New Middlesbrough head coach Rob Edwards has admitted that he was waiting on a job which would give him a ‘good chance’ of success following his appointment earlier today.
It’s been nearly three weeks since Michael Carrick was relieved of his duties at the Riverside Stadium. The decision was made following an end-of-season review which saw Boro finish 10th and miss out on a place in the play-offs for the second successive season.
Failure to earn promotion means that the Teessiders will spend a ninth successive campaign in the Championship, whereas they have just the one solitary season in the Premier League since 2009. As such, Edwards has long been touted for the position after he achieved success with Luton Town in 2023.
The 42-year-old has been out of work since leaving Kenilworth Road in January and has agreed a three-year deal.
Edwards Reveals Excitement At Challenges Ahead
The former Welsh international has been linked with a number of roles over the past few months. Despite the disappointing end to his time at Luton, his reputation remains untarnished.
Upon the announcement, Edwards revealed the role applied to him because of Boro’s reputation for giving their head coach time to implement their plan, whilst also believing he has an excellent chance of achieving success. Speaking to official club media, he said:
“It’s a real privilege to be given the opportunity to be head coach of this great football club. It’s something that’s not lost on me, how big this is, how important this is, and what it means to people. There is an amazing fanbase.
“It felt instantly that this was right for me and it got me excited. If I was going to come back in, I wanted to come back in at a place where we had a chance, and we have a really good chance here.
“We have a brilliant owner who historically gives his coaches time, support, and the tools needed to try and be successful. I can’t wait to get started now.”
Writer’s View
It’s felt like forever since it was widely reported that Rob Edwards was to be named as Michael Carrick’s successor, but he can now start planning for his first season in charge. There’s little doubt that last season was a disappointment, but not all of that can be put on his predecessor. The former Luton boss will be hoping he doesn’t have to deal with similar challenges but he has proven in the past that he knows how to take that final step and get out of the division. Unfortunately for Carrick, the same can’t be said, and it will be interesting to see if they can achieve a top six finish.
