Middlesbrough Football Club have confirmed that Kim Hellberg will be the club’s new head coach. A less obvious candidate but a highly regarded 37-year-old Scandinavian coach, set to take over from Rob Edwards later this week. He’s won accolades for his remarkable accomplishments in Sweden. Hellberg has earned the post after guiding Hammarby IF to record-breaking results in the Allsvenskan. In fact, his side managed to score the most goals in the league last season.
Hellberg’s path to Middlesbrough has been one of impressive achievements and an ever-growing reputation. He enjoyed a productive two years at Hammarby, producing some of the best offensive performances in Allsvenskan. His success impressed many Championship clubs, as interest from Swansea City confirms, and he was in discussion with them just last week. Ultimately, Middlesbrough won his signature, making clear their desire to raise the club’s profile up the league.
A Proven Track Record
Under Hellberg’s management, Hammarby achieved remarkable success. Last season, they cruised to the Allsvenskan title while leading the league in goals scored. On the flip side, they led the league with a crazy 1.97 expected goals for (xGF) per game. This attacking ingenuity shows Hellberg’s skill in finding and crafting attack patterns that work.
Hellberg’s been markedly successful at Hammarby so far. His development to this point saw a prolific stint as an elite development coach at Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp and assistant to Pep Lijnders at Red Bull Salzburg. These roles have helped her gain a wealth of knowledge that she hopes to bring to Middlesbrough.
“I’m delighted to have been appointed as Boro’s head coach and I’m very proud to be here,” – Kim Hellberg
A Focus on Aggressive Play
Hellberg’s coaching philosophy starts and ends with playing an aggressive style. He stresses fast attack transitions and intense ball recovery.
“I want us to play quick and aggressive football, and to try to win the ball as quickly as possible if we don’t have it. I want us to be quick on goal and create a lot of chances,” – Kim Hellberg
He’s particularly focused on developing a high-tempo, exciting style of play. This time, this approach artfully serves Middlesbrough’s longer-term ambition to improve their competitiveness in the Championship.
Along with Hellberg’s arrival, David Selini, his long-time assistant, will accompany him to Middlesbrough as well. Selini will be working in tandem with Adi Viveash, who stays in overall control ahead of the Sky Blues’ trip to Coventry early next week. Together, this collaboration is poised to implement a unified, strategic approach to coaching that will capitalize on Hellberg’s creative vision and Selini’s robust experience.
“I’ve been very impressed with the players and how they’ve worked so far this season, and I’m looking forward to getting to work with them,” – Kim Hellberg
Building a Supportive Coaching Staff
Hellberg couldn’t have wanted for a better debut environment than the current setup at Middlesbrough. Here are some of the factors that he said helped sway his decision to take the job.
Hammarby sought to retain Hellberg’s services, with discussions underway for a contract extension. In the end, his heart said do this next thing. Middlesbrough supporters have plenty to be excited about with this new exciting era under Hellberg’s leadership. He’s heck bent on creating a winning culture and restoring the Black and Gold’s playmaking prowess on the field.
“A lot of things make Boro the perfect choice for me. The way they play and want to play, together with the crowd, suits me and how I want to work,” – Kim Hellberg
Hammarby had hoped to retain Hellberg, planning to offer him a contract extension, but ultimately, he chose to embark on this new challenge. Middlesbrough fans can look forward to a new era under Hellberg’s leadership as he aims to instill a winning mentality and revitalized performance on the pitch.
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