Sports
Middlesbrough hire Kim Hellberg as Rob Edwards successor
He will not be in charge for a huge game with Coventry City on Tuesday.
Middlesbrough have appointed Kim Hellberg as their new head coach following the departure of Rob Edwards.
Hellberg makes the move to the Riverside after leading Swedish side Hammarby to successive second-place finishes in the Allsvenskan.
He had also held talks with struggling Swansea City, but instead joins a Middlesbrough side second in the Championship, seven points behind leaders Coventry City.
The 37-year-old comes in after Edwards departed to take over at Premier League strugglers Wolves under five months into a three-year contract.
Middlesbrough land their man
Hellberg will not take charge for Tuesday’s game with Coventry, with interim boss Adi Viveash remaining in charge for that huge clash.
“I’m delighted to have been appointed as Boro’s head coach and I’m very proud to be here,” Hellberg told Middlesbrough’s official website.
“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.
“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.
“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.”
Head of football Kieran Scott said: “Kim is someone I’ve been monitoring for a while.
“He’s well known in the circles of European football as an up-and-coming head coach that was catching a lot of people’s eye and was doing really well at Hammarby.
“We met a few candidates, but Kim was high on my list of people I wanted to speak to.
“Myself, [chief executive] Neil [Bausor] and [chairman] Steve [Gibson] met him and were very impressed with what he had to say and how he carried himself.
“We felt it was an appointment that could take us forward, and we’re very pleased to bring him in.”
