Middlesbrough have been handed a significant boost ahead of the Championship play-off final against Hull City at Wembley on Saturday, as Hayden Hackney has returned to training
Hayden Hackney of Middlesbrough celebrates scoring(Image: Richard Lee/Shutterstock)
Middlesbrough have been handed a major lift ahead of their Wembley showdown against Hull City, with key player Hayden Hackney declared fit and back in training for the match.
Hackney, who claimed the Championship Player of the Year accolade, has been absent from Boro’s run-in after picking up a calf problem in the stalemate with Bristol City in March.
The midfielder’s absence has been keenly felt, but having ruled him out of the play-off semi-finals against Southampton, Kim Hellberg had expressed optimism that he would be ready for the final should Boro progress.
When Boro failed to secure victory at St Mary’s, Hackney seemed to be bidding farewell to Boro supporters, with the widespread assumption being that the Premier League-linked star would depart this summer should Boro miss out on promotion.
However, Boro and Hackney have been granted another opportunity at a Premier League comeback following the Spygate controversy and Southampton’s removal from the play-offs. This means Hackney is expected to feature in Saturday’s play-off final, reports Teesside Live.
When asked whether Hackney will be available, Hellberg said: “He’s training today. It’s a very weird one, we’ve been off so long and not trained for a long time.
“We’ll have to see what happens today and tomorrow and what happens from that. Hayden is fit, absolutely.” While Hackney has returned to training in preparation for the match, the crucial question remains regarding his fitness levels and match sharpness. Although a fully fit Hackney would be an automatic selection, if he’s operating below peak condition, Hellberg must assess what the star can contribute and whether he should be in the starting line-up.
“It’s tough of course,” Hellberg admitted. “You have to look at the whole picture, who can play, who’s ready, who fits the tactics we want to use and how we put the players we can use into the best game.
“How do we approach the game when they are very good in different ways? It’s a lot to think about and we will try to find the best way. Hayden is of course included in that.”
Regarding injuries more broadly, Boro are aware they’ll be without Tommy Conway after the striker sustained an ankle problem requiring surgery, which will also dash his World Cup ambitions this summer.
Former Hull City man Alfie Jones hasn’t featured since December and looks unlikely to participate, while Kaly Sene was absent for both semi-final legs and remains doubtful for the final.
Hellberg said: “I have a lot of concerns after not training in nine or 10 days and them coming back from this. But it is what it is. We have two days to prepare and we’ll do that.”
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