Is it time to put your new shirt on Monk heading to Boro?

by werdermouth, posted in Uncategorized

As Boro launch their new broad-band shirt for next season, there are strong rumours traveling along my suspect bandwidth that Garry Monk is about to take over at the Riverside.  If the stories are true – and until there’s an official announcement – then it’s probably best not to head off to the bookies to put the money you’ve set aside for your new Boro shirt (in the currency of your choice) on the former Leeds boss.

The source of this story appears to come from Radio Yorkshire football reporter Derek Clark, who has revealed Monk has agreed to join the Riverside club along with James Beattie as his number two, and a deal is expected to be announced in the coming days.

Whether this is just a case of Radio Ga Ga rather than Radio Yorkshire it’s not possible to say at this stage – but the rumour is gaining currency faster than cashier at Ramsdens who’s feeling the benefit of seeing their mobile advertising hoardings running around on the big screen while viewers try to concentrate on football.

We’ll keep you updated with further developments or quietly slink into the shadows when Agnew is unveiled on Monday…

Sunday Morning Papers

The Sun have followed our lead and are reporting that Monk and Beattie have been lined up to take charge at Middlesbrough.

Though the BBC is reporting that the highly authoritative source of insider football information, The Croydon Advertiser, has declared Monk is no longer in the running for the Palace job and is now odds on to replace Silva at Hull City – so what do you say to that Radio Yorkshire?

Many Sunday papers have decided to waste some ink on the story that a keen Fabrizio Ravenelli is in the running to become Boro boss – well if you read on it reveals that the former ‘Boro favourite’ has asked Steve Gibson to give him a call. After a bit of coaching at Juventus, Rav’s managerial record is impressive – if only for the fact he was sacked from his only job a few months into the season at French Ligue 1 club AC Ajaccio after his fifth consecutive defeat – clearly he must be top of the Boro chairman’s phone-back list.

Nothing in the Gazette or Echo as of yet…

Official Club News

Still no sign of an announcement by the club and apparently no press conference planned for Monday – though I’ve checked the club website and all I found was…

JOBS: Final Opportunity To Apply For Matchday Roles At The Riverside

It may or may not be significant that the job of Head Coach was not on this page – at least any new manager will be able to hold aloft a shirt should the white smoke be spotted over Middlesbrough – though several false alarms have now been attributed to cooling towers.

447 thoughts on “Is it time to put your new shirt on Monk heading to Boro?”

  1. Just seen the new shirt. The sponsor’s logo is huge and dominates the shirt completely. Still, I suppose that’s what they pay for. I give it 6/10.

  2. I have just picked up my new shirt from MFC and I am very happy with it. Reading all the comments on here about the band and the sponsors name, has led me to check the previous 16 home shirts in my drawer.
    Firstly the white band is no larger than the average previous ones which ranged from 12 – 16 cm, this one being the more popular 14 cm.
    Secondly the lettering being large, well not really I suggest people look at 888.com shirts and it is no bigger than GARMIN shirts. As for being in block capitals, since they started sponsoring the BORO, their name has always been in block capitals no bigger or smaller than this year and the same size block capitals as GARMIN.
    So in short the band and lettering is no bigger and block capitals has always been used, so what is wrong with it now.
    Come on BORO.

        1. I can’t actually move posts – I wish I could – Exmil just reposted his on the new blog and I deleted the version on the old blog.
          You can copy the post you wanted from the old one as I can’t see a reply to that Exmil post

      2. He’s a blowhard!
        The Championship is 46 matches not 36 or 37.
        In addition, I have yet to see who he signs up/brings in, if anyone, to match or exceed the ability of those we have lost.
        Presently, he’s not on a ‘nice’ for me, he’s on a very much wait and see!
        Corbyn4PM
        🙂

  4. I like the shirt, Exmil, though I do think it would have been even better if the sponsor was in a slightly smaller font (regardless of previous shirts). The ultimate shirt would have the badge in that white band with no sponsor but times have changed.
    Like the shirt (and given the options), I’ll be equally satisfied with Monk. Not my first or second choice but probably third and he has as good a chance of success as anyone, and more than most.
    I hope it’s confirmed soon and we can start getting on with preparations for “smash(ing) the Championship”.
    I do wonder what it means for Agnew though and, however talented and liked he is, I can’t help thinking that we’d be healthier without him.

  6. I for one would be happy with monk. Young, hungry and shown real promise in his two jobs thus far. Yes he’s not the finished article but he’s always come across as astute and apparently he’s a strong character who builds very good camaraderie within the squad.
    On top of this he managed to get a player in Chris wood with a rather turgid career record to be a prolific striker. After seeing the opposite of this for three years it would be most welcome to have a manager who can maximise the attacking prowess of a team.
    It’s a risk, but so is anyone and certainly a lot less than some of the names floated about.
    Up the boro.

  7. CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL
    Just noticed this Tweet from BT…
    We’ll unlock BT Sport 2 at 6pm for Sky customers. It’ll be SD only & for most it’ll be on Ch 433. Some Sky customers may need to watch on Ch 414.
    There are some comments that also say it is available on Freeview on Ch 115 and on YouTube too
    https://www.youtube.com/btsport
    Further details on how to watch
    http://www.a516digital.com/2017/05/free-2017-champions-and-europa-league.html

    1. Get Champions League live here on state TV . All through competition every Wednesday night its played 🙂
      Corbyn4PM – No to Dementia tax!

  8. This post is hot off the press do we have to pay a premium rate for this site ?
    Oh no all the bloggers and posters on here have more kudos (and probably more dosh)

  9. Hand on heart I’ve never heard of Radio Yorkshire before this afternoon let alone Derek Clarke and strange that he should be privileged to that information. That said I’ve heard and read worse Boro related news.

  10. I wish I could say the new shirt looks good and I really love it, I genuinely don’t want to be negative after last year’s moanfest, but…
    For me it is disappointing because the sponsor’s name overpowers everything else. The band appears very wide and with the two lines of large lettering it definitely dominates the strip. It’s a Ramsdens shirt with the Boro badge stuck on as an afterthought. I’m sorry but I think it’s another naff shirt, but at least the shorts are red which helps a bit.
    For me it just confirms that the people who chose the last two designs are clueless. I despair.
    It will be interesting to see if other teams have versions of this design, I think RR found a few different ones last year.

    1. Boronurk
      Thankfully the shirt does seem like one designed for Boro rather than an off the peg effort although their Konn design off the peg shirt would have probably worked fine. Personally I am not overly keen on the design of the shirt, its a bit retro with the collar but the underarm adidas stripes keeps it up with their recent styling tweaks. I get it but just don’t particularly like it, its not the worse shirt we have had but far from the best and a disappointment.
      Brands like our former Errea or say Puma come up with designs that are a little bit more exciting than adidas so it was never ever going to be a jaw dropper. All Exmil’s points above are valid but the problem is the balance and ratio in this actual design with the main one being the Band width and the Ramsdens Font, colour and size on this shirt when you put them all together. A bit like Ice cream and soup, great individually but mix them together and it just doesn’t taste right.
      The round neck lowers the perceived height or length of the shirt and therefore the ratios for balance in the design need to be in keeping. As an example consider Big Jack’s 1970’s higher fold down collar and the lower neckline on this current one. Its hard to believe but professional designers utilise the Golden Rule or simply called divine proportions be it on a building, a portrait or a football shirt. I suspect the initial Shirt design doesn’t stray too far away from the divine proportions although the band I feel is just a little too wide for the height of the shirt. A “v” neck as an example would have created the illusion of making the shirt look longer. The perceived appearance of the width of this band is drastically affected by the font contained therein and how it is framed or not (hence the blue trims last season) again creating an illusion be it easy on the eye or harsh and offensive, overpowering the senses in the process.
      The logo or image contained within the band (or because of the uncomfortable proportions in this case an impression of a rectangle) needs to be governed by the same rules down to style, type, colour and spacing of the font. Ramsden’s it appears do not have marketing guidelines in terms of use of designs and logo’s. Those of us who have worked for large organisations know that each company has a design rulebook permitting how the Company name can be displayed in terms of the font, pantone shade, relationship size and even where on a product and how it is centred or otherwise, commonly in excess of over a hundred mind numbing pages. The reason for having this detail is to intentionally avoid the “billboard effect” on the shirt we now have.
      If anyone thinks I’m being pedantic or taking it to an absurd extreme take a look at this link just on text and typography:
      https://designschool.canva.com/blog/design-rules/
      Perhaps had someone been aware of a little design and styling aesthetics the shirt would and should have been an 8 or 9 out of 10 instead of a 5 or 6 at best which is a shame as its clear a genuine attempt has been made to rectify the gastric band disaster of last season.
      Each year on blogs and Boro related twitter sites there are lots of eager amateurs designing or adapting existing shirts. Usually tweaked River Plate, Chicago Fire or Stuttgart based shirts, the fact that these amateurs can create something which is invariably more aesthetically pleasing than the eventual real thing painfully highlights just how far away the club are from where it needs to be. A slightly reduced band, a better (smaller more subtle) font and spacing perhaps even in black to contrast, allowing it to be smaller yet just as noticeable would have worked better but most of all requiring two lines of text was always going to be a design no go.
      The shirt looks like an unintentional consequence out of trying to accommodate something (the Ramsdens script) that should never have been conceived in the first place. Some may say it has achieved its purpose by creating all this talk about Ramsdens which is true but it has also created a subconscious negative mentality towards the brand in those same individuals which is the exact opposite of what was intended.
      Ultimately MFC should have had a final say on how the shirt looked overall. I suspect the shirt was likely “approved” in the “as is” state direct from adidas and the Ramsdens logo was added afterwards and never considered in its entirety. Consequently we move from the gastric band shirt to the billboard shirt and a continuing example of why the club struggles to shake off criticisms of “shambles” it earned this season and more evidence of why it still hasn’t learnt lessons. It has all the hallmarks of appointing an unqualified and inexperienced Gareth Southgate as Manager and wondering how it could have possibly all gone wrong.
      There are colleges of art and design in the area, I’m sure the students and lecturers would gladly have given input free of charge or a small donation to college funds to add their skilfully trained eyes over something so important. Better still start employing professionals who know what they are doing. There is a reason why some shops in the Boro sell Mens shirts at a tenner and others who sell designer shirts at thirty times that amount. If Boro are going to charge three times the face value for something at least make the deciding design content worth it!

    2. Boronurk
      Yes, it’s strange, when you employ some one to design a shirt, they have one object in view, to make a name for themselves.
      I would have thought that a good scan of, say, twenty top teams, then pick the strip that everyone likes, then copy it, and bobs your uncle, why reinvent the wheel?

  11. ” I would love it ,just love it” if Roy Keane got the job,he has promotion on his resume.
    And what a trip it would be, the local rag reporters wouldn’t​ know what to ask, they’d be begging for Aitor to come back.
    Start the chant, ” We want Roy,we want Roy”

  12. I hope the rumours about SG and Garry Monk having an agreement are true, and that he is ready to start work early next week. It is essential that the new man gets to grips with our demanding situation as soon as possible.
    Interesting new Tripe Supper from the Gazette guys. I’m not getting any sense of the major rebuilding job that needs to be done at our club. I accept that the infrastructure at the club is fine, but on the playing staff side we are a long way off what we need. As for whether we need the right manager or the quick one, that boat has already sailed as far as I can see. We have already used two of the six available pre-season weeks and it is set to rumble on into next week.
    It’s not SG’s fault if the targeted managers have other irons in the fire, and wish to delay making a commitment. But there has to come a point where you say, ‘I’m taking the guy who wants to get inside the building and manage our club’.
    I also don’t buy the ‘on holiday’ idea. I’d accept it for players, you speak to their club and agent at first. But the potential managers are wealthy people* who can afford to set their family up in luxury with extended family, friends and/or helpers somewhere very nice indeed for a few weeks. From there they could return to have an interview when the club needs to hold it. They could then set up your backroom staff and liaise with recruitment at the club for a few days before returning to the family. Not ideal family-wise, but it’s your future you are building.
    *Unless we are pulling a dark horse from the lower leagues.
    Mark

  13. To me the new shirt has no class. It just looks like an ordinary red shirt with a white band stuck on as an afterthought and in my opinion just as abhorrent as last seasons shirt.
    Are we about to change our name to Ramsdens FC? It stinks of American commercialism. I would have gone for a white chevron with the Boro crest on it, a similar design to last season’s blue away shirt, which I thought was quite smart.
    I hope we don’t renew Ramsdens sponsorship next season; they are an embarrassment.

    1. Ken
      They were always an embarrassment, to allow that connection in the Prem. was the first sign that something was amiss.
      If you think nothing of your club, then everyone will follow suit.
      It is a given that they got that exposure on the cheap.

  14. I absolutely agree, Ken. Sorry guys, but the shirt is really eating away at me. I know I should get a life.
    The more I look at it, the more anger I feel. Last year’s kit overall was a confused mess, but the Ramsdens branding was reasonably discreet and acceptable, appropriate for a sponsor supporting a football club. This year, the club’s identity is totally subservient to the Ramsden’s advert.
    We are slipping into Micky-Mouse-club territory. A laughing stock for other fans.
    I can see that the Bausor / Swarbrick dream team are there to maximise revenue for the club, but I’m bitterly disappointed if Steve Gibson signed off on this shirt fully realising how dominant the Ramsdens branding would be. I’m guessing he agreed to a band but the implementation came as a nasty surprise to him.
    Memeo to Neil Bausor: ‘Ramsden’s Mastercard Stadium’? ‘Ramsden’s Rates are Great FC’? Why not?
    It’s a sickening humiliation.

  15. The tripe supper podcast was interesting. Vic’s view that time is not an issue and the right man was whilst Jonno wasn’t so sanguine, time is moving.
    It all depends which D is being used, diligence or dither. The other issue is what is taking place in the background, are we taking to agents and clubs, are the Ortaless recruitment team working away?
    Is the new man going to get a list of potential players to go for? Will he walk in to an operation where he fits in?
    All will be revealed at some point.
    The shirt, at least it has a band.

  17. On recruitment, I think AV was right, Ian, the new guy will come in with targets of his own to build the side he wants, but will also pick what he likes from the players our recruitment guys have been lining up.
    I may have thrown my toys out of the pram on the band thing…and possibly crashing and burning the pram itself with the babyminder in it…
    Mark

  18. Boronurk
    Every one expects the new man will have players he wants to bring in even if the new man is Agnew but it does no harm to have the background organisation in working order.

  19. I wonder if the (sponsor’s) size obsessed on here, are the same who claimed that Valdes was too small – and Dimi is better anyway – and that the tiny Shay Given was the answer to all our prayers before his U turn to Stoke City.(with Dimi presumably relegated to Cup duties)
    Does size matter ??
    Wanted the return of the white band – check.
    Got the return of the white band – check.
    Still unsatisfied – check.
    ‘Twas ever thus.

    1. They would be the same people who warned about a drawing mentality boding relegation back in September and how Valdes (or Guzan or Gestede or Barragan or Guedioura etc. etc. etc.) wasn’t the answer then and who now have a White rectangle in place of a white gastric band and who now apparently support Ramsdens Currency FC sponsored by Middlesbrough Football Club.
      The same people who complained about recruitment, who complained about things not being right in the club despite being repeatedly spun that it was the happiest dressing room ever!

      1. Your response in terms of tactical set-up, recruitment and squad unity certainly holds water, but in terms of the points I raised, you are answering questions I did not ask.

      2. Specifically in relation to the questions asked. Valdes wasn’t a huge success and distinctly average at best with a few Hollywood saves but diminutive between the sticks at Premiership level meaning he was woeful at crosses and corners. Dimi may or may not have been the answer but had earned the right to at least lose the shirt and Guzan was definitely an inferior alternative to Dimi.
        The white band was restored (tick) and we were even given a bespoke item by the manufacturer but then spoilt it by amateurish tinkering outside of adidas influence making the “band” look more like a rectangular billboard patch. No doubt it will be the fastest and biggest selling shirt in the history of the club in tomorrows Gazette.
        Some people see it as just a shirt and are easily pleased so long as its red. Others see it as an iconic brand image of which we should be intensely and passionately proud off and want nothing short of excellence. Its red and there even is a white bib on the chest great but I don’t recall anyone wanting an advertising hoarding for a shirt.
        For those that are accepting of it and even like it, fine but for those of us like the football on the pitch who want better we will have to hope that next season they tick a lot more boxes and then don’t spoil it. Shame as they nearly got the shirt right this year but like the Clubs badge there seems to be a low rent budget mentality lurking in the background to the point where if they were presented with a Bentley they would probably stick go faster stripes on it and a nodding dog in the back window.

