ALBERT ADOMAH was left out of Ghana’s African Cup of Nations squad, but Aitor Karanka believes the winger will play a leading role in Middlesbrough’s promotion push.

Adomah scored his first goal since October in Tuesday night’s win over Bolton Wanderers at the Riverside Stadium, but it is the winger’s defensive duties that have earned praise from his Spanish head coach.

Karanka revealed the 27-year-old has been working to improve that side of his game recently and he filled in at right-back during the defeat to Leeds United.

In attacking terms, Adomah hasn’t quite hit the heights of last season when he scored 12 goals, but Karanka’s philosophy of building from the back has meant a change in the attacker’s role.

Adomah was disappointed to be dropped from Avram Grant’s squad just before last month’s tournament in Equatorial Guinea. Ghana were beaten in the final by Ivory Coast, but Karanka believes the wide man’s exclusion has spurred him on.

“I think he deserved to go, because he’s a very good player but I don’t know what is happening with his national team,” Karanka said.

“I think it was good for him because it meant he was very committed here. He is a very important player for us, not just on the pitch but in the changing room as well.

“He’s a good character. He’s always joking but working hard. He’s a winner and his personality is good. For me, it was good he didn’t go, but he did deserve to.

“I think it has spurred him on, especially after scoring against Bolton. He is going to be more confident. In the last games, including the Man City game, he didn’t have a lot of chances but he created and worked hard.

“He could have lost his confidence a bit, but now he has scored he will be a very important player for us in the next two months.”

Boro take on Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough this afternoon, where they will hope to keep the pressure on league leaders Derby, who go to Fulham.

Steve McClaren’s side missed out on promotion last year after losing to Queens Park Rangers in the play-off final, but Karanka believes one of their January signings gives them more of an advantage than their experience of chasing promotion.

He said: “This can be an advantage but for me the best advantage is that they are the best team and they have signed six new players in January and one of those players is Darren Bent.

“In the least two or three games he has given nine points to Derby with his goals so he is the main advantage.”