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Aitor Karanka has launched a passionate defence of his methods for managing Jordan Rhodes, insisting he’s only got the striker’s best interests at heart.

The Boro boss was asked at his pre-match press conference on Thursday to clarify the situation with the £9m deadline day signing and rumours that he wasn’t selecting him in every game because he didn’t want to buy him in the first place.

Prior to Sunday’s defeat at Charlton, Rhodes had started four games out of a possible eight for Middlesbrough FC, scoring once.

Karanka seemed pleased to be asked about the 26-year-old front man, saying: “Yes, yes, thank you for that question.

“When this club signs a player, he is not the chairman’s player, not the recruitment department’s player, he is not Aitor Karanka’s player - he is our player so when we sign a player, he is Middlesbrough Football Club’s player.

“The reason Jordan Rhodes did not play the games he didn’t play was because I didn’t want to arrive at the situation I thought he arrived at last Sunday,” he added, referring to the striker’s performance at the Valley, where he struggled to make an impact.

“I was watching the game and Jordan Rhodes with his confidence..... I knew (what was happening), I used to be a player.

“I think sometimes you need to put a player out (of the team) to give him confidence.

“I need Jordan playing his best and, when he is missing chances, I do not want to keep him in the team because if he is still playing, it is worse for everyone because he is missing chances.

“The only thing I can tell you - I will always and I will keep doing it - I have the players that I want to have and I pick the first XI always thinking those 11 players are the best players for every single game.”

Karanka was also questioned about Stewart Downing at his Hurworth press conference.

A week ago the Boro boss was critical of the former England international, who started the fixtures against Wolves and Rotherham on the bench.

Karanka insisted, though, that he didn’t have a problem with Downing revealing that of all his outfield players, the winger had accrued the most minutes of matchtime.

He said: “I think the best example to show the relationship between a player and a coach is how much he is playing.

“And until Sunday, Stewart was the player, except the keeper, who has played more minutes. So that is the best example.

“The most important thing is to think about the game against Hull and to explain to everybody that if I had a problem with Stewart Downing, I don’t think he would be the player who has played the most minutes and Jordan Rhodes would not have played the games that he has played because if he was not my player, he would not have played against Leeds and Cardiff and the games that he has played.

“Again, all the players are here because I want them, all of them.”