MIDDLESBROUGH boss Tony Mowbray has offered an insight into the managerial technique which has earned him the Championship's manager of the month award for September.

Two wins and two draws proved enough for Mowbray to claim the honour yesterday, while the impressive defensive displays of skipper Matthew Bates secured him the player of the month trophy.

Mowbray has transformed the fortunes of the club, who were languishing in relegation trouble when he agreed to take over from Gordon Strachan 12 months ago.

While there is still a long way to go in his determination to lead Boro back to the Premier League, Mowbray has been satisfied by a start that has seen them climb to second.

"Managing a football club is really managing people," he said. "It is about your personality, how you address and talk to them, and I try to respect my players until I get disrespect back.

"You manage through scenarios and talk to footballers. As long as they know you are a decent man with a job to do there is no problem and it works the same with me.

"As long as I know people are hard-working and honest and get on with their job I never hold grudges in this job. I have tough choices to make every week but I never feel they get disrespect in any way.

"The players deal with it and they can see I am a decent human being who has difficult decisions to make. There is no bias or anything personal going on, that is why they understand it because you explain decisions to them."

Whatever his style, few could argue that his approach has not been working. He is, though, keen to save the honours that are given out through a season until the end of the campaign.

But he was satisfied to discuss the performances of his captain. Bates, who could have joined Swansea in August, helped to keep Championship strikeforces at bay.

Mowbray said: "Matthew has played an integral role as captain and central defender in a team that has kept four clean sheets in September.

"Such an achievement is always a collective effort, of course, but Matthew has led by example and richly deserves this honour."