How Hellberg has taken Middlesbrough to new levels in promotion race

When Wolves prised Rob Edwards away from the Riverside in early November, Middlesbrough feared the momentum of their best-ever Championship start might evaporate. Instead, after a fortnight of careful searching, they landed Kim Hellberg – and the Swede has not merely preserved the impetus, he has re-engineered it.

The transformation was instant. Hellberg’s first four matches brought four wins and 11 goals, a blistering statement that the club’s promotion charge would not falter. A subsequent Christmas stumble – one point from four fixtures without a goal – checked the optimism, yet the response has been emphatic: five consecutive victories, ignited by a four-goal second-half demolition of Southampton in January.

Sky Sports pundit and Boro loans manager Tommy Smith, who watched every minute of the barren festive run, insists the underlying structure never wavered. “The performances were there,” Smith says. “At times we were unlucky not to score, but the shape was intact and there was no panic. That 4-0 win over Southampton showed the level this squad can hit.”

Hellberg, preparing for Monday night’s televised trip to Sheffield United, is equally bullish. “Nine wins from 13 is an unbelievable run,” he told Sky Sports. “We have gone from mid-table in possession to leading the league for ball retention, chances created in open play and goals scored. It isn’t about right or wrong styles – just our way of believing we can be most successful.”

The shift from Edwards’ compact approach to Hellberg’s front-foot, possession-heavy model has been absorbed seamlessly. Striker Tommy Conway, whose work-rate embodies the new ethos, credits the head coach for daily micro-improvements. “Even after two wins he finds margins to sharpen us,” Conway says. “The togetherness is the best a lot of lads have known; we fight for each other like brothers.”

Smith believes the club’s deliberate recruitment process has been vindicated. “Plenty of coaches would have jumped at this squad and league position, but Boro waited for the right fit. Hellberg’s Hammarby were aggressive and ball-dominant; he’s transplanted that DNA here and the players have lapped it up.”

Once tipped as the side Ipswich might overhaul, Middlesbrough now eye top spot. With Hellberg at the helm, the Riverside faithful no longer fear change – they anticipate elevation.