“It’s remarkable” – Sol Bamba makes bold claim about Middlesbrough promotion chances ahead of trip to Cardiff City | OneFootball

Sol Bamba has made his first move in coaching in taking over at Cardiff City alongside Sabri Lamouchi.

The 38-year-old saw out the final days of his playing career at Middlesbrough, a spell he will look back fondly on despite the club missing out on the play-offs, in a season where they knocked Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur out of the FA Cup.

Boro travel to Cardiff City this weekend, in what will be Lamouchi and Bamba’s first home league game at the helm, as they look to continue their good form under Michael Carrick.

The Teesside club were towards the bottom end of the division when Leo Percovich’s takeover stint came to an end and Carrick took over, and the Champions League winner has gone on to perform an epic turnaround that has seen Boro become close to nailed on play-off fodder.

Bamba had his say on their rapid rise and where it might take them when he appeared on The Official EFL Podcast.

He said: “From where they started with Michael Carrick and where they are now, honestly it’s remarkable.

“In my opinion they can actually catch second spot.

“Credit to them.”

It was difficult to make sense of Boro’s demise at the start of the season given the squad in place at the club, and Carrick has gone on to unlock their true potential, bulldozing their way into the top six with time to spare.

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Boro will be favourites to make it three losses from three at the start of the new era at Cardiff City, which would not reflect very well on their chances of staying in the division, having scored just one goal in their last seven league outings, drawing a blank in their last three.

Due to Bamba’s previous connections to the club, the new management may receive a little more patience than those who have gone before them, with the warm reception that Mark Hudson appeared to get as their predecessor.

Realistically, it would not be a surprise to see them defeated at the weekend, but with more winnable matches around the corner against Birmingham City and Reading.