Emanuel Pogatetz has finally been given the green light to play for Middlesbrough.
Middlesbrough defender Emanuel Pogatetz has finally been given the green light to play for the club.The Austrian international was handed a six-month worldwide ban shortly after he arrived on Teesside.
The full back picked up the suspension during his time on loan at Spartak Moscow after making a tackle on Shinnik Yaroslavl's Jaroslav Haritonskiy.
Pogatetz saw his ban reduced by the Russian Football Union last week, but a delay in receiving international clearance prevented him from playing against Tottenham and Birmingham.
The Football Association have now received the necessary international clearance and Pogatetz could make his eagerly awaited debut in this weekend's home clash with Charlton.
"I feel very good and am in good shape," Pogatetz told the club's official website.
"It's been hard to motivate myself to just train without having any games, but the club have been great and I'm looking forward to helping the team.
"It's been a mentally tough few months for me, but now I'm just looking forward.
"I'm available now and I'm ready for action. If the manager wants to choose me, I can play.
"I'm really excited about the new season and playing in England. "Hopefully we can build on the great result against Birmingham."
