There was an element of fear among Middlesbrough fans in early November.
Rob Edwards, the catalyst behind the club’s best-ever start to a Championship season, has been lured away from Wolves.
A desperate search followed to find his successor, someone who could gain momentum.
And two weeks later, Kim Hellberg arrived. He didn’t just gain momentum, he took Boro to a whole new level.
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While Edwards’ compact and dedicated unit, Hellberg’s Boro is more expansive and expressive. They won his first four games in charge on the bounce, scoring 11 goals in that period.
The Christmas season saw them pick up just one point from their next four games and fail to score in any of their festive games.
However, when they visited Southampton in early January, they scored 4 goals in the second half and won 5 games in a row.
“I know full well that Kim Helberg is not a director to panic.” sky sports says expert Tommy Smith, a loan manager based in Middlesbrough. “He really isn’t like that. I’ve been in games where there hasn’t been a result and there have been plays the whole game.
“At times Boro were unlucky not to score, but the structure was always in place and they never panicked. Then they showed their level of performance with a 4-0 win against Southampton. That winning style set Boro up for the second part of the season.”
Many thought Boro were the team that could be dethroned by Ipswich in the top two, but it now looks like they could dethrone Coventry and take the title.
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The Sky Sports Essential EFL Podcast takes a preview of the Sheffield United v Middlesbrough match.
Hellberg performed incredibly well.
The manager himself has been pleased with how things have progressed since his arrival, especially considering his change of style mid-season.
“Nine out of 13 wins is an unbelievable win,” he said. sky sports Ahead of the trip to Sheffield United on Monday night. We scored a lot of goals and won a lot of points. I am very proud of what we have achieved together and the way the team has played.
“When you move abroad for the first time, you never really know what to expect until you experience it, especially over the Christmas period. Looking back, I am proud of how the way I want to play football is communicated to the players and how they express themselves.
“What I’m most proud of is that we changed our style of play mid-season. The numbers we see, from previous coaches to me, are almost all different. It’s not a question of right or wrong, it’s just a difference in the way we play.
“When I arrived we were still in a good position, but now we are doing things in a different way. We try to be an attacking and attacking team. We want to take the game into our own hands, trust ourselves rather than the opponent, trust our feet.”
“We went from being the team with the most possessions to being the team with the most balls in possession, going from creating fewer chances to creating the most chances from open play and scoring the most goals. Possession alone doesn’t win games, but it’s linked to how we believe we can be most successful.”
‘He worked to make us a better team’
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Tommy Conway has praised Kim Helberg’s influence at Middlesbrough since taking charge in November.
One player who exemplifies Middlesbrough’s spirit this season is striker Tommy Conway.
He may not always be a good scorer, but his hard work and effort are invaluable to Hellberg’s system.
“The impact he has had on me in a short period of time, both in football and in everyday life, has been enormous,” Conway told Sky Sports. “I feel like I’ve made tremendous progress and I can’t thank him enough.
“When he came in, he said we were doing a lot of good things and he just wanted to add a few more things. That’s what he’s done. Even if we win two games, he’s still picking out little areas where we can improve. He’s working to make us better as a team and individually and I can’t speak highly enough of him.
“The bond and camaraderie within the group is unbelievable. A lot of lads say it’s the best they’ve ever had, which speaks volumes about what kind of group we are. This is a special group, and when we go out on the pitch we fight for each other.
“The manager has come in and implemented his style and personality, and the players want to play for him. To me, they are like my brothers. I want to fight and win for them, the fans, the staff and everyone at the club. Being friends makes it even more special.”
‘He has made clear progress’
Andy Hinchcliffe on Sky Sports:
“There will be no shortage of coaches wanting to take charge of a Championship club with that squad and position after Rob leaves.
“Boro took their time to find the right man. If you look at how Hellberg’s Hammarby team played, they were aggressive on the front foot to dominate the ball. That’s what he brought to Middlesbrough, with a clear improvement from when Rob was there.
“They needed to be more aggressive going forward and that’s exactly what they have been. The change in coaching has energized them and looks like they have improved rather than created uncertainty.”
“The dressing rooms seemed very close and Hellberg accepted that. We got the right coach, the right style and the right group of players, so it was a perfect fit.”
