Latest news with #ROBEdwards
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
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'Important' factor in Middlesbrough transfer planning after training ground decision
ROB Edwards has started the season playing with a back three and wing-backs at Middlesbrough, but says the club will continue to sign players who are comfortable in various different systems. Edwards favoured wing-backs during his time in charge of Luton and has played with a back three throughout pre-season and in the first two games of the campaign. But he has repeatedly stressed that Boro have prioritised versatile players in the transfer market, and that will remain the case in the final weeks of the window. Callum Brittain, who arrived from Blackburn, is equally as comfortable playing at right-back in a back four or as a right wing-back, while new recruit Sontje Hansen has played most of his football as a winger but can also operate in a central role, and will initially be used as a No.10 at Boro. And Boro are now closing in on the signing of Manchester City's Sverre Nypan, another versatile player who is comfortable playing as a central midfielder, attacking midfielder, winger and even at centre-forward. Such signings give Edwards the opportunity to vary the system, both in-games and between matches. "If players can do both and play in different systems, like Callum Brittain, who can do both, those characteristics are key for me," explained the head coach. "They're really important, so we can go to a back four like we did [against Doncaster] when we're chasing things more. To have that flexibility in games will help us." Although Edwards played with a back three at Luton, he says he came to Boro with an open mind on formations. "What we saw and found and felt on the training pitch when we first came in helped us lean towards where we're at at the moment," he said. RECOMMENDED READING: How Rob Edwards approached Middlesbrough Rockliffe debrief after Doncaster defeat Middlesbrough injury update as one player in contention for Millwall return Rav van den Berg reacts to Boro exit as transfer chief tells of 'long & hard' pursuit Edwards was delighted to land Hansen, who has done his homework to make sure he's as prepared as he can be for the Championship. The forward said: 'For the last two years I've played in the highest competition in Holland. "I do expect it will be tougher here than in Holland, so maybe I will need a little bit of time, but it can also be the other side. "We will have to see. I hear a lot about how in Holland it is more about football whereas here it is a lot more physical. "I've not had chance yet, but I think I will be asking Million Manhoef from Stoke how it is to play here. But I hear from some people that it is a really tough competition "I think it will be a great test and I want to take that test. I enjoy the challenge. "I am 23 now and I've learned a lot. But there is still more to learn and more to grow. I am excited to be here and hopefully we can make it a great season." Hansen added: 'I'm delighted it's finally done. I'm very happy to be here and very excited to play for Boro. "When I first heard of Middlesbrough's interest it was good. I wanted to hear more and had the meeting - they came to my city and we had a good conversation. "It was a little bit long for me after that, but we kept in touch, and now it's finally done. 'I'm a team player - I love to make combinations and I'm also really fast. I like to dribble both with my left and my right, I like to cross and, of course, I love getting goals and assists. "But certainly, I think for the fans, I want them to enjoy watching me play. I think I can do beautiful things with the ball."
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
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How Rob Edwards approached Middlesbrough Rockliffe debrief after Doncaster defeat
ROB Edwards stressed the importance of finding the right balance at Rockliffe as the Middlesbrough head coach conducted a debrief yesterday to determine what went wrong in the Carabao Cup defeat to Doncaster Rovers. Edwards' Boro got off to a fine start in the Championship when they beat Swansea City 1-0 but they were brought down to earth with a bump when they were thumped 4-0 by League One Donny on Tuesday night. Edwards pulled no punches in his assessment of the "unacceptable" performance immediately after the game, and described the loss as "painful". The head coach was brutally honest as he addressed his players in the Riverside dressing room after the game. and while Edwards and his staff intended to further analyse the cup tie yesterday and provide feedback to the squad on issues that need addressing, he was also keen to ensure Boro don't dwell on the defeat for too long, instead turning his attention to Saturday's league trip to Millwall. RECOMMENDED READING: Rav van den Berg reacts to Boro exit as transfer chief tells of 'long & hard' pursuit Middlesbrough injury update as one player in contention for Millwall return Full transfer details & background as Middlesbrough confirm fourth summer signing He said: "We have to be able to look forward. It was a painful night. "Football gives you highs and lows. We had a real high on Saturday and a real low tonight. "We're human beings, you're allowed to feel like that but we need to get ourselves back level again and pick ourselves up. "We'll learn from it." Edwards added: "We review it but sometimes you can dwell on things too long. "The players know. We'll pick out the bits we need to show but at the same time you can't just batter people because we need to pick players off the floor and go in in confident mood on Saturday. "We need to get the balance right." The next game is a tough one for Boro, with Millwall having won impressively at Norwich on the opening weekend before a 1-0 cup success at Newport on Tuesday night. Edwards said: "We need a few days to recover and learn and be prepared for the next one. "The beautiful thing with football is you get an opportunity quickly to turn things around. "We need to show the side of us that we saw on Saturday. Over a period of time now there's been too much inconsistency here. "We saw [against Doncaster] the real drop off that we can't have." Edwards made five changes in midweek but will almost certainly now revert back to the side that started against Swansea. Among the five players to come into the side against Doncaster were youngsters Law McCabe and George McCormick and new signing Abdoulaye Kante. While Edwards was disappointed with displays across the board, he knows patience is needed with players who lack experience at this level. He said: "It's hard to ask a lot of young George, and Law and Alpha were playing in there together for the first time and they're young players. "I thought they showed glimpses and some good moments of real quality but it was a tough night in the end. "They'll learn a lot from it. These are good young players who we have high hopes for. "The young ones are a little bit exempt from it in a way, they have to learn from it quick."
