Karanka Exit: 5 options for replacing the sacked Middlesbrough boss

Steve Agnew has been appointed as his interim successor, and is due to take charge of Boro for Sunday’s home game with Manchester United. But who should replace Karanka on a long-term basis?

STEVE AGNEW

Pros: The first-team coach is a respected figure in the Riverside dressing room, and should be able to pull things back together in the wake of Karanka’s exit. He will provide some continuity, and with just 11 games of the season to go, this might not be the time for radical upheaval. Leicester’s internal appointment of Craig Shakespeare has proved a masterstroke – appointing Agnew to the end of the season could have a similarly positive effect.

Cons: Agnew stepped up for one game last season – when Karanka walked out ahead of a trip to Charlton Athletic – and his appointment was a disaster, with Boro crashing to a 2-0 defeat at the Valley. Will the one English member of the current backroom staff be able to work with Karanka’s closest colleagues, who will all feel a degree of loyalty to the sacked boss? Agnew’s lack of top-level managerial experience is also an issue given the pressures he will encounter in the next two months.

Likelihood of appointment: ****

NIGEL PEARSON

Pros: Boasts strong links with Middlesbrough, having skippered the side to two promotions during his four seasons on Teesside. He sparked Leicester City back into life when they looked dead and buried two seasons ago, and while his time at the King Power Stadium ended messily, he laid the foundations for last year’s remarkable title success. He is available, having reportedly applied for the vacant Norwich job earlier this week.

Cons: Both his last two jobs have ended in a controversial fashion, with his relationship with Leicester having collapsed after an infamous club trip to Thailand and his brief spell at Derby having ended suddenly after he reportedly clashed with the club’s owner, Mel Morris. Might he be too volatile for Gibson to consider? His preferred playing style is radically different to Karanka’s, so he might struggle with the current squad.

Likelihood of appointment: ***

ALAN PARDEW

Pros: His time at Newcastle ended with the St James’ Park crowd having turned against him, but he led the Magpies to a fifth-place finish during happier times on Tyneside. He is another manager who is immediately available following his departure from Crystal Palace, and his reigns tend to start strongly before petering out. Might he be capable of sparking a rapid improvement in Boro’s next few games?

Cons: He under-performed badly at Palace, and the Eagles might well have been relegated had he not been dismissed and replaced by Sam Allardyce. His teams tend to be defensively suspect, which is the one thing Boro have got right this season. His Newcastle links would make him a controversial appointment amongst the Boro fan-base, and he appeared keen to return to the south when he was sacked by the Magpies.

Likelihood of appointment: ***

STEVE McCLAREN

Pros: Can claim to be the most successful manager in Middlesbrough’s history after leading the club to a Carling Cup final victory and a place in the final of the UEFA Cup. While some Boro fans turned against him before he left, there are plenty who still regard him fondly. He could start work tomorrow after his recent dismissal from Derby County, and he still has a family base and strong links in the North-East.

Cons: Is it ever a good idea to go back? McClaren’s stock has fallen dramatically since he left Boro, with failures at Newcastle and Derby following a desperately disappointing spell in charge of the England team. He was the main factor in Newcastle’s relegation last season, and given he was unable to haul the Magpies away from trouble, why would he fare any better with the current Boro squad? His relationship with Gibson became damaged before he eventually left to take over at England.

Likelihood of appointment: **

DAVID WAGNER

Pros: If Gibson wants someone in Karanka’s image to build on the Spaniard’s work, the current Huddersfield boss is probably the closest he could come to making a like-for-like move. Wagner’s career trajectory is very similar to Karanka’s, but he appears to be a much better man-manager. He has transformed Huddersfield into strong promotion contenders, and is a hugely talented coach who could work in Boro’s current backroom model.

Cons: Why would Wagner leave Huddersfield now, with the club still battling for promotion? He would surely stay put, although that could change in the summer if Huddersfield were to miss out on a place in the Premier League and Boro were to survive. The German has impressed in the second tier, but boasts no experience of managing in the top-flight, whether it be the Premier League or Bundesliga.

Likelihood of appointment: * (now); *** (in summer)