Adi Viveash, Middlesbrough’s new assistant manager, has indicated that he is already impressed with the Boro squad as preseason training begins.
Rob Edwards’ No. 2 is adjusting to the challenges that await him after moving to Teesside to work with the new head coach. Viveash had coaching success with Chelsea and later Coventry City, and was part of the Sky Blues’ backroom team when they defeated Boro in the play-off semi-finals two years ago.
He hasn’t been in the North East for long, but he’s already enthusiastic about what might be accomplished this season and believes Boro have the perfect guy in Edwards to lead their promotion push.
The Boro squad is currently in Portugal for a week-long training camp in the Algarve before returning to the UK for their pre-season friendly schedule, and Viveash is enjoying his time with the players after a frantic last month.
“Yeah, it’s been a really interesting couple of weeks to be honest,” he added while in Portugal. “There was a bit of a whirlwind before that. I was sitting in the backyard, and three hours later, I was on the road to Rockliffe. So, to be honest, there hasn’t been a moment of peace, but it’s been amazing to be back and greet everyone.
“Everyone at the club has been really nice. Everyone I’ve met in the communities I’ve visited has been fantastic, and they’re obviously very enthusiastic about their team. It’s been nice to see the players firsthand.
“I’ve coached agains quite a lot of them over the years and and it’s been good to to get in among it and meet everybody.”
Viveash stated how the transfer to Boro came about when the coach met with Edwards to discuss football philosophy, as well as the 2023 play-off final, in which his Luton side defeated Coventry.
“We had some meetings and we had a four-hour coffee that turned into lunch talking about many things about our journeys in coaching, the play-off final,” according to him. “We talked a lot about it, as well as the tactical aspects of the game, and it was a really wonderful chat.
“But we have known each other for a few years. There was mutual respect, and things just escalated from there. We had a couple more meetings, and there was a sense that something might happen. Obviously there was some interest in Rob at the time, and it rapidly became clear that he was speaking with Middlesbrough, and this may happen.
“I was really in Cyprus and there were a few texts and conversations going on, and when I returned, I met him and Kieran (Scott), and it kind of went from there. It was just getting Rob situated initially, and then me and H (Harry Watling) joined in.”
Viveash has only been working with the Boro players for a week, but he is already impressed by the club’s standards.
“There are some really talented technical players,” he told me. “I worked with some extremely talented midfielders at Coventry, and the players here are on the same level. So technically sound, with some actual personalities. They’re quite a diverse group.
“It’s a very, very youthful group with a lot of enthusiasm, so I’ve been really happy with what I’ve seen. Of course, it’s early days, and pre-season is all about building over the course of several weeks.
“We’ve certainly had a fantastic week here in Portugal. We aim to be further ahead than we were last Friday, and if we are, that’s great. Then it starts to build with all the friendlies coming, and before you know it, we’ll be at Swansea, which is what it’s all about.
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