Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick has admitted playing careers are "irrelevant" in management after Wayne Rooney lost his job at Birmingham.

Rooney, who appeared alongside Carrick for both Manchester United and England, was sacked by the Championship side this week after just 15 games in charge.

The 38-year-old won 13 major trophies as a player, including five Premier League titles and the Champions League but Carrick knows that counts for little once the dugout beckons.

He said: "Of course, it's not easy. It's challenging. 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 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."

However, Carrick is convinced Rooney has too much talent not to emerge from his disappointment at St Andrew's and succeed as a manager.

He said: "I'm bitterly disappointed for Wayne, knowing him as a friend, and I know he'll bounce back, I know he'll be a success.

"He's too good, he's too knowledgeable and he's had too much experience to not use that in the right way."

Boro take on Aston Villa in the FA Cup third round on Saturday evening.