Real Football Man All of the Football, All of the time
Middlesbrough search for a new manager has finally come to an end after three months with the news that Garry Monk is to fill the Riverside Stadium hotseat. The vacancy had been available since March when Aitor Karanka was sacked with the club hurtling towards relegation.
In the interim Steve Agnew took caretaker charge but was helpless to stop ‘Boro as they finished second bottom in the Premier League and comprised a northern trio of teams being relegated after being joined by Hull and basement club Sunderalnd.
In regards to a successor for the former Real Madrid defender Karanka, chairman Steve Gibson was prepared to take his time to get the right man. Part of that would have been an enforced decision due to a lack of names forthcoming at the end of last season but also because it was felt that once their status was known for next season they had to make sure to get the right man installed,
And that man is the former Leeds boss Garry Monk, the 38 year old had to make do with the ignominy of missing out on the Championship play-offs by virtue of finishing in seventh place. No sooner had the season finished then Monk had walked from Elland Road.
Reportedly the man who also has top flight managerial experience with Swansea was in something of hot demand as Sunderland were also monitoring his status with close interest but with this news coming out of Teesside it is even more disappointment for the Black Cats as of late.
The obvious task that Monk will be told to achieve is a return to the top flight at the first time of asking, he will have to do so with a different looking squad to the one that went down with Victor Valdes and Brad Guzan recently departing while Alvaro Negredo returned to his parent club Valencia.
It is believed that Steve Gibson and the Middlesbrough board carried out interviews earlier in the week with it boiling down to a straight fight between Monk and the former Leicester manager Nigel Pearson. This time around ‘Boro have gone with a younger manager in the hope that not only can he get them back in the Premier League but also build foundations at the club for years to come.
