Southgate warns Wigan to keep hands off Mido

Aug 24 2008 by Steve Brown, Sunday Sun

GARETH SOUTHGATE has issued Wigan with a hands-off warning over Mido.

The Egyptian claims the Latics want him on loan and is seeking assurances from the Boro boss over his chances of regular first-team football.

But after Mido scored his second goal of the season from just two substitute appearances, Southgate - asked if Wigan could forget about any move for the striker - said: “Yeah, no one from Wigan has spoken to me.

“Mido’s the sort of lad who wants to play regularly but I said to him a couple of weeks ago that I believe he will play football with us.

“He’s shown how important he can be for us in these last two weeks, he’s a good footballer and a goalscorer, his record throughout his career has been excellent.

“He’s giving himself every chance of a starting position.”

Southgate has all but given up on landing James Harper from Reading, with talk on the Continent of a renewed bid for Heerenveen’s US midfielder Michael Bradley.

Meanwhile, former Boro starlet Lee Cattermole, who did join Wigan, has revealed: “It was sad to say goodbye to the lads and everyone there, but sometimes you have to make big decisions like this.

“I made the decision to move on, and I take with me some very happy memories of my years at Middlesbrough.”