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View Full Version : The Middlesbrough FC Thread - Wee Gordon Strachan's revolution!


ed_mcl
24-02-2009, 22:32
Well the club have issued an apology for the "wording" of the letter they sent to those in Block 53a, still they should be a bit more careful not to upset the already **** off and dwindling support, it's bad enough with the fascist stewards, blooming idiots! :lol:

Anyway, FA Cup replay tomorrow, I'll go for a defeat as I can't see where our next win is going to come from. :(

stunno
24-02-2009, 23:00
Aww just when the other thread was just starting to warm up!

I think we need to play the replay at West Ham, we play 'better' away and the fans can sing their hearts out.

Surprisingly the tickets are £15 and a fiver, they might have got a decent crowd if they were a tenner

bumfrog
25-02-2009, 13:52
just read the thing about keeping quiet.... wtf????

stunno
25-02-2009, 19:16
Whoohoo! What a good free kick!

ed_mcl
25-02-2009, 21:27
Well that was quite surprising. Great game and a terrific performance. It's so frustrating because if only we could play like that for even half of the league games we wouldn't be in the mess we are.

Pistol
26-02-2009, 10:23
I was at the game last night, it was great to see Boro scoring again, and a great performance overall!


I have to say, the supporters in the south-east corner have really made a difference to the atmosphere in the ground - West Ham filled the away end, but our lot kept them quiet (though the goals obviously dampened their enthusiasm in any case!).


We did enjoy the Hammers fans' conga line though :D

slideymoo
26-02-2009, 17:21
Typical, you rediscover where the goal is just before playing liverpool :)

bumfrog
27-02-2009, 07:57
Typical, you rediscover where the goal is just before playing liverpool :)

hehehe, ain't that right. You never know, we might....might.....maybe just..... nahhh we won't beat them :)

ed_mcl
28-02-2009, 17:01
Well that was a bit unexpected.

I hope it serves to show the team what they're capable of and take advantage of the upcoming games because the next handful are against sides all around us in the league and we hopefully can start to steer away from the drop-zone.

Darth Sidious
28-02-2009, 17:08
Cracking Result

bumfrog
05-03-2009, 07:45
good god, it's like pulling teeth sometimes.

Really think Southgate needs to go, and to be honest, I don't think it would make much difference if he went now or at the end of the season.

Mr Flibble
05-03-2009, 08:45
Managed to miss the score all last night till the highlights were on, and wish I hadn't bothered watching now! Newcastle have a tricky run in of games, but we aren't helping ourselves, and whilst Gareth is a nice enough bloke, I think it's time for someone else now :(

James45
05-03-2009, 12:06
to be fair you didn't deserve that scoreline and your goal wasn't offside.

stunno
05-03-2009, 20:32
to be fair you didn't deserve that scoreline and your goal wasn't offside.

Unfortunately, there have been far too many games this season that you could have made that posting about. This ******** about things evening themselves out over the season is starting to wear a bit thin. We have either got an unlucky team/manager or a major conspiracy involving the FA and all of the referees! The North stand think its the latter :|

Southgate keeps saying you make your own luck, and, as it is cheaper to get shot of him rather than the team, then that's the route that Gibson should take. Sadly he wont. He will wait until we are relegated and then give Southgate the chance to take us back up like he did with Robson. The good players will leave in the close season, we will not be able to afford to replace them this time and the youngsters aren't good enough to win the Championship

Thats the price we pay for having a frustrated amateur footballer as chairman.

Pistol
09-03-2009, 09:29
God, that was frustrating... threw it away in the second half!


I still believe that getting shot of Southgate would be throwing the baby out with the bathwater. He does have the potential to be a damn fine manager (even if we do get relegated).


What worries me the most is getting our transfer spending sorted out. When was the last time we got good value on any of our signings? Tuncay. Digard maybe.


Emnes has been a waste of space on the field. Alves - I like the guy, and I feel for him that he just hasn't got his game sorted yet. But he cost twelve million for God's sake.


