Boro fans have had a tempestuous relationship with Australians, Goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer was a permanent fixture in our starting eleven for a decade, and young pretender Brad Jones is only just beginning to earn grudging respect. Meanwhile Rhys Williams has only just decided he is Australian!
Up front, we loved and then hated Mark Viduka in equal measure, due to his defection to the Magpies, but we have never managed to replace the level of goal threat he and regular strike partner Yakubu brought to the club.
But former Celtic striker Scott McDonald could just be the man to change that. An injury blighted start to his Boro career has frustrated McDonald, but not dampened his enthusiasm, nor his determination to propel Boro back into the Premier League.
ComeonBoro.com's Elle Brunton caught up with Boro's newest Australian sensation.
EB: It's been a frustrating start to your Boro career, obviously you've had trouble with injuries, but you scored again on Saturday, do you feel like you are getting back to your best?
SM: I've played about ten or eleven games, and scored four goals, obviously I would have liked a couple more.
"I've come to fitness at the end of the season, which is convenient for me for the World Cup, but its not helpful for Middlesbrough.
"The recovery from the hernia injury I came with took longer than I hoped but it feels good now, its not niggling away at me anymore.
"Boro fans will see an even better Scott McDonald next season!
EB: You said you are hoping to increase your tally, but do you ever set yourself specific targets?
SM: I think you do but you always have to keep them to yourself!
"Telling people always kills you!
EB: Yes, we've had a couple of players who have made their targets public, it doesn't tend to work out very well...
SM: It is just important to start the season right, and get the first goal out of the way quickly, the quicker you get first one, then you can relax and I think the goals come quickly after that.
EB: And you are playing for a place in the Australian World Cup squad, when are the announcements made?
SM: "The first of June, the squad gets announced, down to 23, but the provisional squad is the 12th May.
EB: Do you hear in advance? How confident are you that you will be involved?
SM: I have been invited to the squad, so right now I'm quite confident I'll be in the squad for South Africa and hopefully play my part.
"We are not just going there for the travelling!"
EB: And you are in the so-called group of death, with Germany...
SM: Yeh it's a difficult group, but they all are, teams are not there to make up the numbers, I think it has become a pretty level playing field.
EB: Do you think it helps to be underestimated?
SM: I think so yes, sometimes, but you always have your country's expectation, but its nice to have that.
"There is always a team who does better than expected, we are hard to beat but there's New Zealand, Japan...we are taking very good sports teams.
EB: And there is still a chance you'll be joined by Brad Jones and Rhys Williams in the squad...
SM: That would be good, fingers crossed we can all get into the squad, it would be great for Middlesbrough to have three representatives at the World Cup.
EB: And you are playing New Zealand in a friendly soon...
SM: Yes I think its the 24th May, it will be a great ocassion. There's quite a rivalry, a bit like Scotland and England a little, but maybe not quite so friendly!
EB: And will there be any rivalry with Chris Killen?
SM: Of course! But there is anyway! We give him stick all the time, and he's outnumbered, so there's no chance of him winning that battle!
EB: Ha! Is it nice to have other Aussies at the club, after arriving with all the Scots?!
SM: (laughs) It's great, but even at Celtic where there were no other Aussies, its important that you fit in with the whole squad.
"Everyone here is fantastic, its a really nice family club, everyone who works here is a part of that, it is really nice to see."
McDonald might not have quite established himself in the way we were hoping this season, but as one of the few permanent signings made by Gordon Strachan in January, he has secured a place in next season's first choice eleven, and there is certainly more to come from the Australian.
First published on www.ComeOnBoro.com on 1/5/2010
No comments:
Post a Comment