Karanka says he can learn from Pulis
AITOR KARANKA has seen first-hand how much mentor Jose Mourinho admires Tony Pulis.
Middlesbrough boss Karanka, Mourinho’s former No. 2 at Real Madrid, witnessed the warmth between the Manchester United manager and West Brom counterpart Pulis at a recent gettogether of the great and the good.
Karanka rates Pulis as well and, as they prepare to meet head-on at The Hawthorns today, he admits he can learn from the ex-Stoke and Crystal Palace boss – like he has done from Mourinho.
Karanka, who has led Boro back into the Premier League after a seven-year absence, recalls his first encounter with Pulis.
He said: “I met him in my first season here at the League Managers’ Association dinner.
“When I came here, he went to Crystal Palace and we had a really good chat then. I knew his record and, after that, we had a really good relationship.
“We were together two or three weeks ago at the managers’ meeting in Manchester. For me, he is the kind of manager I have to learn from. His record is amazing.
“I could see, because Jose was there at that meeting, that they had a really good relationship.’’
Karanka has enough confidence in his own ability to get the best out of the bargain big-name signings who are helping to restore Boro’s top-flight profile.
He signed former Manchester City striker Alvaro Negredo on loan from Valencia, plus ex-Barcelona and Manchester United keeper Victor Valdes and Aston Villa shotstopper Brad Guzan on free transfers.
And midfield playmaker Gaston Ramirez, loaned to Boro last season from Southampton, returned to Teesside as a free agent.
Karanka said: “Negredo, and other players who didn’t perform the way they used to perform, are in the right environment here with the right people and it’s just about trying to bring the best from them.
“We were lucky. When someone called me and said Gaston wanted to come here, someone told me Negredo wanted to come here, or Valdes or Guzan, to bring players like them – their value is millions and millions – and they’re coming here not for a big transfer, it’s perfect because I feel capable of recovering them.”