern Echo.
“He’s been part of a team that’s won a lot of games recently. He created two goals at Blackburn and scored the game before that – a really important goal for us. We need to keep things in perspective.”
Carrick reminded fans of Iheanacho’s recent good form, saying the striker has played a key role in Boro’s strong run of results before the Leeds game.
He also spoke about the 27-year-old’s best position on the pitch, saying Iheanacho is more effective when playing behind the main striker, where he can create and score goals.
“It’s a natural position for him. He’s a threat. He links up well, sees passes, and can play people through. He’s done it throughout his career,” Carrick said.
“We let our attacking players move freely. They’re not stuck in one position – we want them to be creative and express themselves.”
Carrick’s thoughts match the views of former Nigeria U17 coach Manu Garba, who also believes Iheanacho is most dangerous when given freedom to play just behind the striker.
As Middlesbrough prepare to face Millwall, Carrick hopes the home crowd will rally behind players like Iheanacho, helping them regain confidence and continue pushing for results.
