STEVE AGNEW will shine a much greater spotlight on Middlesbrough’s youth players if he is given the opportunity to remain in charge beyond the end of the season.

Agnew remains hopeful of retaining his current position as head coach no matter what league Boro find themselves playing in next term, and his prospects of remaining in place have been boosted by his side’s positive performances against Sunderland and Manchester City.

Whether he is presiding over a club in the Premier League or Championship, Agnew wants to repair the relationship between Boro’s first-team squad and the club’s much-vaunted academy, which is going through a process of change following the retirement of the highly-respected Dave Parnaby.

Aitor Karanka had little interest in cultivating the youth system, with Ben Gibson the last player to have stepped out of the academy ranks to successfully establish himself in the senior side.

Karanka rarely watched Under-23 matches, was reluctant to allow young players to train with the first-team squad and effectively barred his senior players from dropping into the development team, even when they were short of match practice.

Agnew is keen to reverse all those policies, having valued his time as an academy coach at Rockliffe Park.

If, as is still likely, Boro are relegated to the Championship next season, he will base much of his rebuilding work around the club’s emerging talent. Even if Boro manage to cling on to their Premier League status, he will still look to promote from within much more readily than was the case under Karanka.

The likes of Dael Fry, Jordan McGhee and Marcus Tavernier would play a much more prominent role under Agnew, while Connor Ripley, Callum Cooke and Harry Chapman would all get a chance to stake a claim for a senior role, having spent the current campaign out on loan.

Ripley has been especially successful, and having been named in the League One Team of the Season after keeping 18 clean sheets for Oldham Athletic, the 24-year-old is determined to establish himself as Boro’s number one.

He is about to enter the final year of his current contract on Teesside, and is desperate to prove his capabilities in a Boro shirt.

He might get the chance, as there are big question marks over the futures of Victor Valdes, Brad Guzan, Dimi Konstantopoulos and Tomas Mejias beyond the end of the current campaign.

“I have another year left on my contract at Middlesbrough,” said Ripley. “I personally do want to be at Middlesbrough. I want to be playing there, at the club I have supported since I was a kid.

“But ultimately, it is not up to me. If they don’t think I am ready, then I will probably go back out on loan. There is talk about me staying at Middlesbrough, and what will happen if they go down to the Championship. We will have to just wait and see.”

Meanwhile, Boro are yet to decide whether to contest an FA charge of failing to control their players during Sunday's 2-2 draw with Manchester City at the Riverside.

The FA have charged the Teessiders after their players reacted furiously to referee Kevin Friend's decision to award City a second-half penalty.

Marten de Roon was adjudged to have fouled Leroy Sane, even though the City midfielder appeared to tumble over his opponent's standing leg in the penalty area. De Roon and Fabio da Silva were both booked for dissent as tempers flared.

Boro officials have until 6pm on May 5 to respond to the charge, and are yet to decide whether to lodge an appeal

An FA statement said: "Middlesbrough have been charged for misconduct following the game against Manchester City on Sunday (30 April 2017).

"It is alleged that in or around the 66th minute of the fixture, the club failed to ensure that its players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion."