Source: Northern_Echo
Wheater is Boro’s ‘Captain Fantastic’
GARETH SOUTHGATE has been so impressed by David Wheater’s spell as Middlesbrough captain that he is considering handing the Redcarborn centre half the armband on a permanent basis.
Emanuel Pogatetz came through an hour of reserve team football on Tuesday evening and while he won’t be risked today against West Bromwich Albion, the club captain is edging towards a return after his five-month lay-off following knee surgery.
Southgate insists the Austria international remains a key figure at the club. But he admitted that Wheater has flourished as Boro’s stand-in skipper and the arrival of Sean St Ledger, as well as the emergence of Rhys Williams and Seb Hines, ensures Pogatetz faces a twin battle to regain both the captaincy and his place in the side.
“Emanuel is still a very important part of the club,” confirmed Southgate, who revealed that Didier Digard is also not ready for first-team action. “I am a big one for statistics and over the last three years they prove that Emanuel has been our best defender.
“He’s a winner and a big part of the club. He found it hard to be out while we were going through relegation.
That had a big impact on him and he went through a tough time. But he has a smile back on his face and it was a boost to get an hour the other night.
“It will be great to have him back. He’s single-minded about getting us back up.”
Pogatetz is out of contract next summer but Southgate denied that St Ledger’s arrival at the Riverside would herald the Austrian’s departure.
“We’ve not talked about extending his contract beyond next summer,’’ he insisted. “I’ve not decided who will get the captain’s armband when he comes back.
“David is doing a very good job. He has matured and I deliberately made him captain to develop him as a player and a person. I considered giving the captaincy to other member of the squad but I didn’t feel they needed the responsibility to get the best out of them. “I gave David the job to keep him focused and give him a push. It is helping him to grow up.”
Gary O’Neil, who suffered a minor hamstring strain in Tuesday’s victory at Sheffield Wednesday, is Southgate’s only injury doubt as he prepares for this afternoon’s top-of-the-table encounter. Mark Yeates is on stand-by if O’Neil fails a late fitness test.
West Brom boast the only undefeated record in the division, while Boro are unbeaten at home. Today’s meeting offers a chance for one of the Championship’s pacesetters to disrupt their rival’s promotion bid.
Both are proving prolific in front of goal and Southgate must decide who to partner with Jeremie Aliadiere after the Frenchman’s three strikes in Boro’s last two matches persuaded the manager to give him an extended run in attack. New signing Caleb Folan is challenging Leroy Lita and Marvin Emnes to partner the in-form frontman.
Southgate said: “Jeremie’s confidence is back. Any striker feels better once they’ve scored, you try shots you wouldn’t normally attempt. He gives us an option on the right but I see him as a striker.
“We want him to get into goal-scoring areas more often.
“His pace in this division will cause teams all sort of problems. Sides in the Championship are used to playing against a physical threat but pace really troubles them.”
St Ledger, who was on the bench for Tuesday’s win at Sheffield Wednesday, could earn his first start at the expense of Hines.
