Matthew Bates has urged Middlesbrough fans to give Tony Mowbray time to put his stamp on the club.
Defender confident new boss can lead Teessiders out of trouble
Matthew Bates has pleaded with Middlesbrough fans to give new boss Tony Mowbray time to put his stamp on the club.
Boro won two of their first three games under Mowbray, who was appointed as Gordon Strachan's successor last month.
But two straight defeats since have seen the Teessiders slip back into the Championship relegation zone and they were booed off after Saturday's 1-0 loss at home to Millwall.
Mowbray likes his teams to play the ball around and although Bates is confident that approach will pay dividends, the Boro defender stressed it might be a gradual process.
Philosophy
"We knew his philosophy before he came in and we know the teams he has managed before," Bates told the club's
official website.
"I spoke to people at West Brom and we all know the type of football he wants to bring in.
"We all agree it's the right type of football and the type of football we all want to play, but he's made it clear it's going to take longer than people think."
Bates admits Boro's current plight is hurting having come through the club's Academy.
Despite a fine individual display on Saturday, he was unable to prevent defeat against Millwall.
Pride dented
But the 23-year-old knows the Boro players must put that setback behind them as they prepare for Saturday's visit of fellow strugglers Hull City.
"It's not nice to go off the field to boos and to go home and look at the table and see yourselves third bottom," he added.
"It's your own personal pride that's dented as well as how you feel for the fans and the club.
"But we have only got ourselves to blame and we have to pick ourselves up."
