It would probably make a good question in the sports section of a pub quiz. Which Premier League footballer’s career path is this – Barnet, Gillingham, Nottingham Forest, Leeds, Watford, Wigan, Hull and Middlesbrough?
Considering the title to this piece, you would have guessed that the answer is 28-year-old Marlon King. The striker has changed clubs on a regular basis over the last few years and at this moment in time finds himself at Premier League strugglers Middlesbrough.
Despite not being able to settle at a club since his three year spell at Watford, King does appear to be focused on the job in hand at the Riverside though. His character means that he doesn’t like losing, so there is no doubt that he will be giving his all to the Middlesbrough cause.
King made his debut in the 2-0 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, but he isn’t too downhearted about this as he believes that whether his new team stay up or not will depend on their home form.
With this in mind, the on-loan Wigan man has called on his team-mates to make the Riverside a ‘fortress’ in the coming months. He says that the ‘supporters are behind’ the team and that this should result in teams finding it ‘difficult’ to pick up points when travelling to Middlesbrough.
As for King personally, well he claims that he is ‘110% committed to Middlesbrough’ despite the fact that his future beyond this season is rather uncertain. He also states that he is ‘up for the challenge’ of helping Middlesbrough avoid the drop.
One of the most significant things King said though was that he quite simply ‘loves playing football’. This seems very, very true. The fact that he has had so many loans in the last couple of years shows that he isn’t happy to rot away at Wigan. He will play for anyone given the chance.
There is no doubt that it could be a gruelling spell at the Riverside for King though as they are likely to be battling against relegation for the rest of the season. They sit in the bottom three at present after going 11 Premier League games without a win.
The
football odds are beginning to suggest that Gareth Southgate’s new men will do well to avoid the drop and there is no doubt that tomorrow’s game against Blackburn Rovers is a must win game.
Should victory be achieved, it could trigger a better run of results and also act as a response to Marlon King’s claims that the Riverside has to be a fortress for the rest of the season.
By Thomas Rooney – A sports writer who blogs about
Poor man! I bet he could have played better if he stayed in one team in last few years.