AITOR Karanka has reiterated his desire to bring in an assistant coach with experience in English football after dismissing reports linking Colorado Rapids head coach Pablo Mastroeni with Craig Hignett’s former post.

Hignett left his role as Karanka’s assistant manager earlier this week, but the Boro boss has confirmed he will not rush into appointing a replacement.

Mastroeni – a former team-mate of Karanka during his days in the MLS – has spent time at the club’s Rockliffe training headquarters this week fuelling speculation he has been lined up to take a role at the club, but the Spaniard insists that is not the case.

“Of course, I want a person who knows the league, who knows the country, not, as I heard, a coach from the USA or a coach from Spain.

“I am going want another person who knows the league, who knows the club because I need this kind of support.”

Hignett’s departure came as a surprise on Tuesday, but despite reports Karanka is adamant it is not linked to an alleged bust up after Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Blackburn.

He said: “I have said my side because I want to make it clear. It's football, we have had differences in opinions and some different points of view and it's just that.

“The most important thing is I wish him all the best and to say thanks to Higgy.

“I'm sad because I miss a friend more than I miss a member of my staff but sometimes that happens.

“You have to think about the club. One day I will leave here, some people will be sad, some people will be happy but always the club is the most important thing.

“I don't want to speak. The first thing is I can't transmit in English all the things that I want to transmit.

“Everything is clear, it's just differences of opinion and points of view and that's all it is.

“I don't have any doubts that the players won't go into the game in the same way because I could feel them in every single session and they are looking forward to the game.”

Karanka is waiting to hear whether Adam Clayton and Patrick Bamford will be fit to play at Millwall on Saturday after both missed training with a sickness bug today.

Dimi Konstantopoulos and Daniel Ayala are also doubtful after picking up knocks last weekend.

The Boro head coach will be on the touchline at the weekend, despite being charged by the Football Association for his conduct when Blackburn scored a late equaliser at the Riverside Stadium, although he could receive a touchline ban if he is found guilty.

Karanka has until 6pm tomorrow to respond to the charge and revealed he will go before a panel to explain his actions.

“We want to go to explain because I want to explain, I didn't want to do anything bad, I used to be a player, I played more than 350 games and I never had a suspension for protesting. I didn't have a suspension in Madrid with Jose (Mourinho) so it was my first time.

“Again, it could be because I was frustrated but I never wanted to show a lack of respect.

“I just wanted to attract his attention because he was in the same position as me and everybody who was in that position could see what happened (when Rovers scored) and I was frustrated.

“It was difficult for me but the most important thing is I never wanted to show a lack of respect.”