We have a great academy, and Gibbo has managed to stop Downing leaving, but as stunno said the youngsters are the foundations for the future, not the saviours in the short term. We need to start paying sensible money for dependable talent, rather than taking a punt on expensive hopeful shots in the dark.

stunno
09-03-2009, 21:17
Hmm, I think I see what you're getting at about the signings but Emnes has hardly been given a fair shot has he? 10-15 minutes at the end of games to try and impress isn't in anybody's interest and he is probably trying too hard in the time he's on.

Alves always looks like he needs too many touches to me, and I often wonder, if he is that good why didn't anyone else try and buy him? To be fair to him he isn't a lone striker and he does try when played in that role, but he really needs a target man to feed him (Mido?)

Southgate made a very good point in an interview a while ago. He was asked how Middlesbrough had such a wonderful academy, bringing all of these wonderful kids through, and he said that the young players at Middlesbrough were no better than the youngsters at any other club they were just given a chance to prove themselves earlier than at the big clubs. Primarily because of financial restraints.

There was an article about Steve Maclaren in the paper on Sunday. His team are second in the league and in the cup semi and have Johan Cruyff moaning that they needed an English coach to the bring the return of "Total Football" to Holland

Barny79
09-03-2009, 22:10
To be honest McLaren inherited a very good team when he took over.

ed_mcl
09-03-2009, 22:40
Good luck to McClaren. I think he was given a hard time during his England career. He was never the right bloke for the job, but I don't think anyone in his position would have turned down the opportunity to manage your national side.

Pistol
10-03-2009, 08:41
I know Emnes hasn't exactly been given the time on the pitch to shine, but I've never known anyone else be brought on as a sub only to be subbed himself 20 mins later :lol: says it all really!

ed_mcl
10-03-2009, 11:25
I don't even think Southgate knows what position to play him either.

Pistol
16-03-2009, 08:25
I thought we were dead and buried there!


If only Alves had scored that gilt-edged chance right at the death... be honest, if we could have somehow traded him for that opportunity going into the net, what would you do? I'd have taken the 3 points...

bumfrog
16-03-2009, 10:01
Most of that match I thought we looked like a team who'd already been relegated and didn't care. Apart from Tuncay, who looked like he was doing the work of 10 other men.

bumfrog
22-03-2009, 09:32
well I think that about puts the nail in the coffin.

At least it looks like the barcode army might be coming with us anyhoo!

Mr Flibble
23-03-2009, 11:13
Yep, that was a must win game, if you can't beat your fellow strugglers, you're not helping yourself.

Nail in the coffin indeed, and I dread to think how we'd fair in the championship!

bumfrog
23-03-2009, 13:01
Yep, that was a must win game, if you can't beat your fellow strugglers, you're not helping yourself.

Nail in the coffin indeed, and I dread to think how we'd fair in the championship!

so long as we don't do a leeds :eek:

Mr Flibble
23-03-2009, 14:22
It wouldn't suprise me to be honest - Leeds had massive debts, which I don't think we're saddled with - but in terms of players clearing off, and not being replaced, it could well happen.

Look at teams who were in the prem for years, before fading away - Leeds, Coventry, Forrest, it's easilly done.

Mr Flibble
04-04-2009, 17:18
:|

'Southgate had the look of a beaten man today' - Words on Final score this afternoon :(

ed_mcl
04-04-2009, 17:30
He's had that look since the summer of '06.

As great has Steve Gibson has been, he needs to give his head a shake. The way he goes about things, whilst seem admirable, are just insane really.

carlmcg
04-04-2009, 22:37
Strange game today, you essentially played a 3-4-3 which never looked like working.

Pistol
06-04-2009, 08:40
Hello Championship :(

bumfrog
06-04-2009, 09:11
Hello Championship :(

yep

short of a minor miracle, we're going down.

bugger

Pistol
07-04-2009, 09:13
Anyone going to the Hull game? £10, might be one of the last chances to see us in the Premiership for a while - and some of our best players will no doubt be off...

bumfrog
12-04-2009, 13:01
:O

all of boro now holds it's breath for the next few games!

stunno
12-04-2009, 15:03
Nah, don't bother we are down!

