AGNEW’S GOING FOR IT
PREMIER LEAGUE Boss after goals to rescue Boro
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STEVE AGNEW is ready to throw off the shackles as Middlesbrough fight for Premier League survival.
If Boro do go down, it will be with all guns blazing rather than sleepwalking their way towards relegation as they were under sacked boss Aitor Karanka.
Former No.2 Agnew will recall Stewart Downing against Manchester United tomorrow and hinted that the winger, frozen out towards the end of Karanka’s time in charge, has a big role to play.
The 51-year-old was close to the Spaniard and admitted to feeling emotional when owner Steve Gibson ended his three-and-a-half years in charge on Thursday.
But Agnew clearly has very different ideas to his old boss, with goals at the top of his agenda.
“It’s obvious to everyone we need to score a goal and win a game,” said Agnew, who has drafted in the vastly experienced Joe Jordan as his assistant.
Ideas
“Everybody has different ideas in football and I see myself as being a creative coach. “By nature, I am positive although I understand the difficulty of the opponent. I have to have a balanced view. But I know I am capable of drip-feeding ideas into this group that will play dividends.” Boro have scored just three times in 10 games and have drawn blanks in their last three. The game-plan this weekend is designed to end that miserable sequence. Agnew says he will take inspiration from Craig Shakespeare’s salvage job at Leicester and while he refuses to look beyond tomorrow’s game, the former Blackburn, Sunderland and Foxes midfielder believes he’s ready for frontline management. “I’m very confident carrying out my duties,” he said. “It’s always difficult deciding when to take over the key role but for the past year or so, I’ve felt that’s what I want. “I’m just desperate to do well for Steve Gibson, who I’ve had a long relationship with, the fans and this club. “I think I’ve served my time. It’s something I have always wanted to do and I am determined to make a success of it. “I can see the comparisons with Craig Shakespeare and if I can be as successful as he has been in his three games, then everyone will be happy. “I do believe we will stay in the Premier League.”