Just been told by family in Middlesbrough that Karanka has walked out after a bust up with the owner.

Seems a bit odd given their position in the league, but who can predict anything in this game any more.

Should have joined palace

I hoped we would get him a few years ago when we were linked with him when he was the Real Madrid assistant. Think he has done a good job up here, has really made the club a bit more professional in its approach, now has the feeling of a Premier club in waiting.

News up here is he did walk out on Friday after a row, turned up at the training ground on Saturday morning to take training but was told to go home. Think the tension might be over the club big signings of Rhodes and Downing who have been put on the bench by him recently.

He does have a bit of a record of rubbing players up the wrong way, he had a spat with Adamoah, one of Boro's better players earlier in the season.

It has been reported in a Sunday newspaper that Karanka claimed that Downing wasn't one of his signings but that of Chairman Steve Gibson who really rates the player.

Yesterday against Charlton both Rhodes and Downing were substituted but of course Karanka was not present and Steve Agnew was in charge.A very inept performance from Middlesbrough.