It just depends how bearable it is on which of the other NE teams join us

If WBA go on a run we could all be gone! Now that might be bearable!

Pistol
14-04-2009, 08:36
:O

all of boro now holds it's breath for the next few games!

Dare we dream of avoiding the drop...


£10 tickets for the Fulham game too now, if we win that as well it'll get even more tense!

richardp
14-04-2009, 11:31
Looking at the fixtures and it pains me to say this, I hope Sunderland win this weekend. I honestly think of all the teams at the bottom, we are most likely to overtake Newcastle and Hull. It looks like 38 points will be the mark this year, so if we manage to win this weekend, we'd need 5 points from 5 games, which is doable I think. Hull are going to go down, so I honestly think it will come down to the winner of the Tyne-Tees derby as to which team will stay up. Having said that it will probably be a draw :oh-hum:

jaminb
14-04-2009, 15:12
put a substantial sum on you guys staying up at evens, a few weeks ago.

Always respected the Boro and like Southgate, but your fixtures look very tough. Going to the last day imo

stunno
14-04-2009, 19:26
Remainig fixtures:

H: Fulham

A: Arsenal

H: Man Utd

A: Newcastle

H: Aston Villa

A: West Ham

I can't see us getting any more than 4 points from that lot! 3 against Villa and a draw with the skunks. So unless Hull,Blackburn and Sunderland get thumped every game until the end of the season . . . . .

bumfrog
15-04-2009, 08:30
Remainig fixtures:

H: Fulham

A: Arsenal

H: Man Utd

A: Newcastle

H: Aston Villa

A: West Ham

I can't see us getting any more than 4 points from that lot! 3 against Villa and a draw with the skunks. So unless Hull,Blackburn and Sunderland get thumped every game until the end of the season . . . . .

oh christ, we are down aren't we!

Oh no, wait, we'll probably beat arsenal and Man u, then lose the rest :lol:

Pistol
25-04-2009, 22:43
Here's hoping for at least a point from tomorrow's game...

richardp
26-04-2009, 09:57
Here's hoping for at least a point from tomorrow's game...

Funny thing is, if we win we'll overtake hull and be out of the relegation places. I would be confident from there. Watch us get beat 6-0 now :(

Pistol
26-04-2009, 21:28
Fabregas' first goal should have been disallowed for Bendtner's offside interfering with play.


Should have got a penalty for Bendtner's handball.


...


Should have played well enough to deserve a draw, then I'd feel the injustice more.

stunno
11-05-2009, 18:40
Well its an inventive team selection by Southgate!

It looks like his master plan has been to save Emnes until the end of the season when all hope has gone and snatch premier league survival from the jaws of the Championship. Oh and he's brought Shawky the human statue back, too!

Its either genius or stupidity

stunno
11-05-2009, 19:08
It could be genius!! :)

Barny79
11-05-2009, 19:12
Then again...........;)

stunno
11-05-2009, 20:42
This just about sums the season up, promised lots delivered very little and cannot get a decision from the officials for love nor money.

JamesK
11-05-2009, 20:56
Hey guys, unlucky tonight.

Even though you're a "Derby" team, apparently, I quite like your chairman and manager and wouldn't want you to go down if it wasn't for our plight in the relegation zone too :)

MrSpoons
11-05-2009, 20:56
looks like the championship for us next season.

Can't say we haven't deserved it - we have been crap all season, and when you've got a manager that plays Shawky in midfield then you know you're in trouble

bumfrog
12-05-2009, 09:40
Think most boro fans agree we've deserved to go down. I think the stall was set out at the start of the season when we didn't replace big mark, and things just followed on from that. We don't deserve to be in the premiership at the moment. Maybe a stint in the lower leagues is what we need!

Fair play to newcastle though, as much as it pains me to say it.

ffc
12-05-2009, 19:32
It will be a real shame if you do go down. Boro are a great model for how to develop local players and bring them through. English football and especially the PL needs more of that. It also needs less of the "pragmatic" football that many teams play week in week out.

ed_mcl
12-05-2009, 20:38
It's that very reason why we're destined for relegation though. It might be admirable to develop talent from the local area, but when you have an inexperienced manager and coaching staff who replace decent players with complete **** it's not looking good.

