Championship Final Weekend Preview
By Ryan Wrenn
Middlesbrough
Likely Season Result Currently 3rd with sufficient points total to earn at least a spot in the promotion playoffs
Manager Aitor Karanka
Many cite Middlesbrough’s time in the Premier League in the mid-90s as a major factor in the rise of the often insane transfer dealings we see today. They pioneered not only the purchase of foreign players to play in the English top flight, but also paying top dollar for that talent. While the then-revolutionary policy brought them some success in the 90s through the early 00s, the club has faltered in recent years. They’ve resided in the Championship since 2009 and have struggled to remain competitive ever since. Last season’s appointment of Jose Mourniho’s former assistant at Real Madrid, Aitor Karanka, heralded a concentrated rebuilding effort on the part of the ownership. Karanka is the first non-British manager of the club and he’s brought with him a sizable rolodex. Beyond being able to attract the signatures of some of his Spanish countrymen, his relationship with Mourinho has helped grease the wheels on two loans from the London club. One such loanee, 21 year old Patrick Bamford, scored 17 goals from Middlesbrough’s front line on his way to earning the Championship Player of the Year award. More important than any one player, though, has been Karanka’s tactics. He’s brought with him the lessons he’s learned as a player in Spain and from Mourinho’s tutelage. His side plays an energetic, reactive game while also being responsible in the back: Middlesbrough holds the best defensive record of any team in the Championship, conceding less than a goal a game. Such strengths saw Boro through a deep run in the FA Cup, beating Manchester City at the Etihad along the way.
Prediction Middlesbrough don’t need to win their game against Brighton Saturday to ensure a spot in the promotion playoff, though they’d most certainly like to finish third to ensure a better matchup in the first playoff round.