Three reasons Garry Monk could struggle at Middlesbrough after Leeds ‘success’

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Garry Monk quit Leeds and took over as Middlesbrough boss. Does he face a tough challenge?

Garry Monk stunned everybody by quitting Leeds United earlier this summer, and his decision to join another Championship club did not sit well with supporters.

Now Middlesbrough boss, Monk will feel he has a point to prove – but he might not find it easy on Teesside.

New Middlesbrough manager Garry Monk during the press conference

Here are three reasons why he could struggle…

Preparation and favours

Before taking on the Leeds United job, Garry Monk had six months out of work after his surprise omission from Swansea.

This left him time to re-charge, re-focus, and analyse what went wrong at Swansea, as well as eye up his transfer targets.

He was able to call in favours from his former side Swansea, loaning Kyle Bartley, and signing former teammate Pablo Hernandez.

Even his signing of Pontus Jansson was one he had eyed for years, after playing against him with Malmo.

This season he will be without all three, and will be worse off for it.

Expectation

Monk’s spell at Leeds was quantified as a ‘success’ despite their late collapse which saw them miss the play-offs.

This was because all he needed to do at Leeds to succeed was last the season, something no manager had done under owner Massimo Cellino.

At Middlesbrough it is very different. Fans expect a strong promotion push from day one, and a poor start like he had at Leeds will be viewed dimly.

Finishing seventh will be regarded as a failure, and Monk has to adjust to these expectations, having never managed a club in this scenario.

No Pep

Garry Monk and assistant manager Josep Clotet (L)

This is Garry Monk’s first job in management without right hand man Pep Clotet, who has gone on to manage Oxford.

Clotet was his highly touted assistant at both Swansea and Leeds, and regarded as being very tactically astute.

To credit Clotet with the success would be unfair on Monk, but the Middlesbrough manager will find it tough without him – in his most demanding job yet.