Bachelor Boys

New Middlesbrough boss Gordon Strachan has spotted a hitch in his plans to get promotion to the Premier League - not enough of his players are hitched.

The Scot couldn’t quite make up his mind whether this was because his squad is too young or too irresponsible. He said: “Emanuel Pogatetz is one of only three players in the squad that are married. That’s quite unbelievable, in a world that should be for men.

“I have never come across that in my life. That’s how young we are. It’s a big miss.

“I’m not saying you have to be married to be a good footballer. I’m just saying it felt strange to come to a club where there are only three members of the first-team squad that are married.

“You need responsibility in life. I’m not going about finding wives for them, it was just a shock to me.”