        1. What’s wrong with having a nodding dog in the back window?
          I made sure mine wAs the same colour as my go faster stripes?
          PS
          I haven’t got a Bentley though

  20. I may not be a fashionista like Redcar Red but I like the shirt and it is just a football shirt. I wear mine at every home game or Boro match I go to but don’t wear it out shopping, on holiday or nights out (Redcar Red. ?). It is the shirt my team will wearing on the pitch and that is good enough for me.
    Come on BORO.

    1. At my greying advancing years I am far from a fashionista. I do however have nigh on 40 years experience in the clothing sector and am now self employed in closely related textile matters. Apologies if I gave the impression that I blow my earnings in pseudo designer Stone Island gear and spend my weekends clubbing and imbibing. My knees wouldn’t permit a waltz let alone head banging or whatever is the trend these days and my weekends are usually spent washing the car, mowing the lawn and avoiding the missus chasing me for DIY jobs although it does include a few beers, fine reds and single malts!

  21. Boronurk
    I’m probably in the minority here but in my opinion most people over the age of 35 wearing any replica football shirt look ridiculous, and I use the adjective in it’s true meaning i.e. an object of ridicule or scorn.
    I understand the need for youngsters to show some uniformity at football matches, but with a shirt depicting a sponsors logo? – oh, come on!
    The new shirt has been described as a “billboard”, a very apt description, but if one wore a billboard around town, one would expect to be paid for doing so. Yet here we have thousands of people willing to pay for the privilege of sponsoring a company. Ramsdens are not only getting cheap publicity, but are taking fans and Middlesbrough FC for a ride.
    Why not have replica shirts with the Boro crest on instead, and leave the sponsorship logo only on the players’ shirts? I suspect I know the answer.
    I personally would’t wear any clothing with a manufacturer’s name or logo on it. Why, having paid for an item, should I then be expected to give the manufacturer free publicity?
    Years ago fans used to complain that their clubs changed their kit every season. “The clubs are ripping us off” or “We can’t afford it” was th cry. Now fans can’t wait to buy a new strip.
    Funny old World, isn’t it?
    We all know that now the whole world of football is far too commercial. It’s no longer just a sport, it’s also a business.
    As for the design of the shirt, I’ve seen amateur teams wearing better designs. If we must have the white band it would have looked better being narrower, the sponsor’s logo being in smaller letters and in black, and the band being bordered top and bottom with a thin black stripe.
    Having read the Gazette forum, most fans have given it a thumbs down, but it’s too late now. Maybe the away shirt will be more popular – it often is.

  22. I had a few thoughts on the new shirt in my capacity as a graphic designer – though I’m not particularly an avid consumer of club merchandising. I must admit the RAMSDENS CURRENCY logo is at the forefront of the shirt and if I were to wear it over here people may probably first assume I’m wearing a Ramsdens Currency shirt.
    I think the reason for that is maybe down to the length of the words and the fact they are actually words – i.e. it’s not an acronym like AIG or JVC etc – or it’s not a made up name like some gambling companies. So you can actually read the words – so you read them and not just view their shape. Plus the company is not a household name where you scan the name without reading it.
    Then there’s the idea that the kit has a white band but I think because the purpose of this band has been to act as a background for the sponsor’s name then this has melded into being part of the whole sponsorship area – there really isn’t any band left as such not being used as part of the sponsor’s branding.
    Perhaps also the use of red for the name blurs the branding between club and sponsor – i.e. does the colour of the shirt reflect the sponsor’s name or the club’s name? I think it’s different when the sponsor’s name is in white on a red background as white is a neutral colour and not the predominant club color.
    https://diasboro.files.wordpress.com/2017/06/boro-shirt.jpg
    Just to clarify a point about the size of the sponsors name on a shirt – I’ve checked the most recent FA regulations and a club is allowed 200 square centimeters on the front of the shirt – though this may be extended to 250 sq cm if the kit contains no other sponsorship branding (e.g. nothing on back of shirt, shorts or socks).
    There are also rules on how this is measured and it depends whether the colours used are club colours or sponsor colours. If the sponsor advertising is on a patch which is based on one of the main colours of the shirt – i.e. white sponsor logo on a red and white shirt. Then in this scenario the area measured would only be that around the sponsor’s logo even if this logo may stand out more prominently because of the white patch in the shirt.
    Measuring of a ‘chest ring’ – e.g. the white band around a club’s shirt. If a club’s traditional shirt contains a chest ring and that is one of the official colours of the playing kit, the area that is measured will only be around the sponsor’s logo and not the whole of the chest ring.
    If you are interested in reading more about sponsorship rules on club kits then visit the following page and you will find a link to PDF document at the bottom that explains the details.
    http://www.thefa.com/football-rules-governance/more/kit-advertising

    2. I think the main problem is that the sponsor has two lines of text in the new shirt. Had it been just Ramsdens like last year we would have all been happy.
      But I don’t know if RR would ever like a kit after the Charlton era. Just joking, like.
      As AV said, we get used to it. And I like Exmill’s comments most. He has seen it live after investing in one.
      I am more interested how the players will be performing while wearing one!
      Up the Boro!

  23. It would be interesting, Ken, if the shirt was offered in two versions, one with the sponsor’s branding, and the other without it, at the same price. Would people choose branded because they feel an identical shirt is part of their bond with the team? Or would they go for the non-commercialised one as it’s less cringeworthy? I know this won’t happen because it would reduce the value of the sponsorship deal to the club.
    For me the shirt is a huge symbol of the club, it’s the most obvious one alongside the badge, and it’s what we look at during the time they are actually playing, which is after all the part we love most. If the shirt looks wrong and demeans the club, it can’t help.
    And if we accept it, we don’t know where the slippery slope ends. I once wrote it’s good that Flamingo Land don’t sponsor the club, or me might end up playing in pink – I thought I was being funny* but now I seriously wonder – maybe the next step could be fluorescenting the change strip to bring in a bumper sponsorship deal from someone, if that’s all that matters.
    Ramsdens knew exactly what they were doing when they asked for that prominence in the branding, they know that is what everyone will inevitably focus on when they look at the shirt.
    Mark
    *A sad delusion which many on this blog as an act of human kindness have tried to correct…

  24. Boronurk
    Yes, it would be interesting if there were two versions. I’m too old to wear any bright shirt like that, but if I were in my 20s l might buy a shirt which showed I supported Middlesbrough FC but never Ramsdens FC or indeed any other company.

  25. Sponsors pay up because they know 10 to 50k+ people are going to be walking around advertising their company. They wouldn’t be so keen if only the team were wearing them or the fan had a choice to buy it with their logo

      1. For me the Boro should have the top third of the shirt sacrosanct for a white band along with a breast area for adidas/puma/errea/hummel etc. logo and then the Boro badge central in the band. For the remaining two thirds the sponsor can within reason do what they want with within FA guidelines.

  26. Now that is interestin!
    Gazette ‘Dead or Alive’ report Boro will NOT hav a great unveiling tomorrow followed by mass adoration from the plebs far & wide. Oh no, sportsfans, they’re keepin their powder dry.
    Makes a change to be circumspect for the Executives of Calamity and Chaos, Lords of the Shambles. Is there sneaky method in their madness? Will we see two blow me over backwards surprises this week? Will Corbyn walk in the front door at No10 and Boro see a real bona fidi football manager appointed?
    I, Spartakboro, will be mightly impressed if the previous manager of Dortmund showed up and left AV, PT & team well and truely gobsmacked. We have enough filthy lucre to attract a name of substance. Who knows?
    What are the odds?
    Daftquid# anyone?

    1. Sparta
      It looks like a news story, no word from the club, check.
      No word from the “new manager”, check.
      Utter silence from the Gazette, check.
      Can we look forward to the triumphant reveal of the “local lad SA” with the EG saying “we always knew it was him”

  27. Not keen on Keane either.
    As much as I enjoy reading and have learnt from his books, they expose Aitorian inflexibilities which I gather very, very few will warm to.
    It’s quite possible he still believes he was backstabbed at Sunderland by players who, in his eyes, weren’t committed enough to the cause. Stop me if you’ve heard that sentence before with regards to Boro.

  30. I think we all agree that the correct decision needs to be made with regard to the next manager. I, however, do not agree that to arrive at a such a decision necessarily requires a protracted period of consideration.
    In fact, this could be regarded by some as an indication of indecision on the part of the executive.
    In taking a long time to decide runs the risk that the intended target could end up going elsewhere given the number of clubs currently looking for a new manager.
    Let’s hope that we hear something positive and favourable before the end of next week as the new man has a big task in front of him if he is going to put together a squad capable of smashing the league!

  31. From the Gazette take on the Monk story it looks like they’ve spoken to people pretty high up in the club and they’ve either said no appointment is imminent or they are still not 100% convinced that Monk is the perfect fit – whether that’s got anything to do with Agnew remaining as part of the plans who can say.
    Perhaps Monk has been told he’s the preferred candidate but there are still negotiating the deal – in the meantime maybe Steve Gibson is waiting on a decision from this mysterious ‘Big Name’ that nobody knows about.
    I suspect Monk won’t wait for ever as other offers will come – plus I’m pretty sure Big Nige is not in the first two otherwise he could have been appointed. Maybe it’s a bit like buying a house and Boro are in a chain where one club is waiting on a replacement for a manager, who are waiting on another manager.
    All of which probably means Monk is not first choice for Gibson – but better to get your second choice rather than end up with your fourth!

  32. Time for my quote of the day…
    “Generally, once we go behind, you fear the worst.
    “It seems to me that we have too many players whose confidence and form are brittle and dependent. They can only give their best surrounded by sound players in a team that is on top and playing well.
    “Rhys Williams is a case in point. All too often, he looks fragile and erratic and is too easily dominated. However he can be impressive and look like an imperious Rolls-Royce – but only when in a succesful team and surrounded by the right players.
    “Marvin Emnes is an even better example. His searing pace can be invaluable but, in the dross that has been the second half of this season, he has been an invisible passenger.
    “Understandably, most of the younger players also fall into this category, which might explain Mogga’s reluctance to play them.
    “We have very few players who can rise above the mire and give the team a lift. How often… have we seen somebody take a game by the scruff of the neck, lift it out of bogged-down ineptitude, and transform a match?
    “Every team needs resilient players of inherent character and experience who don’t get dragged down by prevailing mediocrity and can have a positive effect on those around them. Boro lack leaders on the pitch and this needs to be addressed in the summer to have a chance next season.”
    That was Nikeboro, writing near the end of 2012-13. Replace R. Williams with Dani Ayala, Emnes with Adama Traore, and Mogga with AK/Agnew, and… you know.

  33. And Andy R added, upon reading that…
    “…What makes it worse is that the few leaders we do have seem to use their influence to disrupt.”
    The more things change…

  34. AV’s report in the Gazette says: ‘Boro are believed to have spoken to several candidates about their vision and plans for the club, but are eager to carefully consider the merits of each one before taking the next step.’
    This sounds like spin by the club, surely they could have thought through the merits of the various candidates by now if ‘spoken to’ means ‘interviewed in depth’.
    If Monk wants the job but is being made to hang around while we see if someone else becomes available this is not the best possible start to the relationship if he eventually joins us.
    Also it means that the necessary steps to rebuild for next season are being compromised as the new manager is not having any input into our recruitment. We presumably have to rely on Aggers and Gary Gill to pick the positions and players we are developing offers for.
    If Monk is delaying things himself or has declined the job, and no other suitable candidate has been found, it must mean that they are very reluctant to bring Nigel Pearson back to the club.

  35. Sorry about this, but have just clocked the new shirt and it is an abomination, a top class club with a background and history to protect, It is not out of order to say a northern league side would refuse to play in it

  36. All these small and ultimately unimportant things point in one direction, a club in a downward spin, I do not believe that we would have ended up with such a shirt if we had told the tea lady to sort it out.
    Think of the following, we all enjoy seeing the team trot out in a very smart and powerful looking away strip, probably the very dark blue number, it looks very fitted, and they all look very muscular and ready for action.
    Doesn’t anyone at the club say “that is the sort of strip we should always have” and act on it when confronted by frightful outfits such as this rubbish.
    They will be 1-0 down before a ball is kicked in this sartorial disaster.

  37. Just had a thought… I’m presuming Steve Gibson has ruled out the return of Karanka as it’s still in the back of my mind that AK floated the idea a few weeks back – hopefully it’s not been a tidy up at the club rather than a clear out… maybe we’re waiting for Downing’s Chinese offer to re-emerge?

    1. Funny I had a similar fleeting thought this afternoon while washing the car and dismissed it quickly that there could be discussions to re-engage with AK. Rebuilding and starting again under new terms? I doubt it of course but stranger things have happened, maybe its worth a daft quid?

  39. Saw the new shirt in town today on a couple of young lads…….did not like it, sorry, but as others have said. Is it a football shirt or is it an advertising hoarding???

  40. I have just witnessed one of the greatest and emotionally- charged renditions of a popular song I have encountered in over 70 years. I had never heard of Ariana Grande up to a couple of weeks ago. But what a great young woman she is. And what a talent. Her interpretation of Over the Rainbow was sung with such clarity and emotional intensity that it moved its Manchester One Love audience to tears. As it did me. That young American woman spoke to a human tragedy with a maturity and sensitivity way beyond the linguistic and emotional registers of her President. Judy would have been proud.
    Catch it on the internet if you missed it.

  41. We all respect and appreciate who and what Steve Gibson means to MFC.
    But if you go back and watch his interviews over the years ,. Whenever we were relegated or changed manager,or his vision going forward,he was saying the same thing then,
    Any club that goes down ,this many times,even with a team stacked with Internationals as in the past,also takes years to get back,for a brief season, you have to wonder if their is an underlining disconnect ,
    You can even put the shirt design amongst those questions ,what is going on?

  42. Just a follow up.
    Has MFC , now or in the past been a somewhat ,dropping off point, on the way to somewhere else, or a nice pay check,
    Has there been a lax in discipline ,or down right someone getting into some people’s faces, and telling it like it is.
    Remember when we had Huth,
    You couldn’t get him on the field half the time, he leaves and doesn’t miss a game at Stoke and Leicester.
    Bottom line MFC , were being a professional means ,if I feel like it, and by the way Mr Manager , we can get you sacked.

  44. No unscheduled private Embraer’s due into Teesside Airport this morning so I’m guessing it could be a blacked out 4X4 hurtling up the A1 pulling into Rockliffe (the Tontine or Judges is so last decade for Boro now) any time soon.

    1. I don’t know why we are all waiting.
      If it’s Monk then why the delay?
      Is Gibson imposing Agnew on Monk and he doesn’t want that?
      Is Monk holding out for another job? Hull, Southampton, Crystal Palace?
      Do we really want someone who prevaricates and has to think twice about coming to Boro?
      Is there an unknown candidate waiting in the wings?
      It’s taking a long time this, much longer than we were lead to believe.
      Is this because SG wants to make sure we have the right appointment ?
      Or is it we are struggling to find the right guy?
      Are they trying to get Fat Sam?
      Ranieri?
      Thomas Tuchel?
      Giggs ?
      Pardew?
      Moyes?
      Agnew ? Please no no no a nice guy but no

      1. Just to state the obvious, we got a manager, we improved as a club and as a team, we actually took our full part in great games against very decent teams.
        The crowd returned(some full houses)
        The team blew up at the first time of asking(via our old friend the no show, at Wembley)
        The next attempt resembled a racehorse sticking its head in the air and trying to lose the race.
        We crossed the line but no one knows just how we did it.
        Disaster and despair on our one season in the Prem.
        Good news, we discover it’s the manager, we get rid.
        Bad news we then discover that everyone, players backroom staff, senior management, old uncle tom cobbly and all have been trying to wreck the project. From the get go.
        Please draw your own conclusions from the above.
        Also make your own forecast of what happens next.

    1. Absolutely right Simon but I think fans are now of the opinion that the buck should have actually stopped further up the hierarchy or at least had their fiddle confiscated as a minimum. Maybe the delay is so the ashes can stop smouldering before the new appointee notices the fire damage.
      Last season the shirt heralded what was to come and the competence that delivered the shirt seemingly indicative of the attention being paid in more critical areas of the footballing side of the club. Throw in all the recent revelations and I get the distinct feeling that attention to detail didn’t exist.
      We are now into the twelfth week since AK departed so lets hope the appointment delay is intentional and indicative of meticulous attention to detail (Spartak raises eyes to the heavens, rolls them and despondently shakes his head). If the RAMSDENS CURRENCY billboard is anything to go by lessons clearly do not get learnt very easily at MFC.

  47. The natives are getting very restless. We have to hope that the new Messsiah is worth waiting for, otherwise SG is going to attract a lot of flak.
    The only good news over the weekend is, as Ian said at 8.03am, the White Rose prevailed in the “big one”. Sorry RR and other non cricket lovers but we have to take our joy wherever we can.

