RILEY McGree admits his last couple of seasons at Middlesbrough have been hugely frustrating but the midfielder says he goes to bed at night knowing he’s doing everything in his power to avoid injury and stay fit.
McGree has had a succession of setbacks at Boro, making only 25 starts over the last two full seasons. He appeared in Michael Carrick’s starting XI only 11 times last season and played no role in Boro’s final eight Championship games.
During the most recent layoff, Carrick disclosed that Boro were engaging with specialists to get to the bottom of McGree’s injury concerns.
And the 26-year-old thinks things are “starting to come good”.
McGree has been deemed fit enough to join the Australian squad for their vital World Cup qualifiers against Japan and Saudi Arabia next month.
And after joining the group in Abu Dhabi, he said: “I’ve been working hard for a long time to try and get my body right, and it’s starting to look nice. I hope to stay on track, progress, and reach my goals. It’s certainly frustrating to be out and unable to do what I love.
“For me, the nicest part is that I can go to bed at night knowing that I’m doing everything I can to stay and be fit. So if I’m doing that, that’s all I can ask for, both for myself and for everyone else.
Following McGree’s most recent setback in April, manager Carrick stated: “It is not a long-term issue. We thought it was a minor issue at the time, but it has become another source of frustration for both him and us. We’re attempting to figure out whether there’s something underlying that we can address before it causes the other problems.
“Without disclosing too much since I believe it is wrong to do so. But perhaps we’ve finished that now.”
McGree, who signed a new four-year contract with Boro last summer, is now hoping to play for the Socceroos next month before returning to Teesside for pre-season training.
He stated, “It was simply a matter of getting to a point in my body where I felt fit enough to try and create my best, and I’ll put my best foot forward.
“Whether they [the Australia coaching staff] see me fit, or if they don’t see me fit, then that’s the decision they’re going to make. I will give myself the finest opportunity – as well as our team and them – to make that decision.
The upcoming matchups are critical for Australia’s chances of qualifying for the World Cup next summer. The Socceroos are presently second in their group – with the top two qualifying – seven points behind Japan, their next opponents, and only three ahead of Saudi Arabia, who they will face on June 10.
McGree stated, “You can only take it one game and one day at a time. The major priority is today’s training session, which is to get the best out of ourselves. And then, in the opening game against Japan, we have only one objective and goal: to win.
“So the entire focus is clearly on that game. Then, once that game is over, and if we have obtained the desired result, we will go to the following game.
“Everyone is on edge. We’re all trying to show that we want to play, put our best foot forward, and be the best versions of ourselves. I don’t believe it’s solely up to the young players to establish themselves.
“I believe that even older lads strive to show themselves on a daily basis. Nothing is certain in football, and no location is ever guaranteed. I believe it’s critical for all of us to have that mindset so that we can push and drive each other to lift the bar and have the highest possible standards come game time.”
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