Source: Northern_Echo
Strachan’s battlers ready for the fight
SINCE succeeding Gareth Southgate as Middlesbrough boss Gordon Strachan has transformed a technically proficient side into a team of players prepared to battle their way out of the Championship.[LNB] That is the view of Boro chairman Steve Gibson who sanctioned the sale of prize asset Adam Johnson to help fund Strachan's squad overhaul.[LNB] After agreeing to let Johnson join Manchester City for a £6m fee that could rise to £8m Gibson insisted that the deal for the Easington-born winger suited both parties.[LNB] The chairman revealed he considered retaining the 22- year-old until his contract expired in the summer when a tribunal would have set a compensation fee. But the decision was made to cash in now to strengthen Strachan's hand in the transfer market.[LNB] Despite failing in a last ditch £3m bid to land Blackpool midfielder Charlie Adam, the club's hierarchy backed Strachan during the transfer window allowing him to firmly put his stamp on the Teessiders.[LNB] However, a failure to land either ex-Rangers regular Adam or former Celtic playmaker Shunsuke Nakamura before the transfer deadline passed has left the team short of midfield flair. Strachan will be allowed to utilise the loan market if the right player becomes available with Bryan Hughes, who's been released by Hull City, a target.[LNB] We decided that we needed to change from a technically based side to one which was based mainly on hard work in order to give ourselves a better chance of getting out of this league, said Gibson.[LNB] It needed a huge effort from everybody throughout the month to make things happen, and Gordon Strachan was instrumental in identifying players who wanted to come here.[LNB] We're pleased with what we have got and hopefully we will be good enough to put a run of results together.[LNB] Adam (Johnson) is a smashing lad and in many respects we are sorry to see him go. I hope he does very well at Manchester City and I'm sure that he will. He leaves us on very good terms. It's a good move for Adam, but we feel it that it the right thing for our club as well.[LNB] With Adam leaving, we have improved other areas of the squad. Hopefully we will be strong enough for what we hope to do in the remainder of this season and that's to try to win a place in the play offs.[LNB] In the meantime, Boro striker Scott McDonald has received a back-handed compliment from former Old Firm adversary David Weir.[LNB] I'm delighted to see the back of him, if I'm being honest,[LNB] admitted the Rangers captain. He is a top goalscorer and a top player. His record against us in the past couple of years has been very good as well. He has scored a lot of important goals and you always know you are in a game with him.[LNB] I wish him well because I liked him. I liked him as a player and I liked him as a guy.[LNB] Hopefully, he goes and does well but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't glad to see the back of him.[LNB] West Brom have signed former Derby midfielder Giles Barnes on an 18-month contract.[LNB] The 21-year-old, a free agent after being released by the Rams in December, has been training with Albion to build up his fitness after rupturing his Achilles tendon back in August.[LNB]
