Ex-Middlesbrough manager Tony Pulis has a message for Boro and Steve Gibson

Former Middlesbrough manager Tony Pulis has been heaping praise on Boro chairman Steve Gibson - and he also has a message for Michael Carrick ahead of the new season.

Defeat at Coventry City on the final Saturday of the season ended any play-off Championship hopes and Boro ended the campaign in 10th place – a huge disappointment for their fans following an inconsistent second half of the season.

Ahead of the new campaign, former boss Pulis has identified some areas they need to improve in - while also praising the owner for his unrelenting support.

Pulis told www.olbg.com: “I don’t have the stats, but I think Middlesbrough have thrown away so many leads in games they’ve been winning over the season. It'd be interesting to see how many points they've actually dropped from a winning position. So that's something Michael Carrick would have to look at.

“Then being a little bit critical, maybe that strength down the middle of the pitch, that real solid strength to see you through the games. But, I've got great respect for Steve Gibson. He's a smashing man.

“The amount of money that Steve has put into that football club. I met an ex chairman of mine as well in London yesterday just for a coffee, Steve Lansdowne. And then you've got the Coates family at Stoke, British owners and owners who live in those areas who have pumped millions and millions and millions of pounds into their football clubs.

“Sometimes they don't get appreciated the way they should be appreciated. And I'll tell you now, having done the rounds myself, it's really, really great working with people who actually come from the area and understand the support.

“Football is very, very tribal and it's one of the greatest strengths in this country, that's why we've got great leagues because whether you're at Northampton or whatever, the supporters support their football club and their football team and they'll travel up and down the country to watch them every Saturday.

“Having your own owners who come from that area and understand that area and understand the principles within that area is just amazing and like I say, today especially, people take things for granted so much.

“Those three clubs I've just mentioned, there's only three of them, and I'm sure there's more there. The people I know, they should be so grateful to their owners because they have put their own money into not only the football clubs but into the area as well. For Middlesbrough, keeping hold of leads would be the thing. Down the middle of the pitch, the backbone of the team. When you're in winning positions, to stay in winning positions you need a very, very strong core.”