Middlesbrough have been trying to land Kris Boyd for the best part of a year, and, with interest from Premier League clubs and abroad, what made Boyd choose Boro?
ComeOnBoro.com's Elle Brunton reports.
Middlesbrough Chief Executive Keith Lamb fielded questions of inevitable comparisons with former big name Boro strikers who have not lived up to expectations, saying:
"If Kris can emulate them on the field...he'll do twenty times better off the field, so we'll be delighted!"
"It is not about Middlesbrough competing it is about players wanting to come to Middlesbrough. You can always compete if you have money but we don't want players coming for the money.
"Once the season was over it was quite easy, this deal was one of the easiest I've done. he added. "The best deals are the easiest deals."
Boyd confirmed that he had heard offers from Newcastle, as well as turning down a big money move to Turkey.
When asked why he did not just take the money and run, Boyd's answer is simple.
"I didn't see the point." he said
"I think that shows you what I'm like. If that was the case I'd have been there already.
"I've got two young kids to think about and obviously the missus.
"People might say it only two years of your life, but money's not everything, it helps, but it's not everything. It is more important to be a father to them.
"If you're family is happy you can do your job.
"I'm here now, I'm a Middlesbrough player and I'm focused on that."
Case closed.
This attitude is typical of Strachan's brand of players, down to earth men who have families and are settled but simply want to win and have confidence in their own ability.
Despite a turbulent time with the Scottish national side, Boyd's unshakebale confidence never wavered.
"The belief was always there." Boyd said "I know what I bring to the team and I know my failings."
And unlike Scotland teammate Barry Ferguson, Boyd is open to a return to the national team.
"When I quit, I thought it's the best thing for me, to concentrate on getting myself into the Rangers team.
"The most important thing for me was to get my club sorted...when Craig Levine picks the team hopefully I can be involved."
Boyd seems to have closed a chapter in his life when he left Rangers behind and is obviously looking forward to the new season and lining up with some familiar faces, instead of against them.
"I'd like to thank them [Rangers] for giving me such a great chance but everything moves on. he said.
"When you're a football player you want to play every week, you don't want to train and miss the game.
"The most important thing is to get a chance to play football. Here, I know that if I train hard all week I'll get a chance and then it is up to me to stay in the team.
"I don't know if it gets better the more times you win but winning promotion back to the Premier League would equal a title in Scotland.
"I played with [some of them] at Scotland level, Barry obviously and big Mick McManus. There's a rivalry there but a respect for each other at the same time, you are doing the same job, with the same pressure and you've got the same aim.
"I knew I was going to have to move away from my country, when we've got the players in we need, we'll all give it a good go.
"The most important thing is bringing in people with that winning mentality, we're together and we've got that."
In spite of the acquisition of Boyd, Gordon Strachan pulled no punches when asked if he had the squad he wanted.
"I've managed three squads and I've never got the squad I really want, at this point we are quite a way away.
"We know where we need to strengthen, the areas we were let down last year...
"As individuals yes, but as a team there's no excuse for failure."
And the manager is less interested in what Boyd says is his press conference than what he does on the pitch.
"It is the actions I'm interested in." Strachan said.
"There's many a player that'll tell you one thing and mean another.
"Kris gives you the actions you want to see, that his teammates and the supporters want to see, by scoring goals in the back of the net."
The admiration is obviously mutual, speaking about his manager, Boyd recalled: "I remember once I think we [Rangers] were four points ahead of them [a Strachan managed Celtic side] and suddenly we were nine points behind them!
"He knows how to bring players on and get the best out of them." he added.
Boyd is cautious about promising fans promotion next season, but admits that is we aren't Premier League club by the time is two year deal expires, something is very wrong.
"I don't think you can get carried away with yourself." he explained
"But if we don't do that in two years there's obviously something the matter.
"Everything you need as a professional footballer is here."
Meanwhile Boyd and his teammates will be playing in shirts sans season long sponsor, after the club announced their 'tailored for you' initiative.
"Its a sign of the recession" Lamb admitted "but also we have an expectation and that was not met, so rather than lower it we decided to do this.
"We wanted the Middlesbrough shirt, if it is good enough for Barcelona, who had UNICEF, its good enough for us. We might well adopt a charity on the shirt to promote it which would be good for the community."
Lamb also hinted at more arrivals saying a 'considerable number' of players could be on their way to the Riverside, but would not be drawn further explaining 'considerable' meant 'more than one'.
"In the next fourteen days you'll be visiting here a lot more." he told reporters.
First published on www.ComeOnBoro.com on 7/7/2010
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