Middlesbrough response to Rob Edwards news special to witness – Adi Viveash

Adi Viveash paid tribute to the Middlesbrough players and fans who combined to deliver a “massive win” over Birmingham as head coach Rob Edwards edged a step closer to joining Wolves.

Boro were determined to put on a display of strength and unity, and they earned three points on the day it was announced Edwards had been given permission to speak with his former club at Molineux.

Teessider Dael Fry’s 17th-minute volley was cancelled out by Demarai Gray but Hayden Hackney’s clever flick secured three points for Middlesbrough’s stand-in management team of Viveash, Harry Watling and Craig Liddle.

Viveash celebrated the victory with the players in front of fans who held up banners criticising Edwards before he faced questions over his interest in taking the job on a full-time basis.

“The only thing I am interested in is finishing this interview and having a glass of red wine,” he said.

“Today is about the players and supporters. Tomorrow is another day and life moves on.

“That is a subject for the club and the powers that be. I am grateful to be given an opportunity and thankfully we have given them a good day at the end of a difficult week.”

Viveash wanted the result to be enjoyed by everyone connected with the club.

He said: “Today is all about the players and supporters, they dovetailed amazingly well, joined together to show the best of an amazing club. It was special to witness it, never mind work in it.

“Footballers are resilient, their job is to produce for the club they play for. We showed a lot of grit, desire, and I would say that has been apparent in most games this season. If you work hard, luck falls on you.

“It’s been an interesting time. I have been around the game a lot, this is not the first time this has happened. It is about trying to control the controllables.

“All the players can control is trying to produce the best version of themselves and try to get these amazing fans involved. The noise before was a tidal wave and we started so well because of that.

“We have come out with a massive win for the football club and the supporters. It is a fantastic club.”

Birmingham, who had won the previous two games 4-0 against Portsmouth and Millwall, threatened plenty after the interval but could not find a way to beat Middlesbrough goalkeeper Sol Brynn.

Chris Davies, who confirmed Paik Seung-Ho suffered an early shoulder problem that will be examined, said: “Looking at it overall, we deserved something from the match. We couldn’t get the last touch into the goal.

“We had everything we would want in the game, (we were) better team in terms of dominance but we couldn’t quite get the goals from the match.

“The first goal we conceded was a set piece, and it’s never nice to concede a corner because you feel its preventable. The second goal was disheartening because it gave them something to hang on to.

“Based on what I have seen I feel like we disrupted them, you never know how the last 24 hours had impacted the club, but you could see the fans and the club had been galvanised and the goal before the break gave them something to hang on to.”