EMANUEL Pogatetz has admitted his own anger management techniques are paying off in his bid to play a full part in Middlebrough's relegation fight.

The Austria international has endured a difficult first season in England, both on and off the pitch, with a six-month ban hanging over his head when he signed from Bayer Leverkusen last summer.

Pogatetz was charged with 'violent intent' after breaking an opponent's leg in his final game on-loan for Spartak Moscow last June, but the ban was reduced on appeal.

And the player was certainly living up to his 'Mad Dog' nickname with five yellow cards in his first 16 games for the Teessiders, as well as a red card when playing for Austria in Belfast in October.

But a simple piece of advice from the man he calls his mental coach, Middlesbrough sport psychologist Bill Beswick, appears to be having the desired effect.

"The nickname (Mad Dog) makes it difficult for me because the referees watch me a little bit," said Pogatetz, who has received just one yellow card in his last 12 games for Boro.

"Normally off the pitch I am a really nice person and I don't have problems, but when I put my boots on I change a little bit.

"If the fans enjoy calling me Mad Dog then they can call me that but I've been working with our mental coach (Bill Beswick).

"He's showed me some tricks - he's told me to count down from ten to one if anything happens.

"I've also worked with Steve Harrison whose told me not to slide into challenges and stay on my feet and it's getting better.

"But I'm young and I'm still learning and hopefully when I get older I'll get a little bit more calm."

Pogatetz scored his first goal for the Teessiders in the comfortable 3-0 win at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday, but revealed that as well as the problems with his on-field aggression, he is also finding the rigours of Premiership football a struggle.

The 23-year-old has played in midfield, left-back and central defence this term and admits he would prefer a more settled role.

"It has not been easy for me to play some games in midfield because I was not used to it," said Pogatetz.

"I always try to give 100 per cent but I feel a lot more confident if I can play in defence.

"It's been a really hard season for me. When I came here I was not used to the tempo of the Premiership. Everything was different.

"You play a lot of games and I was also used to a winter break. But now I've settled in well. It's still hard for me and at the end of the week I feel a real low and it's hard.

"But now if we win it's always easy for me to recover. I hope next year it will be a little more easy for me.

"I expected it would be a hard season in England but not this hard.

"Every game you have to give 100 per cent and then three or four days later you play again and again it's a hard game.

"If you're from abroad you have to get used to that.

"I spoke with the manager and he told me that every player has some problems in their first season to adapt to the pace of the game in England.

"I think I give my best in every game and that's all I can do and now it's getting better for me."

Pogatetz has reassessed his ambitions for the season and, while an extended run in the UEFA or FA Cup would be a bonus, survival is the only priority.

He said: "Our ambition now is we move away from the bottom - that's clear. I have a little bit of hope if we get a little bit more confident then maybe we can do something in the UEFA Cup because we did well in that competition last year.

Read more about Middlesbrough here.