Darragh Lenihan hoping to add more Ireland caps after period of flux at Middlesbrough

Change is to be expected, and Darragh Lenihan has had to deal with his fair share of flux in recent months.

After ten years with Blackburn Rovers, in June the Ireland defender joined Middlesbrough with then ‘Boro boss Chris Wilder lavishing praise upon the 28-year-old Meath man on his arrival.

“I’ve been a huge admirer of Darragh for a long time in terms of his qualities he brings as a player, as a person, as a competitor, as a warrior, and a leader of men,” said Wilder at the time.

However, by October the winds of change were blowing at the Riverside and Wilder was sacked after a poor start in the Championship in which Middlesbrough won just two of their opening 11 games and were in the bottom three. Former Manchester United player Michael Carrick has since taken charge.

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“It’s been an interesting challenge,” admits Lenihan on his move from Ewood Park.

“When I was at Blackburn I had a manager for five years and then I’ve had three managers within four or five months. It has been a good challenge for me personally and one I will look back on for testing me as a person.

“I’m the type of person who likes a challenge so hopefully over the next couple of weeks and months we can kick on as a club.

“Michael has made a very big impression. It was a tough start and we expected to be higher in the table at the start but it wasn’t meant to be. But how we responded in the last couple of weeks, the manager has been excellent, simple messages but very effective. Hopefully we can improve and then after this break kick on.”

Middlesbrough have won three of their last five league games are now 14th in the table with 27 points, just four points adrift of sixth place. And Lenihan is not ruling out a promotion charge.

“As a young kid you want to play in the Premier League. You look at Forest last year, I don’t know when they were bottom of the league but they got promoted in the playoffs. There is plenty of competition this year in the Championship but hopefully we can be up there come the end of the season.”

Before all of that, Lenihan hopes to win his fourth senior international cap later this week as Ireland play friendlies at home to Norway on Thursday and away to Malta on Sunday. However, he will not get to test himself against Erling Haaland, after confirmation the Norwegian striker will not be involved in Thursday’s game.

[ Erling Haaland to miss Norway’s friendly against Ireland ]

“You want to challenge yourself and that’s why you play. He has been excellent for City this year and probably up there with one of the best players in the world, if not the best,” said Lenihan..

“It would be a proud moment [to start on Thursday]. I have only played three times so hopefully I can get a few more caps. If I do play on Thursday, all well and good, just hopefully we put in a good performance.”