GRIT EXPECTATIONS

Pulis trains squad in blizzard-like conditions and says: I want winners

TONY PULIS gathered his squad for a play-off rallying call this week and demanded: “Show me you are winners”.

The Middlesbrough boss (left) toughened them up by training in North Yorkshire blizzard conditions ahead of the visit by Leeds. Boro are floating around the top six, but threw away a chance to climb into the play-off spots by conceding in the last minute on Saturday at Sunderland. Pulis held a squad meeting on Monday to galvanise his players ahead of a “big, big 12-game” run-in. He reckons up to 15 clubs, including Boro, see themselves as “Premier League”, but are currently in the Championship.

And he added: “We have 12 games to go. Big, big games for two-and-a-half months now and we need to really fix our minds on trying to get to the play-offs.

“I want to see how they respond. They are a good group. No problems with them, but we want winners. People who will take us forward.

“We have a vital 12 games and we’ve got to step up to the mark.

“It was so disappointing not to win at Sunderland. We have to tighten up, take responsibility and have people do their jobs.

“Be strong enough mentally and physically to see games out. That’s not what we’ve done in the last couple of weeks and three out of four goals conceded have been set-plays. That’s poor.” Pulis says his men have to get used to the “mental and physical” demands of the second tier.

He added: “You look at the majority of the teams in the Championship and they have been in the Premier League.

“Leeds’ supporters will be no different to our supporters or to 15 other teams that see themselves as Premier League clubs. The demands on us are to win games and to do that you have to be not just good players, but mentally tough as well.”

Boro are boosted by having Adama Traore available after he escaped a four-game ban. Grant Leadbitter is batting a hamstring problem. Ground staff (left) have cleared the Riverside pitch, but a decision on whether the ground is safe has yet to be made.

Pulis has taken advantage of the snow, saying: “Global warming hasn’t come to the North East since I’ve been here.

“But I have had a couple of walks down by the river and it’s fantastic scenery.

“This is a can-do club. We want to get the match on.”