McClaren: No Tee party for Boro

Tue, 30 Jun 16:09:43 2009

Former England boss Steve McClaren has warned Middlesbrough they face a scrap to drag themselves out of the Coca-Cola Championship.

McClaren, who spent five years at the Riverside Stadium and brought the club its first major trophy before taking charge of the national side, believes the Teessiders will mount a serious promotion charge.

However, he knows they will face stiff competition as they attempt to secure an immediate return to the Barclays Premier League.

He told BBC Radio Tees: "They will be up there challenging, but I do know the Championship and looking at every year, it seems to be getting stronger and stronger with more teams capable of getting promotion to the Premier League.

"But once you go down, it is very difficult to get back up. You have to do it, I think, in the first year - if not, the second - otherwise you will sink, as many other clubs have done. It has shown that with Charlton and Southampton. It's very, very difficult.

"There is a lot of pressure and there are a lot of teams capable. It's a different league and that is going to be the strange thing for Middlesbrough. They have been in the Premier League for so many years, so they will find it very, very strange in the Championship."

 

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  1. Thanks Cameron. Nice banter. I work with 2 Boro and 2­ Toon supporters so life at work this season is going to­ be interesting. See you at St James's. Still­ remember when we were thrashing you in the cup and you­ lot invaded the pitch to stop the game.

    From KEVIN P, on Thu 2 Jul 11:26AM

  2. By the way Kevin, please tell everyone who it is you­ support.
    I used to come on these pages and trash the­ living daylights out of the boro and their supporters;­ i guess relegation has taught me some humility now and­ i try to engage in banter with them - you should really­ have bagfuls of it then (humilty i mean) considering­ the amount of relegations your club has gone through­ lately . . . oh how the once mighty have fallen huh?

    From cameron w, on Wed 1 Jul 10:12PM

  3. Kevin, behave yourself huh!

    From cameron w, on Wed 1 Jul 10:07PM

  4. What everybody? Every single one? Are you sure? Ah!­ such fame. But I would preface your posts each time­ just for the benefit of newcomers and to be on the safe­ side.

    From KEVIN P, on Wed 1 Jul 9:54PM

  5. No Kevin, they know i am a Newcastle United supporter­ on these pages!

    From cameron w, on Wed 1 Jul 8:40PM

  6. What's a tee party? Some sort of golf event?­ Eurosport is the pits.

    From KEVIN P, on Wed 1 Jul 7:17PM

  7. Cameron, you forgot to say that you were a Newcastle­ supporter. That's the rule right?

    From KEVIN P, on Wed 1 Jul 5:54PM

  8. He's only stating the obvious - of course its going­ to be a scrap and several teams including Boro should­ be in the mix. I agree with u both, he is partially to­ blame for our demise ( not as much as Southgate ) and­ his personal opinions hold absolutely no water with­ most Boro fans. He'll always be remembered for­ bringing us our first major trophy but most of us will­ also remember the the boring negative football that­ drove the fans away in their thousands.

    From mortgageandmoneycentre, on Wed 1 Jul 9:37AM

  9. Why doesn't he mind his own business; he knows­ absolutely nothing of what the current Championship is­ like!
    Personally i think the Championship is overhyped;­ otherwise, why do the promoted clubs invariably come­ straight back down!

    From cameron w, on Tue 30 Jun 7:18PM

  10. The Ginger wingger, started the rot.. and now he talks­ it... Hope he stays in Holland, with his finger in a­ @#$%..

    From john.fowler18, on Tue 30 Jun 4:14PM
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