  48. Sorry about what I am about to blog.
    Have just read the club statement regarding the new manager( Monk?)
    That statement was the work of hunted people.
    It’s task was to make absolutely clear that there was no chance whatsoever that they were ever going to announce the appointment of Gary Monk as the manager of their club.
    It was certainly not the work of someone who needed a few more days grace to get their ducks in a line.
    We are slowly getting a clearer idea of what is happening inside the club.
    One, It is as disorganised as it was when it got rid of it’s manager and kept the rebellious players(and backroom staff )
    It is in no shape to organise, energise, and supervise a commanding attempt at promotion than we the fans are.
    It is preparing to settle into the Champ. for a few years.
    That plan will not work, a club either rises or falls, it does not remain in one place.
    It can be compared to ones personnel finances. You are making money or you are losing money and there is no in between.

  49. By us, fans, appointing a new manager is easy. No interviews and just look on the men who has done it before (and forget any new McClaren and Karanka coming up …).
    So it is simple:
    Agnew to Hull
    Pearson to Sunderland
    Monk to Boro
    Jokanović to Crystal Palace
    Karanka to Leeds
    I am pretty sure there will be some one we don’t even think about, who is hired by Gibbo. My guess is Thomas Tuchel, though as OFB has suggested.
    Up the Boro!

  50. The older amongst us may remember Parkinson’s law which states ‘Work expands to fill the time available for it’s completion’.
    What does intrigue was the fact we were told Victor Orta was working on a replacement for Aitor in January, we have been without a permanent manager for nearly three months.
    The Gazette were told by a senior source they were more concerned about getting it right than doing it quickly.
    The club website states that all telephone lines are down, maybe that is the reason.
    The problem is nature abhors a vacuum and that is what we fans have at the moment, luckily we can grumble about the shirt or celebrate Yorkshire cricket thrashing the Lancs whilst still having five players with the national squad.
    There are the Lions over in New Zealand, Andy Murray in the French Open so some sport.
    The fixtures will be out soon, will we have a manager before then?

    1. In the meantime I’ve paid for two expensive season tickets two months ago when we were still in with a fighting chance of watching Premiership football next season !

  51. Agnew led Boro during the final 11 games of the 2016/17 season, but the team picked up just six points from a possible 33 during his stewardship.
    Just a thought. Had we picked one point per game during Agnew’s reign, we had been saved.
    Hope to have the manager istalled by Friday. Up the Boro!

  54. I don’t like the new home shirt at all. I had the misfortune of seeing it for the first time in the flesh modelled by an old bloke in the bar of my local boozer on Saturday night gone . . . there were so many things “wrong” with the image as a whole that if my eyes could have thrown-up, they would of.
    It’s not just the size of the band and the font, the colour contrast, or the two lines of lettering. Lots of last seasons’ logo’s had two lines (Liverpool, Arsenal), Stokes had a rectangle panel and fonts were often very large but they all looked “right”. They actually looked designed and balanced, ours just doesn’t to me.

  59. “Waiting it …” Should have read “Was it …”. Fat thumbs on the phone.
    Well, for all the hyperbole last week leading up to the unveiling of the shirt, it is extremely disappointing. Can’t say I would be buying it even if I was still the right side of 25 never mind the wrong side of 55.
    I agree with most of what has been said about the aesthetics of it. I think it would be about right to say that it sucks.
    Ah well. The wait for an unveiling is beginning to get worrysome. You begin to think that no news means it will be bad news. No particular favorite here. I just want to see a decision and know that preparations are in hand for what will be a difficult season ahead.

    1. Powmill
      Ye shall know them by their words,
      As a loose paraphrase those words went like this.
      “please stop this irritating chatter about getting a new manager to keep us in the Prem. Steve is a good bloke, I like him, the players love him, so he is going to see us through to the end of the season.”
      Those words have an ominous ring to them, as the club furiously denies that they are going to get themselves a manager any time soon, and the beloved Steve carries on making decisions all round the wicket
      Witness, today, reports that we are in the hunt for some thirty something who is about to be cast off from some top eight club in the Champ.
      We are of course going to be paying money for this person.
      If only we could get money for our over age players when they reach the end of the road.

    1. Where does it say that transfer targets are ‘tagged’? I can’t read premium stuff. What does ‘tagged’ even mean?
      Maybe it means that the flair players the Gazette team identified have been approached.

  62. We are all moaning about either the shirt or lack of news about the next manager, meanwhile Cheick Tiote aged 30 (formally of Newcastle) collapsed and died while training with his club in China.
    Come on BORO.

  63. Awful news about Cheick Tiote, thoughts are with his family, friends and former team mates who must all be devastated by the news. RIP.

    1. Terrible news. When Radio Tees started talking about him I thought perhaps Boro were being linked with him but then the real reason for their story unfolded about his untimely death. Sad doesn’t begin to describe it. RIP

  64. When we look at the promoted clubs this year, Newcastle, Brighton and Huddersfield, all of them had managers already established at the club from the previous season and in a position to strengthen their squads exactly where they needed based on a detailed knowledge of the existing playing staff, and of the system they intended to play.
    Brighton and Huddersfield also did not need to perform major rebuilds on their squads as we do, and although there was a fair bit of churning at Newcastle I think they probably had a better core than we can muster.
    This year the following clubs have that stable planning and preparation advantage (unless something changes):
    Fulham*
    Reading*
    Sheffield Wednesday*
    Derby*
    Aston Villa*
    Sheffield United
    Birmingham
    Norwich* have a new manager, but he is already in place and will be working intently on getting things right for next season.
    *Probable key opponents.
    That looks like quite a few clubs with top six potential who have the drop on us.
    Additionally, though as rudderless as us, there’s Hull (six points better than us last season and with players adept at the yo-yo) and Sunderland.
    Plus the possibility of a dark horse surging through as happened with Huddersfield.
    I fully appreciate that a lot of business is done later in the window, but if we are not moving early to try to clinch some deals, we risk targets going elsewhere. The transfer window opens on Friday and I’m not sure we are happy with the current recruitment team choosing which players we make those offers for.
    On a video today Jono says that automatic promotion will be the benchmark for the new manager. Why???
    Our only advantage is that we have money to spend, but we have no idea if we will spend it wisely.

    1. Past performance would indicate that we certainly will not spend it wisely. maybe we should get a new Manager in to try and sort things, oh wait that’s not important is it, we can just take our time and he can then make do with whatever hand he gets dealt with. Yep all the ingredients for smashing the league!

  65. After all the ifs and buts, and no outstanding candidate has emerged.
    It could be anyone, but the more I think about it, I think it might be Moyes,
    Experienced , been at big clubs, has all the contacts and respect of his peers in the game.
    Just a feeling.

    2. GT
      All last season he sat in the dugout and watched Sunderland disintegrate, if he moved, I missed it, and if his expression changed I missed that too.
      I’m sure there will be a reason for that, there has to be, but is it any of our business.
      There are better prospects out there I’m sure.

  66. Mark @ Boronurk, I think you will find that the transfer window opens on 1 July, in 4 weeks time and not on Friday as in your post of 5:57pm.
    Come on BORO.

  67. Redcar Red
    I posted a bit ago about whether it was two D’s, diligence or dither, the latter being the Mavis Wilton effect causing Werder in to google frenzy!
    Earlier I mentioned another D – drift. What odds an announcement on Thursday/Friday during the election smokescreen? A case of burying less welcome news.
    Likely to be wrong but why can’t we have a chuckle at the potential for a grassy knoll moment.
    #daftquidaggers

  68. According to The Telegraph, Sunderland are expected to hold talks with Garry Monk later this week about becoming the club’s new manager.
    The Black Cats suffered relegation to the Championship by a huge margin, finishing 16 points adrift of safety in a dismal campaign under David Moyes.
    The report also said Monk hasn’t spoken to Boro yet
    Fancy a quid on Moyes??

    1. If Monk hasn’t spoken to Boro (assuming that is true) then it leaves a lot more head scratching for us all. Maybe it is Tuschel after all or there again maybe it is just Aggers.
      Meanwhile I see some sites linking us with Callum O’Dowda from Bristol City a 22year old ROI winger. I suspect its just speculation with lazy journalists figuring he has potential so who has lots of money and put them together. Graham Dorrans is also being linked which is interesting as he seems to have flopped at Norwich but during his Baggies tenure I always rated him. Was it a case of signing a Player that doesn’t fit their system? Who would be stupid enough to do a thing like that?

  69. On the shirt?
    It’s a simple shirt with a white board and writing on it.
    I’m sure the shop has the template in the back room somewhere.
    So a change could be done very easily just by adding or taking away from it.

  70. If we had,had sponsership in the fiftees and sixtees wonder who we would have had?
    Binns
    Northern Dairy’s
    Jackson’s the Tailors
    The Fiesta
    Anymore?

    1. Mark, every year the transfer window officially opens on 1 July it never changes but clubs can agree fees and deals prior to that, although they are only ratified on 1 July. How many times in the past have we heard a big club has bought a player in the January window but allowed the player to remain with his club until the end of the season. Rhodes is a prime example, it was agreed in January that he will join Sheffield in a permanent transfer on 1 July 2017.
      Out of contract (free agents) players can be signed at anytime during the year, I am not sure about overseas players or if their deals have to be ratified on 1 July also, my understanding is the transfer window is universal although some close slightly later than 31 Aug/1 Sep.
      Come on BORO.

      1. Just having a quick check on a few sources and there tends to be a fair bit of differing interpretations on some of the details but the official window opens on July 1st. Wikipedia says:
        In England, the transfer window formally opens on 1 July, transfers between clubs in the same league can take place as soon as the last competitive fixtures for the season have been played. However, many transfers will not be completed until 1 July because many players’ contracts expire on 30 June. International transfers cannot be made until the window has opened on 1 July
        Incidentally, it’s the Scottish transfer windows that opens on June 9th, which may lead to some elements of the media giving that date.

  72. The noises coming out of the club are that there are a number of good options, we are speaking to people and thinking hard about the choice. Don’t ‘rush’ us into making the ‘wrong’ choice.
    Various scenarios may be playing out at the club:
    There are a number of very good options, and SG is thinking hard about a choice between strengths. (But in my view SG is perfectly capable of making a prompt and well-reasoned decision if this was the case.)
    There is at least one very good option, but they are not ready to commit to Boro yet.
    There is at least one very good option, but they want their own staff, not Aggers and Co.
    There are no very good options, but several mediocre ones, or ones like Pearson who is capable but significant risks may be attached.
    My worry would be that the last one is the truth.
    Maybe SG should go for Big Nige and hope that he has learnt from what went wrong at Derby, rather than take someone less capable after Nige has gone somewhere else such as Sunderland?

    1. Being Fair to the Club my own employments have usually taken a good few months of talking, interviewing, second and even third interviews, presentations, tours of the premises, meetings and chatting to people before an offer was forthcoming. Its perhaps not so unrealistic that the Club are engaged in a similar lengthy process.
      Changing Managers mid season by its nature requires a speedy knee jerk reaction but I guess the Club feel that they have the luxury of a detailed considered appointment and better to lose a few weeks of pre season preparation than regret in leisure. Thats the logical part of the brain rationalising but my heart says hurry up and get on with it like a kid waiting for Christmas.
      I just hope that when the unwrapping is announced we are not left that feeling of wanting “Action Man” and getting a budget discount “G.I. Joe” instead. There is however that niggle that after exhaustive interviews and discussions the only one who fitted the clubs rigorous criteria was……………..you guessed it #daftquidaggers.

  73. I read a short but interesting piece from Eric Paylor in the Gazette that discusses on whom we should rebuild for the Championship. He perhaps unintentionally relates that the players that have departed already or he feels will not be up for the Championship fight (or likely to depart for other reasons) are mainly those “recruited” over the last 12 months. It further highlights what an abject disaster the planning around the recruitment was.
    http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/three-middlesbrough-players-who-will-13141448
    I suspect over the forthcoming few weeks the club will drip leak to the Gazette pieces on what a great job Gill had done and how he held it all together during Orta’s reign followed by another piece on why Bausor wasn’t to blame for the current shambles in the club? My guess is that all “accountability” will be dumped upon those who have departed or Mister Nobody.

  74. I cant rememnber the exact details but there was a piece about Ramos the ex Spurs manager possibly going to Leeds. When he was manager in Sevilla he met the press one morning and they asked him about a player the club had just bought.
    He was extremely embarrassed and had who ask who the player was.
    The player was bought by Victor Orta.

  75. Watching this drama unfold I feel like one of those people who sit in car parked with steamed up windows near a roundabout, in the pouring rain of course, with a clicker and clipboard counting something or waiting for something to happen.
    But nothing does happen.
    This whole business has become so dreary and is building up to the same anti-climax as the new kit launch. I think if and when the appointment does arrive we’ll just shrug, say I thought so, let the windows steam up again and Boro will yet again be typical Boro.
    Does the club communicate with anybody? Can they spell the word?
    Back to doodling on my clipboard and sorry about starting a sentence with ‘but’.
    UTB,
    John

  76. I completely take your points about the recruitment process, RR.
    At least the club are not starting from a blank canvas with most of the likely candidates – their record at the clubs they’ve already managed will speak volumes. With some one like Giggs, there would need to be a very thorough inquiry indeed as he hasn’t really done the full job yet (I know he’s been a caretaker for a while).
    I am anxious for an appointment to be made if a suitable candidate is available and really wants to come to us, if not then Big Nige might be the best of the rest in spite of the baggage. Unless a big name lurks in the undergrowth soon to emerge…
    I was also interested in Eric Paylor’s article.
    Dani has chronic injury problems over several seasons, often with his ankle, and could miss a big chunk of the campaign again. Adam C could well get an offer from a lower-half Prem club, and I think he would go in that case. George I accept but with the other two it’s a case of keep your fingers crossed.

    1. Ref Adam C; I wouldn’t be suprised if Huddersfield go after him . . he was their player of the year before they sold him to us, he still lives in Harrogate so is just down the road and he still follows his old HUFC team mates on twitter so obviously has fond memories. If he fancies staying in the Prem they’d be ideal for him . . hope not for our sake.

  77. So Eric Paylor writing for the Gazette states “Adam Clayton is incapable of giving less than 200% commitment—-”
    I’m sure most of us would be pleased with 100%.
    Not only are some journalists incapable of using English correctly (the use of ‘very first or very last’ comes to mind, the word ‘very’ being superfluous), we now find that their arithmetic is dodgy.
    I have never yet heard of anyone being able to score 101 out of 100, never mind 200 out of 100. Sorry, but this sort of thing does annoy me – perhaps it’s a generation thing!

  78. Eric’s piece is his opinion, mine is I would keep de Roon, de Sart and Fischer as well as Clayton, Forshaw, Fabio, Gibson, Fry, Friend, Bamford. Maybe Ayala, Husband, Espinosa, Stuani, Ripley, Dimi, Gestede, Leadbitter.
    Everyone will have their own choices but what is annoying is things such as de Roon and Gibson both have the same type of interview where they both say they want to play in the Premiership, yet it is only de Roon who is castigated for it. If you interview every player in the Conference, most will say they want to play in the Premiership but it doesn’t mean they are going there in this next transfer window.
    Some people don’t rate or want to get rid of de Roon, Fischer, de Sart yet in a couple of seasons time when, maybe, the same players is sold for 30/50 million the same people will moan, why did MFC sell them for 5 – 12 million. Come on, give these players at least a second season in English football before you write them off.
    Come on BORO.

  79. Redcar Red
    It is possible that after the rigorous recruitment process only one candidate would keep Aggers in the management team. He is called Steve, has a bald head and is well respected at the club.
    #daftquidaggers

  81. Ref; Garry Monk at Leeds.
    Does anyone with connections to the Leeds area have the inside track on what went wrong with their promo push ?? At the end of March they were comfortably in the play-offs with an 8 pts cusion, eight games later they’d only won only one more game and missed out completely. Did they suffer a catastrophic injury crisis, did the players bottle it, did they change tactics, did the manager bottle it ?? . . would be useful to know in the current climate.

  82. Jarkko
    That would be a nightmare, two Steves, I could cope with Aggers but not Schteve.
    The problem would be when everyone blames Steve than McClaren would agree.

  84. I don’t think the Telegraph article indicates Monk will decide to join Sunderland as it also says Moyes quit the Black Cats after being told he would neither receive any of the parachute money for transfers or even get the money raised from players sales in order to strengthen.
    The article also says he will talk to Boro after returning from his family holiday later this week – other sources say Middlesbrough can offer him a much bigger player budget than Sunderland, which may prove decisive.
    The delay may be down to the fact that Boro are still waiting to speak to Monk face to face.

      1. A young David Moyes before his career went downhill possibly but I think on balance I’d rather have Karanka back than go for a man who failed in his last three posts at Sunderland, Real Sociedad and Man Utd – I can’t see how installing the only manager of a team that performed worse than Boro last season would represent a step forward. I think he’s got baggage and besides does Leadbitter need further competition for bulging eye-ball staring?

