George Boateng tells fans to give Afonso Alves six months
- March
- 18
7:02 am Live News
George Boateng, the Middlesbrough captain, has requested that Afonso Alves,
the club’s record signing, not be made a scapegoat for the recent FA Cup
defeat by Cardiff City. Gareth Southgate’s team have secured impressive
draws away to Aston Villa and Arsenal without calling upon the Brazil
forward, who was criticised after the sixth-round exit at the hands of the
Coca-Cola Championship club.
With a visit to Wembley beckoning, Middlesbrough froze in their match against
Cardiff, losing 2-0 in front of a sizeable crowd at the Riverside Stadium.
Alves, who was bought from Heerenveen for %26pound;12million during the January
transfer window, was substituted at half-time, but with Mido, his
replacement, facing a suspension after his sending-off at the Emirates
Stadium on Saturday, the 27-year-old is likely to be needed.
Boateng, who moved from Feyenoord to Coventry City in 1997, is familiar with
the difficulties of adapting to English football after playing in the
Netherlands and he has pleaded with the club’s supporters to be patient with
Alves. There is an acknowledgement that Middlesbrough, who are six points
above the relegation zone, had to restore some pride after the Cardiff
debacle, but disharmony can be corrosive.
While the team’s response has been assured, unity will be required on Teesside
if relegation is to be avoided and after this weekend’s match at home to
Derby County they have a testing sequence of games against Chelsea,
Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.
Related posts
