GARETH SOUTHGATE has shone a torch into the murky fog of rumour and speculation engulfing the mooted move of Jonathan Woodgate with an illuminating observation that may shift the focus of the debate away from the undoubted abilities of the player to his commitment and willingness to buy into the exciting vision of a new Boro the boss is building.
After the gritty 2-0 FA Cup win at Mansfield Southgate was asked if Woody was still a Boro player. He looked at his watch and laughed and said: "I think so." Then he volunteered what may be the most significant piece yet of the jigsaw that is slowly taking shape. "Jonathan has some big decisions to make," he mused. "He needs to decide whether he wants to be part of what we are doing at this club or whether he wants to move on somewhere else.”
Southgate's disarmingly simple statement is the clearest indication so far that the possible exit of the £7m Boro-born England international defender has been prompted by more that just football reasons. It seems there are philosophical differences too.
Team spirit is vital for success. A collective belief in the style of football being played and the long term aims of a club plus an unconditional commitment to everything on and off the pitch is the bedrock of progress and anything that undermines it must be tackled and dealt with.
Fans know that instinctively. That is why the ultimate crimes are 'not putting it in for the shirt', why the mantra has always been that 'no one is bigger than the club', and why explosive obvious talent is no mitigation. No one went easy on Boksic because he was brilliant or was ready to forgive the boat-rocking antic of Ravanelli because of his goals. Fans' don't like mercenaries, prima donnas or passengers. Some Boro fans have already cast judgement on Woodgate and there were some cutting rewordings of the "is a red" song at Mansfield.
At root a football team and a football club are collective entities that centre around belief in the whole. If Woodgate - or any other player - is to stay it must because he is ready to commit himself to the exacting model of professionalism, discipline and preparation that underpins Southgate's desire to play a brand of attacking football played with pace and passion. It must because they believe they can contribute to pushing the club forward along the lines the boss and the chairman have set out and because they share the ethos of the team.
The situation can be boiled down to this: Woody has to want to be here and if he doesn't then he can leave. He should leave. If he doesn't want to be here then he can not give his all, not just on th epitch but in the dressing room and even if that shaves just one per cent off his effectiveness it will cost us dear and have massive political ramifications. Boro can not afford to have their top paid player falling short of the standards being demanded from every other player.
If he does want to stay and play his way back to the very top of his game then that would be brilliant because on his day he is the most positionally aware cultured centre-back in the country and to have such a player to now pledge himself to Southgate's vision would be a huge boost to morale and to the strength of the squad. That is what the boss has invited him to do.
He could of course opt to leave. He is entitled to. It may be that he doesn't share that vision and if that is the case then it would best for all concerned if he did move on, and for Woody that he quickly finds a vision that can reignite his own form and zest. If he does it should be without recriminations - yes, I know that sounds ridiculously naive - because in his first year on loan he was out-standing and helped steady the ship. If we can get our money back then his time at Boro will still represent a good signing... but if drags on and is allowed to fester and his failure to buy into the vision spreads like a cancer in the dressing room then it could turn into a disaster.
It's make your mind up time for Woody.
*****
ONCE again Boro failed to oblige and fall victim to a giant killing. Far from being the small screen sacrificial lambs they ground out a scrappy win against spirited opposition. At times they rode their luck - the bar rattling was a bit of a scare - but overall it was a routine victory that propelled Boro into what could easily turn out to be a generous fifth round draw.
There was an excellent atmosphere at Field Mill. It was Mansfield's "cup final" but although they hoped to make a few bob out of the broadcast rights few regular local fans or their press people expected to win. They have bigger fish to fry. Outside Boro fans were propositioned by the Grim Reaper and handed a leaflet protesting at the lease holder's refusal to release the ground to the consortium that has recently taken over the club, effectively stopping them raising loans and qualifying for grants. The leaflet handily gave his mobile number and invited people to ring him.
On the whistle there was Argentina 78 ticker tape clouds of ripped paper engulfing the main stand and hers of complex yellow and blue balloon molecular structures released onto the pitch to roam along the touchline and make occasional incursions onto the pitch. Players were still stamping on and popping them five minutes before the break.
Both sets of fans were noisy and colourful with Boro in fine voice. The Gibson 'one of us' surfer banner was there along with the Spirit of Steaua flag and some familiar banners and some new songs including a derogatory one about Woody and a refrain of "the Gook, the Gook, the Gook''s on fire" .
It was a great game to watch: stirring if not always silky, thundering tackles flying in from both sides, passion, endeavour, direct and robust football on Mansfield's part, some crisp skills and, er, robust football on Boro's part, the rarity of a Lee Dong Gook goal - he has become a specialist at scoring against lower league outfits in the knockouts - a challenge from the Berlin Wall that made the eyes water and a 'What Happened Next Moment' as six or seven balls in quick succession came looping over the the roof of the East Stand during play to bounce on the pitch to loud cheering.
And there were plenty of positives to take from the game. Aliadiere had possibly his most effective showing wide on the right in a front three which will give the Gate some food for thought if Alves joins. The pairing of Huth and Wheater at the back is immense: imposing, physical, commanding, hard as nails and scary as hell. Add Pogatetz to the mix and that is a back line that can mix it with anyone, including the San Francisco 49ers. Rochemback, a guy who normally has me stomping and swearing in frustration was a class act in a deep role just in front of the defence spraying passes about and working hard. And Mido continued to trundle his way to fitness, making his way slowly but unstoppably around the pitch like a monster truck on tow.
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