  85. I hope that’s right and the delay is because SG hasn’t had the chance for in-depth talks with Monk, Werdermouth. Although Monk would seem to have the right sort of track record, as RR has pointed out SG will no doubt want to really know the man and get to the heart of his vision of the game through detailed discussions.

  86. Ken in response to your post at 1.37.
    I would suggest that given the inordinate amount of time being taken by MFC to reach a decision, by the time the merry go round stops, Moyes may be the only one left available!

  88. Braveheart
    I am sure I read that as well though it would seem odd because Monk comes from Bedford and was at Swansea so there isn’t an obvious link. We all know people from around the world but there is generally a link such as they good friends from when….
    Just have to wait and see.

    1. Monk was brought up at Torquay where he started his playing career but soon went to Southampton. Later in his career he ended up in Swansea.
      I think Sir Gibson knows most of the managers in football. How many years he has been at Boro? Since 1986 I think as a member of directors.
      Up the Boro!

  90. 6 points from 33.
    That’s 6 from 42 if you count his other three caretaker games.
    Agnew does not inspire. Nonetheless it’s sad to see him referred to as “Agpoo” in comments sections. But then, I’ve no excuse. I once said if Boro 2016-17 were a band, they’d be the Poo Fighters. I had Jorge Valdano’s “s*** on a stick” analogy in mind, the one he used to describe watching Rafa’s Liverpool and Jose’s Chelsea.

    1. Thanks for letting us know, Steely. Saddened by this news, even though its the other side of the world, its really touched me. Vin did visit and play the folk festivals in Australia, even here he had the audience entranced with his music and especially his humour. R.I.P.

  92. Just caught up with the days postings to arrive at Steely’s post at 5:30. Terribly sad news. One of the most original and likeable sons of Teesside. A great loss. RIP young tin whistle pest.

  93. I didn’t know Vin Garbutt having lived away for many years.
    It is sad when you know someone who has passed away. Add in the likes of tiotte and young Bradley up the road and it is sobering.
    There are many we don’t know about in our Diasboro community, some we do and it has an effect on all of us.
    All we can hope is that their suffering is limited, the grief is for those left behind. Mrs G lost her mum and I lost both my parents within 4 years. Difficult times.

    1. Right then Bloggers
      One of my contacts just back from holiday
      Apparently Monk was offered the job last week but there has now been a holdup
      Couldn’t confirm if it was down to SG wanted Agnew to remain as coach
      OFB

    2. Losing parents, whatever their age, is difficult. My experience is similar. My Father in Law and my parents went in a similar timespan to yours but the loss of my elder brother at a relatively early age a few years ago I’ve found very hard to cope with. To see Vin and other school friends of the same age go brings home the reality of our short time on this mortal coil.

  94. This is getting ridiculous. Yet another day of tumbleweed. How long does it take to appoint a manager, for goodness’ sake?
    If OFB is right and SG is seeking to keep Agnew on as coach, regardless of who the chosen new manager might want, then as I have said before, truly he needs his head seeing to. If we lose the best candidate(s) because of that, I shall be very dischuffed indeed.
    Personally, I think Gibson must be waiting for the election result. If May gets in (God help us), she will impose restrictions on foreigners coming to the UK. Thus, Gibbo’s plan to bring in another foreign coach would be thwarted. Just a theory.
    So, lads and lasses, to pass the time while we wait for the decision, how about your suggestions for possible reasons for the hold-up? Make them as ridiculous and far-fetched as you can. I’ll judge what I consider to be the best. First prize is a season ticket for Sunland. Second prize is two tickets.

    1. I might have said something like this before, but here goes…….
      Let’s say SG values the loyalty and good judgement he feels he has from Steve Agnew. Let’s say they get on well together and that, twice, SA has “stepped into the breach” to help out. Let’s say SG would like SA to remain at the club. But let’s also say that if SG wanted to appoint an experienced manager, that man is likely to have his own trusted “team” that he’d like to bring with him if he moved to Middlesbrough. And that team would not include SA.
      Let’s say SG wants the new manager but he’d like to keep SA as well.
      MFC have a well established Category One youth Academy. The long-time manager of it, Dave Parnaby has recently left the club on his well-earned retirement. Ron Bone, the even longer-established Scout has also recently left.
      How about saying to SA the following? …… “We want you to head up the Academy system. We want you here for the rest of your career. You will be well paid. If you unearth one Ben Gibson, one David Wheater, one Stewie Downing, one James Morrison, every 2 or 3 years, as well as some others who might make the grade or at least can make a living out of football at a lower level than our club, then you and the Academy will have paid for itself with quite a lot to spare.”
      …….”If you take the job running our Academy, you won’t have to move your family. Football management is very precarious and the average time before the sack is, what, less than a year and a half these days? So what do you do then? Apply for jobs elsewhere and, if chosen relocate to London, Exeter, Birmingham, Wiltshire? Have you seen the price of a house like you have, in any decent part of London or the south east (assuming you’re not looking for a job at Hartlepool, York, or Darlo, which would allow you to perhaps stay where you are, but at so many levels below the MFC level)? Have you seen how many members of the LMA are out of work? It must be a lot as the same tired old names get mentioned when ANY job becomes available!”
      ……..”If you take the Academy job, it will be completely divorced from the management of the First Team. The new manager has no say in the Academy, the players you select, or the tactics and formations your teams adopt. After all, that really classy-looking 13 year old striker will still be nowhere near the First Team when the ‘new’ manager is sacked in 2 years time, so why should that manager have any input into the young players’ development? You, as Academy chief, report directly to ME, not the manager. And you would have a good team of your own at the Academy, and you would be selecting the other who join that team. You could tell me if you wanted to change things at the Academy if you felt it would be better run in another way. It can be your long-term baby”
      ………”So, there it is Steve. A secure well-paid job for the rest of your working life. We’ll put it into a long contract if you want it that way, with all the other things we have mentioned. No need to move house, uproot your family, move to where the pubs are dodgy – where the locals are as unfriendly as the ale and you wouldn’t be foolish enough to think it safe to WALK to that pub – and then find that job doesn’t last after all that uprooting. No worries about financial security for the rest of your life. And think of the joy of being able to say that you helped to bring on X, Y and Z in their careers, with England and top clubs?” (Other top international teams are available, Wales, Finland……).
      …….”How about it, Steve? Would you like to have a word with your wife and come back to me tomorrow or the day after?”

      3. Good post
        The only problem is Boro appointed an Academy Manager to take over from Parnaby
        Also SA would probably prefer to work with senior players
        If you remember Gibson also said the same of Mark Venus when Mogga went
        I want Venus to stay no matter what
        He’s now back with Mogga at Blackburn
        The only way Gibson is going to get a manager to accept Aggers is to appoint his mate Steve Bruce from Aston Villa

  95. Is Exmil doing a 2017 General Election Predictor? The Pollsters are getting things wrong these days, so maybe we couldn’t do worse.
    Just askin’, like.

  96. Dormo you stole my thunder ,exactly the solution of what to do with Agnew, then we can see if he is as good a coach as some of the players state.
    New shirt is a bit of a dogs breakfast but much better than last seasons disaster.

  97. A bit like buying a house only to be told just before signing that the current incumbents Mother in Law Margaret is remaining in the spare room.
    “Sorry, deals, off”
    “Honestly, you will hardly notice her at all and doesn’t use up much electricity as she goes to bed early and only whines in the background occasionally”
    “Absolutely not, no way. If I buy the house I want to put my own stamp on it and with no lodgers”
    “Its not like a lodgers though as she doesn’t pay any rent and she is always on hand to give an opinion, and I mean ALWAYS, in a RAMSDEN CURRENCY sort of way if that makes sense?”
    “Look I’ve said No and I mean NO”
    “OK what if I convert the double garage into a Granny flat? That way you will hardly see her?”
    “Absolutely not, no way. I don’t want your Mother in Law hanging around like a bad smell telling me this isn’t right or that’s not how to do it or its a good job her daughter can’t see what I’ve done to her favourite flock wallpaper in the downstairs Loo”
    “Flock wallpaper! Now you’re being totally unreasonable, the Mother in Law chose that just before her dear Albert passed and his ashes are kept in a closet under the stairs. That Flocking wallpaper has sentimental value!”
    “I’m sorry but I’ve decided to look elsewhere”
    “That’s right, just go but you’ll never get a better offer than this! Honestly some people are just so unreasonable. Can’t see what the problem is, I love that flock wallpaper, always have and always will. Some people are never happy, always wanting to change things, calling it progress, well not in my house. Good news Margaret, everything’s staying just exactly as it was”

  98. It was a special experience to watch Vin performing, there was a point to his songs and he was really funny as well. I met him socially once and he was a just the same off stage, thoughtful, compassionate and funny, a great guy. Very sad news.

  99. Steve Agnew
    Neil Bausor
    Stewart Downing
    Jonathon Woodgate
    Steve Gibson
    A purge from top to bottom, my backside.
    I can smell the nepotism from 2000 kilometers away.
    New manager offered job BUT …..
    Shambles, nonsense, farce and travesty.
    And the story goes on and on…
    If I were Monk I’d tell em to stick it where the sun dont shine.
    Happy Days are here again, Dementia Tax with May again, let us sing a song of praise again. The rabid Tories in power againnnnn…

  100. The Boro website is giving a brief history of players who have played for England.
    Assuming it is only players since the Second World War, I was surprised there was no mention of Brian Clough, Edwin Holliday and Alan Peacock, the latter who actually played in the World Cup finals in 1962.

  101. I reckon the selection process is going to reach the conclusion that we don’t need a manager. The players will pick a captain on the basis of ‘scissors, paper, stone’ and we’ll go from there each match day. Mr Agnew will be in charge of pullovers for goals and make sure the posts and aren’t too big.
    The process seems like that anyway. You couldn’t make it up.
    UTB,
    John

  102. On reflection I can understand the omission of Edwin Holliday; born in Leeds I believe.
    Other Teessiders would include Don Revie and Norman Hunter, but of course they never played for the Boro.

  103. The Coronation pub street.
    In the snug Mavis Gibson and Derrick Bausor are talking.
    Mavis ‘I want Monk to come and keep Adnew’
    Derrick ‘Good idea Mavis, when is it happening’
    Mavis ‘Well, Monk has gone away and isn’t keen on the idea. but I want to keep Agnew’
    Derrick ‘Oh, dear, what are you going to do’
    Mavis ‘I don’t really know’
    News conference by the end of the week, burying news when the election takes centre stage.
    #daftquidaggers.

    1. I tell you what Derick said to Mavis.
      Why don’t we ask that nice Mr Len Fairclough Pearson to come and look after the boys?
      I’m sure he has changed his ways and will be so nice and gentle with them
      I don’t believe he would upset them
      Good idea Mavis I’ll give him a ring !

  106. If “the Boro hierarchy insist they will not be rushed into making a decision” – though ‘hierarchy’ sounds a bit vague as surely in the end it’s the Chairman’s final decision – then presumably they are in a position to make a decision and it’s that decision we are waiting on.
    That statement does kind of imply they can’t make their mind up – or even perhaps they aren’t happy with the choices currently available to them.

    1. Now here’s a scenario
      We’ll have
      Schteeve as Director of Football
      Pearson as Head Coach
      Aggers as First Team Coach
      Woody as Defensive Coach
      Higgy as attacking coach
      And Downing as Captain
      Oh and Steve Gibson as head of recruitment
      Everyone should be satisfied then
      Apart from us the fans that is

  107. In the office this week, I work a lot from home because my home internet is quicker than the office for the lappie, 60mb vs 12mb.
    Thought I would find Lions commentary and logged in to BBC to find it was in Welsh!

  108. It’s very interesting that OFB’s contact thinks Monk was offered the job last week, and since then agreement obviously hasn’t been reached, and then this week a statement has come from the club saying several options are being considered at the moment.
    The club could have made a statement along the lines of ‘progress being made…in due course an announcement…’ if things were being tied up successfully with Monk. Instead they seem to be telling him that we are now looking elsewhere.
    At least it seems encouraging that SG did act promptly to speak to candidates, made a decision, and offered the job to someone who looks like the right sort of candidate.

    1. Boronurk
      An alternative reading of the situation would be that Monk had refused to take on some of the old guard, following which SG has taken his ball home and we are left with the pretty much certain situation of no decent candidate would accept that sort of handicap.
      So, anyone for steevy as the last man standing?
      Remind me of his stats again.
      It sounds like a return to all our yesterdays, Southgate, mogga, the haggis, my god!

  109. I just hope OFB’s contact isn’t one of those manipulative Russian agents who are causing that nice President Chump so many problems.

  112. PS
    Also a link in there saying we may be in a battle for Sunderland to land Monk.
    Still think Agnew could be a sticking point
    #daftquidaggers.

  113. Fair play to Paddy Bamford, reading MFC article he is already back at Rockcliffe getting ready for pre season. Part of his aim is to improve explosiveness and power. If you asked many of us we would say he lacked a little bit of athleticism and power to make him a really good line leader.
    If it works out well he will prove a great success next season, hit the ground running and he may well prove the best bit of business for some time.

  114. The son of my next door neighbour is Head of Security at the Boro, and he was due to have a meeting tomorrow. He has since been told that the meeting has been postponed but given no explanation as to the reason.
    Could it be that an announcement is to be made regarding the appointment of the new manager?

    1. Surely MFC wouldn’t be that stupid?
      Its one thing to consider Aggers, another to actually appoint him which will be met with groans, moans and disdain but to slip it in on a busy news day would be be the lowest of the low if intended to get it under the radar.
      Very silly if it does happen and will like as not see a huge negative reaction. Maybe there is a much bigger fish being fryed currently and we will all be wowed when announced and believe that we really can smash this league.
      If it is Aggers then the response will be mildly “whatever” at best to huge anger and disbelief at worst.

      1. Redcar Red
        Don’t worry, I can’t see it happening but a bit of fun doesn’t go amiss.
        Then of course clues come out such as the security man’s meeting being cancelled, OFB’s titbit about Monk.
        The problem is the original post was tongue in cheek, 2+2=5. After that we start twitching.

  116. I see that Curtis Davies has signed for Derby today, from Hull. He’s 32 so is no youngster, but is someone with the right sort of experience, someone a new manager might have been interested in adding to our squad.
    I hope the new manager won’t be announced tomorrow. If we wait until Friday, Jeremy Corbyn will be available.
    Unfortunately for the many.

  117. As the tumbleweed blows over Rockliffe a solitary figure is running and jumping and stretching. Who is this ,
    It’s the 2017-18 championship top scorer that’s who !
    Patrick Bamford
    Come on Boro

  119. Hull are expected to announce their new manager before the weekend, within the next 24 hours and former Russian coach Leonid Slutsky the favourite to be named.
    Come on BORO.

  123. Back to an early fans favourite in Wagner. In the car trying to find cricket commentary and listened to Talksport giving Huddersfield some gip over negative football, likened them to going up like Boro but hope they will give it a go next season.

    1. Ian, they’re even more technically efficient at negative football than us. They “played” over 5 hours of playoff football and won without actually scoring a goal themselves . . . “Vorsprung durch technik”.

  124. To be honest, though I wish Huddersfield well, I couldn’t give a stuff about the Premier League in 2017-18. I doubt I will watch one Match of the Day in four. A completely over-rated, bloated-by-money competition. My interest will be concentrated on the only league that matters: the Championship.
    I suspect if there was a poll on naming the top 6 places in the Premier League next season, and the top six in the Championship, there will be more correct guesses for the Premier League. The Championship, however, is much more likely to be an open competition with more genuine challengers for the top spots, not just the select few. Leeds, Norwich or Derby (7th, 8th and 9th this last season) were all well out of contention last season, but might fancy they have more chance of finishing in the top places than, say Everton, Southampton and Bournemouth (who finished in the same positions in the Premier League).

    1. At least I get to see more home games next season and with a bit of luck we should win more than I saw last season on the Premiership
      Still no news on the manager
      A total blackout on news and rumours mow
      I hope they pull something out of the bag
      One thing if Monk has been firm about having his own team then this is the kind of manager we want to impose his style and coaching methods and not relying on existing coaches
      Must mention Bamford training already for next season to prove himself

        1. Ken
          If Agnew was going to be manager I think he would have been appointed by now.
          Also the fact that the team performances shape and tactics whilst he was in charge did not show any progression or hope that things would improve next season.
          No it has to be a new manager let’s see who’s right !!

  125. The question is.
    Is the chairman
    Looking for a coach who will do as he’s told or
    A manager with his own autonomy, and the way he does things?

  126. The Northern Echo has reported this morning that Gary Monk has had talks with both Boro and Sunderland. If true , this is worrying . The longer this goes on , I fear the worst that SG is going to stick with SA. Please pass the valium.

