BY now Middlesbrough’s fans have learned Aitor Karanka will not waiver from his footballing beliefs in his bid to bring Premier League football back to the Riverside.

There have been numerous occasions when he could have bowed to the demands of disgruntled supporters calling for an attack-minded system or playing style.

But, while there is still plenty of work to be done if Boro are to achieve their goals come May, his determination to stay strong and stick with the plan has paid off – and is winning everyone over.

His decision to retain the two holding midfielder system – which earned Adam Clayton the player of the month award for December – has reaped its rewards, with the foundations of impressive form built largely on brilliant defensive work.

The 1-0 defeat at Cardiff on October 20 seems a million miles away, having led Boro to just one defeat in 12 league games; keeping ten clean sheets along the way to move four points clear at the top.

“It’s good to remember those days because in those days everyone was saying we had to change a lot of things,” said Karanka, whose side face Burnley in the FA Cup third round today.

“I am really stubborn but the players believe and trust the job. We are always working in the same way and we can enjoy the fruits of our success.

“I believe in one idea to play, to win and to be successful. I prefer to be wrong and then to say ‘OK I was wrong’, but I have an idea of one way, the staff have one way and the players trust and believe in the same way.

“We are all in the position we are because of that. After Cardiff had we changed things then we would not have been in the position we are now. If we do need to change things I would change, because I am not stupid. But I knew we didn’t need to change.”

But where does Karanka’s stubbornness come from? He recalls his days when he was a player at Real Madrid and his career had reached a crossroads in the summer before a Champions League final victory over Valencia in Paris.

The defender played alongside Ivan Helguera and Ivan Campo that night at the Stade de France when Real went on to win 3-0. He might not have been there.

“I used to be stubborn as a player too, when I was at Real Madrid,” he said. “When I didn’t play I had offers to leave Real Madrid but I felt I was able to play for Real Madrid so I was always looking to stay.

“That one season when I really could have moved on, it was close, I ended up staying and in the team and we won the Champions League. For that reason, if you believe in your work and yourself you don’t need to change.”