CHRIS WILDER remains confident Martin Payero can be a success at Middlesbrough – although he admits language issues continue to hold the midfielder back as he looks to establish himself in the Teessiders’ first team.

Payero was a second-half substitute as Boro returned to the play-off positions with a 1-0 win over Coventry City yesterday.

That was only the Argentinian’s second appearance under Wilder, and he is yet to start a game under the current Boro boss.

Wilder admits Payero is still coming to terms with the challenges of life in the Championship, with his limited grasp of English continuing to be an issue. But he is convinced the midfielder, who represented Argentina in the Olympics prior to joining Boro last summer, will come good.

Wilder said: “From Martin’s point of view, he’s obviously been in and around it, but he’s been a little but unfortunate because he was starting at Sheffield United, but then that game got called off.

“He picked up Covid and went down with that, then he gets himself back, but it’s quite a difficult and technical way of playing we want, and to get that into a guy whose English isn’t quite there yet, although it’s getting better, is quite challenging.

“He came on and got some passes in, then we scored and changed things slightly because we thought Crooksy (Matt Crooks) might be better at eight and Martin at six.

“It’s a challenging period for Martin and a challenging period for us. You’re trying to put across a way of playing to a player who’s possibly not used to the movement and the intricacies from a pressing out of possession point of view and a point of view from what we want in possession as well.”

To further complicate matters for Payero, he finds himself playing in a part of the field where Wilder has wanted to create a degree of stability, and has been more than satisfied with the performances of his first-choice trio of Jonny Howson, Crooks and Marcus Tavernier.

Wilder added: “It’s a difficult one because the midfield three, from my point of view, has been a really successful part of the team. They understand the situation and the movements and how we want to play, and I think the midfield three has arguably been the best part of the team.

“It has to keep being the best part of the team, and we have to have pressure from Riley (McGree), which we’ll have now, and from Martin as well. I don’t really want to move Paddy (McNair) out of the back three, but those boys need to keep their standards up.

“It’s challenging. I’d imagine a lot of people want Martin to succeed, and I do too. He’s part of the group, he’s somebody we inherited, he’s got a good solid CV and he’s an exciting player.

“But, as well, the pace of the game is red hot, and something he might not be used to in terms of where he’s played. Then there’s the three games a week as well.

“There’ll be opportunities that open up for Martin between now and the end of the season, and he’s got to grab them with both hands. He’s played a part in a result for us, and impacted on the game.”