In the modern era, the appreciation of a deep-lying playmaker has taken a back seat within various styles and philosophies at some of Europe’s most elite clubs.
Further emphasis is now being placed on other roles such as the inverted full-back, the ball-playing goalkeeper or the box-crashing number eight.
Not since the glory days of Sergio Busquets, Xabi Alonso, Andrea Pirlo and Toni Kroos in his prime days have we drooled after a decorated and prestigious tempo setter who regularly orchestrates proceedings from the base of midfield.
While the role thankfully hasn’t become a dying art and is still very much prominent amongst the best clubs, it certainly hasn’t been the Picasso we once heralded with such blissful glee before.
However, things are starting to change as more stunning midfield talents break onto the scene across the continent, which could mean we start pining for the deep-lying role again.
Some of these bright talents forcing the role into the spotlight once again aren’t from the glamorous places you would expect but it’s in those unexpected places where you’d find the rare gems.
The Sky Bet Championship is arguably one of the last places people could look but it certainly possesses one talent capable of bringing deep-lying sexy back and that’s Middlesbrough’s Hayden Hackney.
The 21-year-old has been one of the main protagonists of Middlesbrough’s resurgence under Michael Carrick’s management in the past year and his performances at the base of Boro’s midfield throughout have certainly and as expected, caught several eyes in the Barclays Premier League.
It certainly won’t be long before we see Hackney gracing the English top flight with his unique and flawless gifts which will propel his profile considerably given the clamour for talents in his position and role.
So how has Hackney gotten to this position in his career?
Who is Hayden Hackney?
Hayden Rhys Hackney. Born in Redcar, England, just east of Middlesbrough, Hackney joined Boro’s youth setup at Under 10’s and has rarely looked back since then.
Featuring in all age grades and scoring a famous winner for the under-23s in their inaugural Checkatrade Trophy game. This, along with other performances with the under-21s and under-23s earned him his first professional contract in 2019.
Having been part of the Middlesbrough team that reached the under-18 Premier League Cup final in 2019, he signed his first professional contract with the club in June 2019, his 17th birthday.
Shortly after being named on the first-team bench for a match against Barnsley in November 2019, he was praised by then manager Jonathan Woodgate who claimed “Hackney deserves to be there because he’s been outstanding for the Under-23s.”
Hackney made his senior debut in a cameo appearance in the FA Cup third-round tie against Brentford but failed to break through to the first-team squad regularly despite travelling with them often.
Ultimately, amidst a slight crossroads in his career at the Riverside Stadium, the club opted to send him on loan to League Two dwellers Scunthorpe United from August 2021 till January 2022.
After playing in the majority of games in the first half of the season, Hackney’s loan was extended to last until the end of the season. In the 15th minute of a 2–0 defeat to Exeter City, Hackney was caught spitting at an opponent.
The referee did not see this at the time, but after the game, the Football Association confirmed that Hackney had admitted to spitting and was given a six-game suspension.
He made 31 appearances as Scunthorpe were relegated to the National League. It was an experience which certainly aided Hackney’s development and maturity to bed him into the first-team picture at Middlesbrough.
Yet, this was not the case. Chris Wilder seemingly alienated Hackney from his plans and subsequently, he failed to make an appearance under him. Hackney’s unconventional breakthrough was the product of interim coach Leo Percovich.
The Uruguayan only served between Wilder and Carrick for a matter of 21 days. On his second day in charge, he was tasked with managing the team as Birmingham visited the Riverside.
They scraped a 1-0 win and this was Hackney’s first feature of the season; becoming a regular feature ever since.
Under Carrick’s tutelage, Hackney has taken his game to incredible heights, pivotal to their unfortunate push for the Championship playoff losing the play-off semi-final to Coventry City.
Hackney was rewarded with the Middlesbrough Young Player of the Year Award for the 2022–23 season, having made 38 appearances and scoring 3 goals.
Hackney was also nominated for the Championship Young Player of the Season Award for the same season but lost out to Bristol City’s Alex Scott.
In September 2023, he was called up to the England under-21 squad for the first time, going on to make his international debut in a 3-0 win away to Luxembourg.
Hayden Hackney’s Style of Play
There’s a reason why Hackney is regarded as one of England’s most gifted young midfielders and that’s because he fulfils the metronomic role of a deep-lying conductor to an absolute tee.
The tools and attributes of a deep-lying playmaker revolve around controlling the game or “pulling the strings” if you’d like. This involves dictating the tempo and maintaining possession so that the team is always managing the game in their favour.
These attributes include; a high footballing IQ, confidence with the ball, a range of passes, technical dribbling and vision – all of which Hackney possesses in his weaponry.
However, nowadays the role transcends beyond the understanding of just dictating the tempo of a team’s style of play, they are also expected to receive the ball well under pressure from goalkeepers or centre-backs, play with their back to where their team is shooting as well as screening their back four and protecting it.
To become an elite operator in the role, all of those characteristics must be performed to a consistent and measured level. While Hackney has not reached those heights as yet, his qualities are of a player who embodies such unique attributes.
Put it this way, Michael Carrick – one of England’s most decorated deep-lying playmakers to grace the country’s game over the last 15 years – sees himself in Hayden and it is why the 21-year-old has not only become Carrick’s eyes and ears on the pitch but Middlesbrough’s heartbeat.
However, Hackney is not only capable of fulfilling roles deep in midfield but can also perform consistently as the “box-crashing” number eight or the playmaker in between the opposition’s midfield and defensive line, wreaking havoc through line-breaking runs from deep (as seen below) or line-splitting passes.