  127. Despite my #daftquidaggers I don’t think he will get the role of manager, the burying bad news during the election was a bit of fun but in a vacuum we have to fill it with something on the blog.
    We will know at some point

  128. billog72
    The terriers only scored 56 goals in regular season matches.
    As it is the general election day some good news has slipped through, for the first time over 50% of our electricity has come from renewable sources. That includes wind, solar, hydro and biomass sources.
    All our politicians should take a bow for wind, hot air and bulls**t.

  131. I think he Northern Echo story on Monk doesn’t really say much other than Sunderland are hoping to persuade him they are a good place for him because they’re a club of ‘stature’ and are also going to sell their best players (which means their keeper) to raise some cash for new ones – though since Ellis Short is trying to sell his stake as the debts have pushed over £100m they’ll try to gloss over the fact the average lifespan for a manager at the Stadium of Light is probably around a season – but on the plus side they expect 30,000 people to watch whatever team is put together!
    This only really tells us that Monk is still looking at future job prospects – which means he hasn’t been offered a job he likes sufficiently enough to accept. Whether that means Boro didn’t make him an offer or the offer they made was not to his liking who can say.
    Though we should perhaps not fall into the trap of raising Monk to something greater than what he is – a promising young manager looking for the next gig.
    Whilst everyone has a view, we don’t really know what kind of job the Boro one is just yet – a lot depends on how many of the players currently remaining either want to remain or should indeed remain.
    So do we need a manager who can build a team quickly and has the ability to attract the right players? Or do we need a manager who is experienced at uniting a dressing room and has good man-management skills? Or do we need a manager with a methodology in a similar vein to Karanka so that the team is well organised and functional?
    So what job is Monk being asked to do and does he have the right skill-set?
    At the moment it seems only Monk, Pearson and Agnew have been sounded out by Steve Gibson – I suspect there are better fits out there and you would wonder perhaps whether the likes of Kenyon or Mendes as advisors to the board could come up with a few more suitable options – apparently Boro will have the biggest budget in the Championship and that should mean anyone not in with a serious shout of a PL job should be interested.
    If the choice in the end comes down to Agnew or Pearson – then bizarre as it sounds a better answer for a proven route back to the Premier League may indeed be Karanka…

      1. Moyes has shown very little in the last four or five years to believe he can deliver
        Bruce has only been at Villa since October so may be unlikely to switch again – he is experienced an sensible but his overall record offers no guarantees of getting a quick return.
        Jokanovic has done pretty well in his recent jobs, has a promotion with Watford after building a completely new team – Qualified for group stages of Champions League with Maccabi Tel Aviv and finished in playoffs with Fulham as joint-top scorers. It may be a case of whether he thinks he can take Fulham further or even if a PL job is up for grabs?
        So I think there are other managers out there who would be a better fit than the three identified so far in the media.

  132. Werder
    That was my view of the Northern Echo link but whatever the likelihood there is nothing we can do, I put it in just so people could have a read.
    As we can only sit and wait there is no purpose in getting worked up, it will be what it will be. In democracy it is one man, one vote. So MFC are the very model of a democratic club, one man, one vote.

  133. So let’s see , is this how it works, the coach says he needs a left back, so the scouts run off and come back with three or four names to pick from.
    No wonder you can’t find someone who wants the job.

  134. SG will be looking for a coach who will build foundations, a style and methodology, to carry the club forwards and enable us to stay in the Prem if we can get back there.
    Monk did allow Swansea to slide into relegation trouble, but I think we can assume he has learnt from that. I did not expect him to do well at Leeds, but he turned an average side with a dodgy owner into play-off contenders, and he knows the league now.
    I’d be happy to give him a chance, as we don’t know of any alternative fully convincing candidate who is interested or available. It’s not the best reason for saying yes, but that’s where we seem to be.
    It seems very likely that if Monk is going to speak to Sunderland something has gone wrong with any negotiations with the Boro, as by most criteria we would be the better choice.

  135. gt
    I think the theory is the recruitment team are working on likely players all the time with huge databases. I remember the Gazette boys were surprised on who the club had data on when they visited.
    I am sure we are not unique, most clubs of our size have similar information, much is well known.
    To give an example, a few years ago Boro were looking at someone and a Derby player knew his stats and said he wasn’t hard working. There are few secrets.

  136. I have a sneaky feeling the delay in appointing a new manager is because the preferred candidate is already in employment. I like the idea of Monk but feel if he was wanted by the club that he would have been offered the position already due to his availability. Could Sean Dyche be number one on the list? Yes, Burnley are in the Premier league but maybe he feels he has taken Burnley as far as he can with the budget he given and fancies a new challenge. Could Boro match/improve his wages and show more ambition at Board level? I would say we do….

    1. I just don’t see Dyche wanting to step down to the Championship.
      I would suggest that he now sees himself as an established PL manager and if he were to go anywhere else it would more likely to be to Palace or Southampton

      1. I can see Dyche fitting Palace but not sure if the Southampton fans could stomach his style of play after Puel. They already seem dissatisfied with the entertainment value and It looks like they want a more offensive approach. Not sure palace would see Dyche as a step in the right direction either, most clubs when they get to a certain level expect a certain style of play, hence Big Sam not getting any jobs at clubs with top half PL potential

  137. Fair points Adymac. Alternatively, could you be correct in that the new man is employed i.e. Steve Bruce who I am sure would be happy to join up with SA again and also solve SG’s problem of what to do with SA if he is not getting the job.

  139. I’m not having this Monk made Leeds a better team, yes the club might have been a basket case behind the scenes, but they have some good players,
    The season before against Boro , I thought they were a tidy team with ability, certainly not as bad as made out, infact two or three good signings will put them in contention.
    Under Monk they went on a tailspin when it mattered.

  140. Sky news reporting Boro deciding between Monk & Pearson. Pearson supposedly had a number of meetings whilst Monk interviewed this week after returning from holiday where he had been since departing Leeds. Monk also supposedly spoken to Sunderland but prefers Boro.
    Watch this space 😎

  141. England U20’s come from 1 – 0 down to beat Italy 3 – 1 to reach the World Cup final, the first time an England adult team has reached a World Cup final in 51 years, well done, hopefully the final will be covered on some TV channel.
    Come on BORO.

  142. Seriously Boro, just announce Monk already.
    The longer this goes on the more I think it is a ploy to quietly announce Agnew in a week or so. Unfortunately, if the club think we fans are stupid enough to fall for that one they are sorely mistaken. I will be very disappointed if we end up with Agnew The Nice as boss.

  144. I think all of us have some reservations about all the Candidates:
    Monk successful at Swansea then went wrong, Knows the Championship and done well at Leeds but crashed when the heat was on at the business end.
    Pearson led Leicester up then saved them from relegation, dropped down to the Championship and had a mare at Derby along with a few eccentricities.
    Aggers, nice bloke, everybody likes him but a bit like Uncle Dave at parties, look after him but don’t him near the punch you know whats going to happen.
    Giggs, star player been here before with Robbo but no proven managerial providence. Are we prepared to gamble again when we are in a secure financial position when there isn’t a need to? Besides hasn’t shown any nous as a TV pundit.
    Coleman, done a very good job with Wales but George or Stewy aren’t Gareth Bale. Could the International games coming up be the reason for the delay?
    Keane, had short term success with Sunderland then management career nose dived ever since. Rather have Pearson if we have to entertain and nutcracker.
    Pardew, ability at Championship level and also mid to lower Premiership level. Comes with a few behavioural and personality issues but more likely to be successful than a car crash.
    Warnock, experience at this level by the bucket load, doubts however on how he would handle the premiership if he achieved promotion. My view is get us up then worry!
    Bruce, likely to succeed in the medium term but had a decent tilt with Villa with more than a few decent players like Adomah, Grealish, Richards, Jedinak, Kodjia, Agbonlahor, Chester and then the forward with the locked gates who isn’t spoken of. Underachieved massively last season, would we want a repeat at the Riverside just because he likes Aggers?
    Ince, please no, some early management success but very little to show since. If his ability was even half as good as his opinion of himself. Another old boy, no thanks.
    Neil, Norwich one season wonder who petered out in the Championship with a lower Premiership/ upper Championship squad. No thanks.
    O’Neil, Both of them are engaged at International level. The Northern one has no expewrience at this level let him be somebody else’s guinea pig and the Southern one did do it but many years ago now and I’m not so sure his best years are not behind him.
    Wagner, that ship has sailed it would appear with the Terriers promotion unless of course he feels that the only way his CV will go with them now is down?
    Grayson, seems a decent bloke and Manager and has had relative success at clubs in the Championship and below but if thats a forward step for the Boro then I’m on a different planet.
    Clough, done some decent jobs at clubs in league 1 but the Championship seems just about his limit, Great appointment if SG is planning on Championship residency!
    Neville, seriously? I mean he comes across as a good analyst but thats about it. A world of difference between spouting an opinion with hindsight than managing the intricacies of a Football Club.
    Jokanovic, seems perhaps the most likely to achieve our desires based on recent form but unlikely to swap the West End and the Fulham Thames Riverside for Yarm the Tees Riverside.
    McClaren, been there done that. Unless we are going to buy him, Lampard, Gerrard, Drogba and Terry on five year deals and £200k a week and be left with the crippling wages of crippled geriatric players not the man for us anymore.
    Hodgson, nice bloke but whilst I have occasionally been “whelmed” by him never exactly “overwhelmed” during his career. I’m not sure due to him knocking on a bit these days.
    de Boer, being Frank on this our record with anyone whose name begins with “de” hasn’t exactly had us elated of late. Decent Ajax record but who hasn’t and only lasted just over a dozen games at Inter. Could bring new methodology and thinking but now isn’t the time for tinkering surely?
    Puel, now reportedly a free agent after leaving the Saints, could he be the man and its taken until now for Gibbo to get him without Compo?
    Tuchel, hmmm this one could be a masterstroke of biblical proportions by SG but lets get real, he knows nothing about the Championship would probably cost a fair whack and would he see a Championship club as a progressive step forwards in his career?
    Rodgers, would probably be almost universally accepted but unlikely to leave Celtic Park anytime soon after his triumphant season unless of course he feels the Parkhead Directors will not back him for Champions League quality players like Fischer?
    Pulis, unlikely to drop into the Championship but has an uneasy relationship with the Baggies. Once beneath us now would be grateful for his long ball tactics if it got us up and kept us there.
    Hiddink, on paper interesting, a well known Coach but never lasts the course anywhere, a rolling stone who certainly gathered no moss over his career and the wrong side of 70.
    Also rans, insert Lampard (rather him than Giggs mind), Ravanelli, Woodgate, Hasselbaink and the rest etc. no thanks!

      1. Bob
        I did consider Klinsmann but had to draw the line somewhere.
        Of course it could be that the perceived “delay” is because its not only the Manager’s role open to offers but perhaps the entire club is open to offers and that is the real reason. If so then the Klinsmann link may well have wings but until SG puts his favourite Mont Blanc fountain pen to A4 (8.5 by 11 inches or 215.9 mm x 279.4 mm US Letter size) then I don’t think Juergen will become our first German Manager.
        Unless of course you know different, taps nose, wink, wink, nudge, nudge, eh, eh!

  145. The blog keeps on treating the Boro management as clued up dedicated human beings.
    What price, “not turning up for a league game”
    What price, “deciding that overall, taking the rough with the smooth, asking one of the players to take over the management of a European Finalist team six weeks after the said final was, in the final analysis, the correct thing to do.
    What price, deciding, in view of a monumental clash of wills between the players, the backroom staff, and the manager who had rescued you from the hell of the Champ., that by and large, it was goodbye Mr. Manager.
    What price, deciding that in addition to sacking the said Manager, it would be a good idea to leave the sinking ship to the tender mercies of a local who had kicked around the football world for some considerable time, without being spotted as an unsung genius.
    Strange that.

    1. I doubt Steve Gibson sees this blog in that light. I don’t think that the hierarchy of MFC are in any way revered or regarded remotely as being clued up on here. My increasingly repeated comment of “a great chairman just not a very good one” is testimony to my thoughts on what has gone on at senior level including Bausor.

  146. My thoughts lately have been about the sad news regarding how ill young Bradley Lowery is. As Jeff Stelling starts his marathon walk from Exeter to Newcastle in aid of prostate cancer my thoughts have turned to Bradley.
    I have made known my admiration for Jeff, but I wonder if enough is being done by people in the media to raise money to help in the research for children’s cancer. I have no children of my own, my wife having had a hysterectomy and then passing away with cervical cancer eight years ago, but feel much compassion for the Lowerys.
    No child should die from cancer, and no parent should lose a child through cancer, and like everyone else have been touched by the bravery of little Bradley, but also how the world of sport and entertainment have taken him to their hearts.
    Footballers sometimes get a bad press about their private lives, and Jermaine DeFoe has in the past has not been immune to that. However, he took up the mantle to give Bradley the experience of walking out on the field of play with his favourite football team, and is still concerned for Bradley’s welfare even though he is about to sign for Bournemouth. For what he has done for his “little friend” he has my admiration, because that first and subsequent gestures have been the prelude to the sporting world’s awareness of Bradley’s cancer.
    Well done to both Jeff and Jermaine, and I pray to God that in the years ahead a cure will be found for all forms of cancer, but especially for cancers affecting children.

  147. Ken
    I agree, well done Defoe. While footballers get above themselves at times there must be many untold stories each season of footballers going that extra mile to help give a bit of joy to people.
    One thing I will mention is if you have young children or your children have young children to go and see a financial adviser and ask him about critical illness cover. If parents have the cover there is normally cover for the kids.
    On to managers, as mentioned above we seem to be getting closer because ‘sources’ are telling us we are.
    Might change my bet to #daft50paggers.

  148. Ian
    I always knew you were a shrewd supporter/gambler! 😎
    Ken
    An excellent post and I second all you have said.
    CoB let’s have a decision!

  149. Stories are building in Italy that Lazio want de Roon and the £12m we paid for him sin’t seen as an obstacle so if it comes to pass at least we will see a small profit or break even worse case. Dorrans in for £1.5m and de Roon out?
    According to the Birmingham Mail Pulis is allegedly interested in Negredo for the Baggies and they believe an offer of around 7 million Euros could clinch him. Is it worth us putting a rival offer in or look elsewhere? Maybe Stuani could finally be given a chance as a central Striker with Bamford assisting coming back, fitter than ever!

    1. What’s interesting about the article is that is says Steve Gibson asked both candidates to present their plans for the entire club (which may explain the delay), from playing staff and backroom personnel to scouting and the academy. Which to me sounds like a return to a ‘manager’ rather than ‘head coach’ and maybe significant in terms of who is chosen as Pearson has more experience in overall management.
      A plan is one thing but execution is another – is it possible for one person to undertake such a role? I think I remember Agnew declaring he was happy that such responsibilities were not on his agenda as head coach.
      Though equally Monk seemed adamant that he wouldn’t work under a Director of Football – so perhaps he has a clear idea of how the whole operation needs to be run to suit his needs.
      It will be an interesting decision – perhaps a bit like the Apprentice business plan being submitted to Lord Gibson – both candidates await the ‘Your Hired’ finger being pointed!
      I hope the Chairman uses his lucky coin when it come to the toss…

  153. Shame that fry and chapman were on the bench but being in a group of good players cant harm them.
    Lets hope Ben gets a chance but bench may be the best he can hope for.

  155. For the first time the Gazette team hinted on the time scale earlier this week. This week a decision was expected.
    I hope this still applies. One more night. This feel longer than waiting for Christmas as a child. I will be in three different countries tomorrow, and when I finally get to Norway late tomorrow, I hope we have some news. And I don’t only mean Jeremy.
    Up the Boro!

    1. Ignoring my own personal views, I think Jeremy finding himself in 10 Downing Street tomorrow is not very likely. Even if the polls from the last few days were accurate (I type this 15 minutes before the “exit polls” are made known when voting ceases at 10pm, UK time), they would not result in Jeremy having anything like a majority. The polls may well be wrong anyway. They overestimate youth participation and fail to take account of the fact that a party may pile up votes in areas that are already their own rather than taking seats from their opponents.
      I predict there will be a Conservative majority and it will be a rather larger one than at present.
      Some people have done well in this election campaign. JC batted well above his average (a cricket expression there, Jarkko). Keir Starmer has been good for Labour and obviously they have been “hiding” Diane Abbott who has struggled. The Prime MInister has had a “below average” campaign and appears to have kept the Chancellor under wraps, and Boris Johnson until very recently. Amber Rudd has done well. I feel that Tim Farron for the Lib Dems has been harshly treated by commentators but there is no doubt his party’s vote will reduce (though they MIGHT pick up a few seats in the south west). Conservatives will win some seats in Wales and in Scotland and will win some marginals from Labour as the UKIP vote crashes.
      Well, little point predicting, as reality will soon spread across our TV screens……

  156. Just as interesting is that stories appear to be coming from sources other than the Gazette. They may well be sworn to secrecy and get the inside, full blown details later.

