Lenihan is the leader Boro clearly require
WILDER SAYS IRISH ACE HAS THE CHARACTER HIS SQUAD LACKED
LOOKING ahead to the summer transfer window earlier in the year, Chris Wilder revealed his recruitment plans.
Essentially, he has a checklist of certain qualities he believes every squad must have to be successful.
He was forthright in his views Middlesbrough were some way short of ticking most of those boxes and acknowledged this summer transfer window would be about rectifying that.
While he didn’t name everything on the checklist, he noted it was nothing groundbreaking and gave examples such as a goalscorer, the ability to score goals from set-pieces, keeping clean sheets and so on. B
Yet there was another thing he mentioned which is something he is not the first to note Boro have lacked.
That point was the character and leadership in the dressing room.
There were certain individuals such as Sol Bamba and Lee Peltier but they were moved on this summer as Wilder decided he wanted to add players he believed were better fits for his Boro side on the pitch too.
His captain Jonny Howson has his own way of being a
leader.
Rather than a shouter, Howson is more of a player to lead by example setting the standards through his own actions.
What about the players who need that kick up the backside sometimes? Who will be there to do that?
Who will be the ones thriving under pressure and having the right mentality to go to the trenches and not be afraid to battle it out with a win-at-allcosts mentality.
Wilder knew he needed more characters like that in his Boro squad after they missed out on the play-offs last term - and that is exactly why he went after Darragh Lenihan.
The Blackburn skipper has joined Boro on a four-year contract after leaving Ewood Park this summer as his contract came to an end.
Rovers offered him new terms but the 28-year-old centre-back felt the time was right after 11 years to find a fresh challenge, which he has done on Teesside.
Explaining in detail why he felt it was a ‘no-brainer’ to bring him to Middlesbrough, Wilder said: “I’ve been a huge admirer for a long time, in terms of the qualities he brings as a player, as a person, as a competitor, as a warrior and as a leader of men.
“I’m putting a bit on him but I know he can handle it.
“He’s a proper football player and I’m delighted.
“Part of it, of course, is filling positions. We want to attract good players and that’s something fans here are used to. Fantastic players have played here.
“One of the things I looked at at the end of the season was the culture and personality of the team.
“We put ourselves in a fantastic position and didn’t get over the line. Perhaps it was because of the personality of the team and we didn’t have enough players who really could dig in and grab that opportunity.
“I need players who play under pressure and who cope when the going gets tough.
“Darragh is the type of lad who will be in the tunnel at Luton on a cold February night, top off, just waiting to get out there and go into battle.
“When we played against him I wanted to run on to the pitch and boot him but you take a step back and you see he’s affecting his team-mates and trying to affect the result. He wants to win. He’s a big signing for us.”
The Republic of Ireland international is a versatile centreback who made 252 appearances for Rovers, and regularly captained Tony Mowbray’s side since the beginning of the 202021 season.
Wilder continued: “He’s played in all sorts of positions. He even played right-back for Tony and I know how highly he thought of Darragh.
“He can play on the left of a three, right, centre. He can play as a two.
“For me he was an absolute no-brainer on a free transfer.”
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