Middlesbrough boss Neil Warnock has refused to comment on whether he will be sticking around at the Riverside Stadium long-term. 

Warnock was called upon by the Teessiders back in the summer with the task of guiding the club to safety after their struggle under Jonathan Woodgate.

He did that and is now building up to a push for the play-offs in 2020/21. Boro sit seventh, two points outside the play-off race, which is proving to be hugely competitive again this season.

Quiz: Can you name these 12 Middlesbrough players just by looking at their Wikipedia bios?

However, in terms of long-term planning, Boro are in the dark somewhat. Warnock's deal is only a short-term one and there's no indication whether he will be at the Riverside Stadium beyond the summer of 2021.

In an interview with FourFourTwo, the 72-year-old said: “Who knows? The way the world is at the moment, I’m making no plans.

“I’m not ruling anything in or anything out. But what I will say is that this job doesn’t disappoint.”

Boro beat Luton Town this week to manoeuvre themselves into a good position in terms of keeping on the tails of the top-six.

Saturday sees them head to Birmingham City, looking to capitalise on any slip-ups from those directly above them in the table.

The Verdict

I guess one thing with Warnock's future is that he will want to make sure that the Boro job is offering him a challenge.

If they are mid-table, he's not going to be interested, but if they are challenging in the play-offs and looking like building towards the Premier League, it makes it a lot more attractive.

So, whilst the manager has a decision to make still, the board have to keep Warnock sweet. He's working wonders at the moment and they need to back him to ensure he stays as hungry as he was 20 years ago.

Thoughts? Let us know!