Darragh Lenihan has been speaking about the key change that will benefit Middlesbrough in the 2024/25 Championship season.
The 2024/25 Championship season is now just two weeks away for Middlesbrough.
Michael Carrick will host Luke Williams’ Swansea City in their Championship opener at the Riverside on Saturday, August 10th.
Boro have been stuck in England’s second tier since 2017 but their is a feeling that 2024/25 could be the campaign they finally return to the Premier League.
Carrick took Middlesbrough to the Championship play-off semi-finals in 2022/23 before losing to Coventry City.
The Teessiders’ 2023/24 campaign was less fruitful, with Boro forced to settle for eighth place – missing out on the playoffs by four points.
Darragh Lenihan explains Middlesbrough change and assesses promotion chances
One of the reasons Middlesbrough were unable to secure a top-six finish last term was their inflated squad.
Middlesbrough made 14 signings under Kieran Scott in 2023/24, leading to a lot of new players needing to be embedded at the same time.
However, Boro have only signed three first-team players so far this summer and Darragh Lenihan believes this will benefit the club going into 2024/25, as per Teesside Live.
He said: “We [the squad] were chatting during the Portugal training camp; we had a much better squad this year in Portugal than last year.
“No disrespect to anyone there but there was just more numbers.”
Asked about Middlesbrough’s promotion chances, he added: “That’s the long-term goal but we have to take it game by game and keep challenging each other and make sure we can be the best we can be.”
New Middlesbrough signings are already impressing
Luke Ayling, Delano Burgzorg, and Aidan Morris have joined Carrick’s first-team squad this summer.
Boro fans are already familiar with Ayling after his successful loan spell at Middlesbrough in the second half of last season.
As for the other two players, they are already showcasing what they can bring to the club in the coming campaign.
Burgzorg scored his first-ever Middlesbrough goal versus Bolton Wanderers last weekend.
Meanwhile, a pundit has praised Morris for his outings against Gateshead on July 24th.
Middlesbrough face Doncaster Rovers in a friendly on Saturday and the duo are expected to once again get an opportunity to impress Carrick.