“When I came I thought his attitude was rubbish': Neil Warnock praises Middlesbrough man after poor first impression

Marcus Tavernier, Dael Fry and Yannick Bolasie all look set to miss Boro’s home game against Huddersfield, while playmaker Marcus Browne has been ruled out for the season after having an operation on his cruciate ligament.

Browne was just finding some form when the injury occurred at Brentford in January’s FA Cup tie, and Warnock has been encouraging the player at a challenging time in his career.

“I had a good chat with him the other day, Marcus, after his operation and I said to him it’ll soon pass,” said Warnock.

“He’s got the swelling down from his knee now and in a way you have to look at the plus sides from things like that.

“He did his cruciate but he had a problem with his kneecap and the surgeon has used his cruciate to mend his kneecap problem, so he’s not going to come back and have a problem with his kneecap again.

“He’ll be a lot stronger when he comes back, it’ll probably be towards the Autumn when he comes back.”

Browne returned to Boro in July after a loan spell at Oxford in League One and managed to change Warnock’s mind after a poor first impression.

“I was really pleased with Marcus and his attitude, I think he’s probably the most changed professional at the club in my eyes,” Warnock added.

“When I first came I thought his attitude was rubbish and as far as I was concerned he could have gone anywhere.

“To be fair to him he came back in pre-season and changed our minds, the ability, his training, everything he did was positive.

“He never moaned once, just everything. He has some ability the lad as well so I was disappointed to lose him but the lad will come back.

“As I said to him there’s worse things at sea at the moment than an operation, he’s a young lad and he’ll be buzzing in the next few months.”

Despite the injuries, Boro were able to bolster their attacking options in January by bringing in Bolasie, Neeskens Kebano and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing.

The new arrivals have seen players like Djed Spence, Hayden Coulson and Marvin Johnson fall down the pecking order at the Riverside, yet Warnock insists they still have a part to play.

“People like your Djeds, Marvins, Haydens, they probably look at the moment and think where am I going to get a game but football changes with the flick of a hand,” added Warnock.

“These lads are important and you’re only as good as what your squad is and that’s why you have to keep them on board because you are going to need them at some point.”

Warnock is set to make changes for Boro’s meeting with Huddersfield following a five-match winless run which has seen them slip six points adrift of the Championship play-off places.

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