Thursday 11 August 2016 13:40, UK
Middlesbrough head coach Aitor Karanka admits avoiding relegation from the Premier League is his main target for the season ahead.
However, the Spaniard also has a long-term plan to establish Boro as a force in the top flight following their promotion from the Championship last term.
And he wants his side to make an early statement of intent by claiming a victory over Stoke City in their opening game of the season at the Riverside on Saturday.
Karanka said: "The main aim for us is to stay in the Premier League, and to build the foundations to be here for a long time.
"Everybody now is really excited, not just those working at the club but all the fans. Everyone is thinking about Saturday's game.
"We have to know that now we are in the Premier League we have to play at 150 per cent. You cannot make mistakes.
"We have an important game on Saturday, and if we win it can be a good message, especially playing at home in front of our crowd."
Karanka has added to his squad this summer, with goalkeeper Victor Valdes and striker Alvaro Negredo among nine new arrivals.
However, he says it is not about big names and more about the attitude of the players as they prepare for a tough campaign.
Karanka said: "I'm really pleased with the work that the club has done and now it is just one or two players but it has been really good because we've brought a few players. We need to work with them but we have had the time to work.
"It is not about the names, it is about the performances, the attitude. For me the main thing is those names are here because they wanted to come here.
"For sure they had other offers, better in terms of money, but they wanted to come here, join this club, to play in the Premier League with us and for this reason it is a good headache for me every week.
"The squad is much stronger but we have to be careful because not many of them have Premier League experience. We have names but football is about a team."
