McClaren determined not to let history repeat itself
It is a remarkable case of deja vu for McClaren as he is again faced with the prospect of seeing a Holland international midfielder, and a key member of his squad, slip through his fingers.
Boateng, like Zenden a year ago, is currently embroiled in contract negotiations designed at keeping him at The Riverside at the end of his current deal which expires in a few months.
In the case of Zenden, the situation rumbled on and on, before the winger eventually snubbed Boro and instead signed for Liverpool. Middlesbrough fans can see the same scenario happening again, with the clock ticking, and with speculation mounting over the future of the central midfielder who this week has found himself surprisingly linked with AC Milan.
Although McClaren has dismissed that rumour as “speculation again”, he is under no illusions as to how important Boateng is to his team.
“We want him to stay because he is vital to us,” insisted McClaren, preparing for tonight’s FA Cup quarter-final at Charlton. “Obviously, we don’t want to be put into the situation we faced with Bolo last season. He was a very important player for this club, and George is equally as important, not just on the field, but off it in bringing the club and dressing room together.
“At the present moment he is here until the end of the season, and we are busy negotiating a contract for the next few years. It’s one of those we need to be careful with, that we do everything right. We want them to run smoothly. I think there is a willingness on both sides to get a deal done because I don’t think George wants to leave, and we don’t want to lose him.”
A fit Boateng is crucial to Boro’s hopes of landing a cup double this season as they line up in the last eight of both the FA and UEFA competitions.
However, Charlton have a psychological edge going into their clash with Boro at The Valley following a 2-1 Premiership win 10 days ago. On that occasion Darren Bent scored twice late on to further press home his claims for a place in the England World Cup squad - and in front of Sven-Goran Eriksson’s assistant in McClaren.
“We defended well for 80 minutes, and we never gave him a kick, but he scored two goals. That’s Darren Bent,” added McClaren. “That’s why he has scored so many goals and why he is such a threat, so this time we need to keep our eyes concentrated on him for the 90 minutes. But he’s in with a shout of being in the World Cup squad.”
With McClaren up against another contender to succeed Eriksson in Alan Curbishley, there will be the inevitable comparisons. It was the same when they last met earlier this month, only on that occasion it was on the day the story surfaced that Curbishley had met with the FA for talks.
With Andrew Davies cup-tied and Chris Riggott struggling with a calf strain, McClaren faces a defensive reshuffle that could see Stuart Parnaby return after almost three weeks out with a hamstring strain.
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