00:00Now for Middlesbrough, obviously an incredibly interesting season coming up.
00:05They obviously have been languishing in the sort of mid-table range of the championship,
00:09being so close to the playoffs, but then finishing actually so far away from the playoffs
00:13come the end of the season.
00:15This has been a sort of trend that they need to break, you know, in terms of moving forward,
00:20in terms of where they want to be.
00:21It's something they need to make sure that they are continuing to sort of improve season
00:27on season.
00:28There's been a bit of a plateau, to say the least, for Middlesbrough.
00:31And it's something that fans are probably fairly frustrated with.
00:34They want to see them really make some progress.
00:37I mean, Rob Edwards is a great appointment in my eyes.
00:40A fantastically experienced coach now.
00:42Obviously, experienced promotion with Luton Town as well, which is fantastic for them,
00:47albeit, you know, failing to keep them up in the Premier League, but giving it a real good go.
00:51So, you know, they've got a fairly young coach in terms of Rob Edwards.
00:56They've got a – he's exciting.
00:58He brings a bit of a thrill factor, a bit of freedom for these players as well,
01:02which is maybe the exact recipe that they need.
01:05But the bigger picture is the Championship is going to be an incredibly competitive division
01:11once again next season with the likes of the promotion candidates joining them,
01:16you know, Birmingham City, Wrexham.
01:18And then also the sides coming down from the Premier League, they're going to be looking to go straight back up as well.
01:24So how do Middlesbrough bounce back?
01:25Dan, our North East correspondent.
01:27Dan, what's your sort of thoughts on where Middlesbrough are transfer-wise?
01:31What do they need?
01:33What's the latest you can tell us?
01:34Because it's obviously shaping up to be a massive season.
01:37And Middlesbrough certainly want to be, you know, ensuring that they are one of the teams that are competing.
01:42Well, Charles, there's actually not a lot going on on Teesside at the moment for Middlesbrough.
01:47Obviously, we've had all the excitement of Rob Edwards coming into the post as Middlesbrough's new head coach
01:52and the new coaching staff, including the likes of Adi Favish, who he's brought into the club.
01:58But on the transfer front, things are still quite quiet at the moment.
02:03Unfortunately for Middlesbrough fans, you know, they'll want players to come in.
02:06And Edwards himself did promise that there would be inns as well as outs.
02:10But at the moment, things are looking relatively quiet.
02:13The players, of course, are all back for pre-season now.
02:16They've been put through their paces, getting their fitness up in the hot weather.
02:22But in terms of incomings, not an awful lot to report from a Middlesbrough point of view.
02:28Certainly, though, they do have work to do in this transfer window.
02:31Obviously, Edwards, as I mentioned, himself said that there would be inns.
02:34And I think in terms of the inns they need, they're going to need perhaps more in the goal-scoring department.
02:41Certainly, last season, there was a noticeable drop-off in terms of their goal-scoring once Emmanuel Latte left the part of the club in January.
02:50Tommy Conway did his best and he did still score a good few goals.
02:53But ultimately, him on his own wasn't enough to see Middlesbrough get themselves into the playoffs.
02:58Perhaps they tailed off towards the end of the season and that cost them ultimately.
03:03So, I think a forward is perhaps what they need.
03:07Now, Tommy Conway is not exactly your average target man.
03:10He's a bit more small, nimble.
03:12So, whether they get someone similar to him, I'm not so sure.
03:15Or whether they go for someone with a bit more physical presence perhaps to play alongside Conway.
03:20Or if they're playing and they're wanting to stick to the same formation, someone perhaps to be the option and the alternative to Conway in terms of what they can provide up front as well.
03:30So, I think that's what they're probably looking at at Middlesbrough at the moment.
03:33Certainly, I think they need goals in that team.
03:36They have plenty of creativity, I'd say.
03:39Well, you could argue that the fact that the goals dried up at times would argue to a lack of creativity.
03:44But I think some of the players they've got could provide more, certainly.
03:48But I think they need someone else to put the ball in the back of the net.
03:50Although, I should imagine they'll also want perhaps some more midfield options too.
03:56Certainly, Hayden Hackney, he had a good summer away with the England Un21s winning the European Championships.
04:02But he's perhaps more of the defensive mind.
04:04Although, he does chip in with the odd goal here and there.
04:07Although, I think Borough perhaps like him to score the odd one more too.
04:10And then, it just comes down to, well, whether they need anything more in defence as well.
04:15So, I think Middlesbrough is a team where they've got good foundations, but they just need a bit more.
04:20But Robert Edwards, certainly, he's putting the players through their paces at the moment.
04:23The club wanting to be at the upper end of the championship next season.
04:28But now, it's a case of bringing in players who can create more and score more, I think, to Middlesbrough.
04:33But at the moment, nothing really close.
04:36And I think that's vital to point out for all Middlesbrough supporters watching at the moment, wanting something to happen.
