Aitor Karanka full of praise for Adam Reach as winger is named in Championship Team of the Week

The future is bright for Adam Reach, says Aitor Karanka.

The in-form Boro winger marked an impressive start to the season by penning a new four-and-a-half-year contract last week and was yesterday named in the Football League Championship Team of the Week.

It’s been a remarkable change in fortune for the 21-year-old, who only made two first team league appearances for the club last season, spending most of the campaign on loan with Shrewsbury and Bradford City.

Karanka has no doubts as to why Reach has been a regular presence in the Boro team this season.

“The key is now he is more mature,” he said. “Sometimes the player’s character permits them to play at 20 year old or 18 years old but other players like Reachy or Gibbo (Ben Gibson) have gone out on loan three or four times.

“It’s the most important thing that he now is more mature. As a player, when you are more mature, you are more confident.

“The manager, the club, and the staff, give you more confidence and you feel that confidence so it’s normal that you improve.”

Joining Reach in the team of the week were Darren Randolph (Birmingham), Andre Bikey (Charlton), Liam Cooper (Leeds), Nikolay Bodurov (Fulham), Jeff Hendrick (Derby), Lee Chung-Yong (Bolton), Kevin Bru (Ipswich), Britt Assombalonga (Nottingham Forest), Andre Grey (Brentford) and Johnny Russell (Derby).

Outlining the reasons for Reach’s inclusion, a Football League statement read: “Boro may have failed to secure three points against fellow high-flyers Bournemouth, but Reach came closest to scoring in the goalless draw by firing against the crossbar in the first half, in what was a solid performance.”

For his part, Karanka has been impressed by the winger’s work-rate and determination to improve.

“He is playing well and I’m sure that he can play better because he’s a very good player, a good lad and a good example for the Academy,” said the Boro boss.

“Now, he is more mature, he’s the kind of lad who always wants to learn, he listens to you, he listens to my assistants.

“On Thursday, he finished his recovery session and then stayed out on the pitch to watch the lads train so he’s the sort of lad who loves football, who always wants to learn and for this reason will have a very good future.”

Terry Cochrane will be the guest speaker at the next meeting of Middlesbrough Official Supporters’ Club on Monday in the Fenton Suite at the Riverside Stadium.

The former Boro, Burnley and Northern Ireland winger will be signing copies of his new autobiography See You at the Far Post.

The meeting starts at 7pm and new members can join on the night.