Kim Hellberg has been learning about his Middlesbrough players and the unique ways of motivation they need
Middlesbrough’s Tommy Conway and head coach Kim Hellberg celebrate(Image: PA)
Kim Hellberg is operating an open-door policy at Middlesbrough as he tries to create an environment at Rockliffe where his players feel they can talk to him about anything.
Hellberg is trying to help his players as much as possible during a pivotal stage of the season. Just seven games remain in the campaign, with Boro still sitting second in the Championship.
Hellberg admitted after the draw at Blackburn that there were signs of his players feeling the pressure and/or losing belief after a period of struggles to score goals when teams sit deep and offer them little space.
But the Boro boss has put individual development and open conversations – be that with him directly or one of this three assistants who have each been assigned a small group of players to focus on – at the heart of his plan to maintain what has, in the main, been a really positive start for the Swede on Teesside.
On his conversations with his players in such a high pressure situation, and how there’s no one-size-fits-all rule when it comes to dealing with players, who are all different characters and handle emotions in different ways.
Hellberg explained: “My conversations with the players are no different [whether we win, lose or draw]. You laugh with some of them, you try to find a joke to make them happier, you hug some of them, you get angry at some of them in terms of, ‘I know you can do better’.
“It’s different. That’s part of leadership in terms of trying to find what is best for them, because all I’m trying to do is to help them develop as much as possible, and trying to get them to a position where they can perform as good as they possibly can for Middlesbrough.
“To do that, I’m trying to find out what my players need as a group and as individuals. It’s not the same answer, it’s different for everyone.”
Asked how he does that, particularly as he’s less than four months into his role, and therefore knowing the players, he continued: “I’m with them almost every day so I see them a lot and it’s just about trying to be open for them, try to read what works, learn from it, talk to them.
“My assistant coaches talk a lot to the players as well. That’s the environment we are trying to build – an environment where we are there for them, we try to help them every day, and we talk to them.
“My assistant coaches are absolutely brilliant in having meetings with the players individually. They talk to them and work with them after we divided them into groups, like we talked about before.
“It means that we try to see them every day, and try to build those strong relationships. I think that is important to get the best out of the team.”
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