Middlesbrough have rewarded attacking midfielder/striker Matt Crooks with a one-year contract extension after the former Rotherham man recently entered the final year on his current deal at The Riverside.
It comes as the club are gradually reigniting their glowing reputation for unearthing and developing some of football’s brightest young talents. Current academy graduates such as Isaiah Jones, Hayden Hackney and Josh Coburn were joined this summer by a raft of exciting proteges brought into the squad, as Michael Carrick and his coaching staff prepare for another tilt at promotion to the Premier League.
But balance – in terms of experience – needed to bond the squad together was something that Carrick was keen to point out in a recent interview aired on the club’s website during their pre-season tour of Portugal.
Carrick said, “There’s different parts of the squad, you need the younger ones that underpin that with the talent, with the potential and are pushing for playing, and obviously you want the senior players as well so, you have got to get that balance right and we will be working hard on that for the rest of the window.”
The Middlesbrough Head Coach has followed that up with Crooks’ signature, which is a big boost as he brings a certain level of experience and seniority.
It follows the one-year extension of club captain Johnny Howson, who signed in March, and outlines the importance of having those players in the squad who have been in big-game situations and can offer that presence amongst the more inexperienced players.
How important is Matt Crooks to Middlesbrough?
Middlesbrough fans have been treated to an insight as to Crooks’ influence in the group via his now famous video diaries while away on tour with the rest of the players. Johnny Howson is a captain that leads by example, and you can certainly deduce from the videos that Crooks (nicknamed ‘The Tree’) has a leading role vocally amongst his peers.
Crooks – working under his third management team at the club – has been a valuable and creditable ambassador for Middlesbrough and his charity work in the area and his unwavering commitment to Jordan Sinnott Foundation have made him a very popular figure on Teesside, not unlike former Boro defender George Friend, who had a very similar standing and harmonious relationship with the club.
Those off-the-field traits are a huge plus, but there is no sentiment involved with this signing. Crooks is just as valuable a commodity on the pitch. With a handy reputation for showing up in big games, and a knack for coming on to great effect as a substitute, he has that ability to arrive in the box at the right time and gets on the end of things, (the late, late winners against Luton and Reading can testify for that!) which is a skill that is difficult to coach.
It is an instinct not lost on Carrick who, in times of need, played him in a striker role last season. With good feet and all-round play, he can also break forward from the number ten position behind the main striker and utilise his dangerous aerial threat, so there is no mistaking his overall worth to this Boro side.
Having felt the disappointment of last season, Crooks is perfectly placed to be a driving force in ensuring Middlesbrough strive to go one better this season. Hopefully, his desire to help propel this young group on and achieve the club’s goal of promotion will see him serve up more moments of Middlesbrough magic.