TWO-WAY BATTLE FOR BORO JOB
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MIDDLESBROUGH may be down to a shortlist of three as chairman Steve Gibson deliberates on finding the right man to lead a promotion assault next season.
However, if the betting is to be believed, it’s a straight contest between former Boro skipper Nigel Pearson and ex-Leeds United boss Garry Monk.
Current caretaker-manager Steve Agnew will also be considered, but it appears that Monk and Pearson are the leading contenders.
It was revealed a few days ago that Pearson was to be interviewed for the job this week.
The only reason for a delay in the interview taking place was that Pearson was not due to return from holiday until this weekend.
It might have been a straightforward decision for Gibson but the shock resignation of Monk at Elland Road on Thursday has opened up the race.
Certainly Boro will have made approaches to Monk’s agent to set up a meeting.
As far as both the Boro chairman and the fans are concerned it’s a win-win situation.
Both Pearson and Monk will be high on the list of any wish list on Teesside.
Whoever gets the job, Gibson’s strong commitment towards getting things right this summer is there for all to see.
The chairman is as disappointed as anybody that Boro have been relegated after just one season in the Premier League.
And he knows that the appointment of a potentially-successful new manager is crucial to Boro’s chances of winning promotion at the first attempt.
Pearson’s name has regularly cropped up over the last few years whenever there have been managerial openings at the Boro.
The former skipper was regularly mentioned by the media in the build-up to Tony Mowbray being awarded the job, and similarly before Aitor Karanka’s appointment.
Pearson has plenty of experience when it comes to winning promotion with the Boro.
He captained the side to two promotions during the Bryan Robson-era, not to mention skippering the team in three domestic cup finals at Wembley.
Pearson is a no-nonsense manager who doesn’t suffer fools gladly and will soon sort out the stronger members of the squad from those who might not have the stomach for another promotion fight – which will be Boro’s third in four years.
He likes to work closely with his players on the training ground and gradually develop a team work ethic.
Pearson did this at Leicester, where he earned many accolades for masterminding the Foxes’ remarkable lastgasp Premier League survival battle.
There are many who believe that Pearson’s contribution towards creating a new mindset within the squad was unfairly overlooked when Claudio Ranieri took the Foxes to the title following Pearson’s departure.
Nigel’s last job was at Derby County, where he became increasingly frustrated by outside interference within the squad, which including a drone flying over the Derby training pitch and filming Pearson and the players at work.
I don’t expect we’ll see any unidentified drones over the Rockliffe Park training pitches next season. Pearson and Steve Gibson are unlikely ever to end up on a collision course, even though both men are not shy at speaking their minds when the time is right. Gibson likes to take a back seat and allow his managers to manage, despite providing 100 per cent backing whenever necessary. There is a complication with Monk because he may well be courted by more clubs than Boro.
Having built the best Leeds side for several years, he has quit at a time when there are several enticing managerial vacancies.
For starters, there are potential openings in the Premier League with West Ham, Southampton and Watford.
Monk has already proved himself at the top level with Swansea City.
And, in addition to the job at the Boro, fellow Championship sides Hull City and Sunderland are also looking for new men at the helm.
If Monk indicates his willingness to come to Boro, following talks with Gibson, then it will create a dilemma of the best kind for the chairman.
Boro have already moved swiftly to put interviews into place but there will be no decision without extensive deliberation.
The chairman does have some time on his hands, but not a great deal. He must have the new man in position so that he can assess both his inherited squad in addition to trying to find the right kind of players to improve the overall quality.
The longer that the new boss is given to plan a promotion push then the better the chance that Boro will be in a position to hit the ground running in August.