Hayden Hackney continues to star for Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough’s Hayden Hackney celebrates(Image: PA)
Hayden Hackney continues to star in Middlesbrough’s promotion push, but Kim Hellberg says it’s his mentality and character that have impressed him as much as anything else.
Hackney was once again a driving force behind Boro’s latest victory, as he played a huge role in all three Boro goals in their dramatic victory at West Brom.
The midfielder, who turned down a £20 million summer move to promotion rivals Ipswich Town, continues to shine for Boro – and that continues to see him linked with a move away from Boro.
For now, the 23-year-old continues to focus on the task of getting Boro back to the Premier League, with the club desperate to keep him at the Riverside until the end of the season at least.
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And quizzed on Hackney after the West Brom game and if he felt fortunate to have the former England U21 international available to select, Boro’s boss highlighted how there was so much more to Hackney than just his ‘unbelievable’ ability on the pitch.
“I’m very happy to have him,” Hellberg said. “I think he’s unbelievable. The most impressive thing with him is how hard he works to improve, how hard he works to make other people in the club and in the team improve.
“He’s such a good leader. He’s an unbelievable athlete and a quality player. But the person… being like that, I think that says everything about him. He’s unbelievable.”
Hackney has continued to captain Boro under Hellberg, even as more experienced players like Luke Ayling and Dael Fry have returned to the fold. Asked recently if that was a permanent decision, Hellberg said he’d just stuck to Rob Edwards’ summer decision to not name an official captain, and instead share the responsibility among the squad.
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