Doubt raised over Rob Edwards as Middlesbrough sent harrowing Championship prediction by EFL pundit

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Rob Edwards will be looking to secure a play-off finish with Middlesbrough, but doubts over the manager and their ability to perform in 2025/26 have been raised.

After nearly three full seasons under Michael Carrick, Middlesbrough sacked their long-time boss and appointed Rob Edwards this summer.

Edwards is proud to be representing Boro going into the 2025/26 season, in which fans will be expecting a play-off push.

The Teessiders have come up short in the previous two campaigns under Carrick, finishing four points outside the top six on both occasions.

While supporters will hope a new manager is what they need to finally get back in the Championship play-offs, one pundit is predicting disappointment for the Reds.

Middlesbrough Championship prediction

Since their last relegation from the Premier League in 2017, Middlesbrough have predominantly finished inside the top half.

2019/20, when they ended the campaign 17th, was the only time Boro have slipped below 10th place.

However, EFL pundit Benjamin Bloom has now made his prediction for where the North East outfit will finish in 2025/26.

Bloom has tipped Middlesbrough to end up in 13th place while discussing the uncertainty around Edwards and exactly what version of him the Teessiders will be getting.

He said: “Middlesbrough, I don’t know, right now it’s a bit of a muddle there. It feels like they wanted the Hayden Hackney deal to get done so they could do their summer business, and that hasn’t been done.

“I just wonder whether you get a situation now where Boro have got players lined up to come in and the business is all going to be a bit of a muddle.

“And we don’t know what Rob Edwards is going to do. If you get Forest Green Rob Edwards, if you get Luton season one Rob Edwards, Boro won’t be 13^th, they’ll be up challenging for the play-offs or in the play-offs. But I don’t know, there’s a little too much unknown, and there is slippage here from Boro. 4^th, 8^th, 10^th.

“Gone down four places, and then two places. What is halfway between that? Three places. I’ve got them going down another three into the bottom half.”

More Middlesbrough Championship predictions

Bloom is not the only one who thinks Boro are going to once again fail to make the top six in the upcoming season.

Ali Maxwell doesn’t believe Middlesbrough have a top-half squad right now.

Meanwhile, Opta’s supercomputer also has Middlesbrough finishing outside the play-offs with 8th spot in the second tier predicted.