Friday, 29 November 2013

Can Karanka Save Boro?

Aitor Karanka will be greeted by a hero’s welcome when he makes his much anticipated appearance at the Riverside tomorrow afternoon, as he embarks on his mission to rescue Boro’s fading season.  

After 16 league games Boro sit 19th in the Championship table on 16 points, half the points that they had accumulated at this stage last year.

Chairman Steve Gibson with his new manager Aitor Karanka
Dating back to their relegation from the Premier League back in 2008 Boro’s sinking fortunes have forced Chairman and local fan Steve Gibson to adopt a new approach by appointing Boro’s first foreign manager in a bid to return to England’s top flight .

His decision to appoint Karanka as Tony Mowbray’s successor is no questionably a risk, but a calculated one at least. At 40 years of age Karanka has learnt his traits at the very top making 93 appearances for Spanish giants Real Madrid along with two spells at Athletic Bilbao.      
 
His managerial career began in 2008, on the periphery of the Spanish national team; taking charge of the Spain under 16 side for two years embedding the foundations and philosophy of the Spanish game. Now look at them five years down line.

That set Karanka up nicely for a new role back at Madrid as Jose Mourinho’s assistant, a stand out on any CV. With the so called ”special one” Karanka helped guide his former club to a La Liga title and their first Copa Del Rey for eight years while also reaching two Champions League semi-finals.

After three years as Mouirinho’s apprentice, like Steve Clarke and Andre Villas-Boas, Karanka now prepares for a career of his own, but will his apparent class and elegance be enough to hurl Boro back to the targeted Premier League.

Many will view the current season as a diminishing lost cause and that Karanka’s aim will be to rebuild a side ready to compete at the right end of the Championship next campaign.

However Karanka has taken no time at all in stamping his own mark, he may only have been in the job a fortnight but already reports claim the Spaniard has introduced new high intensity training methods and has been working the players harder than ever. Maybe the season isn’t lost after all.

With his new players Karanka looks set to establish a team with a high tempo, determined to close players down and win the ball back quickly. As a former defender Karanka should also be able to sort out some of Boro defensive mishaps which have been a frequent setback this season.

Despite his opening match defeat away at Leeds; Karanka claimed that he was happy with the efforts of the team and ticket sales for his first home game have already passed the 17,500 mark, and the club still hope they can surpass the 22,000 that were present for the 4-0 victory over Doncaster earlier this season.


Karanka’s first game at the Riverside is against a Bolton side who have won their last three away games, while Boro are without a win in their last three, something Karanka will hope to put right tomorrow afternoon. 

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