Hoskas
12-05-2009, 21:50
having watched the game last night i have to say its the first time i've seen downing for a while and i thought he was very poor.

Has he been like this all season since his transfer request was turned down? (i seem to remember this last summer with tottenham being his preferred destination)

I of course stand to be corrected.

ed_mcl
12-05-2009, 23:29
No, he's been rubbish all season long.

I'm not sure if Spurs is his preferred destination, I seem to recall an interview where he aimed for better, however it's a question of whether his ability warrants a move to something greater than mid-table mediocrity, which at the moment doesn't.

I think Middlesbrough should have got shot of him in January when he made it clear he didn't wish to be at the club any longer, at least with the stupid money that Spurs were offering, we could have strengthened the squad elsewhere and maybe given ourselves a chance of avoiding relegation.

Mr Flibble
13-05-2009, 08:20
You have to admire Southgates continual optimism that 'it's not over yet' etc. etc. but in reality, I think most Boro fans feel we are down now :(

But, we're where we are in the table on performance, and we've nobody to blame but ourselves for our predicament! Be interesting to see who we have in our team next season!

stunno
13-05-2009, 17:53
I think we will definitely be without:

Pogatetz - said he was going , then wasn't, but think he will
Wheater - has said he might go, daft if he doesnt
Arca - will be lucky to get anyone to buy him
Downing -
Johnson - has said he will go
Alves - as Arca
Tuncay - be daft if he doesn't, too good for the Championship
Aliadiere - as above

and we might be without:

Turnbull - not signing a contract
Huth - daft if he doesn't
Hoyte
Emnes - must be REALLY ****** off with Southgate by now
Bates - wont be drawn on the subject


Not much left is there? :help:

ffc
13-05-2009, 21:23
It's that very reason why we're destined for relegation though. It might be admirable to develop talent from the local area, but when you have an inexperienced manager and coaching staff who replace decent players with complete **** it's not looking good.

True. But you can hold your heads high in football terms. You didn't play a centre half at centre forward and boot balls into the area all day or rely on long throws as your primary attacking tactic.

singhstar
16-05-2009, 16:01
will your lot keep southgate next season? i think gibson has stuck by him before and probably will expect him to get them back up next year

ed_mcl
16-05-2009, 17:00
Hopefully not.

He's a nice bloke, but he's simply not cut out for the job. It's not entirely his fault though as Gibson should never have appointed him in the first place especially given the circumstances surrounding the club when McLaren left.

bumfrog
18-05-2009, 08:16
well for a brief moment against aston villa, I thought we'd have a last day nail biter. But no.

I can't see gibson getting rid of southgate now. If he's going to show him support in the premier league, then I can't see him getting rid of him for the championship.

Still, if we sell half the team we may make up the expense that alves cost us :)

bumfrog
21-05-2009, 11:47
if this article is true, could mean an extended stint in the championship, or maybe even doing a leeds!

http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/boro-fc/boro-fc-news/2009/05/21/adam-johnson-turns-down-new-boro-deal-84229-23680510/

ralph wiggum
24-05-2009, 00:03
" I just want to tell you good luck. We're all counting on you." :thumbs:

ed_mcl
24-05-2009, 16:57
Wahey! :lol:

stunno
24-05-2009, 23:26
Ah well, it was nice while it lasted!

I've heard for a while from "sources close to the club" that the hotel/golf course/training complex at Hurworth would take priority over the football side for the next couple of years until it is fully established, but, they (Lamb/Gibson) had intended that it would be the Premier League funding that would keep it all afloat.

I am in despair right now because I don't think the club can afford to pay Southgate off and I do not believe he is the right person to take us back up. So I think we will be stuck in a downward spiral for the next 1/2 seasons

:sigh:

ed_mcl
24-05-2009, 23:34
I don't know about that, stunno.

