FORMER Middlesbrough midfielder Paul Okon has launched a stinging broadside at Riverside chief Steve McClaren.

And Okon, who ended his Boro misery when he joined Gianluca Vialli's Watford last week, indicated he has never been treated so badly during a decade as a professional footballer.

The 29-year-old has made just one start under McClaren's leadership, but he insists the club he joined in the summer of 2000 are still very close to his heart.

"In ten years as a professional footballer, I have never been treated with so much disrespect," said Okon, who has played clubs including Lazio, Fiorentina and Bruges in a distinguished career.

"McClaren completely ignored me but I deserved better after helping them stay up.

"If anyone deserves success, it is Middlesbrough. Especially the chairman Steve Gibson.

"Have a look at what Bryan Robson did when he was manager. He took the club to another level and now it needs to be taken on again."

Okon, who was instrumental in Boro's relegation fight last season under the Robson and Terry Venables managerial partnership, admits that McClaren knows what he is doing on the training pitch.

But the Australian international suggested that the former Manchester United No 2 still has a lot to learn before he is a successful club boss.

"Steve McClaren is a good coach but his management skills leave a lot to be desired," said the Socceroo skipper.

"I would rather not say what I think of him as a bloke. He can do good things for them as a coach but as a manager I think the results will speak for themselves.

"Before the season began, he said I was one of five players he wanted to build the team around. That was never the case.

"After playing all the pre-season games, I never got a look in and was made to train with the reserves. Not only that, he completely ignored me.

"He hardly spoke a word until I got back from playing for Australia in the World Cup qualifiers.

"Then he apologised. He told me he'd made a mistake and insisted I would feature in the first-team plans. But then there was nothing, he never spoke to me again. I couldn't work it out."

l Paul Merson has slammed former England star Peter Beardsley for criticising him being used by the Professional Footballers' Association as a role model for young players.

Merson, Paul Gascoigne and Tony Adams are to be used in a joint venture intended to highlight to rising stars the perils and pitfalls of a player, and Merson said:''That is just his opinion and I am very hurt by what Peter has said."

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