Former Spain international Gaizka Mendieta has criticised the British booze culture which dampened his Middlesbrough experience during his five year stint at the Riverside Stadium.

The retired 35-year-old midfielder revealed the problems began to surface after the departure of Steve McClaren and the appointment of Gareth Southgate.

"My first two or three years at the club were very good. We won a trophy and got to the UEFA Cup final," he told the Daily Mail.

"But everything went wrong once Steve McClaren left and Gareth Southgate replaced him as manager."

Mendieta, capped 40 times by Spain, has admitted his astonishment at the way alcohol was nonchalantly consumed to an enormous effect at the club even when the players should be training!

"At Middlesbrough the beer used to flow in the dressing-room the moment matches were over.

The following day the players were supposed to work on their recovery but instead they'd just have a coffee and then get back on the booze once more."

The news will incense Boro fans who now find their beloved club dwindling in the Championship following relegation from the Premier League last season.

Mendieta expanded on his analysis to reveal the poor approach to dieting which was endorsed at the club and admitted that his pleas to change their habits fell on deaf ears.

"They used to eat Mars bars and chocolates, and when I said something about it they'd fire back, claiming it was to give them energy. You could say that there was a clash of attitudes between me and them."