Two Replacements For Aitor Karanka Who Middlesbrough Can Target
With Aitor Karanka long gone along with Premier League football, Middlesbrough fans will feel like they are rather back to square one.
It is not surprising to see Boro back at Championship level and looking for a new head coach to take them back to the top. Steve Agnew did OK at the back end of last season but is not really seen as the man for the job on the long-term.
Here we look at the two best options Middlesbrough can target as their new coach for next season.
Garry Monk
Could there be a bit of a job-swap on the cards? The former Leeds manager walked out of his job at Elland Road, as times at Leeds ultimately seem to be no less tumultuous as they usually are. Karanka did the same at Boro last season and looks like he is heading to West Yorkshire and surely Monk would jump at the chance to fill his shoes on Teesside.
The 38-year-old is still learning his trade and is getting better all the time. He proved, especially in the first half of last season, that when given the right tools he can take his team to the higher reaches of the Championship and at Boro, he should have plenty of ammunition.
His 53 games in charge of Leeds are fresh in the football community’s memory, but it’s his 77 in charge of Swansea City people should be less hasty in forgetting. His grounding at that club means his sides produce a good quality of football, something that is appreciated at Middlesbrough and let’s not forget his points-per-game of 1.30 in the Premier League is not bad at all, considering the club hardly did much better after his exit.
Nigel Pearson
The other main candidate is a rather divisive former Derby, Leicester, and Hull manager. His overall points-per-game ratio is not too impressive and it seems his managerial reputation was surviving on his short time at Leicester, though after his resignation in 2015 it can hardly be said the club struggled without him!
At this level, Pearson would be a solid choice and would take no prisoners among the Boro squad. A more forward-thinking coach with an attractive style of play is most definitely favoured.
