Monny Tested Boro’s Resolve

The capture of Stewart Downing shows Monny can be a stubborn man when he identifies his targets, and his determination to get them.

Speaking on the official site today Monny revealed that he did try and tempt Downing in the January window but Boro were adament they weren’t going to let him go.

Unless my brain has gone didn’t they turn down a bid upwards of £12 million in January but I don’t think it was from us?

Comments from Southgate today also confirmed that Monny had been a long term admirer of the player and implied that the deal done this window was better value for money than it would’ve been earlier, and even Monny conceeds grabbing the player whilst on the mend has helped to keep the price down.

‘I think he is an excellent player. He is obviously an exciting signing. The main drawback is that he won’t be fit for a few months and of course, that’s a problem.

‘But I think that affected the fee because we feel we managed to buy an excellent player at a good price. Over the next four years, I believe he will prove very good value.

‘He is someone I have been interested in for quite a while. We enquired about him in January but Middlesbrough said ‘absolutely no chance.’

‘Now, I think his injury has definitely played a part because I think if he had been fit and available to play immediately, there would have been a host of other clubs in for him. We could have been involved in an auction.

‘At the moment, we will take our chance and accept that he won’t play for quite some considerable time. We acknowledge that.

‘He is naturally very down about the injury at the moment because he played a lot of consecutive games for Middlesbrough. But we’re hoping when everything is ready he will prove to be the top quality acquisition.’

The main topic of talk is obviously where does he fit in. I don’t buy the lines that Downings arrival means Ash is off, either this window or January, so you would expect Downing on the left, Ash to go right and Milly in the middle maybe. Or if all 3 are accomodated in the same squad, do we see the return of Ash to the front two?

All we can be sure of is Downing won’t be turning out at right back and we now have competition for Ash’s place and alternative options that could and should help us develop a plan B.