Middlesbrough 3 Hull 1: Boro ready for a fight as Southgate's men claim win

13 April 2009 03:00
He may have told his players to be men for the remainder of this season, but Gareth Southgate has had no hesitation turning to his home-grown kids in a time of crisis. As his former team-mate George Boateng kindly reminded him, Southgate has very few experienced players at his disposal thanks to club policy of off-loading well-paid older pros like the former Boro captain. But Southgate and Steve McClaren were plucking talent from Dave Parnaby's Academy long before slashing the wage bill, and six were selected for this must-win game, with three more on the bench. The majority were playing for their club before they even left primary school, so Middlesbrough FC is not just part of their family, it is family. Consequently, Southgate does not have to emphasise the importance of preserving Barclays Premier League football into a second decade. But he also wants to see them continue their football education in the top flight, even if a taste of the Football League might not do them any harm. Southgate said: 'A lot of them think it is always like this, but as I have said to them, "If you are sitting on the coach to Plymouth next year, you will know all about it". 'Given time, some will be strong leaders. They are strong characters, which we needed, and I know they are young, but the alternatives aren't much older. It was a day to stand up. The response was excellent and it has to be the same for six weeks.'

Source: Daily_Mail