AITOR KARANKA marked his second anniversary as Middlesbrough head coach by admitting that nothing will be achieved until he has delivered the perfect present of promotion to the Premier League.

The Spaniard succeeded Tony Mowbray on November 13, 2013, with Boro sitting 16th in the Championship and closer to the relegation zone than a play-off spot.

Twenty-four months on, though, and rather than being just five points above the League One trapdoor, Middlesbrough are sitting four points shy of top spot in the second tier of English football.

That might still not be the placing Karanka would like to be sat in mid-November, but pushing to claim that spot before the end of the campaign is highest in his thinking despite last weekend’s 3-0 defeat at leaders Hull City.

The Northern Echo: 'Arsenal will know all about us' insists Boro boss Karanka

Patrick Bamford who is on loan at Crystal Palace

“The main aim is promotion and the day we are in the Premier League I can say that everything is done and we can celebrate,” said Karanka, who chose to celebrate his anniversary on a low-key level by just speaking to the club’s official website.

“But now we have to keep going and working because every game is difficult and we’ve done nothing.

“It’s important to look at Middlesbrough high up in the table and where we are in the cup; everybody is excited for the draws because last year we played against the biggest teams in the Premier League.

“That’s the main thing that the crowd is happy and enjoying the games. We have over 20,000 at the Riverside every game, the away support is amazing and for this reason I go home thinking we’re doing well but we’ve done nothing yet.”

While there has been significant progress in two years, the improvements in fortunes between last year and this year has not quite been as effective as he would like.

Middlesbrough are in an almost identical position to last season, sitting on 30 points and in fourth spot, despite the summer investment to improve the squad.

Undoubtedly Karanka’s squad is stronger and boasts more experience, although there is a feeling the new-look team has not clicked as often as had been expected since August.

But Karanka – who has once again been linked with a January move for Chelsea’s Patrick Bamford - is confident he has the team to deliver and is focused on achieving the club’s goals between now and the end of the campaign.

The 42-year-old, whose two-year stint has also seen exciting cup wins over Manchester City and Manchester United, said: “The main thing is we’re in the way that I set out two years ago when I spoke in my first press conference.

“I said I came here to try to get this club in the Premier League again and I think we’re in a good way. We were close last season and now we’re in the same way.

“We have six months to achieve that aim but again two years ago it wasn’t easy to say that in the situation the club was in, but now I think everyone believes so I’m really pleased.”

Bamford, meanwhile, continues to be the subject of suggestions that his season-long loan to Palace will be cut short in January.

The 22-year-old excelled at the Riverside last season and Karanka has made no secret of his desire to have him back on Teesside since the end of last season.

Bamford – and Chelsea - wanted to see if he could handle the Premier League but Alan Pardew has hardly given him a chance at that level.

Karanka will be kept informed about the situation from Jose Mourinho and will make a move for Bamford if Palace to decide to end the agreement early.