A Challenge For Marvin
MARVIN EMNES has been challenged to build on the dramatic improvement he showed at the end of last season and play a major part in Boro's push for promotion.
The Dutch U21 international forward broke into the starting line-up for the final games as the campaign ended in relegation from the Premier League.
And Gareth Southgate believes the former Sparta Rotterdam man could be ready to make a big impact and realise the potential that led Boro to splash out £3.2m to secure his signature last summer.
"Marvin is someone who is very keen to play a bigger part this season than he did last year," said the manager.
"He enjoyed being here and being part of the squad last season, but naturally would like to have played more - I understand that.
"If Marvin plays as well this season as he did at the back end of last season then he'll certainly have an impact because I was delighted with the way he took his chance."
Southgate has always stressed that Emnes, who turned 21 last month, was signed as a player for the future, even though his performances in his final season in Holland had earned him his club's Player of the Year award.
He said: "He had to be patient but we brought him here as a player to develop, not as a finished product, and he certainly developed in the way we hoped he would.
"He didn't get to play the amount of football he would have wanted but he has the opportunity to play a lot more this season as long as he reproduces that late-season form."
In all Emnes made 21 league and cup appearances in his debut season, although he only started four games.
He scored a header in the 5-1 Carling Cup win over Yeovil and the winner in the E.ON sponsored FA Cup tie at Wolves, but despite coming close on a number of occasions he is yet to break his duck in English league football.
However, Southgate has seen enough to believe that could soon change.
"He scored a few goals for the Reserves last season and a couple for the first team, so we're hoping he can score a lot of goals for us this coming season," he said.
"We've seen now that he can play up front or out wide, he's got excellent pace, he's strong, has good skill and is excellent at receiving the ball.
"He could definitely cause Championship defences some real headaches.
"The challenge for Marvin is that he has to produce that form we saw from him late in the season."
Marvellous Marvin's Ready To Thrill
