CHRIS Wilder might well have been speaking in general but given it was on the eve of Sheffield United's game against Middlesbrough, it was understandably read by some as a comment aimed in the direction of his former side.
Wilder was asked about the importance of a team's toughness and ability to grind out results, regardless of how they play.
"I'd rather have a team that's mentally strong and tough and wants to win than a team that's milky and soft that plays beautiful football,” replied the boss of the side currently top of the Championship.
“End of conversation. I'm a winning football manager."
On several occasions this season, the resilience and toughness of this Boro side has been called into question. Too often have points been thrown away. Too often have Boro been left to wonder how they didn't get more from a game.
They led and dominated at Watford and lost, led 3-1 at Norwich and drew, led Sheffield Wednesday 3-0 at home and drew. You could go on.
Too often have Boro been let down by naivety and not often enough have they found a way to grind out the required result.
Maybe, however, that is starting to change. And maybe Boro are just starting to show that they too actually do possess the qualities Wilder referred to.
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In recent weeks, Boro recovered from conceding an equaliser on the stroke of half-time to comfortably beat Stoke and were rewarded for their patience when they struck a late winner against Derby. There's no doubt they were fortunate at times at Luton but still dug deep to grind out a point that delighted Carrick. And then they came from behind to beat Oxford last week when the pressure was really on.
Are, then, Boro now starting to show their steel rather than focusing on the style?
“You do it in different ways. I think it's a huge quality to have if you want to be successful in whatever way," said boss Carrick.
"It's something that you need as a team and there's no getting away from that. And we spoke long enough about that through the season in different situations.
"We could have, maybe should have, done better. So hopefully we've learned from it. The boys have learned from it and that experience as well.
"Certainly some of the younger players now know what it feels like, know about the expectation, and the hope, and the belief that we can win, and living up to that from ourselves as much as anything.
"And when it gets a little bit tighter and tougher in games, yeah, we've shown some really good signs over recent weeks.
"The picture's going to change a little bit and adapt and evolve as we go for the next few games. But the boys are in a really good place. You can feel it. They're confident, but grounded and ready for the big challenges coming up."
Boro have won four of their last six, form only bettered by Burnley in that period.
So, at the end of what has been a hugely frustrating campaign at times, could Boro actually be coming good at the right time?
“This is a good feeling," said Carrick.
"We're conscious and careful. We're not getting carried away by anything, and assuming now, all of a sudden, it's going to be great.
"When you're in a good way and a good bit of form or a good place, it's important that you try and keep that going in the right way.
"You've got to keep pushing. But it's coming from a good place. The boys are largely playing pretty well, and at the time of the year where you need to be striving, you need to find results, and you need to win games, that's the big challenge ahead."
