Source: Daily_Mail
EXCLUSIVE: Tuncay, Mido and Alves stun Southgate by training no show for Middlesbrough
Gareth Southgate's increasingly troubled Middlesbrough reign reached crisis point today when three senior players failed to turn up for the start of pre-season training.
Temperamental Egypt striker Mido, Brazil flop Afonso Alves and Turkey forward Tuncay were all missing as relegated Boro began preparations for their return to the Coca-Cola Championship.
Chairman Steve Gibson decided to ignore growing calls for Southgate's head at the end of last season, after relegation from the Barclays Premier League, but is bound to be dismayed by a development that places a question mark against the Boro manager's authority.
But the latest setback for the under-pressure former England defender has done little for morale that was already at rock-bottom, in the wake of last season's on-field woes and dire warnings of cutbacks and job losses off the pitch.
Sportsmail understands it has created resentment among other players who know they are earmarked for the exit but still made a point of reporting back for the build-up to the new campaign.
Southgate desperately needs to slash the wage bill and is aware Aston Villa have joined Tottenham Hotspur in the race for Stewart Downing.
England Under 21 winger Adam Johnson has plenty of admirers, as has £8million-rated centre-back David Wheater.
But Boro will struggle to offload Alves, after his abject failure to justify a £12million transfer fee from Heerenveen, and Mido, whose attitude has been called into question at previous clubs as well as for his country.
Tuncay was linked with a possible £4million move to Liverpool last month, but Rafa Benitez has become more concerned with trying to keep midfielders Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano from the clutches of Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively and looking for potential replacements, should he lose either or both.
Even a breakthrough in the transfer market raised eyebrows, when Southgate filled the gap left by Ross Turnbull's move to Chelsea by signing 35-year old Danny Coyne from League One Tranmere Rovers.
The former Wales keeper, who made more than 200 appearances for Grimsby, arrived at The Riverside on a two-year deal as cover for first-choice Brad Jones, and said: 'Leaving Tranmere was a hard decision but joining Middlesbrough was a no-brainer for me.
'I came up and met the manager and goalkeeper coach Stephen Pears, saw the training facilities and made my mind up.
'Gareth has told me he wants us to win the Championship and get the club back in the Premier League where we belong.
'I've played most of my career in this division so I know it very well and I think we've got every chance of going up.
'I feel as fit as I've ever been so I'm coming here to push Brad for a first team place and do all I can to contribute towards us winning promotion.'
Southgate has also targeted Danny Webber after the 27-year-old striker was released by Sheffield United.
