Middlesbrough man drops manager update

Middlesbrough reporter Craig Johns has claimed that there could be ‘significant movement’ in the appointment of a new manager as early as this weekend.

The Lowdown: Search rumbles on

The Championship side have been in the market to find Chris Wilder’s successor following his sacking and have been linked with several names, including free agents Michael Carrick and Rob Edwards just to name a few.

Interim boss Leo Percovich has been in charge for the Riverside outfit’s last two matches, and will be in the dugout for a third against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday whilst Steve Gibson continues his search.

The Latest: Johns’ managerial update

Asked during a TeessideLive Q&A whether Middlesbrough are likely to have anybody in place for next weekend, Johns responded:

“As I understand it, Boro have interviewed over a dozen candidates for the job since sacking Chris Wilder last Monday. There are some names out there that are legitimate candidates. Michael Carrick and Rob Edwards, for example, have both had interviews.

“The club have tried to remain as secretive on their shortlist as possible for obvious reasons, but I certainly think there is potential that some who have been interviewed are not in the public domain too.

“Hannes Wolf, for example, came really left field and from nowhere at that point and matches a route I suspected they might look at at the start of the process in terms of a young, European coach who is likely to be more accepting of the model.

“In terms of when a new manager/head coach will be in place, we were told they are ‘getting there’ on Wednesday. They’ve not put any timeframe on such a decision and want to do as much as possible to get it right, but the plan was to whittle down the shortlist to a few preferred candidates at the back end of this week and then make a decision from there.

“I would suspect over the weekend/early next week we could see significant movement.”

The Verdict: Patience is key

Middlesbrough’s hunt appears to be a detailed one, and it’s so important that they don’t rush into a decision, making the right appointment for the long term rather than a quick fix.

The northeast side are currently sitting just two points above the relegation zone after a poor start to the season, so will need to hire someone who can provide stability, but a younger coach with an attack-minded vision would certainly be exciting.

The play-offs will undoubtedly be the main target for whoever comes in, which is why this process is absolutely crucial.