Monk or Pearson set to be next Middlesbrough manager
Middlesbrough are still without a manager after the sacking of Aitor Karanka back in March and are now facing a crucial season in the Championship attempting to regain their Premier League status.
After Karanka’s sacking the Teessiders fell into the relegation zone for the first time and caretaker manager Steve Agnew could not save the Teessiders from relegation.
Now with pre-season looming Boro chairman Steve Gibson is facing a big decision of which manager can guide Middlesbrough straight back into the Premier League.
The two front runners for the job are former Swansea and Leeds manager Gary Monk and former Leicester boss Nigel Pearson.
Former Leeds and Swansea manager Gary Monk
Monk has already got experience in both the Premier League and the Championship in his few years in management.
Monks started his management career as a player-manager at Swansea in his time in Wales Monk managed to save the Swans from relegation and the take them to the round of 32 in the Europa League.
Monk was sacked in his second season in charge of the Swans due to a run which saw the Welsh side win one game in 11.
After departing Swansea Monk was hired as Leeds manager last June and managed to take Leeds to a 7th place finish after a poor run of form cost United their play-off spot on the final day of the season.
Andrea Radrizzani completed his takeover of Leeds a day before the club were set to renew Monks one-year rolling contract but Monk decided to look elsewhere to further his managerial career.
So far Monk has been in talks with Middlesbrough but also North East rivals Sunderland, so it looks likely the manager will be moving north next season.
Monk is a man with littler experience but could be a potential fan favourite after his success with Leeds last year.
Nigel Pearson is a manager with more experience than Monk and has been linked with the job at Boro since Karanka departed in March.
Former Leicester City boss Nigel Pearson
Pearson is a manger who has been successful in the championship with former club Leicester City in two season Pearson took the Foxes to the play-off semi-final and then to the title the year after.
Leicester lost their play-off semi-final to Watford in what is still one of football’s greatest moments but a 20 league game unbeaten run the following year guided Leicester to the title and a spot in the Premier League.
In his first and only season managing the Foxes in the Premier League Pearson managed to save Leicester from relegation and the Foxes became only the third team bottom at Christmas to survive the drop.
After being sacked by Leicester in June 2015 Pearson had a year out of football before joining Derby County in May 206 but left by mutual consent in October that year.
Boro fans may be happy to see Pearson in charge of the club as in the last four years of Pearson’s playing career he captained Middlesbrough to two promotions and three domestic cup finals.