  157. Every day that passes without a manager being appointed is one day less preparation time for the Championship campaign and for player transfer planning and execution. There is now a real risk that the “smash” promised by SG turns into a crash instead.
    It’s time to make an appointment now.

  158. I have had both Sons, two Geordies, one Makem, a Hibbee a Blue Nose and a Stoke supporting mate all text me the exact same “story” about Adama Traore being “thrown out of his local Polling Station for spending over six hours in there and still couldn’t manage to get a cross in the box”.
    The first one made me chuckle but by the time the ninth one came in (from far and wide across the UK) it started to wear a bit thin. At least he seems to have earned a bit of notoriety!

  159. If the exit polls are correct, then I have miscalculated the election results. We will chew our nails and wait for the results to come in……

  161. They’ll be running and dancing through Spartak’s back garden, celebrating as we speak…..
    Just relying on the exit polls, like.

  162. Hope SG’s selection of a new manager is more astute than his supposed backing for a certain local ex MP. Decision making hasn’t been his strong point of late. #daftquidaggers?

    1. Politicians must hate it now that voters are apparently capable of having an opinion rather than blind faith in a two party system. How dare they vary their vote according to their personal views and beliefs instead of behaving like sheep. More than ever politicians are now having to be accountable for their stances on issues and the sooner they learn that the sooner we may get the quality of government the populace deserve. Wonder what the odds are for a May/Trump double out before Christmas?
      Meanwhile will we see the next Boro Manger leaked out today amongst all the political white noise or launched in a fanfare?

  165. Spartak last seen running around back garden pretending it was full of weetabix!!!
    Police issued statement saying he had been taken into custody for his own safety.
    lol

    1. Interesting that it seems to have leaked out that Garry Monk has been “offered” the job. Most unlike SG to conduct his business this way, as much stick and flack that sometimes flies his way this seems strange, is there a twist in the tale yet to come?

  171. As people complain about Ramsden being on the Boro shirt in their last season of sponsorship, it is worth remembering how they became our sponsor in the first place. If my memory serves me well, it was at a time when we were struggling as a team, in financial difficulty and they were the best sponsorship deal available to MFC. We were grateful for their money at the time !
    Come on BORO.

    1. From memory they were the only Sponsor when we were Billy no mates and had been touting the sponsorship from game to game!
      I’d rather have something less contentious than a pawnbroker or a casino especially for a club representing this region as neither are exactly harbingers of joy and prosperity but its what you can get and I guess the global blue chip giants just aren’t all that keen on the Boro.
      Accepting that we have to have something on the shirt, my beef isn’t so much that its Ramsdens its that I need to shield my eyes and ears as it screams out at me RAMSDENS CURRENCY First XI sponsored by MFC.

    2. Exmil
      Most clubs finding themselves dealing with the lightweights when it comes to sponsorship, take care to insert a clause in the contract saying, “in the event of us playing in the Prem . We reserve the right to charge you prem. Prices , or, of course, you can withdraw without penalty.
      Just saying,

  174. Just found that I have a wifi connection on the flight. So soon above Sweden and heading to Trondheim in Norway.
    So it looks like Geremy has a chance but Gerry looks certain for Boro.
    I cannot say much about Monk but he looks like a decent chap. Young and hungry.
    Now I just hope he keeps as many players as possible and adds a few strong inforcements.
    As Exmil said, we won’t necessarily loose Big Ben or de Roon. If we sell the price must be correct for the club.
    Only player without an agreement is Dimi. And he will stay if the club and new manager wishes so.
    So upwards and forward. The Boro can get promoted in the next ten months. At least we will see more wins than since Christmas ;-).
    Up the Boro!

  177. ‘Upwards and forward!’ said the bishop to the slutsky whilst the loitering Monk looked on.
    Doesn’t bear thinking about!
    🙂

  178. What a joke another lacky for Gibson to control.
    If this chairman was really hands off ,then why has he never hired anybody with a very good record,
    Even Strachan had been a failure everywhere .

    1. Let’s a give the guy a chance
      He has a track record of bringing academy players into the first team squad. So good news for Chapman and Fry

  180. It seems that Garry Monk is the man, and I’m pleased and think that was the best choice among the options that SG had in front of him. I’m glad that he is also the ‘manager’ as this suggests a greater degree of influence, including over recruitment where AK was not given the tools to do the job last season.
    Monk has clearly persuaded SG that he can direct the development of the club and build for long-term success. I would see his general target as Premiership football within two years. I think this season may be too soon because he has to pick everything up off the floor and get a rebuilt squad to come together and perform. If he can do that early enough we may make a good run at it this season, but I don’t see us as favourites right now.
    Of course, if this appointment led to players like Ben and Marten de Roon staying our chances would immediately improve, but I think that’s too much to expect.
    I understand that Monk will not be asking for the support of the DUP to run a strong and stable club.

  184. So.
    The identity of the managerial official whose proposed and promised responsibilities, emerging from the hypothetical insights of the supporters and hierarchy of Middlesbrough Football Club, have been the subject of recent discussion is not shrouded in quite such impenetrable obscurity and frustration as numerous previous disclosures may have led you all to assume, but, not to put too fine a point on it, the individual in question is, it may not surprise you to learn, one whom every interlocutor is in the habit of naming by means of a solitary syllable.
    It is… Monk.

  185. Wildly clutching at a name, Marvin Emnes played for Monk at Swansea…and is now apparently a free agent…
    But I don’t think anyone at Boro would recommend that move.

  186. Can’t see Dirty Leeds playing ball with us on the transfer front. To lose your manager to a (nearly) local rival is bad enough but to lose your star player as well would be unforgivable so any attempt by Boro to “get Wood” is likely to flop.

  187. At last we have a leader , who was the favourite among the Boro fans . I am very pleased. Now Gary lets have a major cabinet change !

    1. Aisle drink to that
      It could be a new chapter in our history
      Let’s hope he gets rid of the Knaves
      Looking forward to taking a pew at the Riverside and having a communion spirit
      If not for whom the bell tolls

  199. I’m relieved and pleased that we have managed to get the Monk deal over the line. He is an outstanding young English manager, and I think that most (though not all) fans believe him to be the best choice from all of the realistic options available. Congratulations are due to Steve Gibson, who has been on the receiving end of a good deal of unfair criticism recently. For my money he remains the club’s most outstanding asset, and I have no doubt that he was one of the principal reasons why Monk selected the Boro from all of the other possibilities open to him.
    If and when we have a poor run of results- and it’s bound to happen- and Gibson comes in for some stick for his poor choice of manger, we should remember that, for most of us, he made the best possible choice at the time. And that is all that we can ask, and all that can be reasonably expected of him.
    Those fans who say that they will deliver their verdicts when they see how Monk gets on should reflect on the fact that anybody can do that, and that it is not a luxury that is open to Mr Gibson, or indeed anyone who is operating in the real world.
    I write as one of only two fans on this blog who thought at the time that the appointment of Karanka was a mistake. I was proved wrong, He performed a minor miracle in getting us promoted, and he succeeded in transforming a loss- making business that was going nowhere into one of the world’s top 30 earning clubs and guaranteeing our medium- term financial future. In spite of his unfortunate ending (a fate that awaits almost all managers as it does all politicians) his appointment was well justified, and he achieved the principal objective that the club set for him.
    I could make out a similar case for all of Gibson’s managerial appointments ( Yes, even Mr Strachan). The only fans who are really justified in their criticism of them are those who made them at the time rather than with the benefit of hindsight. They are few and far between. And, of course, anyone who prophesies failure can rest securely in the knowledge that he is bound to be proved right in the end.
    Congratulations Mr Gibson.

    1. Len
      Glad to echo your words Re. Monk (I have not seen any official declaration)
      In the absence of some favourite son of Baca or Real he was just about the likeliest young manager around.
      It does look like he got his way regarding the backroom staff, which is very good, after all, fail and you get the push, so you need every advantage you can get.

    2. I started to type a reply, then I hit a key by mistake and it disappeared. The result of staying up until the very early hours and going to bed in broad daylight as the General Election results had mostly been announced to the nation.
      I give up!!

  200. Len
    Well put. SG has the difficult job of trying to pick a winner in an uncertain business. Look at David Moyes. Sir Alex thought he was the right man to succeed him but that didn’t go to plan. History is littered with examples of “good” managers who have failed when they moved on. Even Cloughie had a couple of hiccups.
    I hope our wonderful fans give Monk a fair crack of the whip and don’t start calling for his head if we don’t romp to promotion.
    Time will tell.

  202. I’m trying not to get my hopes up too high. I love having heroes as much as anyone but after the fate that befell Bryan Robson, Tony Mowbray and Aitor Karanka… you know. I may have been over the top in my support of AK but to repeatedly dwell on the bad when there was so much good is ridiculous. (Same with Mogga at the time.)
    So long as we don’t get another toxic finale – those behind the manager vs. those behind the poor ickle players who “should” be playing – I’ll be happy. Remember, it’s good to dream of great football and great things but never think they are owed to you.

    1. I’m just relieved when I posted last Friday that Monk was favourite but wanted his own staff that my buddy called it right
      I’ll make sure to keep my ear to the ground for more snippets
      I’ll see him tomorrow night and we’ll have a good chat
      He seems to think we have 4-5 players lined up ready for him to say yes “sign them”
      He will also have his own targets and He also has a track record of bringing academy players into the first team squad. So good news for Chapman and Fry

      2. OFB,
        I hope and pray for that rather than buying in the ‘ready made’ player for big money. I can’t believe that there aren’t some gems in our own sideboard. If they’re good enough and all that.
        UTB,
        John

  203. Just happy that we have finally announced the new Head Coach, sorry…Manager.
    He is relatively young, so should have modern ideas. Some sucess, some disappointments. All in all probably best of what was available to us.
    Hope he gives our youth a go. Also if he can do for Bamford what he did for Chris Wood…..bingo!!!

  204. Len
    The idea of predicting a managers demise reminds me of an episode of Steptoe and son.
    This a vague recollection so bear with the many inaccuracies but it went along the lines Albert mentioned to Harold he had seen a crow on a roof.
    Harold said so what crows sit on a roof. Albert replied it was bad luck and said a crow had sat on Mrs Blogg’s roof and she died.
    Harold replied that it was ten years between the crow sitting on her roof and the 85 year old Mrs Bloggs departing for a better place.
    Football managers have a short shelf life. Not many like the extra time monitor or the myopically challenged choose their own time.

  205. I can only assume that SG and his management team have done an assiduous job in identifying and interviewing candidates for the manager position and in their view have chosen the best person available.
    So why do I feel totally underwhelmed by the appointment of Monk?
    Still, at this stage having a manager is better than not having a manager and I hope he helps us achieve SG’s goal of “smashing the league”.
    We shall see…….

      2. They still have to paid for somewhere down the line Bob.
        What would interest me though is……how many students that actually go to university achieve a good pass grade? And how many are achieved in subjects that are useful to the economy or welfare of the country?

        1. I agree they have to be paid for but Corbyn and his advisors got it right by targetting the younger generation using social media and give aways.
          Theresa May and her advisors got it totally wrong by drip feeding end of winter fuel allowance triple lock pensions and the so called dementia tax.
          So it wasn’t Brexit it was target audience one got it right and one for it wrong.
          PS
          Conservative advisors now paid off…..
          Just one more point
          I and a lot of others on this. Blog are retired and seeing our savings dwindling
          We still pay income tax vat council tax purchase tax and are even taxed on our pensions and savings which we have already paid tax for.
          Both parties have to look for other scapegoats to take the money off because the grey generation aren’t having it any more!!!!
          I don’t usually do political statements but it’s about time people realise we are not a burden on society we have paid all our lives for our retirement

        2. Ref the University Degree s I agree with you that there are a lot of useless and stupid degrees in subjects that have no bearing on a future career
          I had loads of young people coming to me straight from university with degrees and asking me to try and help them get s job
          Humanities Divinity Sports Science and Even Crime Scene Investation.
          All totally insulted for a career in Indistry or commerce
          You would think CSI would be a good one wouldn’t you ?
          12 places a year open for jobs and 60 on the courses up and down the country says it all really !

  207. Almost as soon as the announcement of our new Manager had been made the inevitable differences of opinions surfaced on message boards, facebook and twitter accounts from die hard “I was there in 86” fans telling us how SG has dropped another clanger to slightly more pragmatic views in Monk being a young up and coming Manager. Earlier in the week I listed over 25 potential Managers who could have been reasonably realistic Boro targets making the point that each and every one of them had flaws and none were perfect. Monk topped that list probably because subliminally I felt he was the best of them and the most realistic of the options available to us.
    I doubt if there was one single Manager who would have had universal support but I think Garry Monk is the best fit for the club. Bringing in a big name brings with it big ego’s, hype and distraction from the actual job in hand with expectation levels absurdly unrealistic. Bringing in a no mark but with potential or even sticking with Aggers would have spectacularly underwhelming, the solution was somewhere in the middle.
    The Club has a squad built around 4231 thanks to AK’s philosophy; Monk also sets his teams up in the same format with a strong emphasis on defending, keeping it tight and building from the back. He is also renowned for keeping his powder dry Mogga style and not going gung ho from the off. OK not very inspirational I know but his teams also play decent football and playing in that system Chris Wood scored 27 times last season. Had AK managed to have his big man score 27 times last season we would still be in the Premiership and Aitor would still be here. Keeping it tight yet creating opportunities for your Striker isn’t that easy in a 4231 set up as we know only too well to our cost. When was the last time a Boro striker scored 27 goals in a season?
    Monk’s management career had a baptism of fire Southgate style with Swansea where he done well then couldn’t sustain it. Being realistic had he managed to continue to build on an 8th place Premiership finish with a club like Swansea he would now be at Barca or Madrid. He was young then and still is now and no doubt like all of us in our chosen careers made some mistakes in the early years that with the benefit of time and experience wouldn’t make now. Southgate himself has managed to bag a decent gig after his early experiences. As the old parable goes “it’s not where you start but where you finish, it’s not who you are, it’s who you can become”.
    Leeds were a basket case (much to our pleasure) but Monk took a dressing room that was shrouded in chaos and confusion caused by an owner who had created mayhem off the pitch for many seasons further disrupted by a takeover in full swing yet managed to create a team spirit, settle things down (on the playing side at least) and overachieve in the eyes of many. Whilst many may knock and say that Leeds bottled the run in the fact remains that Leeds supporters are absolutely gutted to have lost him. They believed that finally their clubs fortunes were about to change under his stewardship. That should tell us more than anyone on Teesside with a myopic view of all things Elland Road related.
    We had a split and divisive dressing room and things are going to need to be repaired and harmony restored. Monk has shown that he can do that and if anyone can produce something even remotely close to harmony at Leeds United then that is good enough for me. He likes 4231 which means he doesn’t have to throw the baby out with the bath water. He has a core of very good Championship level players who have been playing that system for years, it’s a good fit. He has no problem in recognising that older senior pro’s bring balance and know-how to a side but he also has shown that age isn’t a barrier at the opposite end and that youth gets a chance, if they are good enough they are old enough.
    Here we have a young Manager (who learned under Brendan Rogers of whom many had unrealistic hopes of him arriving at the Riverside) with bright ideas and a whole future career ahead of him. Unusually though he also has experience in Management, not as a No.2 but actual Management both in the Premiership and in the Championship and recent up to date Championship experience at that. In terms of fit he is almost as close to the ideal MFC template as humanly possible.

