How Dael Fry feels about playing under Kim Hellberg amid Middlesbrough contract talks | OneFootball

The Middlesbrough captain is in discussions over a new deal at his boyhood club

Despite Middlesbrough running out of steam at a crucial time last season, there's no doubt that the future of the club is bright under Kim Hellberg.

The Swedish boss was a breath of fresh air at the Riverside when he arrived in late November, overseeing a tactical change that made Middlesbrough one of the most entertaining attacking teams in the division when they were all singing from the same hymn sheet.

After they took top spot from Coventry City momentarily in early February, Boro would immediately lose it back to the Sky Blues in a loss that kick-started a run of just four wins in their final 15 league games, which then bled into a thoroughly unsuccessful play-off campaign, where they failed to win any of their three outings.

The high-intensity philosophy of Hellberg was arguably too much for the Middlesbrough side towards the end of the season, who clearly ran out of steam.

Therefore, a productive summer transfer window will be needed to ensure more players arrive who can withstand the physical demands of 'Hellball,' and that starts with the contract extension decisions ahead of the new year.

How out-of-contract captain Dael Fry feels about playing under Kim Hellberg

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One of the first points of call this summer for Kim Hellberg is to decide whether he wants to extend the contract of lifelong Middlesbrough fan and club captain Dael Fry, with it coming to an end this month.

The 28-year-old was in and out of the squad following his return from a calf injury on Boxing Day, but played every minute of the play-off campaign.

First and foremost, he is a Boro fan at heart, and he, like those in the stands, is looking forward to seeing what the future looks like for his boyhood club. He also clearly enjoys playing under him, and his glowing review would indicate that he'd love to be part of that future.

"Since Kim and his staff have come in, they've been absolutely brilliant. In every single way possible," he said, per Teeside Live.

"Emotionally, tactically, stuff on and off the pitch. As a person, he has one-to-one meetings, getting to know you, wanting to know your situation and stuff like that. He's been brilliant.

"Middlesbrough football club, with him in charge, I think the future is really bright. He is a brilliant young coach. He sees football in a different way and his ideas sometimes...He tells you something, and you think, 'Whoa, where's that come from?'

"But it works. You're left thinking he's a genius. Credit to Kim and his staff for how they've done since arriving. It's difficult for everyone when a new manager comes in during the middle of the season and wants to implement a new style, but it's been brilliant since he arrived."

The 28-year-old credited his teammates for buying into Hellberg, too, given he was a relative unknown outside the Swedish top flight before he made the switch to the Championship.

But he's made what is, on paper, a borderline top-six Middlesbrough side into one that can stand toe to toe and beat any of their Championship peers.

"The players all deserve credit as well, for taking it all on board in such a short space of time," he continued. "Then the way he's been in the media and things like that, and with us in the meetings, he's just been absolutely brilliant.

"Everything he says is exactly what the players are feeling. He makes you want to run through a brick wall for him, and to have a manager like that is absolutely brilliant."

Extending Dael Fry's contract should be a no-brainer for Middlesbrough this summer

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Given Fry's long-standing connection with Middlesbrough and his admiration for Kim Hellberg, it would make sense for Boro to offer their captain fresh terms, as he's clearly someone who, when fit, could play a big part in helping his boyhood club return to the Premier League.

The 28-year-old may not be relied on to play every week, given his injury history, and the fact that he was someone who critics felt tired towards the end of the season — his attempt to head clear the Shea Charles goal in extra time against Southampton in the play-offs epitomised that.

But those leadership skills arguably cannot be replaced, and he still has the quality to be a part of a centre-back group who can rotate in and out in the back three system that Kim Hellberg deploys.

There's plenty of interest from other Championship clubs, namely recently relegated West Ham, for Fry, which outlines his quality, and Middlesbrough would be seriously questioned if they let him walk away for nothing.

It's clear that the captain has love for the club and the man in the dugout, so agreeing on fresh terms, on paper, shouldn't be an issue.