Sick Strachan cancels press conference

Middlesbrough boss Gordon Strachan today cancelled his scheduled pre-match press conference after succumbing to illness.

The 53-year-old was due to speak to the media at 1pm ahead of tomorrow night’s npower Championship trip to Nottingham Forest.

However, the press conference was cancelled at around 12.30pm with the manager understood to be suffering from gastro-enteritis.

Midfielder Mickael Tavares went down with a similar problem last week, although he was able to start Saturday’s 2-1 defeat by Leeds.

Pre-season promotion favourites Boro head for the City Ground lying in 20th place in the table having collected just 11 points from as many games, a return which leaves them 16 points adrift of leaders QPR and seven shy of the play-offs.

That has piled the pressure on Strachan, who has radically overhauled the squad in the year since taking over from Gareth Southgate, but without tangible progress to date.

Meanwhile, Dutch striker Marvin Emnes was expected to join Championship rivals Swansea on a month’s loan after failing to make an impression under the Scot.