I read this in The Times the other day and it would seem the financial situation at the club isn't too bad.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/middlesbrough/article6344976.ece

stunno
25-05-2009, 12:33
There was a similar article in the Evening Gazette a couple of weeks ago that also failed to mention the Hotel complex. The article seems to assume that all of the income is used to pay off debts rather than invest in the squad

I would imagine that most clubs could pay off their debts if they sold off the family silver (well maybe not Man U or Arsenal), my worry is that once the good players have gone, ie Tuncay O'Niel, Downing, Johnson etc there is nothing left! The Academy side finished bottom of their division and the reserves only avoided finishing bottom of their league on goal difference

stunno
25-05-2009, 13:48
oops

ralph wiggum
25-05-2009, 18:27
Shame, I wanted you guys to stay up. Although Gibson seems like a good guy & we're always bemoaning managers not being given enough time, I do think that you would have had a fighting chance of staying up if he had changed your manager in January.

bumfrog
26-05-2009, 09:19
well I think that the last game of the season summed it up. All the other results were going our way, yet we still couldn't manage a win over a west ham team that looked average to say the least.

Still, watching the geordies and shearer come with us made it sooooo good :)

bumfrog
27-05-2009, 14:11
on a semi-unrelated note, I see Mclaren got FC Twente to second in the Eridivise (above Ajax) and to the the final of their FA cup!

Barny79
27-05-2009, 15:52
Twente were a decent team before McLaren took over, he inherited a team that beat Ajax to the second Champions League spot last season

ed_mcl
27-05-2009, 16:30
Well, he's not done too bad to sustain and build on that then considering he's apparently ****.

stunno
27-05-2009, 17:34
Apparently Johann Cruyff wrote an article in a Dutch newspaper praising SMac for bringing "Total Football" back to Holland, and bemoaning the fact that it took an exiled Englishman to do it.

Wonder if they would swap him for Southgate? We weren't pretty to watch in the Premiership back then but at least we were still in it!

boroboy
07-08-2009, 13:25
ive setup a prediction league at www.boroboy.com

direct link here - http://www.boroboy.com/PredictionLeague/index.php?cmd=createnewuser&lid=2

cheers

p.s. a boro win tonight :)

stunno
08-08-2009, 13:48
Well, same old . . same old looked ok until we got near the box then . .

Sheff Utd were pretty poor, a big, strong team that muscles their way through, and they should have been there for the taking.

Our new guys did well (and I count Johnson among them) but had the same problem as last year - 2 good crossers and nobody in the middle. By the time Lita came on we had fallen so far back into our own half that he was wasted.

I'm not very confident about this year at all.

bumfrog
11-08-2009, 13:32
I'm not very confident about this year at all.

yeh, shades of leeds written all over it.

I guess we just have to wait and see how the squad step up and perform, and hope they don't just expect to walk the league, because if they do, we are doomed!

not sure what's going on with Alves though. Surely playing in the championship trying to get promoted is much more of a challenge then going to play in the middle east?!?!

Pistol
11-08-2009, 14:48
The rest of the team looked decent, but we had nobody effective up front. I think the pundits were exactly right - we are in dire need of a target man.

ed_mcl
11-08-2009, 21:08
not sure what's going on with Alves though. Surely playing in the championship trying to get promoted is much more of a challenge then going to play in the middle east?!?!

Maybe the club are wanting him off the wage bill.

ed_mcl
15-08-2009, 16:00
First away win since the dawn of time! :clap:

Pistol
24-08-2009, 08:15
I'd say something about things finally seeming to go our way, but that'd probably jinx it.


And who knows what will happen once Tuncay goes...

bumfrog
24-08-2009, 09:38
I'd say something about things finally seeming to go our way, but that'd probably jinx it.


And who knows what will happen once Tuncay goes...

If we're not fighting for automatic promotion, I think i'd be disappointed, but then we'll get in to the premiership and it'll be back to business as usual I'd guess!

Still, nice to see us winning again :)

stunno
24-08-2009, 16:10
Judging by the teams we have played so far the 'quality' of the championship doesn't seem to be too high, although, having said that, we have been playing very well indeed, if only we had played like this from Easter!

