Boss grounds flying winger (From The Northern Echo)

Boss grounds flying winger

8:53am Saturday 3rd January 2009

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GARETH Southgate has warned Stewart Downing not to agitate for a move to Tottenham this month – because the Middlesbrough winger will not be leaving the Riverside no matter how hard he tries to engineer a move to White Hart Lane.

Downing was the subject of a formal approach from Spurs officials last month, and after more than seven years of service on Teesside, the England international is understood to be interested in a move to the London club.

Tottenham are still to make an offer for the 24-year-old, but Southgate has told Harry Redknapp he will be wasting his time with a bid because Middlesbrough will not be selling any of their regular first-team performers this month.

That means Downing will almost certainly have to submit a formal transfer request if he wants to leave Teesside, but Southgate has warned the winger against such a drastic course of action.

With Middlesbrough just one place above the relegation zone, and with Downing revered as a home-town hero because of his Pallister Park roots, the Boro boss claims it would be counter-productive for all concerned if his club’s leading asset was to push for a transfer.

“Spurs have expressed an interest in Stewart but we’re not interested in selling,”

said Southgate, ahead of this afternoon’s FA Cup thirdround tie with non-leaguers Barrow.

“As far as we’re concerned, that’s all there is to it.

“I’ve spoken to Stewart and I’ve told him that I don’t think now, with the position we’re at in the league, is a very good time for him to be seen to be trying to leave this football club. I think he’s in agreement with that.

“He’s a Middlesbrough boy and I think he wants this club to do well. I think he would want to stay and help get us out of the position we’re in.

“Because of all the speculation, and because there has been a call from Spurs, I think it’s important you’re honest with your players and let them know how things are.

“But I’ve just said that, from Stewart’s point of view, it would leave him in a very difficult situation if he was seen to be trying to leave this club at this time. I don’t think it would look great for us as a club if we sold him either.”

Southgate’s uncompromising approach is shared by both chairman Steve Gibson and chief executive Keith Lamb.

The trio have discussed the club’s January policy at length in recent days, and come to the consensus that no regular first-teamers will be leaving the Riverside during the current transfer window.

That rules out a Downing switch to White Hart Lane, and also scuppers Gary O’Neil’s hopes of a return to Portsmouth.

The midfielder, who came close to returning to Fratton Park in the summer, remains unsettled in the North-East, and Pompey boss Tony Adams had been expected to bid up to £4m in an attempt to engineer his return to the south coast.

“The chairman is aware of the conversations we’ve been having,” said the Boro boss.

“And he’s 100 per cent behind them. It’s very much our collective view of it.

“We’re pretty clear in our mind as to the route we want it to go and I think it’s a time where we need everybody on board and playing 100 per cent for the football club.

“There’ll be one or two loan moves but we’re not expecting it to be a busy month.”

Seb Hines is one player likely to leave the Riverside on loan this month with Southgate feeling the defender would benefit from first-team football, while Tony McMahon has been the subject of an approach from Championship side Burnley.

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