VENUS QUIET ON Caretaker urges rip- roaring show at the Riverside BORO AMBITIONS
MARK Venus will plead with Middlesbrough’s players to stimulate the home support against Doncaster Rovers tonight.
Venus takes charge following Tony Mowbray’s departure this week and his prematch messages were firmly centred around the instructions to give the crestfallen Boro supporters something to get excited about.
As opposed to Mowbray’s footballing knowledge that he would reel out during his press briefs, Venus chose to focus on his players only, insisting that they have responded well with the tumultuous week.
“The squad have been great – they’ve worked really hard for me,” Venus insisted.
“All I’ve asked for them to do is to work hard, do what I’ve asked them to do and they’ve done it.
“Even when the gaffer was here, to a certain point the team were really hard working in their daily work.
“I think senior members are massively important at any football club and that’s something that is integrated into ours.
“I want them to use the experience of how many appearances they’ve made.
“They have to show more responsibility than the younger guys and that’s one of the points which has been put over to them.
“From the footballing side point of view, I just want the players to make each other proud for what they’ve done on the pitch in the 90 minutes. That’s all that matters in my mind. We’ve got to get everyone knowing that we’re trying hard.”
The game will be marked by a “Spirit of Teesside” theme, designed to increase the atmosphere at Riverside and a crowd approaching 20,000 is expected.
It is therefore deemed necessary that Boro make amends for their recent failings in front of a frustrated faithful.
“I have no expectations from the crowd,” Venus said. “I know the crowd have experienced the last period of results which haven’t gone for them.
“I know this is their football club, I know they support this club and I know if the players bond on the pitch, they’ll respond with the players.
“The bottom line is we have to make the fans respond to us, they don’t have to respond for us.
“I don’t believe we’ve played terribly all season, I think every team we’ve played against have shown a sense of wariness towards us and I don’t think Doncaster will be any different. We’ve just got to be better than we have been.”
Defender Daniel Ayala, signed on a threemonth loan from Norwich, is set for his debut in the Sky- televised game ( 7.45pm). MARK Venus neither confirmed nor denied suggestions he wants the Middlesbrough job – because he doesn’t know himself,
Venus is in caretaker charge of Boro as they take on Doncaster at the Riverside tonight, the first game since Tony Mowbray’s sacking on Monday.
Venus ( pictured, right) has been Mowbray’s trusty right- hand man throughout his nine- year managerial career – at Hibs, West Brom, Celtic and Middlesbrough – and has the “blessing” of the 49- year- old to oversee Boro, whether in the current interim role or on a permanent basis.
Asked by BBC Tees whether or not he wants to take on the job full- time, Venus responded: “I think for me to answer that, for me to give you an answer now, I would be lying to you because I don’t think I truly know.
“I feel that out of professionalism to the chairman ( Steve Gibson), I’m doing the job.
“I’ll tell you when it’s finished or when something else happens if I’m enjoying it and I want to do it.
“I think, at this moment, everything’s day to day.
“It’s been very difficult ( this week). I think anyone who knows me will probably know how difficult it was for me.
“There’s been loads of different things but I’ve had a lot of support and I’m doing the job professionally.
“The chairman feels it is right for me to do the job and I have to do that.”
Who will succeed Mowbray is a topic of much deliberation.
Alex McLeish emerged as a hotlytipped candidate yesterday with odds shrinking from 20/ 1 to favourite in a matter of hours.
But chairman Steve Gibson said: “We are going to give Mark the chance to improve results. The search for a new manager will continue and we hope Mark can put his case to us.”
He added: “If Mark is going to be responsible for the team he has got to have the authority that goes with it, and he has all the authority and power that we would invest in any manager.”
Gibson shared the fans’ frustrations at this season’s results, adding: “Our fans have been magnificent. When we were 1- 0 down to Yeovil recently, they really responded and got behind the team.
“And it was only when we 3- 0 down at Barnsley that the fans let their feelings be known.
“The thing is, I think I led the booing at Barnsley!
“We have fans we can be proud of. We took 2,300 of them to Barnsley. We need to see the same spirit ( tonight).
“The fans have to get behind the club and the players.
“It’s a challenge for the players to show they care as much as the fans. We want a response from them.”