The first time Middlesbrough was struck by Kim Helberg was in a high-rise hotel in central London.
Director of football Kieran Scott was leading the search for Rob Edwards’ successor. Edwards fought for the job just five months ago, but was suddenly forced to leave for the Wolves in exchange for a hefty payday.
Scott had been following Helberg’s progress in Sweden for some time. Keeping track of other coaches was an important part of the contingency plan, and Helberg’s Hammarby team had just finished runners-up in their second season at the Allsvenskan.
So who is this young, unprecedented coach who suddenly uprooted a tree in Sweden? Scott is aware of his talks with Swansea and was already close to taking the Swans job when Swansea sacked Alan Sheehan in favor of a full-time appointment in November.
Kim Helberg to take over as Middlesbrough manager in November 2025
Saturday, May 9th 11:30am
12:30pm kickoff
Scott was also aware that the data that Helberg’s side were showing on the pitch was thoroughly suited to Middlesbrough’s current needs. Edwards had sorted out Boro’s defense – they were second in the league with just four goals conceded at home – but the attack was still not firing on all cylinders.
On the other hand, Helberg’s Hammarby played high-intensity attacking football, scoring many goals through crosses into the box, passes into the final third and plenty of entries into the final third, finishing in second place.
Data alone won’t secure him a job, so Scott must meet the mysterious Swede to find out if he’s real. Someone who can not only keep Boro accountable for promotion, but also work closely with them to improve Boro in the long term.
Neither could have predicted how close they would soon become, and how long their first meeting in a London hotel would last into the afternoon, discussing Boro’s team, tactics, style of play and the wider game.
They spoke candidly for almost five hours and Scott is understood to have been impressed by Mr Helberg’s warmth and directness as he explained very complex playing and coaching methods in simple terms. They were on the same wavelength on almost every subject.
Helberg was also said to have been so impressed with Scott that he subsequently turned away from Swansea altogether, intending to sit quietly while his potential appointment was discussed by Boro’s wider hierarchy and board, including chief executive Neil Bowser and owner Steve Gibson.
The urgency and importance of Scott’s conviction against Helberg led Bowser to meet Helberg later that night at the same London hotel, and it is understood that he was equally shocked. The group then rushed to a meeting at Mr Gibson’s home in the Northeast the next day to hammer out an agreement.
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Just three days after that first meeting, Helberg was appointed Middlesbrough’s head coach.
Although they ultimately missed out on automatic promotion with a four-point difference, Helberg maintained the momentum for promotion until the end while improving his attacking side, making the impact he expected. Compared to the metrics of the Edwards era, Boro’s attack is extraordinary.
He won his first four games in charge and then beat play-off semi-final opponents Southampton 4-0 in his first game of 2026. This was the start of a five-game winning streak, and by March it looked like it could be the driving force behind a second-place finish.
Perhaps the lack of experience at this level, and in England that of Helberg and his coaches, led to instability in late March and April, with Boro going seven games without a win, including defeats at home to Charlton, Millwall and Portsmouth.
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However, the club bounced back in the closing stages, beating Sheffield Wednesday and Watford, and drawing on the final day against Wrexham to prepare for this weekend’s first leg against Saints.
All things considered, Boro go into the play-offs on a good run and in good form. If they can get past likely play-off favorites Southampton, they have a good chance of beating either Millwall or Hull in the final at Wembley.
Watch Middlesbrough vs Southampton live on Sky Sports Football and Main Event from 12pm on Saturday. Kickoff 12:30pm.
