Southgate explains Yakubu departure

[GrandOldTeam]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/middlesbrough/6983589.stm

Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate has explained why Nigeria striker Yakubu was sold to Everton for £11.25m before the transfer window closed. Southgate pointed to a poor showing in the 1-0 defeat at Wigan on 15 August.
"Emotionally, he was struggling, and that performance at Wigan was below his own standards," the Boro boss told a BBC Tees fans' forum.
"When a player is unsettled to that point, it's time to get the best possible deal for the club."
He added: "That process was ongoing before the Wigan game - we decided not to take him to Fulham, and I think the team responded because of that.
"No one player is more important than a football club."

 

[TX Bill]

Yeah saw that.

Made me wonder if Moyes could have come in and said "10M and no more."

Of course that would have alerted other clubs who would have overbid us so I guess it all worked out in the end.

I'm not worried about Yakubu having that issue with us though. I think he'll be a great addition to the squad.

 

[Rook]

Harry wanted him. I'm guessing we had to outbid Portsmouth. Who may not of had 10m but may have offered Nugent up and maybe 6-8mil. Given that Nugent has dangled in in every possible transfer deal since he arrived at Pompey I think this may have been plausable.

11million with this market for strikers actually isn't a bad buy now that I think about it. And Yakubu has always seemed to get 15+ since he arrived in England while playing on some medicore teams.

 

[ToffeeMark]

He's got potential to be a good buy, and I didn't realise he was so young, 24?

Middlesborough are dissappointing, always playing in front of half empty grounds......shocking, almost as bad as wigan

 

[monty]

He's the oldest looking 24 year old I've ever seen, Nigerian birthday certificates issued from the day of application, not birth. He got his just after leaving school

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Martins is apparently younger than that I believe

 

[Ct jr.]

He's the oldest looking 24 year old I've ever seen, Nigerian birthday certificates issued from the day of application, not birth. He got his just after leaving school

Does the certificate look like this?

 

[ricardobee]

Does the certificate look like this?

pmsl!

 

[Robert Jarvis]

Is that Chico in your avatar? He likes dogs.

 

[Bainsey]

Portsmouth wanted him and Redknapp did infact hint at signing him but he said something along the lines of £9-£10m then when asked about the fee of £11.25m he replied we havnt got that money to spend.

So presume a million more saw off some other clubs.

 

[Dylan]

I was just thinking. If I had just spent a couple of seasons playing for tweedle-dee and tweedle-dum, both managers wearing the "I'm with Stupid' shirts, I would be 'struggling emotionally' as well.

 

[Ct jr.]

pmsl!

what? I seriously need to learn what these short forms mean.

 

[Dylan]

pmsl - pissing my-self laughing

 

[SuitsBlue]

of course he was pissed off at boro, i suspect it is reminiscent of what happened to john collins here... big promises... zero delivery.

losing the duke cant have been easy, he was and is a good player. i see boro struggling soon, they might have enough class at the moment to avoid relegation but if they dont recruit some quality in the midfield then mido and woodgate wont be able to save their bacon every season.

 

[Dylan]

If they do avoid relegation, it won't be due to Southgate's tactical prowess.