Middlesbrough: Middlesborough

Media attention on a key player ahead of England's match with Slovakia on Wednesday is nothing new, but it is Szilard Nemeth rather than David Beckham who is fuming at the attentions of the football journalists.

The Middlesborough striker will play a key role for his country against England, but he believes newspaper stories claiming he had insulted the town and described the girls as ugly were simply concocted to build up tension ahead of the game.

The match is being played at Middlesborough's Riverside Stadium and will see Nemeth in the unusual role of not being the home crowd favourite, but he slammed the way his words had been twisted to offend local fans.

"I'm very disappointed about the way the journalist wrote the story, it's very disappointing," Nemeth told the the club's official website, www.mfc.co.uk.

"Clearly he has decided to twist my words and sensationalise them because of this week's game at the Riverside.

"It will be a very special occasion for me to play for my country at my club stadium. I won't let this spoil it and I hope the Middlesborough supporters won't either.

"I like Teesside and I love the people. The supporters could not have been nicer to me," he said.

"I never said the girls were ugly - that's simply not true. I think Slovakian girls are beautiful of course. After all I have a Slovakian girlfriend who often comes here to visit me."

Cameroon midfielder Geremi admits he would welcome a move back to Real Madrid, but not if he has to spend another season warming the bench.

Geremi has been a revelation at Middlesbrough, where he spent last season on loan from Real, and the English Premiership side have indicated they would be keen to keep him on permanently.

However Real have placed an �9million price tag on Geremi's head, something Middlesbrough appear unwilling to pay.

"I had a lot of doubts when I went to Middlesbrough, but I settled down quickly and soon began to feel good," Geremi told Cameroon Television.

"I was chosen amongst the most valuable players and that is important for me."

Ironically, Geremi's success at Middlesbrough is responsible for the high asking price Madrid are demanding and the uncertainty surrounding his future.

"I know Middlesborough wanted to sign me, but they haven't reached an agreement with Madrid. They told me they would make a big effort to keep me, but so far I've heard nothing else," he said.

If Middlesborough fail to meet Madrid's asking price, Geremi will return to the Santiago Bernabeu.

This will be a great loss if they fail to sign him as he had a excellent season...I think their will be interest from other premier league clubs but the price may have to come down...

Man Utd have made enquires for Geremi, Real are hoping to keep good relations since the Beckham trasnfer and may be willing to lower the 9m asking price. Would be a good signing who could potentially fill the Keane role in midfield.

I think gerami is a fantastic player and Man U would do well if they signed him or any other team for that matter....

Watch him in action last night, he is a really good player.

Middlesbrough's Ugo Ehiogu will miss the start of the season after suffering a serious knee injury.

The England defender has been diagnosed with a ruptured posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and is likely to be sidelined for several months.

They will miss him as he has been great alongside southgate for middlesborough...

Middlesbrough boss Steve McClaren is preparing to step up his bid to land West Ham midfielder Trevor Sinclair after finally having to admit defeat in his bid to sign Geremi.

McClaren has been preparing for the worst for some time after the Teessiders reached an impasse with Real Madrid over the Cameroon international.

Middlesbrough misfit Carlos Marinelli has linked with yet another Italian club.

The Argentine midfielder - who impressed on loan at cash-strapped Torino last season but failed to win a permanent deal - has been told he will be way down the pecking order at The Riverside next season.

And the player's agent, Paolo Fabbri, has been working feverishly to set up a move to an alternative Italian club.

Brescia showed an interest early last month, while newly-promoted Ancona were linked with Marinelli in Italy's weekend sporting press.

Bari are the latest name to be thrown into the hat, but Fabbri insisted last month that his client would be unlikely to drop into Serie B.

"Carlos has plenty of interest from the type of club he is not interested in," he said.

"Serie B teams like Torino and Messina cannot afford what Middlesbrough demand or the salary he wants."

Middlesbrough have completed their move for former Aston Villa full-back Alan Wright.


The 31-year-old defender has put pen to paper on a one-year deal and becomes manager Steve McClaren's second signing of the summer.

He will now battle veteran Colin Cooper for the left-back spot, with Frenchman Franck Queudrue suspended for the first five games of the new campaign after being sent off three times last season, and young deputy David Murphy recovering from a broken bone in his foot.

Wright was offered a trial by Boro after being released by Villa, and was on his way to the club's training headquarters when he received a call alerting him to interest from Rangers.

Middlesbrough striker Noel Whelan has signed a one-year contract with Millwall.