    2. Had a great night with Andy Campbell and he shared his thoughts on Bamford
      Here you go mate….. piece in the Gazette from Adam Steele.
      ONE former Middlesbrough forward is backing a member of the club’s current strike force to score up to 30 goals next season.
      January signing Patrick Bamford returned to training ahead of schedule at Rockliffe Park this week to sharpen up for Boro’s promotion campaign in the Championship.
      And the former Chelsea striker’s decision to start knocking himself into shape at the earliest possible opportunity has gone down well with ex-Boro and Cardiff striker Andy Campbell.
      The former £1m man made his Premiership debut for Boro at the age of 16 after coming through his hometown club’s ranks.
      And the 38-year-old reckons a fully fit and firing Bamford could easily surpass the 17 league goals he scored on loan for Boro when they reached the 2015 Championship play-off final next term with the benefit of his extra training.
      Bamford put two years of frustration behind him in May following a series of unsuccessful loan spells when he came off the bench to score his first Premier League goal for Boro against Southampton, and is now clearly eager to kick on.
      “Fair play to Patrick Bamford for reporting back to pre-season training early at Middlesbrough,” Campbell said.
      “He finished the Premier League season well that goal against Southampton in a Boro side which didn’t create many chances, and he clearly wants to give himself every opportunity to be ready for the games and the season ahead.
      “He’s scored goals for Boro in the Championship before and I think a fully-fit Patrick Bamford can score 25 to 30 goals for Boro next season.
      “I think the Championship is almost a little bit too easy for him, and you would like to think Boro are going to be more adventurous under the next manager – whoever it may be – so he can score goals.”
      The majority of Boro’s players are not expected to report back for training until the end of June, but Bamford has decided to get stuck in three weeks early and revealed he is following a “detailed” training programme.
      Campbell believes the 23-year-old forward’s decision to return to training early “makes sense”.
      “Fitness is a 24/7, 365 days a year operation now and you see the likes of John Terry on social media doing their exercises,” Campbell said.
      “Nowadays it’s all about plyometrics and core training, and even in non-league football you have lads who are ripped to bits and always in the gym.
      “They get paid well to play and some of the wages in professional football now are ridiculous, so fitness is top priority.
      “If you’re not at your best, someone else will take your place.
      “Pre-season now is more about getting ready to play games – players are expected to come back fit so Bamford’s decision to get ahead of the game makes sense.”
      Campbell spent six-and-a-half years of his 13-year professional playing career on his native Teeside and while he saw the approach to the close season evolve he still has many painful memories of working hard under former Boro boss Bryan Robson.
      “When Robbo came to Boro he was a lot more football orientated when it came to pre-season, because that’s what they did at Manchester United,” he said.
      “But we would still have training sessions that were an absolute slog.
      “We used to run up Eston Hills where the old ski slope was and get dropped off and picked up later.
      “Everybody would be laughing and joking to start with, but after about an hour it was horrendous.
      “We would do Saturday running sessions at Hurworth as well that were brutal – 1,500m, 800m, 600m and 400m and back up again.
      “Mark Summerbell was an absolute freak of nature.
      “He could do whatever time he wanted and still save a bit in the tank for later.
      “Back then the goalkeepers used to have to do all of the running as well and I used to keep Gary Walsh and Ben Roberts company at the back – let’s just put it that way.
      “I had attributes like pace, but I was never the best long distance runner.
      “All of the lads would go for a pint afterwards in Hurworth, which probably defeated the object, but I couldn’t see anything like that happening these days.
      “It’s a totally different culture.”
      Campbell is currently looking to get back into football after managerial stints in the Northern League with Norton and West Auckland and is currently weighing up his options for next season.

      1. Bob, please give my regards to Andy the next time yoy meet.
        I played against him a couple of years ago in a game arranged by our goalkeeping legend, Jim Platt.
        I trust he is right about BamBam. He is professional.
        Up the Boro!

        1. Jarkko
          I’ll pass your regards on to Andy next time I see him over my garden fence !
          He lives next door to me!
          I also see Jim Platt every home game as well. He’s a nice guy .
          OFB

    3. R R
      Agree with that, all of it.
      I take it, from what he said, that he was confident enough in his abilities to lay down certain rules to be observed in the running of the club.
      If this is true, then I am happy, for if ever a club needed a few rules it is us.

  208. Good point Pedro. More Engineering Graduates would be a good start.
    My tongue in cheek point about Joe Public was on the back of the Referendum result showing massive support for Leave in the Labour heartlands and a Tory Mayor for Tees Valley, the Stockton South, Boro North results, not to mention some of the sensational National results. Like Football, Politics is a funny old game.

  209. pedro
    1977, total student numbers 300,000, in 2016 that had risen to 2,250,000.
    Very fag packet based on £27,000 per student over the course, in todays terms that is £8 billion rising to £60 billion. Not accurate but a comparison.
    I didn’t support student fees being introduced, now I find it difficult to argue where the money should come from. At some point it always comes out of peoples pockets, should people who don’t go to University fund those who do?
    Discuss.

  210. What price Democracy?
    Following the UK election it appears the country decided against giving a blank cheque to Team Theresa – but in order to remain in power she has decided with unseemly haste to offer a blank cheque to the DUP to prop up her government. In doing so, she has effectively taken sides in the Northern Ireland power-sharing assembly and can no longer act as arbiter. In addition, she has decided to work with a party that receives support from several loyalist para-military organisations. Also the DUP is currently being accused of receiving a large secret donation from Saudia Arabia during the Brexit campaign – What can possibly go wrong!
    Democratic Unionist Party – Right-wing populist party that was formed by fundamentalist protestant loyalist Ian Paisley – it receives support from paramilitary Ulster loyalist groups such as the Ulster Defence Association, the Ulster Volunteer Force and the Red Hand Commando, which are proscribed terrorist organisations.
    The party is ‘pro-life’ and opposed to abortion, as well vetoing legislation for same-sex marriage. The DUP has previously appointed a climate change denier, Sammy Wilson, as environment minister in Northern Ireland and a “Young Earth” creationist, Mervyn Storey, as its education minister.
    It is currently under investigation for acting s a conduit for an a undisclosed donation of over £400k used to fund it’s Leave campaign during the Brexit referendum, which is alleged came from a foreign source – with a journalistic investigation showing a Saudi link.
    Not to be confused with other ‘Democratic’ organistions like:
    Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea – Totalitarian dictatorship that operates a cult of personality and is run by Kim Il-Sung and his family.
    Democratic Republic of the Congo – Regarded as most corrupt country in Africa with world’s lowest GDP per head
    German Democratic Republic – Former east German state controlled by totalitarian regime which used Stasi secret service to spy extensively on it’s citizens.

    1. I will be astonished if TM lasts until the end of the month. She has now become the proverbial headless Chicken and doesn’t realise it. The DUP was the last desperate throw of the dice which will be her downfall. Corbyn was condemned for talking to “Terrorists” whilst defending his actions as you can’t get peace if you don’t engage in discussions, May has not only talked with them but jumped into bed with them. The hypocrisy was astonishing but how must the LGBT Tory voters feel as I’m absolutely certain their votes would have went elsewhere had they known their fate let alone other decent and fair minded rational individuals.
      Desperation has brought her to her knees, no doubt the party will be less than pleased and subversive elements will be working away to overthrow her. Can you imagine the fun at PM’s question time? The huge long list of questions aimed at her and her party because of the DUP will no doubt be hilarious made worse by the now clear evidence than she cannot engage in a debate. Its very clear that we couldn’t have a weaker or less capable individual to conduct any negotiations let alone ones as hugely significant as Brexit.
      Wonder what the odds are for a May and Trump double exit? They can walk off into the sunset holding hands. Meanwhile the nation is an absolute political mess, I’m not sure if it would have been better had she not called the election or perhaps we are now better off knowing just how incompetent a leader she really is.
      The Brexit debate was bad enough but it was a straightforward if overly simplistic binary yes or no question. Nobody I dare say voted for what we now have and the distinctly unpleasant taste and odour as we watch our PM spectacularly implode. Had Corbyn formed a coalition with Mrs Krankie up the road he would have been slaughtered by the nations media. It will be interesting to see how they respond to a government in cahoots with those who deny dinosaurs, believe only gays get HIV and that some bloke in a beard made everything in six days not to mention a £500m black hole for “renewable energy” or terrorist connections especially after recent events in Manchester and London.

      1. In reality the Conservatives have more in common with nearly any other party including the Labour Party than the DUP – Yes she will soon be gone as I imagine the more progressive members of her party will perhaps do the calculation that the Tories will stand a better chance of gaining a majority under a different leader than risk being forced into an election when the demands of the DUP can’t be met.
        I agree with Boro Becky Dad’s point that given the almost equal split in the electorate – which will probably remain even with another election – then a two-year government of national unity is perhaps a better solution to the current impasse. Then hopefully the people as a whole will get the deal the best represents the significant majority and not the just being held hostage by the extremities on the political spectrum.
        Does the UK need to keep having elections because the main parties can’t discuss what it is that unites them? This will only lead to the risk of a more polarised outcome that leaves half of the electorate’s view not represented.

  211. Well the dust has settled on the two elections with different outcomes.
    On the GE, I shall keep it short. Mr Cameron misjudged Joe Public with the referendum and Mrs May misjudged the mood again. Both for selfish political reasons which has left us in a worse position.
    Her lack of humility is what peees me off really and the result shows that the great British public don’t know what they want and as I read this morning, one commentator was suggesting that a Government of national unity wouldn’t be a bad thing as we negotiate Brexit. There has to be a middle ground with the result saying, in effect, “we don’t want the hard Brexit but don’t fully go with the JC view of left wing socialism”
    Football now, I like what Redcar Red said, I think Monk will be good for us and the best available for a club in our situation. Some Leeds fans I know say that last season they were over achieving which meant that the dip at the end was expected. Nothing but good things about Monk.
    So we can be positive, looking forward to the fixture list which is out soon and some new signings.
    Off to a family wedding now and the horrible weather will not dampen what will be fantastic day!
    UTB

  212. RR
    You can please some of the people, etc. etc.
    There are no guaranteed winners in Football Management, ask Man City.
    As with any job, you can only select the individual who seems to best meet your criteria but there are no guarantees.
    Wish Footballl Supporters would “get real” and not write people off before a ball has been kicked and not bay for blood at the first sign that things aren’t going how they would like.

  213. RR an excellent article.
    You have quite rightly pointed out as I believe has Len previously that SG has chosen a young talented manager who ticks many of the boxes/areas that an incoming manager would need to do if he were to be appointed.
    He like all managers has had ups and downs but in my view was clearly top of the availability list as far as MFC were concerned.
    Everyone now needs to get behind him and the team as they both have a difficult task ahead and they will need our support during both the good and bad times to come.
    CoB – getting excited again after a dismal season. 😎

    1. Interesting piece in the EG about Bamford through the comments of Andy Campbell
      Here you go.. piece in the Gazette from Adam Steele.
      ONE former Middlesbrough forward is backing a member of the club’s current strike force to score up to 30 goals next season.
      January signing Patrick Bamford returned to training ahead of schedule at Rockliffe Park this week to sharpen up for Boro’s promotion campaign in the Championship.
      And the former Chelsea striker’s decision to start knocking himself into shape at the earliest possible opportunity has gone down well with ex-Boro and Cardiff striker Andy Campbell.
      The former £1m man made his Premiership debut for Boro at the age of 16 after coming through his hometown club’s ranks.
      And the 38-year-old reckons a fully fit and firing Bamford could easily surpass the 17 league goals he scored on loan for Boro when they reached the 2015 Championship play-off final next term with the benefit of his extra training.
      Bamford put two years of frustration behind him in May following a series of unsuccessful loan spells when he came off the bench to score his first Premier League goal for Boro against Southampton, and is now clearly eager to kick on.
      “Fair play to Patrick Bamford for reporting back to pre-season training early at Middlesbrough,” Campbell said.
      “He finished the Premier League season well that goal against Southampton in a Boro side which didn’t create many chances, and he clearly wants to give himself every opportunity to be ready for the games and the season ahead.
      “He’s scored goals for Boro in the Championship before and I think a fully-fit Patrick Bamford can score 25 to 30 goals for Boro next season.
      “I think the Championship is almost a little bit too easy for him, and you would like to think Boro are going to be more adventurous under the next manager – whoever it may be – so he can score goals.”
      The majority of Boro’s players are not expected to report back for training until the end of June, but Bamford has decided to get stuck in three weeks early and revealed he is following a “detailed” training programme.
      Campbell believes the 23-year-old forward’s decision to return to training early “makes sense”.
      “Fitness is a 24/7, 365 days a year operation now and you see the likes of John Terry on social media doing their exercises,” Campbell said.
      “Nowadays it’s all about plyometrics and core training, and even in non-league football you have lads who are ripped to bits and always in the gym.
      “They get paid well to play and some of the wages in professional football now are ridiculous, so fitness is top priority.
      “If you’re not at your best, someone else will take your place.
      “Pre-season now is more about getting ready to play games – players are expected to come back fit so Bamford’s decision to get ahead of the game makes sense.”
      Campbell spent six-and-a-half years of his 13-year professional playing career on his native Teeside and while he saw the approach to the close season evolve he still has many painful memories of working hard under former Boro boss Bryan Robson.
      “When Robbo came to Boro he was a lot more football orientated when it came to pre-season, because that’s what they did at Manchester United,” he said.
      “But we would still have training sessions that were an absolute slog.
      “We used to run up Eston Hills where the old ski slope was and get dropped off and picked up later.
      “Everybody would be laughing and joking to start with, but after about an hour it was horrendous.
      “We would do Saturday running sessions at Hurworth as well that were brutal – 1,500m, 800m, 600m and 400m and back up again.
      “Mark Summerbell was an absolute freak of nature.
      “He could do whatever time he wanted and still save a bit in the tank for later.
      “Back then the goalkeepers used to have to do all of the running as well and I used to keep Gary Walsh and Ben Roberts company at the back – let’s just put it that way.
      “I had attributes like pace, but I was never the best long distance runner.
      “All of the lads would go for a pint afterwards in Hurworth, which probably defeated the object, but I couldn’t see anything like that happening these days.
      “It’s a totally different culture.”
      Campbell is currently looking to get back into football after managerial stints in the Northern League with Norton and West Auckland and is currently weighing up his options for next season.

  214. Becky’s dad
    Summed up the election well, May is licking her wounds after her own folly. What we must not forget is that she is licking them in no 10 with a big increase in voter numbers, the largest share of the vote and seats.
    A bizarre result really, UKIP vote melted away and many went back to Labour as well as the Tories. We have had the debate before about where UKIP votes came from, well I have anyway, they were not all Tories.
    For the younger amongst us the correct name for the Tories is the Conservative and Unionist Party. Historically they were a coalition, party political broadcasts were always on the behalf of both of them.
    50 years ago the seats would have just been added together.
    Redcar Red
    I agree with the comments about Garry Monk, no great surprise about the way he sets his teams up, the vast majority of managers do the same. He has the opportunity to do well with some serious backing.
    Like every new manager we should give him a chance until at least, errr, August.

    1. That was the Ulster Unionists or the Official Unionist Party as it was then and they took the Conservative whip – they didn’t get any seats in the election this time. The DUP have never been aligned to the Tories and they are way to the right of the Conservative party.

    2. Ian
      They were the luckiest party in the history of British politics
      Both the press and the television made sure that the great rallies of the young for Corbin, were not seen on our screens alongside the disastrous efforts of may to avoid the public.
      Today the press is full of graphic accounts of the young standing twice round the block to vote
      Attending his meetings in their thousands, and cheering him.
      Putting up videos on the internet, telling their fellow students to register, and vote.
      The present student loan system is not fit for purpose.
      At (round figures) thirty thousand, tuition, fifteen thousand, lodge, six? thousand for keep. Fifty thousand,
      These idiots have put this debt in the hands of the money lenders, that is interest at three per cent above base rate, that’s eight per cent when we are back to five per cent base, that would be for no risk at all, nice, or what?
      The interest starts when you check in to uni on day one.
      The debt built Up at present is thirty billion.
      Can we trust the fools who devised this scheme to keep their word about writing it off?
      Can we trust the banks to ignore this sum when these kids ask for a mortgagee?

  215. Werder
    It was an historic comment rather than a glowing endorsement of the arrangements.
    The labour vote has been replaced by Sinn Fein (not a direct comparison), by SNP in Scotland. If you add their seats to Labour and the SNP it gives a similar alignment as in the past.
    The ‘right’ gets 328 seats, the ‘left’ 304. Plus others. That is how it would have looked when I was a young voter.

  216. I feel that in Garry Monk not only has SG made a sensible choice but hired somebody with enthusiasm and importantly a manager who should be able to communicate with his players.
    With some astute use of the youngsters, some sensible buys and the seniors in the team he can build something that will, above all, be worth watching.
    The important work-in-hand for me is not who he purchases but precisely who he gets on his side and buying into his vision and philosophy. Those that don’t should be off the payroll ASAP.
    An interesting summer ahead and the least all Boro supporters can do is give both him and the squad a chance and their support.
    UTB,
    John

  217. Well done SG, Garry Monk seems a fine choice indeed and, mega names aside, probably couldn’t be matched.
    He’ll his ideas but to get the crowd onside immediately, and return some DNA to the club, it would be wonderful to see some players come through the academy and onto the first team squad. We often hear how good these youngsters can be but previous bosses have shown much reluctance to give a them a go and it’s dispiriting and frustrates greatly when that happens.
    Chapman and Fry in the squad above the mass of ordinary and overpaid and divisive journeymen players would lift spirits in the manner of ’86 and help build a feel good factor. If they don’t work out, then at least we’ll know it wasn’t for lack of having a go. Nothing lasting ever comes from holding back.
    A good day for Middlesbrough FC.

    1. Good comment about the (very good ) young players.
      I believe that it is foolish to say to the outstanding young player,” well done, your time will come in three years time, go back to the youth team and work hard.
      All that happens is they stagnate, and we will never know how many tail off into mediocrity and end up doing ten seasons in the lower leagues.
      Fry should, in my opinion have played alongside Gibson for the final half of the season.

