MARTEN DE ROON has launched a scathing attack on Middlesbrough and life in the Premier League.
The Dutch midfielder became Boro‘s record £12million signing when he arrived from Atalanta last year.
However, he has now claimed the relegated Teessiders’ squad was split into factions and lacked discipline after rejoining the Italian club for an undisclosed fee.
De Roon also lamented the quality of life in England, and said he had to quit Boro for the sake of his international career.
The 26-year-old made 36 Boro appearances, scoring five goals.
He said: “It wasn’t a nice year at all with Middlesbrough. There was a split between the English and Spanish speakers in the squad.
“We were not a stable team at all, and we were not close to one another.
“The Premier League is great to watch, because a lot happens, and the pace and intensity of matches is unlike anywhere else.
“But I missed tactical discipline. It is all about physical strength, and teams come up short tactically apart from the top six sides.
“I like to think about my football, and how to defeat my opponents.
“I wanted to leave, preferably to return to Italy or go somewhere like Spain.
“I had no problem with the people in England, and it was easy as I spoke the language.
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“But the quality of life is higher in Italy. The food, the weather, the coffee…
“I like the fact that people are more relaxed. The Atalanta players do a lot together, and that attracted me as well.
“The Dutch national team also played a role in my decision to leave. If I play in the Championship I can forget about getting a call-up.”
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