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Boateng won't be rushed into decision on his future
GEORGE Boateng has warned Middlesbrough he will have no hesitation in moving to a new club if manager Gareth Southgate cannot convince him he remains firmly part of his first-team plans.
Boateng has labelled the past season as the toughest of his career, but the 32-year-old still hopes he can be persuaded to stay at the Riverside.
Boateng, Fabio Rochemback and Mark Schwarzer are the big-name players whose futures are uncertain, with Rochemback and Schwarzer both expected to leave the club.
All three were due to hold face-to-face talks with Southgate yesterday after the Boro boss called his whole squad in for an end of season debrief.
Boateng, who has 12 months left on his contract, is not expected to make a decision on his future until later in the summer.
"I think the best thing is that I go away, go on holiday and get my mind back on zero," said Boateng, who has been linked with moves to Celtic, Tottenham and Sunderland.
"It's been a tough time. In my whole career - I've been a professional now since I was 16 and that is a 16-year career - this has been mentally the toughest season for me.
"I've had so many setbacks. If I look at the fixtures I have played - at the start of the season I wasn't sure whether I was going to make 20 the way things were going - I'm proud that I managed to play so many.
"I'm pleased I proved a few people wrong and that my time has not passed and I'm still as good as I want to be."
Boateng is not ruling out staying at the Riverside and believes if Boro attempt to cash in on the former Holland international in the summer they may regret that decision.
"I'm not here to pick up my huge salary," said Boateng. "I'm here to work and achieve something. If that can't be here then I will go somewhere else.
"I've bought many cars over the years and I always sell them after a year or so thinking 'no that's not good' or 'no that's not nice'.
"But then a few months later I see someone has polished that car and drives past me and I think 'wow was that my car?'.
"I always think what's not good for you here could be very valuable for someone else.
"I am hopeful (that I will be at Boro next season) but there's so many things that need sorting out.
"The main issue for me is that I don't want to come back if I'm going to be a bit part player.
"I have shown how many times that I'm not past it."
If Boateng has played his last Boro game then being part of the side that recorded the club's biggest top flight win for 58 years would be a fitting finale.
And he believes Boro finally got their rewards in the 8-1 drubbing of Manchester City after a season of frustration.
"I imagine it would have been hard for the Man City players but it happens sometimes - you get so angry that you just want to stop playing because there's nothing you can do," said Boateng, who was denied a goal thanks to an excellent stop by Andreas Isakkson.
"We've had so many setbacks during the season, so many unlucky decisions.
"On Sunday everything we hit seemed to go in except for me I think - their keeper must have decided everyone can score but George."
A policeman was taken to hospital after he was attacked by Manchester City supporters at the end of Sunday's game.
Violence flared between City supporters and the police, with several officers injured as they were targeted by angry fans. Match Commander Supt Martin Campbell said: "Officers began to come under attack as seats were pulled out and a number of police officers were struck by seats, one fully in the face. Other officers suffered minor injuries, with only one requiring hospital treatment for a hand injury."
Seven visiting fans were arrested for public order offences.
6:03am Thursday 15th May 2008
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