Downing expects Middlesbrough’s core to remain for promotion push

Stewart Downing has pointed to Middlesbrough’s core group of players as a key factor that can help them bounce straight back into the Premiership.

Boro’s players and management sat down to meet for the final time this campaign on Monday morning, following their final day defeat to Liverpool at Anfield.

The winger conceded that it’s been a difficult year at the Riverside and implied that the playing squad hasn’t always been pulling in the same direction this season.

“I’m sure there will be changes [in the dressing room] next season, there has to be if we are to get promoted, we can’t carry passengers.

“I’m confident we can pull this round, there is a core of players who are a good group and a lot who have seen this division before.

(Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)

“Where we’ll be competing next season is a difficult league, maybe it’s getting harder each season and you have to fight and scrap for everything.

“But we have a good core here and I’m sure that when we start next season we’ll have everyone in that changing room who wants to be here.

“The manager has done ever so well with the stuff he’s had to deal with, the fans don’t see that, but there’s been a lot and issues that needed addressing.

“This wasn’t his team and probably not the way he wanted to play. Did some of some of them [the players] want to be here? Probably not, these are the kind of things he has had to deal with.”