Rob Edwards may still be in the early days of his time as Middlesbrough head coach, but he’s already been told that improvement is essential if he’s to avoid the same fate as his predecessor, Michael Carrick.
Edwards was appointed just a fortnight after chairman Steve Gibson decided to part ways with Carrick, whose side faded late in the season to finish 10th and miss out on the Championship play-offs. That disappointment was compounded by local rivals Sunderland securing promotion to the Premier League through a dramatic play-off run—achieved with a youthful squad and limited spending, something Gibson has long aimed to replicate.
Carrick, who initially impressed by finishing fourth in his debut season and reaching a League Cup semi-final in his second, couldn’t maintain that momentum. A thorough end-of-season review ultimately led to his dismissal. Edwards, previously in charge at Luton Town, was handed a three-year deal to lead Boro’s next chapter.
Former striker and EFL pundit Matt Jansen supports the decision to bring in Edwards but cautions that expectations remain high. Speaking to Live Casinos, Jansen said:
“I thought letting Carrick go was a bit harsh—he got them into the play-offs quickly, but they didn’t really build on that. They did lose some key players, which hurt them, but the club clearly wants to progress. Football can be brutal, and they’re eager to push for the Premier League.”
Jansen praised Edwards for his work at Luton, where he nearly kept the team in the top flight, and believes he has the potential to succeed at Boro.
“There’s definitely pressure to deliver. At the very least, they need to be in the play-offs—and ideally competing for automatic promotion. I don’t think missing out on promotion would be a disaster, but they need to show progress from last season.”
Heading into the new campaign, Middlesbrough are seen as one of the stronger contenders for promotion, listed as joint-fifth favourites behind Ipswich Town, Sheffield United, Southampton, and Birmingham City.
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