LEE TOMLIN has revealed the huge admiration and respect that there is within the Middlesbrough dressing room for Aitor Karanka as the head coach’s Riverside revolution earns its rewards.

Karanka’s good work on Teesside over the last 15 months was suddenly noticed on an international level over the weekend when the Championship’s promotion chasers knocked Premier League champions Manchester City out of the FA Cup.

The Spanish head coach has worked wonders since taking over from Tony Mowbray after putting a squad in place that is more than capable of finishing at the top of the second tier of English football, which would seal a return to the top-flight.

Middlesbrough showed against Manchester City exactly what they are capable of and displayed a togetherness and strength that stems from strict training ground schedules and routines.

And Tomlin, one of Karanka’s first signings a year ago, is not surprised by how well Middlesbrough are performing having experienced what it is like to work under the former assistant manager at Real Madrid.

The attacking midfielder said: “Dean Whitehead and Jonathan Woodgate, two of the most experienced lads with us, have both said they wished they could have played with the gaffer ten years ago.

“That’s how well he is liked in the dressing room. Hopefully I will be playing under him for as long as he is here, I don’t know. I am just happy and I really hope we can go up this season.

“I would say that for half of last season the gaffer was in charge he didn’t have the players he wanted for how he wanted to play. He now has the right players to play the system he wants so you can see the results he’s getting.

“The manager has done everything. From the training to everything upstairs, I think the chairman (Steve Gibson) has allowed him to do that. He is unbelievable and all of the lads love him.”

Middlesbrough stunned the country with a second half display at Manchester City which effectively restricted Manuel Pellegrini’s men to just one serious shot on goal, when Frank Lampard’s shot bounced back off the post.

Progress in the FA Cup is seen as an extra bonus for Karanka, who is keen to keep going in the competition, but the priority remains promotion to the Premier League. Middlesbrough are just a point off leaders Bournemouth going in to Saturday’s trip to play-off placed Brentford.

Tomlin said: “Every single one of our players, even the ones on the bench, they could get in any Championship side they want. For a team like Middlesbrough to have a squad like that, 22 players, that is unbelievable.

“You would probably think it would be hard to keep everyone happy, and there are players who aren’t playing who will not be happy, but the way the gaffer is, the way he makes you think, there’s no point in being unhappy.

“It will not be very good for your career if you sulk or whatever. The best way to be is to move on together, there’s only one way to go if you do that and that is up.”

Tomlin, 26, started at Rushden after a spell as a schoolboy with Leicester City and, after four further years with Peterborough, Middlesbrough moved in after monitoring his progress for well over a year.

Given the route he has taken, the sight of him taking on City’s Belgium captain Vincent Kompany on Saturday with an incredible Dennis Bergkamp-like turn in the penalty area has been talked about ever since. The frustration from a Middlesbrough point of view was that the shot which followed hit the post.

“I loved watching Dennis Bergkamp, my chance did remind me about his goal at Newcastle when he did it to Nikos Dabizas at Newcastle,” said Tomlin. “I wasn’t happy when it didn’t go in. Those are the inches you need in football.

“I have always had the confidence to try things like that. Nobody has told me I haven’t. I like to test myself against anyone. If you want to be the best you have to beat everyone to show I can play at this level.

“For me I have always wanted to play at the top. I was at Leicester when I was younger. I went down to League Two to play games. I knew what I wanted to do ... I have worked my way back up. I want to be at the top. I have really worked hard to get where I am and I want that to continue.”

With a fifth round FA Cup tie pencilled in for the weekend of February 14, Tomlin thinks Middlesbrough’s promotion push can benefit for pressing ahead on two fronts this season.

“It’s not about focusing on the league, it’s about focusing on every single game we play,” said Tomlin. “This game is done, we have enjoyed it and now we have to go to Brentford. To play against teams like City is great but we want to do that every week. We know what we can do and so do the fans, so hopefully we can carry it on.”