GARRY MONK has challenged Adama Traore to become the ‘full package’ by taking the next step in his career and help Middlesbrough power up the Championship table towards promotion.

Traore infuriated the Boro boss last week when he turned up late for the team coach ahead of the trip to Barnsley, and that consequently saw him axed from the match-day squad.

The speedy Spanish winger has since got his head down in training in the hope of working himself back into the manager’s good books, and that hasn’t gone unnoticed ahead of tomorrow's visit of Cardiff.

Now Monk wants to see that sort of professionalism reflected more often as he attempts to help Traore fulfil his incredible potential.

Opinion is split on the 21-year-old so far. There are those who think he will go onto become a household international name because of his power and speed, while others fear he will struggle to add an end product and consistency to his game.

Now Monk, fully appreciative of what talent the player possesses, would love to see him really kick on and show he has all of the ingredients within to establish himself as a force on the flanks for years to come.

“With any player, you have to make them understand there is more to becoming a player than to just have ability,” said Monk. “There are more things to go with it, not just ability.

“There’s a mentality you need to have, professionalism, the attitude towards the work and the hard work that goes into it. You have to try to make the players understand that.

“You try to set the standards with the work you set for them, the standards of the environment, it’s important those things are in place, but then it comes down to the player.

“It’s up to the player to mould himself into that player who can fulfil all of those departments that will give him the best chance to reach it. There’s a long way to go for all of them in that sense, but that’s what we should be striving for, that’s the ambition.

“Otherwise what are we doing here … anyone who falls short of that, it’s no good for us or the player and we have to keep fighting for that.

“There is a lot more to what they look like visually, or what they are capable of. You look at more things to be in my team and that’s the key.”

Monk likes to focus on the team rather than individuals. Traore’s actions made that difficult last weekend when he was late for the team coach at Rockliffe Park.

It has been a mixed first few months under Monk for him. Having sparkled during the 3-0 win at Bolton he was sent off at Aston Villa and has struggled to hit the heights he reached against the Trotters since.

But Monk, who arrived on time again for his pre-match press conference, said: “I was never late in my whole life for anything – that I can remember!

“At any club, not just here, the manager, the staff and the players have to set a standard. We have a code of conduct we have to adhere to, get the standard as high as possible.

“Unfortunately at times some players might fall short of those standards, or that code, and as a group we don’t find that acceptable. But that’s dealt with now, players just have to make sure they don’t keep making the same mistakes. Adama has done that, we have moved on.

“He is capable of fulfilling his potential, like a lot of the players, they are all capable. He has extreme talent as well. You have to put the full package together and it’s my job to try to help the players see that.”

Traore is under consideration to face Cardiff, but the game has come too soon for striker Rudy Gestede. He is less than a fortnight away from rejoining Middlesbrough’s first team training sessions.

The Bluebirds, sitting second, are looking to maintain a seven point gap to mid-table Boro. The aim is clearly promotion on Teesside and Monk has no fresh injury problems for the game.

Gestede, who started the season positively, has not played since August at Preston because he required surgery on a bleed in his leg sustained during a training session.

Monk, whose side have lost just one of their last ten despite a dip in form recently, would like to have as many options available as he can to face Cardiff, hence Traore’s availbility.

Neil Warnock has done well to lead Cardiff to second spot, but Monk said: “I’m not surprised. I know what to expect from this league. Neil is a very experienced manager, I know what his teams throw up and they have very capable players.

“They have an experienced squad. It doesn’t surprise me but we have to focus on ourselves. We are confident of delivering a result.”