Jonathan Woodgate believes that he didn't receive the 'full backing' he needed to succeed at Middlesbrough, although he praised Steve Gibson for all he has done for the club.

The former player was named as the new Boro chief in June 2019, and there was a hope that the local lad could bring a fresh, attacking brand of football after the support had grown frustrated by Tony Pulis.

However, it didn't go to plan. The Teesside outfit flirted with relegation under Woodgate's guidance, with Gibson making the decision to sack the rookie boss earlier this year, when Boro were outside the bottom three on goal difference.

Despite that, speaking to Jamie Carragher on the Greatest Game podcast, Woodgate explained how he was dealt a bad hand after he wasn't given the support he needed in the transfer market.

"The chairman was really good to me. But you need the full backing. When I got the job we lost six players like John Obi Mikel, Jordan Hugill, Downing, Randolph, Flint, and Martin Braithwaite went too.

"You need to replace those players but we didn’t do that. The club were in a difficult situation. But the chairman has done an unbelievable job for that football club."

Neil Warnock has replaced Woodgate at the Riverside, with Boro enjoying a strong start to the current season.

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The verdict

This is a tough one, as you can understand where Woodgate is coming from. He did lose experienced players, and patience was always going to be needed as he tried to implement a new style of play.

On the other hand, the results were alarming and Warnock has got a similar group of players producing much more consistent performances.

Ultimately, it's a shame for Woodgate and Boro, but the past few months have shown that Gibson did make the right call.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.