I am just hoping that everton don't come in for Huth/Wheater waving their lescott money in front of Lamb!

ed_mcl
24-08-2009, 21:43
I think we'll likely find our real challenges against the likes of Cardiff, Newcastle and West Brom.

I can't see Wheater leaving, especially given his comments the other day. It's looking likely that Huth, Tuncay and Alves are though.

bumfrog
26-08-2009, 07:34
I think we'll likely find our real challenges against the likes of Cardiff, Newcastle and West Brom.

...or nottingham forest it would appear :lol:

doh!

soggs
26-08-2009, 08:14
...or nottingham forest it would appear :lol:

doh!

Normal service has been resumed! Must admit I couldn't get used to this winning lark :D

bumfrog
01-09-2009, 10:00
oh ffs. It would appear we have no defence still.....

ed_mcl
02-09-2009, 01:27
I can't believe Southgate had the opportunity to offload Aliadiere to Fulham and declined.

What a divvy! :lol:

bumfrog
02-09-2009, 07:54
I can't believe Southgate had the opportunity to offload Aliadiere to Fulham and declined.

What a divvy! :lol:

yep, been a weird one for transfers this window I think.

We really could have done with a decent holding midfielder and a right back, but alas....

ed_mcl
02-09-2009, 12:11
yep, been a weird one for transfers this window I think.

We really could have done with a decent holding midfielder and a right back, but alas....

I understand Didi Hamann is now a free agent. He's getting on a bit undoubtedly, but I wouldn't mind someone with his experience in the side especially when Digard is always injured and Arca being absolute turd.

It would make sense after Southgate claiming he had no money and was relying on Bosmans and loan deals, let's just hope new faces arrive sooner rather than later. :(

bumfrog
02-09-2009, 12:47
I understand Didi Hamann is now a free agent. He's getting on a bit undoubtedly, but I wouldn't mind someone with his experience in the side especially when Digard is always injured and Arca being absolute turd.

It would make sense after Southgate claiming he had no money and was relying on Bosmans and loan deals, let's just hope new faces arrive sooner rather than later. :(

would be a great deal if we could as he's just the type of player we need in the mix at the moment...

Pistol
16-09-2009, 12:55
It's really quite a weird feeling to be near the top of (a) table!


Johnson is going great guns at the moment, I really hope our current level of performance continues... Still think we need more options up front though, to stand a chance in the long run!

ed_mcl
16-09-2009, 16:05
I like all this winning. Feels good! :D

bumfrog
18-09-2009, 08:23
I like all this winning. Feels good! :D


shhhhhhhhhhhhhh :lol:

Pistol
21-09-2009, 12:40
Darn, we jinxed it :(

bumfrog
21-09-2009, 12:53
totally ed_mcl's fault that one :lol:

ed_mcl
21-09-2009, 13:08
I should have just kept quiet. :(

Mr Flibble
23-09-2009, 14:35
0-5! What happened to us there?! I couldn't bring myself to watching the highlights :(

bumfrog
28-09-2009, 09:55
giving games away already.

good grief, we're screwed :)

ed_mcl
20-10-2009, 23:20
Southgate has been "relieved" of his position apparently.

Seems odd after a win today.

soggs
20-10-2009, 23:22
Just seen this on the website too. Strange decision especially after a win. It's not as if we've had a bad start to the season either, maybe there's something more to it.

ed_mcl
20-10-2009, 23:25
Here's hoping that Gibson actually gives the job to someone who has had previous managerial experience rather than a rookie.

I bet he gives it to Colin Cooper. :(

soggs
20-10-2009, 23:41
He must have someone in mind, can't understand getting rid of your manager when you're 4th in the league without a backup plan, or am I just hoping here??

Ono
21-10-2009, 07:00
Sven or even the wally with a brolly.

simonmac
21-10-2009, 08:35
Now this is a shock, they haven't been doing badly (bar the odd 5-0 drubbing), I though Gibson rated Southgate as almost untouchable :shrug:

Jonny G
21-10-2009, 08:40
Shocked me too. Unless he objected to making more sales in January then it would seem a strange decision. Hardly any managers out there worth having and who would do better.

ed_mcl
21-10-2009, 08:49
I can only imagine the decision was made before last night's game kicked off. Poor home form along with poor home attendances and vocal disapproval from the fans has obviously made finally Gibson realise he should should do what he should have done last year.


