Kim Hellberg on Middlesbrough squad, Premier League ambitions and Adi Viveash message

After being presented as Middlesbrough’s new manager on Monday, Kim Hellberg completed his maiden training session with the squad on Thursday morning, and met the media for the first time at an afternoon press conference.

But before committing to the vacant role at Boro, it was widely reported that Hellberg met with other Championship clubs, including Swansea and Norwich.

However, according to the 37-year-old, there were no other options once Middlesbrough entered the picture: “For me, it’s been Middlesbrough since I talked to Kieran [Scott]. That’s been my only aim,” he said.

“Since I talked to Kieran, I felt directly that ‘I want to go there…” While this will be Hellberg’s first adventure abroad, he has had his eyes set on English football for as long as he can remember: “Of course it’s a big step. It’s a proud moment for me. In Sweden when I grew up, English football was what I watched all the time, so it’s always been a dream to come here.”

Despite his young age, Hellberg has been a head coach for the past 14 years, beginning his career at only 23 years of age, and he does not believe his four seasons at a professional level will be a detriment to his tenure at Boro: “I’ve been preparing for this for 14 years.”

Being appointed as a manager in the midst of a promotion push is a rare circumstance, as vacancies tend to open up when teams underperform. When asked about his short term plans for the team, Hellberg asserted that it is not a time for a tactical overhaul, saying: “I’ll have two sessions before the Derby game, and you don’t want to change too much,” Hellberg said.

Middlesbrough suffered a 2-4 defeat against league leaders Coventry City earlier in the week. While the result appears disheartening, Hellberg took away some positives from the performance: “It was a good game, back and forth. I think we had very good moments and I think they had very good moments, but over 90 minutes, they were better in deciding areas,” he said. “I think we played very well in the start of the second half and had momentum and had a good chance of winning the game,” he said. “The lads did one hell of a good game.”

Adi Viveash has acted as interim manager for the past three games, and will now return to the backroom staff and work alongside assistant manager David Selini. Hellberg stated that he is delighted with Viveash’s presence and the experience he brings, saying: “I think he has done brilliantly. He’s a very good person and leader, and I will learn a lot from him.”

While Middlesbrough have made a promising start to their promotion bid, Hellberg made no secret of the competitiveness of the league and the table’s congested state: “I think it’s a competitive league. Now, of course Coventry is ten points ahead of every other team,” he said. “Then I think there are 12 or 14 teams within six points. It will be a long season. It will be a tough season.”

While acknowledging the challenges of the job, he remains firm about his goal with the team: “I want to take Middlesbrough to the Premier League.” Hellberg has taken inspiration from multiple managers that are known for their successful tenures in English football, and did not hesitate to name names: “Bielsa is one I take a lot of inspiration from, De Zerbi is another one, and of course Guardiola and Klopp.”

Hellberg then expanded on his desired style of football, saying: “I want to play aggressive, high defending football. I want to win the ball back as quickly as possible if we don’t have it. I want to control the ball by keeping it and as quickly as possible find the free man that takes the ball forward.”

He also insists that he can achieve his tactical approach with the current squad “I think it’s a very good squad. A lot of good players and I think they’ve shown character and energy, and that’s the main thing. They want to get better and train very hard.”

Hellberg was introduced to the home supporters at Riverside Stadium ahead of the midweek match against Coventry, and said that he got “goosebumps” as he entered the pitch. In terms of how he will treat his relationship to supporters and the local community, he made it clear that he strives for transparency, saying: I think I will be as open as possible for the fans,” he said.

“Try to give everything I can on the pitch for us to be successful and give back to them who support Middlesbrough.” When asked about his relationship to the club prior to his arrival, Hellberg referenced Boro’s 8-1 victory against Manchester City in 2008 with a smile on his face, naming Afonso Alves as one of the goal scorers. He then added that he has watched Boro since he was “five or six years old.”

The new appointee will be put to the test on Saturday, making his debut at Riverside Stadium against Derby County at 3pm. The Rams began the season slowly but have since picked up a strong run of form, climbing the table and putting themselves in contention for the promotion spots.