Source: Northern_Echo
‘We’re not Celtic old boys’ says ex-Bhoy McManus
GORDON STRACHAN is on the look out for another midfielder, with new signing Stephen McManus insisting any further recruits will be joining a revamped Middlesbrough not the new Celtic. McManus was one of seven January arrivals at the Riverside Stadium, with four of his old team-mates also making the switch from Parkhead. That number could increase once the window for emergency loans opens next week, with Strachan already considering his options to find creativity in the middle. Bryan Hughes, released by Hull, is one being considered, although the manager's first two choices would be to strike a deal with Blackpool for Charlie Adam or Espanyol for Shunsuke Nakamura. Deals for the latter two remain unlikely, but reinforcements are required, particularly after Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill refused to extend Isaiah Osbourne's loan which expires today. While Strachan who has Barry Robson suspended for tomorrow's trip to Ipswich continues to scour the loan market, he is satisfied with the signings he has made. Six players have made the move south from the Scottish Premier League, while Kyle Naughton has also joined on loan from Tottenham. But despite the influx from north of the border, McManus claims it is unfair to suggest Boro will soon be changing from red to green and white hoops. It is very rare, I suppose, to move to a new club and find so many of your old team-mates here but straight-away everyone has settled in and you need that at a club, said Mc- Manus, hoping to play at Ipswich tomorrow. For me, personally, this is the first time I have moved away to a new club so it has been a massive help to have guys I played with at Celtic already here. It is important you do not have any cliques in the changing room, however and it is not going to be a case of all the Celtic lads sticking together. It is not just about the new lads who have come in but the ones already here. There are some top, top players here and they are young as well so hopefully, if we can pass on our experience we can make the team better. We are all pulling in the same direction. We are all in this together. It is not a case of a Celtic old boys but a new-look Middlesbrough. When McManus agreed to move from Glasgow he followed Robson, Willo Flood and Chris Killen to Teesside, with Scott McDonald joining them on deadline day. While Lee Miller and Naughton have further strengthened numbers in the squad, it is the quintet from Celtic that can offer an insight into life under Strachan. The jury remains out on the Boro boss following the team's drop out of the play-off places since Gareth Southgate's departure. But the willingness of five players following him to the North-East from Celtic tells its own story. It was a good opportunity for me for a wee change and it was a chance to work with Gordon Strachan again, said McManus, who was made captain of Celtic and Scotland during his time under Strachan. When managers come in, sometimes they need a bit of time. It is important when he does come in, he is able to get a real feel for the place. I think he has done that now, he has had a look around, seen that perhaps there were some who needed to move on and he has certainly been trying his best to bring players in. At Celtic we had some great times at the club with Gordon Strachan in charge. It is good for a club to see people coming and that is what is happening both at Celtic and Middlesbrough. McManus, who has moved to Boro on loan initially, has only played 30 minutes of first team football since Boxing Day and might have left the club he has supported all of his life, but he chose not to criticise his former manager. Tony Mowbray was first class with me and with all the players still there as well, he said. Tony Mowbray wanted to make his own changes but that happens in football. The club wanted to move on and the only way to do that is to bring in fresh faces. That is what it is all about.