Sven or even the wally with a brolly.

I doubt Gibson would employ a non-British manager and McClaren is doing rather well with FC Twente so I can't see why he would want to leave that.

stu_69
21-10-2009, 08:56
My money is on Roy Keane ;)

jpig
21-10-2009, 09:12
While Southgate was doing well in the Championship, he was totally out of his depth in the Premier League. If, as I hope you do, you get promoted this year it might be a shrewd move to get a manager in with Premier League experience now so he can prepare you for when you come back up.

A shame for Southgate, hope he gets another job soon. Gibson is a class act though, his parting statement was all positives and regret. Middlesborough seems to the casual fan like a really nice football club.

Mr Flibble
21-10-2009, 11:22
Press has Gordon Strachan in the frame - not sure if that would ever come off, he did well at Celtic, but to be fair, I could coach Celtic and they'd do well in that league.

Remains
21-10-2009, 12:25
While Southgate was doing well in the Championship, he was totally out of his depth in the Premier League. If, as I hope you do, you get promoted this year it might be a shrewd move to get a manager in with Premier League experience now so he can prepare you for when you come back up.

Came as a surprise to me too, but the above does make good sense. If you're serious about getting promoted and I think Boro are in a good position to do so, then you need the framework in place before you go up, not after.

Shame for Southgate whom I always like, but he's gone out on a pretty decent run so I'm sure he'll be somewhere soon (Notts County?). Would have figured on a little trip up the road a month ago, but Hughton is clearly the man for that job, ahem.

jpig
21-10-2009, 12:33
Statement from Gibson release just now says they're after Strachan. Hmmm. He's very much more of the same I would have thought.

Barny79
21-10-2009, 12:56
but he's gone out on a pretty decent run.

Unbeaten in 1 game. Impressive!

Remains
21-10-2009, 13:19
Unbeaten in 1 game. Impressive!

Over the 13 games I mean, obviously.

unrealnils
21-10-2009, 13:55
Cerebus !

jaminb
21-10-2009, 14:15
Always liked Southgate, both as player and person but was surprised you didn't get rid end of last year. However, does seem strange to do now, surely it's a reflection of the economy and Championship football generally that gates are down rather than the team?

And Strachan is an incredibly egotistical, over-rated manager. Really think you'll regret this

Mr Flibble
23-10-2009, 15:14
A delay in announcing who the new manager is? What's all that about then? :suspect:

Jonny G
23-10-2009, 16:00
Maybe Strachan/whoever doesn't like the fact he'll be asked to raise money rather than spend it and is keeping their options open?? Seems that so many managers expect to have cash to burn on wages and transfer fees and don't like facing economic reality. I suspect even though Boro are "a Premiership club" they will also have to make cuts and it will be a bit of a shock to anyone coming in.

I know very little about Boro as an actual club, but with the gates falling maybe things are quickly turning bad financially and nobody wants to go in as a saviour but then gut the squad even more and upset their new fans even more.

Herbal
27-10-2009, 22:50
Well, nice move by GS

EVERYONE fears making a major error on the first day of a new job but Middlesbrough's new manager Gordon Strachan fell victim to just that yesterday.

Strachan was pictured holding a piece of paper that looked a lot like his ideal Middlesbrough team sheet.

And bad news for anyone not named Brad Jones, David Wheater, Sean St Ledger or Adam Johnson - nine of the 13 names on the list were prospective signings.

Among Strachan's targets are Arsenal wunder-kind Jack Wilshere, Manchester United's 15-minutes-of-fame merchant Federico Macheda and, inevitably, Kevin Phillips. Also named were Kyle Naughton, Andy Griffin, Marc Albrighton, Isaiah Osbourne, Hayden Mullins and Chris Iwelumo.

