Hiram Boateng: Returning from the wilderness to help his Dons side march on

The buildup to the 2021/22 campaign couldn’t have been much worse for MK Dons.

Following on from the aftermath of a disastrous start to the season, seeing in the space of 24 hours a 5-0 drubbing away to Bournemouth, followed by the departure of manager Russell Martin to Swansea, fans would have scarcely believed it was possible to be sitting comfortably inside the playoff positions in third only nine matches later.

Now under the stewardship of head coach Liam Manning, the Dons are still playing possession-based football. But the main difference is the current incumbent’s desire to play in a more advanced position, taking the ball into the opposition half faster and to then play an intricate pass-and-move style through the opponent.

This differs to Martin’s patient and sometimes static defensive possession style that builds from inside your own penalty area, where one mistake can pay the ultimate price.

One of the unsung players within Manning’s early tenure has been Hiram Boateng. Outcast under the previous regime, he was loaned last season to Cambridge United where he helped the U’s to promotion.

On his return to Buckinghamshire following the loan, his limited chances during the pre-season saw his efforts fall on deaf ears, so much so to not even be given a number ahead of the new campaign.

The hard-working central midfielder, who arrived in Milton Keynes back in 2019 from Exeter City and spent twelve months at the club before departing on loan, has managed to reignite his Milton Keynes career and produce stellar displays to the joys of all at Stadium MK.

Whilst Boateng may not be the first name on the team sheet, he has managed to capitalise on others unfortunate injuries, namely Mo Eisa and Max Watters, taking on the starting role and running tirelessly for his side’s cause.

The 25-year-old is quickly transforming and reinventing himself in positional terms on the field. Excluding one unsuccessful display in 2019 as a makeshift-striker when the Dons suffered a striking-injury crisis, he has always been utilised in a central-midfield position.

However, Boateng has found himself operating in a hybrid role under Manning; playing off the striker, wider than an attacking midfielder yet not with enough width to affect the runs of the wingbacks.

With Boateng playing this position, it has managed to create and open pockets for others to play into, especially creative midfielders Scott Twine and Matt O’Riley, who can then try and feed the runs of strikers Troy Parrott, Mo Eisa and Max Watters. This has helped the club become the League One top scorers with 17 goals so far this season.

Coming into Liam Manning’s Dons side from the cold was always going to be a tough task, given his lack of minutes he saw under Russell Martin pre-season.

In his four starts to date in the Dons starting eleven, he has worked wholeheartedly and tirelessly for the first hour before being replaced.

Without being the most technically gifted or the most astute at playing the possession-based play, he does possess excellent game-awareness and can find himself arriving into the box to add numbers for any crosses, whilst also being an extra man pressing the defence when they look to build from the back.

During the Dons’ most recent victory at home to Wycombe Wanderers, Boateng won all nine duels he entered and had an 88% pass completion, including two long-range attempts. He was able to effectively offer his side control, rotation, and ball retention, despite playing a role which is unfamiliar to any he has played previously.

Having managed to find the net on two occasions already, both away from home earning his side vital points, he has gone under the radar a little. However, his performances will not have gone unnoticed by the Dons coaching hierarchy.

With both strike options in Mo Eisa and Max Watters now fully fit and able to return for 90 minutes, Boateng will have a challenge on his hands to keep his place in the lineup. However, his four most recent displays will have given Manning a happy headache for their upcoming games.

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