Adept at playing accurate diagonals from his half, Hackney was often the only spark of creativity bothering the high line of Chelsea through some tremendous wide range of passes pinning back the Chelsea defence but also forcing them into uncomfortable situations through his pressing, aggression, combination play with his teammates and his high-positioning in the half-spaces.
As seen in the image above, Hayden possesses a great understanding of where to position himself in the half-spaces to disrupt Chelsea’s shape.
Moises Caicedo is too slow to pick him up and Hackney is allowed the freedom of the left half-space via a line-breaking pass from defence to receive the ball and get Carrick’s team quickly into the final third.
The England under-21 international is normally the one providing those passes for his attacking teammates in the Championship but Carrick allowed him the luxury to perform his duties high up the pitch and the young midfielder paid back that faith with great aplomb.
It was Hackney’s Frank Lampard-trademark run into the penalty area and goal which gave Carrick’s men the lead in their 1-0 Carabao Cup first-leg triumph over Chelsea on 9 January.
Middlesbrough’s recent run to the semifinal of the EFL Cup may have ended in defeat to Chelsea, but Hackney’s goal and assist over the two legs certainly etched his name into the books of all scouts of top-tier football.
There’s a reason why Hackney must be deemed the heartbeat of Carrick’s team and that’s because of his all-action, inventive and enthusiastic style.
A cursory look at his heatmap for 23/24 in the championship is enough to appreciate his importance to Middlesbrough’s progression of the ball.
Mostly functioning as a deep-lying playmaker, the 21-year-old tends to rely on his dribbling ability to bring the ball forward in the opposition’s half. While he isn’t the fastest, his agility and spatial awareness aid him in progressing the ball with relative ease.
So far this season, Hackney has recorded the ninth-most passes into the final third of any Championship player this season (200) (FBRef) painting the picture of how adept and masterful he is in progressing the play.
Amongst his positional peers outside Europe’s top-five leagues this season, he ranks in the top 1% of midfielders for passes into the final third top 2% for passes attempted per 90, and the top 4% for progressive passes.
Moreover, Hackney isn’t just an adept passer of the ball but also holds the unique ability to drive with the ball from his deep positioning to drag his team up the pitch or the ability to get himself out of tight spots through his tremendous ball control, flexibility and ball-retention through his low centre of gravity.
As per FBRef, Hackney also sits in the top 15% of midfielders for progressive carries per 90 and the top 12% for carries into the penalty area.
The most elite teams on the land all possess the thirst for midfielders capable of breaking lines through ball-carrying and passing and the stats certainly show that Hackney is one of the best around and it won’t be a surprise to see such attributes attract some of the best suitors on the continent.
Keeping in line with references to one of the world’s best deep-lying playmakers over the past decade, when watching Hackney in full flow at the heart of the Riverside, you’d gleefully notice his Toni Kroos-esque long through balls in behind opposition defences.
The 21-year-old averages 6.26 long passes each game in the Championship showcasing his intent to continually break down defenses from deep within his own territory.
When he moves further into enemy lines, Middlesbrough relies on his ability to produce line-breaking passes to create chances in the final third. Till now, his passing has resulted in 3.62 SCA p90 and a further 0.23 GCA p90 while he also impressively ranks in the top 8% of midfielders outside Europe’s top-five leagues for through balls per 90.
While deep-lying midfield players like Hackney take on the huge responsibilities of orchestrating play on the ball, they also need to fulfil the crucial responsibilities off it and it’s safe to say the 21-year-old has proven exceptional in that respect.
Unfettered by the rough approach of the teams in the Championship, Hayden charges into challenges like a bull in a china shop to win possession for his team This season, he has averaged 2.40 tackles p90.
However, the North Yorkshire resident possesses the ability to read the game well. Positioning himself well and anticipating play perfectly, Hayden has steadily learnt the art of intercepting and blocking. Averaging 1.61 blocks per 90 and 2.24 tackles + interceptions per 90.
The Redcar-born talent possesses tremendous work rate and that’s all down to his learning and development in some of the toughest and most brutal leagues in the land. Hackney is one of those players you’ll find still running around pressing, battling and flying into tackles well into added time and that’s shown through an impressive 7.82 ball recoveries p90 in the Championship.
However, Carrick’s men have been recently blighted by the news that Hackney is facing a spell on the Middlesbrough treatment table after suffering a knee injury against Preston North End on 14 February – a damaging blow to their ever-increasing faint hopes of securing another play-off place come May.
In fact, the Englishman’s absences and injuries have been keenly felt within Carrick’s squad. Hackney has only featured 21 times out of Middlesbrough’s 33 games in the Championship this season and this latest blow certainly won’t do their chances any good between now and May.
It could well be the last fans have seen of Hackney in a Middlesbrough shirt with a Premier League move sure to be on the horizon for such a talented and decorated young performer.
Forecast for Hackney’s future
Hackney’s rise in the English second division is certainly a remarkable and fairytale one, especially for a player with unique qualities and burgeoning potential.
Daily Mail reported in December that several English top-flight clubs are currently keeping track of his progress on Teeside with Liverpool and Tottenham two of the biggest names involved.
It remains to be seen whether Liverpool will firm up their interest in Hackney given the uncertainty surrounding the club once Jurgen Klopp departs at the end of the campaign.
However, Tottenham looks an attractive proposition for Hackney, especially with Ange Postecoglou potentially on the prowl for a young, vibrant and talented defensive midfielder with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg destined to depart at the end of the season.
Hackney certainly fits the mould of the kind of player and profile Tottenham are looking for right now in their new and improved era under the Austrailian but even if that move doesn’t pan out, the 21-year-old is sure to have several offers in waiting.
Remember the name, Hayden Hackney.
In other Anthony Scouts news, check out this fellow Sky Bet Championship hotshot also sure to be making a move to the Premier League promised land next season.
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