The 28-year-old has joined the Lions after Mark McGhee learnt Mark McCammon will be out for up to four months with a knee injury.

Middlesbrough defender Ugo Ehiogu is taking the first steps on the long road to recovery in philosophical mood after initially fearing he could be out for a whole year.

The 30-year-old England international faces a gruelling four months of rehabilitation before he can even kick a ball again after suffering a tear to his posterior cruciate ligament injury in the final home game of last season.

However, early scans had suggested he had ruptured the ligament, an injury which would have sidelined him for 12 months.

He got the good news from top American specialist Dr James Andrews when he and club physio Grant Downie flew out to his clinic in Birmingham, Alabama earlier this month, but returned knowing he has a long haul ahead of him.

However, Ehiogu knows things could have been a great deal worse.

Middlesbrough midfielder Luke Wilkshire has put pen to paper on a three-year contract with Bristol City after passing a medical.

The Australian Under-23 international agreed personal terms at Ashton Gate and joins City in a deal worth �250,000.

Fulham have signed Welsh international goalkeeper Mark Crossley from Middlesbrough for an undisclosed fee.

The Barnsley-born 34-year-old has put to paper on a two-year deal at the London club.

Middlesbrough have been dealt a massive blow on the eve of their Premiership opener at Fulham with the news that record signing Massimo Maccarone will be out for a further 10 weeks.

The Italian striker damaged ankle ligaments in a pre-season friendly at Hull and now joins long-term absentees Ugo Ehiogu (knee ligaments) and David Murphy (ankle) on the sidelines.

Striker Michael Ricketts will miss out with an Achilles problem while French full-back Franck Queudrue starts a five-match ban. George Boateng is short of match fitness after surgery on an ankle although new signings Alan Wright and Carlo Nash are both included in the squad.

Team (from): Schwarzer, Nash, Parnaby, Stockdale, Wright, Cooper, Davies, Southgate, Riggott, Boateng, Greening, Doriva, Juninho, Wilson, Christie, Nemeth, Job, Downing.

Manchester City goalkeeper Carlo Nash has agreed to join Middlesbrough for an undisclosed fee.

Nash was pulled out of City's squad for their UEFA Cup qualifier against TNS to train with his new team-mates.

The 29-year-old, who cost �100,000 from Stockport in January 2001, played nine Premiership matches last season but has opted for a move to the Riverside to replace Mark Crossley, who has departed to Fulham.

Nicky Weaver, recently recovered from injury, and Kevin Ellegaard will contest the place to be David Seaman's deputy at the City of Manchester Stadium.


After finalising his move to the Riverside, Nash hit out at City boss Kevin Keegan, who had told him he had no chance of ousting Seaman from his preferred line-up.

It was the same story last season when great Dane Peter Schmeichel held the number one jersey, and though Nash did manage nine appearances as City returned to the Barclaycard Premiership, he was becoming increasingly frustrated at not being judged on his own merits.

On the news front...

Middlesbrough "on the verge" of signing Chelsea winger Boudewijn Zenden on loan.

Middlesbrough defender Stuart Parnaby will be out of action for three months after tearing his cruciate ligament.

However, the 20-year-old full-back was a relieved man after visiting consultant orthopaedic surgeon Steve Bolan in Bradford on Thursday as it was feared he could miss the whole of the season with the injury to his right knee.

Boro boss Steve McClaren was steeling himself for the worst after Parnaby was stretchered off 52 minutes into Saturday's 3-2 defeat by Leeds at the Riverside Stadium.

The England Under-21 international underwent scans on Monday which proved inconclusive, and he headed for Bradford on Thursday fearing that he had ruptured his anterior cruciate injury, the same problem which wrecked last season for team-mate Juninho.

However, the news was more encouraging as the scans revealed only a partial tear which will not require surgery.

Although Parnaby faces a long haul back to fitness, he can at least look forward to playing again before the end of the current campaign.

Alan Wright has left Middlesborough on a free transfer,the full back joins Sheffield United.

Well with all the rumours floating about Middlesbrough insist they are not in talks with Liverpool striker Emile Heskey.

For now!

Originally posted by The Terminator
Well with all the rumours floating about Middlesbrough insist they are not in talks with Liverpool striker Emile Heskey.

For now!

Correct!

Liverpool will fight to keep Emile Heskey after Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren confirmed his interest.

McClaren is an admirer of Heskey after working with him at England level, but it is understood the player is not keen on a move to Teesside.

If Boro are to do a deal they will need to offer Liverpool at least �5m.

AC Milan made inquiries, but wanted Heskey on loan until the end of the season.