Woodgate makes Boro his priority

Middlesbrough defender Jonathan Woodgate has once again played down talk of making a return to the England squad.

The 26-year-old won the last of his five caps against Sweden in March 2004 after a succession of niggling injuries.

His return to the England fold has been anticipated ever since his arrival at the Riverside Stadium on loan from Real Madrid in August, at which point he admitted it was a major ambition.

However, Woodgate, who has yet to feature in new boss Steve McClaren’s squad despite attracting rave reviews for his club performances, is happy to remain patient.

He told Boro’s official website, www.mfc.co.uk: “I’m not really looking to it at the moment. I just want to play for Middlesbrough, play as well as I can.

“Boro have given me the opportunity to come and play for them and am just concentrating on that.

“Nothing else concerns me at the moment apart from Middlesbrough Football Club.”