Job considers job search

Joseph-Desire Job will consider a reluctant move away from Middlesbrough if his first-team chances continue to remain limited.

Boro manager Steve McClaren opted to rest first-choice strike pairing Mark Viduka and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink for last night’s UEFA Cup clash with Partizan Belgrade, instead opting for Job and Szilard Nemeth in attack.

Job and Nemeth both proved they can still do a job at the Riverside, each scoring in a 3-0 victory to guarantee Boro top spot in Group E and seemingly an easier third-round draw when it is made tomorrow.

Nemeth’s opener was his first goal since October 27, while Boro’s second ended a near four-month drought for Cameroon international Job as he had not found the net since the 5-3 defeat at Arsenal on August 22.

Job has managed just five starts since as the summer arrivals of Hasselbaink and Viduka have resulted in the 27-year-old playing a bit-part role.

McClaren insisted after the game Job and Nemeth have vital roles to play at the club, and the latter maintains he is happy to see out his contract which has 18 months to run.

But the same cannot be said for Job, a £3m (€4.4m) capture from Lens four-and-a-half years ago, who could opt to leave as early as next month when the transfer window reopens.

“My priority is to get into the first team and stay there because as a footballer I need to play, and I want to play,” insisted Job.

“When you don’t play, it’s hard. It’s been very frustrating for me so far, but I will keep going, just as I did last night.

“When you get a chance you have to perform well to show people, especially the manager, that you are here and to show him he is wrong.

“I’m just looking to get chances to play, or at least enough of a game to show that I am here and I can do the business.

“But I’ve not played a lot of games this season, which has been very disappointing for me.

“It’s also difficult knowing they [Hasselbaink and Viduka] will be back in the side on Saturday, but then it’s been like this since the start of the season.

“If I need to move to play then maybe I will have to do it and we will see what happens in the next month.

“I don’t want to move. I don’t want to be miserable. I just want to play, but that’s the problem, so I will wait and see what happens.

“I know it would be hard to move to a better team because Middlesbrough are doing very well.”

Job certainly believes Boro have a strong chance of progressing further in the UEFA Cup after so far distinguishing themselves in what is their debut European campaign.

After beating Czech champions Banik Ostrava in the first round, Boro finished top in their group ahead of Partizan, Villarreal and Lazio, and are perhaps now a team to be feared.

“I’m delighted I scored, but for the whole team it was a great result and a good performance,” added Job.

“To finish on top of the group is what the manager wanted us to do and we’ve done that, so it’s very pleasing.

“Hopefully we’ve a good chance now of getting through to the next round, but we want to go as far as possible.”