MIDDLESBROUGH were last night rocked by the news that new signing Emanuel Pogatetz could be banned for the first half of next season.

Pogatetz, who only completed his £1.8m move to the Riverside at the start of the week, is paying the price for the red card he picked up while playing for Spartak Moscow last weekend.

The Austrian, who has been on loan in the Russian capital from Bayer Leverkusen, was dismissed in his final game for Spartak following an 11th-minute horror tackle on a Shikkin Yaroslavl player which resulted in his opponent suffering a double fracture of his leg.

The Russian FA met to discuss a charge of 'violent intent' yesterday, and handed Pogatetz a six-month ban as punishment.

The English FA have promised to do all they can to help Boro but, while overseas punishments do not automatically carry from country to country, new FIFA rules mean they could be left with no choice but to enforce the suspension.

Should the Russian authorities include details of the ban when they send the player's international transfer certificate to Soho Square - as is the usual practice - the English governing body would have to enforce it under Article 12 of FIFA's regulations.

Ironically, that ruling only comes into force today.

Boro officials have launched an investigation into the incident.

Pogatetz, who remains hopeful of making his debut when Liverpool visit the Riverside on the opening day of the Premiership season, has been left stunned by the Russian FA's verdict.

"It was not such a bad foul," he countered last night. "I am of course sorry that the guy is hurt but I did not tackle him from behind. I cannot possibly believe that the consequences should be that tough."

There was more bad news for Boro yesterday when another new signing, Aiyegbeni Yakubu, was denied a work permit.

Yakubu, who will officially complete his £7.5m move from Portsmouth today, has not played the required 75 per cent of games for Nigeria in the last two years.

Boro officials always expected their initial application to fail, and are confident the ruling will be overturned when they present their case at an appeal on Monday.

Yakubu will start pre-season training with his new team-mates on the same day, but midfielder Gaizka Mendieta has already cut short his summer holiday to ensure he is in peak condition.

While the rest of the Boro squad have been making the most of their break, Mendieta checked into Rockliffe Park earlier this week to build up his fitness ahead of next week's training trip in the Algarve.

Boro's players will undergo a series of medical and fitness tests on Monday and Tuesday, before jetting to the Portuguese coast on Wednesday morning.

Mendieta has been out of action for more than nine months after damaging his cruciate ligament in last October's 1-1 draw with Portsmouth.

At the time, there were fears that the Spanish international's career might have been on the line but, instead, an operation and an intensive recovery programme have helped to eradicate the problem.

The midfielder is still to take part in a full contact game but, with next week's training camp likely to concentrate on physical fitness rather than footballing matters, he should be able to join his team-mates in everything they do.

He will then build up the strength in his leg gradually during Boro's pre-season programme, with boss Steve McClaren hopeful he will be fit enough to figure on August 13. Mendieta's presence will be particularly welcome given Bolo Zenden's impending move to Merseyside.

The Dutch international is expected to sign for Liverpool at the start of next week, leaving Boro short of midfield cover.

The Teessiders are continuing to track Juventus' Stephen Appiah, and have also looked into the possible availability of Norwich's Damien Francis, but Mendieta's return will help to alleviate some of the problems caused by Zenden's departure.

Boro have reluctantly conceded defeat in their attempts to persuade Zenden to remain at the Riverside but compatriot George Boateng has insisted another Dutchman, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, will not be following him out of the exit door.

The Dutch press have been linking Hasselbaink with a move back to his homeland, with Feyenoord said to be leading the chase to secure his services.

But, after speaking to the striker earlier this month, Boateng is confident the former Chelsea frontman will still be on Teesside at the start of next season.

"There is no chance Feyenoord will get Jimmy," said Boateng.

"His future at Middlesbrough is not in doubt. Feyenoord are a big enough club for him, but Jimmy is not ready to move back home.

"We need him at Middlesbrough this season and he's very happy.''

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