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
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Rav van den Berg Middlesbrough transfer 'benefit' as new signings promised
ROB Edwards has again promised that Middlesbrough will strengthen their squad with new signings before the end of the month - reiterating that the coaching and recruitment team "know where we're at and what we need to do". Edwards also admitted that confirmation of Rav van den Berg's FC Koln move will "benefit everyone", with the defender having yesterday travelled to Germany to undergo his medical and put the finishing touches to his transfer. Edwards couldn't say much on the matter last night, insisting his focus yesterday had been on preparing for the Carabao Cup tie against Doncaster Rovers, which Boro lost 4-0. But he'll be glad when the matter is resolved, with van den Berg uncertainty having rumbled away in the background for a number of weeks. "It will benefit everyone, of course," said the head coach. "You don't want these things rolling on too long. It won't affect the lads in the dressing room. "The whole thing has been very amicable and he's been good around the lads and good around training. "He and I have kept a good relationship throughout it as well. We want that resolved as quickly as possible so we can all move forward." RECOMMENDED READING: Rob Edwards' brutally honest Middlesbrough verdict & transfer fact 'we all know' Boro transfer need clear but for Rob Edwards there's another painful takeaway The focus at Rockliffe in the final weeks of the window is on strengthening the squad, with Boro prioritising the signing of a striker and a left wing-back. Other areas and potential targets are also being assessed. Asked whether van den Berg's exit will provide Boro with more transfer funds in the final weeks of the window, Edwards said: 'I think things are there anyway and we're working hard behind the scenes. "I know everyone will get bored of me saying that, but there will be people coming in. "Tonight [the Doncaster defeat] doesn't change anything. I'm pretty clear on where we're at and what I think we need to do. "I think Kieran and all the recruitment team are as well. "I think tonight just highlighted one or two bits, but nothing that we didn't already know. They made 11 changes tonight, so, listen, we know where we're at and what we need.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
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Boro transfer need clear but for Rob Edwards there's another painful takeaway
ROB Edwards described Middlesbrough's opening day Championship win over Swansea as a dream, but their "painful" Carabao Cup defeat to Doncaster Rovers was something of a disaster. On the day Boro agreed a deal to sell Rav van den Berg, the 4-0 thumping at home to Doncaster's second string emphasised why the focus is now very much on incomings in the final weeks of the summer transfer window. The lack of depth in Edwards' squad was on show at the Riverside on Tuesday night. That said, Grant McCann made 11 changes yet his side eased into the second round. Edwards must have fumed at how comfortable a night this was for the third tier visitors. He described it as painful and one thing he hated was how heads dropped late on. That will be addressed. Rovers raced into a deserved two goal lead in a shocking opening half an hour for Boro, before wrapping up the victory with two more goals late on. Most Boro's fans had headed for the exit long before Edwards and his players set off on a lap of appreciation at full-time. Edwards and Boro's recruitment team know the squad needs strengthening and it will be. But the head coach will also demand more and better from the players already in his ranks. Boro will hopefully learn a lot from this setback. On the eve of this first round tie Edwards purred about Boro's rich history in the competition and vowed to take the game seriously. He was true to his word, only making five changes. But the fact that three of the four outfield players to come into the side were academy youngsters Law McCabe and George McCormick and full debutant Abdoulaye Kante highlights the lack of depth in the new head coach's squad. That will be addressed in the coming weeks, with Boro's recruitment team working hard and pushing for new recruits. Edwards' focus is on the players currently at his disposal and the head coach was visibly unhappy with a lot of what he saw on Tuesday night. The defence looked uncomfortable and unsettled and at the other end of the pitch Tommy Conway was ineffective and replaced after an hour. Boro lacked intensity and could have no complaints at the outcome. Boro trailed by two at the break and it could have been