5 Reasons to Believe Aitor Karanka Can Lead Middlesbrough to the Premier League

This season marks five years since Middlesbrough were in the top flight. It's almost a decade since they won the League Cup. Remember that incredible UEFA Cup run under Steve McClaren? That was a full seven years ago.

Since McClaren left to manage the England national team, 'Boro chairman Steve Gibson has displayed an uncanny ability to choose managers who are, in one form or another, completely useless. Gibson replaced McClaren with Gareth Southgate, despite the fact Southgate lacked the correct coaching qualifications for the job. That's like getting someone to fit your boiler who isn't CORGI registered. It's asking for trouble.

Southgate proceeded to show off his managerial skills over the next three seasons by spending £13.6 million on Brazilian turkey Alfonso Alves and getting Middlesbrough relegated for the first time in eleven years. Southgate got sacked, and Gordon Strachan hired as his replacement.

Strachan was in charge for almost exactly a year before he resigned in October 2010. Middlesbrough had been favourites for promotion that season, but a terrible start saw them lie 20th in the Championship after just five games.

Gibson then turned to Tony Mowbray, and an amazing thing happened. The club started looking like promotion candidates again. However, they missed out on the playoffs and never looked like going up since. A poor start to the 2013/14 campaign has seen 'Boro win just two games in 12 and has led to Mowbray's dismissal after nearly three years at the club.

With this in mind, 'Boro fans can be forgiven for not being overly optimistic about new manager Aitor Karanka. Nobody's ever heard of him, he's never managed a club before and he takes over a team low on confidence and sitting 16th in the table.

But there are signs that Gibson might have finally got his managerial decision right this time. Here are five reasons Karanka can be the man to lead Middlesbrough to the Premier League.

1) Karanka chose Middlesbrough over Crystal Palace

It's important to note that Karanka didn't just choose the first managerial vacancy that became available to him. He's been linked with a number of high-profile coaching roles, including the manager's job at Crystal Palace.

Karanka chose Middlesbrough because he believes he can get them promoted. This has to be a source of optimism for Boro fans—there's a man in charge that genuinely believes he can guide them back to the top flight.

2) He's got an incredible pedigree for the job

Karanka played most of his career as a centre-back for Athletic Bilbao and Real Madrid. He spent the majority of his career playing for manager Jupp Heynckes—one of the most successful European coaches in the modern game.

He also spent three years as the assistant to Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid. Karanka has spent the majority of his footballing career working alongside two of the best coaches of their generation. These are some of the greatest managers in the world—Karanka will surely have a huge impact on the way 'Boro train and prepare themselves for games.

3) The success of others in his mould

We've already got one ex-assistant to Mourinho in England and he's doing quite well. Andre Villas-Boas has adapted well to the Premier League and is doing an excellent job with Tottenham.

He joins two other Spanish managers in English football—Oscar Garcia of Brighton and Roberto Martinez of Everton. Whilst Garcia is new to Brighton he's made a solid start, and Martinez is arguably one of the best managers in the country.

4) The element of surprise

Imagine you're the manager of Middlesbrough's next opponents, Leeds United. You have no idea how Karanka is going to manage his team. What formation will he use? What players will he pick? What tactics will he employ?

You can't know for sure how Karanka is going to play with his team. Karanka himself probably doesn't know just yet. So how do you prepare your team to face him?

Games come thick and fast over the winter, and if Karanka can get Middlesbrough playing quickly, there's every chance they could pick up plenty of points before other teams figure out how to play against them.

5) The current infrastructure

Middlesbrough are a well-supported club, and boast a 35,000-seat stadium for their fans. They're a club with a rich history and Gibson gives his managers time—both Mowbray and Southgate got three years each.

They've got some good players, too. Albert Adomah has already got seven goals so far this season, Marvin Emnes and Emmanuel Ledesma are both highly skilfful players and Grant Leadbitter, Stuart Parnaby and Dean Whitehead are all Championship veterans. Plus, they've got club captain Jonathan Woodgate. There's the potential for 'Boro to have one of the best teams in the Championship, if Karanka can get the best out of them.

Middlesbrough have been bold with hiring Karanka. It's his first managerial role and the club are highly ambitious. But fortune favours the brave—'Boro's new boss has experience working with the best coaches in the world, training with the best players in the world at Real Madrid, one of the most successful clubs in the history of the game. He'll take teams by surprise as the opposition doesn't know what to prepare for. If he can get the best out of his squad, he can lead 'Boro to the Premier League.