Boro, who are sitting second in the Championship table after losing in last season’s play-off final to Norwich, brought in Ritchie De Laet, Gaston Ramirez, Julien de Sart and Kike Sola, but it is the arrival of the prolific Rhodes that has prompted Karanka to claim they must go up this season.
“It is not a problem – I am really pleased to take this pressure with this team. If at the end of the season, we do not get promotion with this squad – whether automatically or through the play-offs – I will say that it was my mistake.
“I will not talk about excuses or other teams. No, if we don’t get promotion this season with this squad, it will be because I have made mistakes.”
Karanka admits he was stunned when chairman Steve Gibson told him he had signed Rhodes, after a 24 hour dispute over wage demands had been resolved on Monday. The fee will rise to £13m if Boro are promoted to the Premier League.
“I can’t say more good things about the chairman than I have in the past,” added Karanka, who was Jose Mourinho’s assistant manager at Real Madrid. “When you are not expecting anything more, he arrives with Jordan Rhodes and you can’t say no.
“I can understand how jealous other managers are of me because I am here. At the start of January 31, I had my squad completely perfect, and then he arrived on the last day with Jordan Rhodes. For that reason, what can I say about him once again?”
- Telegraph