Christian Dailly has revealed just how supportive Rigobert Song was
on Sunday - despite being dropped from the side.
Rigo did not even make it to the bench, but masked his own disappointment to urge his team mates on to victory.
"The great thing is that Rigobert was in there geeing everyone up before the game," reveals Christian, "and he was saying well done after the match.
"That just shows the spirit we have got."
With Tomas Repka making his home debut, and Paolo Di Canio and Fredi Kanoute returning, there were a few interesting selection problems for Glenn Roeder.
Rigo, like Svetoslav Todorov - who was also in the dressing room afterwards congratulating the players - was unlucky to miss out, and Christian says:
"I have to be honest and say I feel a bit disappointed for Rigobert, because in four games we kept three clean sheets and he has been superb.
"He played right back last week, which isn't his position, and has now ended up out the team.
"The manager has made the decision and obviously Tomas Repka is a top player - but you still feel for Rigobert.
"But the manager has been superb with everybody, and I am delighted for him, because he deserves that result.
"You wouldn't believe how much the players are behind the manager.
"And Tomas has settled in no problem; he is a nice man and is making an effort with the language."
Explaining his decision to leave Rigobert out of the equation on Sunday, Glenn says:
"Rigobert has done very well this year though he, like all the others at Middlesbrough didn't do so well.
"He put his hand in the air about the second goal conceded; he felt he made an error that he wouldn't normally make.
"The only reason he didn't go onto the bench on Sunday was that I wanted to be as positive as I could be and didn't want two defenders on the bench.
"I was happy to have just the one so that we had two midfielders and a striker.
"The reason I went for Soma is that, as a left sided player, he could fill in for him if anything was to happen to him, and he also plays central defender as well.
"Soma just gives us that option, but I would have no qualms whatsoever about bringing Rigobert Song back into the frame for the game against Everton."
Back to Christian, who hopes the win will kick start the season.
"It was good to get three goals and keep another clean sheet," he says.
"From a defensive point of view we are pleased as they didn't create too much, and the boys up front and in midfield were superb.
"We feel it has been coming, though we were disappointed with the way we played against Middlesbrough.
"But in the other games we don't feel we played very well and hadn't been getting our just rewards.
"But we got that against Newcastle, and hopefully we can kick on from here."
As for sending a signal to the rest of the premiership via Sky's coverage of the game, he says:
"You've only just reminded me it was on telly, I'd forgotten about that.
"I suppose it sends out a little message to all the doubters - but we have just been keeping our heads down and working very hard in training.
"We have tried to keep away from the negative side of things with people saying things about the manager and that."
Christian was delighted to see the first choice front pairing reunited so successfully, and says:
"Paolo and Fredi cause teams a lot of problems when they play together, and when they are on fire there are a lot of players that fear them.
"Everyone was making sure Fredi stretched at half time so he wouldn't pull his hamstring again!"
Rigo did not even make it to the bench, but masked his own disappointment to urge his team mates on to victory.
"The great thing is that Rigobert was in there geeing everyone up before the game," reveals Christian, "and he was saying well done after the match.
"That just shows the spirit we have got."
With Tomas Repka making his home debut, and Paolo Di Canio and Fredi Kanoute returning, there were a few interesting selection problems for Glenn Roeder.
Rigo, like Svetoslav Todorov - who was also in the dressing room afterwards congratulating the players - was unlucky to miss out, and Christian says:
"I have to be honest and say I feel a bit disappointed for Rigobert, because in four games we kept three clean sheets and he has been superb.
"He played right back last week, which isn't his position, and has now ended up out the team.
"The manager has made the decision and obviously Tomas Repka is a top player - but you still feel for Rigobert.
"But the manager has been superb with everybody, and I am delighted for him, because he deserves that result.
"You wouldn't believe how much the players are behind the manager.
"And Tomas has settled in no problem; he is a nice man and is making an effort with the language."
Explaining his decision to leave Rigobert out of the equation on Sunday, Glenn says:
"Rigobert has done very well this year though he, like all the others at Middlesbrough didn't do so well.
"He put his hand in the air about the second goal conceded; he felt he made an error that he wouldn't normally make.
"The only reason he didn't go onto the bench on Sunday was that I wanted to be as positive as I could be and didn't want two defenders on the bench.
"I was happy to have just the one so that we had two midfielders and a striker.
"The reason I went for Soma is that, as a left sided player, he could fill in for him if anything was to happen to him, and he also plays central defender as well.
"Soma just gives us that option, but I would have no qualms whatsoever about bringing Rigobert Song back into the frame for the game against Everton."
Back to Christian, who hopes the win will kick start the season.
"It was good to get three goals and keep another clean sheet," he says.
"From a defensive point of view we are pleased as they didn't create too much, and the boys up front and in midfield were superb.
"We feel it has been coming, though we were disappointed with the way we played against Middlesbrough.
"But in the other games we don't feel we played very well and hadn't been getting our just rewards.
"But we got that against Newcastle, and hopefully we can kick on from here."
As for sending a signal to the rest of the premiership via Sky's coverage of the game, he says:
"You've only just reminded me it was on telly, I'd forgotten about that.
"I suppose it sends out a little message to all the doubters - but we have just been keeping our heads down and working very hard in training.
"We have tried to keep away from the negative side of things with people saying things about the manager and that."
Christian was delighted to see the first choice front pairing reunited so successfully, and says:
"Paolo and Fredi cause teams a lot of problems when they play together, and when they are on fire there are a lot of players that fear them.
"Everyone was making sure Fredi stretched at half time so he wouldn't pull his hamstring again!"