While it displays a bit of ambition, the list will hardly inspire confidence in the 24 Boro squad members who now, apparently, find themselves surplus to requirements.

Strachan's blunder was the kind of thing normally associated with major public figures and government ministers - or Nick Faldo, who pretended his list of Ryder Cup pairings was a lunch list.

For example, in April Bob Quick, Britain's most senior anti-terror policeman, resigned after flashing notes headed 'SECRET' that detailed a raid on an alleged terrorist cell in North-West London.

And last year Housing Minister Caroline Flint was snapped with briefing notes explaining just how deep in the brown stuff the UK property market was: "We can't know how bad it will get." Of course you can't, you're only the government.

It may go some way to explaining Strachan's rather odd remark: "If you have been Celtic manager for four years you can be Prime Minister of Great Britain."

After yesterday's Westminster-worthy gaffe, he is well on the way.

bumfrog
04-11-2009, 14:36
best thing i can say at the moment I believe is "meh"....

bumfrog
10-11-2009, 08:25
best thing i can say at the moment I believe is "meh"....

I'd like to echo my own statement again I believe :lol:

stunno
18-10-2010, 16:39
WOOHOo Strachan has gone!!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/middlesbrough/9103816.stm

Christ knows who we will get next tho!

ed_mcl
18-10-2010, 16:51
I thought this thread had fallen into the pits of DVDF! :D

Hardly surprising to see him go, the bloke doesn't seem to have a clue.

Lippi next please. ;)

Steve39
18-10-2010, 17:06
Word is that Tony Mowbray is putting away his lawnmower as we speak. ;)

fothy123
18-10-2010, 17:10
Will be interesting if Mowbray does join, wonder what he will do with all the players he shipped out from Celtic to Boro?

Alan b
18-10-2010, 17:32
the bloke doesn't seem to have a clue.

For me he falls into the category of former players who don't make good managers but keep getting employed somehow.

the_daddy
19-10-2010, 01:02
He's a prat, baffles me how he get's employment at all.

Mr Flibble
20-10-2010, 08:24
Had to laugh at Gibsons statement of Strachan tearing up his contract and walking away without wanting any extra money ' "That's the measure of the man" - what, the bloke that spent a load of money bringing in new players, and managed to get us into the worst league position we've had in who knows how long? :nuts:

Any chance Martin O'Neil would welcome a fresh 'challenge' :suspect:

What's happened to my team? :(

essydyk
20-10-2010, 09:15
Had to laugh at Gibsons statement of Strachan tearing up his contract and walking away without wanting any extra money ' "That's the measure of the man" - what, the bloke that spent a load of money bringing in new players, and managed to get us into the worst league position we've had in who knows how long? :nuts:

Any chance Martin O'Neil would welcome a fresh 'challenge' :suspect:

What's happened to my team? :(


It didn't work out for Strach - but at least he was big enough (lol) to accept that and walk away ... the fact that he did so without taking any money THAT HE WAS DUE is pretty unheard of in this day and age though.:shrug:

johnson293
20-10-2010, 10:40
It didn't work out for Strach - but at least he was big enough (lol) to accept that and walk away ... the fact that he did so without taking any money THAT HE WAS DUE is pretty unheard of in this day and age though.:shrug:

Yeah, Ruud Gullit did the same when he left us (Newcastle) too, resigned and took no pay off.

Credit to them both for that, as there are many more who just stay and wait for the inevitable, literally just for the bumper payout (Souness). :oh-hum:



Actually, Mr Souness is still currently without employment.... former Boro player, and all that??!! ;)

Mr Flibble
20-10-2010, 11:21
you can pack that idea in !! ;)

johnson293
20-10-2010, 14:11
Another Ginger manager (after McClaren and Strachan)?

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12040_6456445,00.html

richardp
26-10-2010, 12:39
Well as expected it's Tony Mowbray, what,s going to happen to all the Celtic rejects now though :thinking:

johnson293
29-10-2010, 12:26
Well as expected it's Tony Mowbray, what,s going to happen to all the Celtic rejects now though :thinking:

Ha ha, aye they'll be really glad to see him!! :nuts: