Middlesbrough manager Kim Hellberg wants to keep Micah Hamilton at the club and refuses to let the attacker move on loan in January.
There was a lot of enthusiasm when Boro signed the teenager from Manchester City, as he was highly rated at the Premier League club and also played and scored in the Champions League.
Hamilton, on the other hand, has struggled to demonstrate his quality consistently on Teesside, with his last start coming more than a year ago.
Kim Hellberg discusses Micah Hamilton’s objectives ahead of the January transfer window.
As a result, it was agreed that Hamilton would spend the second half of last season on loan with Stockport, but the move did not go as planned, as he made only five League One appearances, all from the bench.
So it was always going to be difficult for him to break into Boro’s plans this season, and that has proved to be the case.
However, the recent change of management, with Hellberg replacing Rob Edwards, appears to have altered the 22-year-old’s situation at the Riverside Stadium.
That comes after the new manager informed the Northern Echo that he has been impressed with Hamilton and wants to keep him at the club.
“I would not give up on Micah yet in terms of lending him out. I think he’s doing great in practice, and I really like him. He’s a nice guy that works hard at his training. It is always a fight in football; we can only select ten outfield players, so it is always a battle to be one of them.
“But the way he’s trained, even though he hasn’t started or played much, has really impressed me. We’ll see what happens to him, but I believe he’s a good player.”
Micah Hamilton must seize any opportunity that comes his way under Kim Hellberg.
First and foremost, Hamilton will be delighted to hear this, since he will be eager to demonstrate his abilities in the Championship for Middlesbrough, and Hellberg’s comments suggest that he is a fan of the player.
Furthermore, the former Hammarby manager has already showed his willingness to offer individuals who were previously on the outskirts an opportunity to play, with Alex Bangura and Alex Gilbert benefiting the most since Hellberg’s arrival.
So it will serve as further motivation for Hamilton and those who felt they were nowhere near the XI under Edwards.
Clearly, Hamilton’s success at Manchester City and occasional appearances for Pep Guardiola’s side demonstrate his quality, and it is now up to Hellberg to bring out the most in him.
The festive season is usually busy, so Hamilton may get a chance to impress, and it will be interesting to see if he can turn his Middlesbrough career around when opportunities arise.
xz
