We all know the situation with Gary O'Neil and the £1 million if he plays another game this year.
And if we didn't, Strachan's post match interview made it pretty damn clear!
I'd just like to say I'm still not sure on Strachan, but I certainly appreciated his honesty in dealing with yet another PR nightmare for MFC. I doubt Steve Gibson feels the same way...
It is a cost per wear situation, and right now O'Neil is not performing well enough to justify splashing the cash.
In my fan's report to The Observer on Saturday I was asked who stood out, in a good or bad way from the Crystal Palace match, and, after praising Robson, I used the word 'atrocious' to describe O'Neil's performance.
There will be fans jumping to make excuses for our current captain - Perhaps O'Neil had this situation on his mind? Perhaps he was still suffering with a bit of the virus? Maybe he was just having an off day?
Here's a thought, I don't care!
While you are at a club you should play for the club. Against Crystal Palace O'Neil was so bad that he actually created work for Robson and Rhys Williams, who had to clear up after his mistakes all afternoon.
I thought he must be ill but selflessly playing for us, as it seemed to be the only explanation.
Just so you don't think this is an anti- O'Neil rant, I think he's a decent player, better on the wing for me because he's too lightweight to compete in the middle, but one of our better players.
But I think Barry Robson can replace him.
O'Neil is noticably absent from our official team photo, as is Jeremie Aliadiere, and rumours on the day suggested he was not planning on sticking around.
The other factor the two players have in common are high wages. After the departure of Alves, Tuncay and Huth, these two are reportedly our highest paid players.
I could be wrong, but you get the feeling that no matter how good, or bad, their seasons were individually, if we did not get promoted at the first time of asking they would have to be offloaded from the wage bill.
So what happens if we don't play O'Neil again this season? What if Robson gets suspended and Rhys Williams is injured? or vice versa, as both are not exactly unlikely scenarios.
Can we not recall Josh Walker?
The young midfielder has been out in the wilderness since Gareth Southgate tried, and failed, to offload him last summer, allegedly for being 'vocal in his disappointment' of being in and out of the team.
The Geordie was the first player to pledge his future to the club when we were in a relegation battle, he recovered in record time from a serious injury to try to help the cause, and was then left out of the squad entirely by Southgate.
Strachan brought him back against Peterborough, but Walker knows he is not in Strachan's plans.
Walker told Yorkshire Sport: "Basically I am just taking each game as it comes but long term my future is away from Middlesbrough.
"I know that myself - I've been told that.
"I'm playing for my future elsewhere to be honest.
But why?
He still has a year left on his contract, and there's not a single club who can lay any claim to appearance money!
I'm not saying Walker is a world beater, but he is a natural midfielder, he is in scoring form (three in six), albeit in League Two, and he's already our player.
Currently he is on loan at League Two side Rotherham, where he has scored three wonder goals in six games, all three long range, two with his right foot and the latest with his left.
Barry Robson said in his post match interview that we need a bigger squad. and when he brought in Jay O'Shea on loan in a desperate search for midfielders, Strachan joked "Anyone who can breathe, anyone with a pulse" will do.
Well Walker qualifies on both counts. He also adds a bit of the Cattermole-esque bite that Boro fans like to see.
Walker even has the Scottish connection which is seemingly essential to be a favourite of Strachan's, after a loan spell at Aberdeen where he is still adored by the fans for his wonder goal against Bayern Munich in the first leg 1-1 draw in the UEFA Cup.
Surely he is a better option than playing Justin Hoyte in centre-mid? Or putting Arca through another 90 minutes?
I have no doubt that Walker just wants to play. But I also think we may need another central midfielder before the end of the season, and if O'Neil is unavailable, we could do a lot worse than Josh Walker.
First published on www.ComeOnBoro.com on 6/4/2010
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