Jordan to add bite to toothless Boro attack
STEVE AGNEW wants Jaws to help give Middlesbrough the attacking bite they need to save their season.
Former Leeds, Manchester United and Scotland striker Joe Jordan – dubbed “Jaws” in his playing days because of his fearsome, toothless appearance – has joined Boro as assistant to caretaker boss Agnew, after the sacking of Aitor Karanka.
And Agnew hopes 65-year-old Jordan, who coached under Harry Redknapp at Tottenham, Portsmouth and QPR, can bring more out of on-loan Valencia striker Alvaro Negredo – and see an end to Boro’s four-game Premier League goal drought.
Agnew said: “Joe brings a wealth of experience of how to create a chance, how to score a goal.
“He’s well-respected, he was a top player – I know that was a few years ago!
“He’s had experience of dealing with top managers and the Premier League and he’s a great guy.
“The record this season would suggest Negredo is the top goalscorer. We need goals, but we need others to chip in and Gaston Ramirez is capable, as are quite a number of others.
“North-east fans are very passionate and that’s what I like about the region. I’ve lived in the area quite a number of years and they demand attacking football.
“But the demands of that are very positive because when the ball goes into dangerous areas, there is support.
“We scored three goals against Swansea and three against Oxford in the FA Cup, so we’re capable.’’
Boro have plummeted to second bottom after failing to win in their last 10 league games.
But Agnew, who faces a daunting challenge at home to Man. United today, insists his squad are aware that promotion last May was too hardearned to throw it away.
He said: “The feeling you get is that they know how difficult it was to win promotion.
“It’s something that will drive them on to be where we need to be at the end of the season.
“There are a number of players who have been around the club and achieved the success of last season, and that core spirit from the group is very infectious and determined.’’
Agnew will also remind Boro that they were only five minutes from beating United at Old Trafford on New Year’s Eve when Karanka – Jose Mourinho’s former assistant at Real Madrid – met him head-on for the first time.
United came from behind to win 2-1, with Anthony Martial and Paul Pogba’s goals countering Grant Leadbitter’s effort.
Agnew said: “It was a game we could, and should, have won.
“I’ll be drumming that into the players and reminding them of that – any positives are helpful.’’