Southgate has a cure for Boro?s relegation hangover

15 August 2009 09:12
GARETH Southgate has admitted that he is purposely picking players who have not been scarred by the experience of last seasons relegation from the Premier League. Of the 11 players that started last weekends Championship opener against Sheffield United, only three started more than 15 league games as Middlesbrough tumbled out of the top flight. The likes of Rhys Williams and Jonathan Grounds have emerged to claim a place in the first team, while new signings Danny Coyne and Mark Yeates have arrived in the wake of Boros relegation. As a result, Southgate feels he has avoided the kind of hangover that traditionally accompanies the start of life in a lower division. Last weekend, I picked a team based on what I had seen in pre-season, and on the threat Sheffield United would pose in terms of their height, said the Boro boss. But the added advantage of it was that the majority of that team did not have a hangover from last season. There were players playing last Friday who hadnt really been a core of the team last season and thats important. Really, a lot of those who did play lots of games have moved on. Thats left a group of players who are really keen on taking on this challenge now. I thought that gave us a freshness. With young players, you know that youll get total commitment and that theyll do the things you want them to do a little bit more. Southgates major aim throughout Boros pre-season programme was ensuring that his players were adequately prepared for the rigours of the Championship season. That meant a series of physical drills to build up the squads fitness levels ahead of a 46-game league campaign, but also a number of psychology sessions aimed at improving his players mental toughness. Last season, Southgate felt his squad was not sufficiently mentally strong to cope with the demands of a relegation campaign, but the Boro boss is confident improvements have been made in the last three months. This division is going to be very tough, he said. And I didnt think we were mentally strong enough last year. The mental side is crucial. For any athlete to perform at their highest level, you have to be tough mentally. Some of that comes from being physically strong, because if youre tired towards the end of a game, then mentally you dip. But part of it also comes from experience and what youre doing in your training sessions. Thats something weve been working on. Boro play their opening Championship away game at Swansea this afternoon and Southgate is expected to make one change from last weekends starting line-up against Sheffield United, with Gary ONeil coming in to replace the injured Didier Digard. Neither Emanuel Pogatetz nor Chris Riggott are fit to return to the squad, with the injured duo now expected to be sidelined until the middle of September.

Source: Northern_Echo