worse. The defence was chaotic and when Boro managed to get it forward to the unchanged attacking trio of Morgan Whittaker, Delano Burgzorg and Conway it didn't stick. Both first half Doncaster goals were heavily deflected but the League One side were very much deserving of their advantage. They were still given a leg-up by Boro, though, who cheaply conceded possession in the build-up the opening goal and let Rovers pick their passes unchallenged in the build-up to the second. Doncaster were lively from the off and it took them just 11 minutes to break the deadlock, aided by Boro's sloppy play in their own half. McCabe's pass was weak but the midfielder was bailed out. Neto Borges was not. His half-hearted clearance was intercepted, allowing Jordan Gibson to pick out Billy Sharp, who teed up Close in the box to fire in off the unfortunate George McCormick. The goal sparked something of a brief improvement from Boro, who almost levelled when Delano Burgzorg's strike crunched the post before goalkeeper Ian Lawlor did well to deny Morgan Whittaker. But Boro's defence looked nervous and vulnerable and Doncaster's second goal just after the midway point of the first half was far too easy. The visitors picked their way through unchallenged before a cross from the left found the completely unmarked Damola Ajayi, Alfie Jones this time the defender to desperately lunge and deflect the ball beyond the helpless Tom Glover. The third goal should have come when Billy Sharp picked out Jordan Gibson with a pinpoint cross but the left winger somehow headed wide of the open goal. Edwards was visibly unhappy with a lot of what he saw in the first half, and Boro were slightly improved early in the second half, Brittain advancing and Whittaker going close. Edwards turned to his bench and the big hitters, with Hayden Hackney, Aidan Morris and Dael Fry introduced. But there was no fightback, and instead salt was rubbed into the Boro wounds. Robbie Gotts fired in the third goal six minutes from time and there was still time for Tom Nixon to add to the misery deep in stoppage time.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
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Rob Edwards explains his 'different' Middlesbrough captain decision & outlines plan
ROB Edwards doesn't plan to name a club captain at Middlesbrough, with the head coach intending to share the armband around the "leaders" in his squad. Dael Fry was named skipper for Saturday's Championship opener against Swansea City and led by example, scoring the only goal as Boro made the perfect start to the campaign under Edwards. But Fry might not necessarily wear the armband at Millwall next weekend, with Edwards planning to continue to rotate the captaincy, as he did throughout pre-season. 'I've made it clear, the armband could get shared around," explained the head coach after Saturday's win. "I want to promote leadership within the group. I think we've got a number of players who can wear it, and today was Dael's day. "It's not a club captain thing though. I know that's a little bit different, but for me, we've got a lot of leaders in the group and I want to try and promote more, so I think I'll continue to share it around." RECOMMENDED READING: Rav van den Berg Middlesbrough transfer latest as Edwards explains talks & decision What Rob Edwards did at full-time after behind scenes Middlesbrough work pays off Devastation & tough Boro start - but now things are different for Morgan Whittaker Edwards said he could "potentially" name one fixed club captain at some stage in the future, but added: "We'll see. I don't have a crystal ball. "There will be people I lean towards anyway, even if people haven't got that armband. "It's important to have good relationships with all the leaders, and you can be 21 and be a leader in the dressing room. "I want to try and promote more of that, and it's something we can get better at and improve as a football club. We're working on that." He won't necessarily keep the armband, then, but it was still an immensely proud day for Teessider Fry, to lead his boyhood club out 10 years on from his debut season and to head in what proved to be the winner early in the second half. It was a first competitive goal for Fry in three-and-a-half years, but he did get on the scoresheet in pre-season and Edwards is delighted to see the defender making his presence felt in the opposition box. Edwards said: 'A great day for him. He was brilliant. Clean sheet, goal, great day. "We're really pleased for him. He's a big boy and when you can attack the ball like that then you've got a chance. "There's a lot of work going into that, more than just Dael being good in the air. But really pleased for Dael."
