AS head coach, Michael Carrick has inevitably and deservedly received plenty of praise for Middlesbrough's transformation on his watch, but takes every opportunity to divert the credit elsewhere.

And it isn't just the team on the pitch that have been key to the turnaround this season, says Carrick, but those around him in the dugout.

Unlike plenty of managers who arrive at new clubs armed with their own backroom staff, the fact Boro was Carrick's first job as a head coach meant he needed to assemble his coaching team at the Riverside.

He was immediately joined by former manager Jonathan Woodgate, who returned to Boro as first team coach, and was greeted by a familiar face at Rockliffe in the form of goalkeeper coach Alan Fettis, who Carrick knows well from their time together at Manchester United.

Grant Leadbitter is a key figure in Carrick's team. He rejoined the club last year as an individual development coach but stepped up to the first team coaching set-up after the exit of Chris Wilder and Carrick was keen to keep him there. The former captain therefore continued in his hybrid role, working with the first team and the academy and providing a link between the two. He’s very well thought of at the club.

During the World Cup break, Carrick then added former Aston Villa coach and caretaker manager Aaron Danks to his team.

All of the above are very different characters, but that is what makes it work, says Carrick.

"I have to say, the office, the coaches, the staff that we have behind the scenes, they’re all fantastic," said the head coach.

"Coaching-wise, there is Woody, Aaron, Grant and Fetts - Fetts who I know from United, of course. I played against Grant many times as well. Then I knew Woody and Danksy.

"We’re all different personalities and therefore sometimes see games a little bit differently. There is such a fine balance when you’re bringing together people who see the game a little differently. I think we can all watch a game or look at even just a 30-second clip and all see something totally different. And that gives us a really good balance.

"It’s never a case of colliding, it just kind of fits. We trust our eyes and we all have a great work ethic in terms of wanting to be better. As a dynamic and blend of a coaching staff, I couldn’t ask for anything more. I’m delighted with it."

What Carrick doesn't want in his coaching team is yes-man. He wants to be challenged and takes on board everything his backroom team say to him.

Woodgate and Danks are often seen in close communication during games with the head coach, who rarely leaves the technical area.

Leadbitter tends to watch games from up-high with the club's analysts, who also have a pivotal role to play. They then relay messages from their viewpoint down to the dugout.

And the role of Fettis is crucial as well. In Carrick's team, the goalkeeper is not only the last line of defence but the starting point of attacks, evidenced by Zack Steffen's role in the opening goal against Preston North End at the weekend.

Boro have been transformed from strugglers that seemed destined for a relegation battle into automatic promotion contenders under Carrick and his coaching team. And while the head coach has stressed to his players to not settle on what on what they've already achieved and to keep striving to improve, he says the approach is exactly the same in the dugout.

"I 100% trust all of my staff and completely understand that it’s not a case of me trying to do everything for myself," says Carrick.

"I’ve got big belief and trust in them, so when they do say something or suggest something, I always take it on board.

"I want them to do that as well. I don’t want them to be there just agreeing with everything I say because it’s pointless them being there for that. Going back to why it’s a good dynamic, it’s because they sometimes see things differently and they have different ideas, which I really trust from all of them.

"We share the load, we’re very open with each other, and we all want to become better as coaches as well. We’re constantly, as well as the players and pushing them to improve, we’re pushing each other to be better and testing each other as well, which is great."