  218. A common complaint during both Mogga’s and Karanka’s regimes was their reluctance to give the “kids” a go as often as the fans would have liked. This, sadly, contributed to the toxicity that led to both coaches’ downfall.
    A fair argument is one that was made by @quizeye – he who claimed parochialism “made” sport. He said, “If they (the youngsters) can’t hack it after a few games, fair enough, bring in cover. But you’ll never know unless you try.”
    That’s the brave, idealistic, optimistic way of looking at it. The flip side of the argument, illustrated by NikeBoro, is that the confidence and form of too many of the players is brittle and dependent. They – and many of the youngsters fall into this category – can really only give their best when surrounded by sound players in a team that is on top and playing well.
    That might have explained why Mogga was reluctant to play Smallwood, Reach, L. Williams etc. But what excuse does Aitor have? Fry, Gibson, Reach (briefly) and Fewster (very, very briefly) were exceptions rather than the rule as we took on loanees and journeymen instead. Players, I suspect, who could be trusted to conform rather than do their own thing and upstage the great leader. The dangers of believing your own cult.

    1. We have witnessed some real donkeys in the form of loanees at the Riverside. So many in fact that its difficult to think that our younger players could have been any worse despite their lack of experience.
      Speaking of witnesses I see our ex Goalkeeper extraordinaire regained match fitness and managed to turn up for his own wedding in Barcelona on Friday. For the sake of Yolanda his Bride I hope she has read the small print on the marriage contract. From the photos and media reports of the event there didn’t seem to any representation from his time in Manchester or Middlesbrough or maybe their celebrity status just didn’t merit a photographers attention. Leo’s invite must have slipped down the back of the settee I assume.
      Staying with a goalkeeping theme Brad Guzan has also added to the dressing room disharmony:
      “There was a lot going on behind closed doors that people don’t see and people don’t understand or realize. That probably affected things on the pitch, and when you have situations like that happening, it takes its toll on players and it takes its toll ultimately on the team.”

  219. Under AK, Big Ken Omeruo was successful, to a point. Ditto Negredo. Bamford (in 2014-15) and Given were outright successes. Chalobah impressed without being spectacular. Ditto Graham, and arguably Vossen. I also liked Kalas. And I think we all liked Chambers.
    Ryan Fredericks started well, then faded, Veljkovic, Zuculini and Stephens were neither awful nor great, De Laet was fine, Fabbrini made his mark and Amorebieta will always have Brentford and that lovely throughball for Stewie against MK Dons. Just don’t talk about his displays at left-back and that Rotherham howler. Or Tiendalli. Or Kike Sola.
    So AK comes across as fairly skilled in the loan market. His weaknesses lay in the permanent signings.
    For Mogga it was virtually the other way round – he bought the building blocks of our promotion but, if you don’t count Ayala, Paul Smith and Ikeme, which loannees stand out from his reign? Big Ish Miller? The “Bartman” Ogbeche? Powder puff McEachran? Sammy Ameobi? Adam Hammill? (Cringe.)
    Alright, Varga was fine.

  220. I think Monk will fit in well, Redcar Red gave us a good summation of the way he plays, I am sure RR will have it right so good business in the summer will give him the tools to work with.
    Then it is up to the coaches and players to deliver.

  221. I agree with all of the positive comments about Monk. We appear to have acquired an intelligent thoughtful young manager who actually has some experience. Now we need to see how the squad shapes up.
    Viewed from afar, the election seems totally unreal. For years the Tories were the hard-hearted party who believed in the free market and lower taxation but, above all, they were competent. One didn’t have to like them but they would get things done. Now May has destroyed that image by running the single worst campaign that I’ve ever seen.
    On the other side, Corbyn campaigned brilliantly but all but the most blind supporters must question just where all this money is coming from. In many ways, he was emulating Trump in promising everything to people who were desperate for some good news.
    Quite where things go now is anybody’s guess. The country needs a competent and experienced leader but how one gets that is hard to see.
    I’m happy to concentrate on football.
    UTB

  222. Not convinced the Tories were ever that competent, though they have always been successful at protecting the wealthy elite, and at joining it (if they weren’t already born into it).
    Competence goes deeper than the election:
    https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/jun/09/clouds-gather-over-uk-economy-as-more-data-points-to-lacklustre-growth
    Perhaps a government’s success should be judged by whether it grows the economy but also whether it brings down child poverty, and Blair / Brown did that. Cameron and May, on the other hand:
    https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/mar/16/child-poverty-in-uk-at-highest-level-since-2010-official-figures-show

  223. Quoting from Dom’s article today:
    ‘Monk was Steve Gibson’s first choice for the role since stepping down as Leeds United boss last month…Monk having always been the chairman’s first choice to take charge…’
    Note: Monk stepped down at Leeds on 25th May, and will hold his press conference tomorrow, a gap of 18 days, or the best part of three weeks.
    ‘Monk will no doubt be asked about his backroom team in his press conference on Monday’.
    Note: the backroom team is still being sorted out.
    ‘In terms of timing, Monk now has just over a fortnight to set about getting his plans in place before the squad return for pre-season.’
    ‘The new boss will also meet with the club’s scouting team early doors to discuss priorities and ideas ahead of the new season’.
    Note: Early doors = the club will function promptly from now on, but…
    The delays should not be fatal, a lot of business will be done near the deadline, but on the face of it the club could have been speaking to the right people to develop deals for Monk’s key targets two weeks ago. Only Garry Monk knows which targets will be the best fit for the way he wants to play.
    For a long time last season I had a sense of the club sleepwalking to disaster, and the managerial appointment was starting to feel the same way.
    I think with Monk’s appointment we have woken up in time, but only just.

    1. Mark
      I have heard that Beattie has signed as first team coach but the goalkeeping coach and the other coach he had at Leeds is still being negotiated
      I have also heard on the signing front that they are interested in the Brighton keeper who wants to return to the North East
      OFB

  224. The trouble with politicians is they don’t listen to their advisors, and I don’t mean political advisors. I worked in Local Government all my working life and many councillors had their own “personal” agenda. They couldn’t understand that Local Government officers were non-political.
    Our remit on schemes was to present the facts, and the councillors were there to make decisions, and it was amazing the number of times councillors of all political parties would disregard the facts to push through their own schemes.
    I guess it is no different in Central Government. One of my favourite programmes (and I believe Margaret Thatcher’s) was “Yes, Minister”, but it was a comedy, and Civil Servants were non-political. Their shenanigans were amusing but not what happened in reality. Whether Thatcher believed that or not I don’t know, but their seems to have always been a mistrust by some politicians/councillors of Civil Servants/Local Government Officers and that is why some political decisions are made unwisely.
    When Thatcher introduced the Poll Tax, it might have seemed a good idea to many, but it was quite unworkable and despite reservations from the Local Government Association she went ahead with it. I can only guess that Theresa May will also have ignored advice from her Civil Servants over the dangers of forming a government with the DUP but chooses to ignore that advice.
    I’m not saying that most politicians are corrupt (though I came across some that were) but once they have been in power they don’t like relinquishing it.
    I suppose that is understandable to a certain degree. It is the same for we Boro supporters. We enjoyed being in the Premier League (well maybe ‘enjoy’ was the wrong word for last season) but we aspire to our being there again as quickly as possible. I don’t expect that to happen next season although a top six position should be attainable with the right acquisitions.
    Probably Garry Monk was the best appointment we could have made. He is young and slightly inexperienced, but Eddie Howe was when he guided Bournemouth to promotion. I would be delighted if he emulates him, especially if Boro play as attractively as Bournemouth and gain promotion within two years, and more importantly once promoted stay in the Premier League.

  225. Ken
    I have posted before about an interview on radio – in 1982 I think. The ‘inventor’ of yes minister was asked where the idea came from and I will summarise part of his answer as best as my memory will allow
    In 1964 there was a petition to re open a case about someone who had been convicted of an offence – may have been murder but it was a serious crime. The shadow home secretary presented the petition to the government.
    A general election took place and the shadow become the home secretary. He subsequently turned down the petition.
    No slight on the politicians or civil servants but it helped create a light bulb moment.
    I agree with your comments about Monk, Eddie Howe was more experienced than Monk when Bournemouth had their promotion season but we should be able to do well.

  228. OFB
    He was born in Leeds and started with Huddersfield. Age 31 and 6′.3″ with over 133 games for Brighton.
    Could be a good addition to the squad and to fight with Dimi/Ripley for the first team place.
    In my view we need to move Meijas on.

  230. Just watched the U20 final and it’s the first game I’ve seen live where the video ref was used. So what happened? Round about the 70th minute there was a minor tussle in our box and the Venuzualen fell over. At first glance definitely not worth a penna. However, the ref blows and then asks for the video. Fair enough, thinks me, let’s have a second look. So we look at the video and this confirms, in my opinion, no penalty! But the video ref backs the original decision and says yes, correct decision! So what went wrong?
    There’s no way the ref would have given that penna in a game without the video ref. It was a nothing challenge. Obviously his line of thought was I’ll just blow and let the cameras decide. The video ref now has to OVERRULE his decision! If in doubt he backs the ref. He’s looking for something to prove the ref wrong, but he’s obviously going to err on his side.
    Conclusion … we are now not going to get less incorrect decisions but MORE!
    Apart from that congratulations to England on a historic victory.
    CHAMPIONS OF THE WOOOOOOOOOOOORLD!!!!!!

  231. Just catching up on the blog, a thought on the election;
    Pension savings aren’t taxed , virtually everyone in the country is worse off than pre-recession, social care has to be paid for by someone. As do university fees.
    I agree there are too many pointless degrees.
    May lost seats and had to make a pact with a Christian fundamentalist party because she ran an inept campaign.
    Jeremy Corbyn ran an excellent campaign and came across as a decent man.
    To my mind neither major party having a majority can only be a good thing, running a minority government or a coalition keeps politicians honest and ensures moderation.

  232. Exciting times ahead (hopefully)
    So I’ve had a little look at the current squad. Some of whom we know have already gone or are about to go.
    I also had a trawl through twitter and news now to see whom Boro were apparently interested in.
    So have a look and put your own squad together for the coming season.
    Players In or retained
    Stockdale gk
    Ripley gk
    Dimi gk
    Da Silva fb
    Friend fb
    Kyle Bartley def
    Aden Flint ch
    Dael Fry ch
    Gibson ch (hopefully)
    Fischer m
    Forshaw m
    Clayton m
    Snodgrass m/f
    Chapman winger
    Stuani striker
    Bamford striker
    Gestede striker
    James Vaughan striker
    Cameron Jerome winger
    Players Out
    Valdez
    Guzan
    Husband
    Espinosa
    Ayala
    De Roon
    Ramirez
    Barragan
    Chambers
    Negredo
    Guediora
    Leadbitter
    Downing

  233. Forgot about the players on loan
    Players out on loan
    Mejias Gk
    De Sart mid
    De Pena Winger
    Baptiste Def
    Out of them I would only keep De Sart

    1. I think Baptiste is an experienced, dependable and proven player at this level and now fully fit. He can fill in at CB or RB so for me a excellent squad player but one good enough to put pressure on the regulars and stake a claim. I have doubts about de Sart and suspect he will disappoint and de Part, happy to be wrong though!

  234. I don’t see Ayla leaving. He will be a fixture if not injured. He needs a good pre season.
    BTW, at what time will be the Monk presser? UTB.

  235. As part of the preparation for the new season I suggest we all learn the following lyrics as MMP will doubtless cringingly be playing it non stop at 150 dBA.
    Hey, hey, we’re the Monkees
    And people say we monkey around
    But we’re too busy singing
    To put anybody down
    We’re just trying to be friendly
    Come and watch us sing and play
    We’re the young generation
    And we’ve got something to say
    Hey, hey, we’re the Monkees
    Hey, hey, we’re the Monkees

  236. Why do people seem to want to get rid of de Roon, as far as I am aware MFC have not had a bid for him or even an inquiry, all we have is newspaper speculation. If, as many on here believe, that the management and players read the blogs, de Roon will be getting the impression that Boro supporters don’t want him at the club. If you are reading this Marten, let me make it quite clear, myself and a lot of Boro supporters want you to stay and be part of our promotion push.
    I disagree with Redcar Red about de Sart, the few times I saw him in a Boro shirt I was impressed and by all accounts he was doing well at Derby until Rowlett took over and wanted to assess the players he would have for this next season.
    Last season was their first season in English football for all 3 players (I am including Fischer) and in my eyes there was great potential in all of them so to sell them to possibly promotion rivals, could really come back and bite us on the bum. Worse still if they go on to greater things and command big transfer fees, for the sake of one more season. I hope Garry Monk will not pre judge them.
    Come on BORO.

    1. I don’t think anyone particularly wants rid of de Roon plus I doubt there have been many bids either made or rejected anywhere until July starts in earnest when the clubs get back to work. The issue with de Roon is that it took him a while to get going, once he did he looked to be a useful acquisition but not as the tough tackling “wave breaker” more as an attacking midfielder.
      His price tag (not his fault) led many to expect more (perhaps unrealistically at premiership level) and as it was he ended up excelling (perhaps a bit of an oversell) at something he wasn’t brought in to do. His naive comments about wanting to join a bigger club like Everton wasn’t the smartest comment ever made by a Boro player (although there has been much worse over the years).
      He is far from a hate figure and I think most Boro fans warmed to him as the season progressed because we could at least see 100% effort whilst he was on the pitch which was more than could be said of some. Reality though is that he wants to play at the top level in his chosen sport and has just broken into the National squad, like Gibson he may see that International opportunity slip if he doesn’t move hence why its “anticipated” by fans rather than wanted.

    2. It’s not that we want rid of De Roon but he signed as a Premiership player and has a relegation release clause in his contract……..

      1. Ian will probably know far more than any of us on here but my recollections of de Sart at Derby was that he started off on fire as MOM and then went rapidly downhill from there. To the point where Rowett’s comments about “wanting to see his own players and what he had to work with” was perhaps more down to him being tactful about the young lad. I seem to recall lots of groans about him continually giving the ball away?

  237. Talking of transfer speculation, the Northern Echo report that Liverpool are about to launch a £20m bid for Gibson, Burnley are interested in Friend as well as Lazio wanting de Roon and of course, Ramirez wanting away.
    Come on BORO.

  238. OFB
    Interesting squad, no Leadbelter or Stewie.
    Grant may have a role to play as club captain, Stewie is a tricky one. His performances didn’t set the Championship alight nor did he settle back in to the premiership as if he had never left.
    Their roles will depend on who comes in, a couple of pacey fliers would not abode well for Stewie.
    If de Roon stays it is difficult to see a role for Grant in the first team.
    Gibson to Burnley for £20m, no thanks, I would rather he went to Toon on loan! I didn’t mean that, he should go to a top club for £30m+ if he is to leave.

    1. Where did the £20million come from? It seems to be a universally quoted figure and I would have thought an English CB at his age and with his potential should be £35million. It’s not as if the clubs mentioned can’t afford it. Anyway he may decide to stay to see where the project goes.
      UTB,
      John

  240. I noticed that the Gazette has a piece saying that Monk is “not afraid to try something outside the box”. Trying something “outside the box” is what we excelled at, it was getting into the flippin the box that was the problem! 🙂

    1. Garry Monk: “People talk about philosophies and stuff but for me it starts with needing to win games.”
      “Winning games”, thats a great start for me, like a breath of fresh air (make that a gust)!
      Even got a new catchphrase to add to the historical ones:
      “Quality Players”
      “Magnificent”
      “It is what it is”
      “For this we are happy”
      and now we have
      “Ticks boxes”
      🙂

  243. Garry Monk’s Boro could have a very familiar look to them. Like AK he was a centre back himself, he likes to play 4-2-3-1, with one upfront and keeps it tight at the back. His 2014/15 Swansea side were one of the lowest scorers in the top half, they scored more than 2 only three times all season with 1-0 being the most regular score, but they were second in the league in clean sheets. At Leeds last season they were only 10th in goals scored despite having the top goal scorer, but 4th best in goals conceded. A regular gripe from Leeds fans was that when plan A failed (i.e. Chris Wood to score), then they didn’t have a plan B.
    So his familiar playing style could be seen as good for continuity with respect to our current squad and system or bad if you prefer high scoring goal fests, let’s not jump to pre-judge just yet though.

  244. What was he on about?
    All I heard was Leeds, and tick a box?
    Karanka made more sense , dear me if your nervous at a conference ,I won’t hold my breath.

  245. Well, up in Sunderland they are talking about a ‘positive’ takeover talks with German consortium, they don’t have a manager yet, not much money to spend on new signings and have just let their best striker to join Bournemouth.
    I feel bad to be happy at the situation at Boro. Garry Monk just installed, two World Champion young players, the best chairman and money to spend. And good core of players most contracted to the club.
    So everything is relative. Up the Boro!

  246. billog72
    We have discussed this before, managers nearly all play the same way. Even Eddie Howe sends his teams out to be tight but Bournemouth have players with pace and kick the round thing towards the sticks with netting (for sweet peas I think you don’t need netting for spuds). They also pass to each other
    There was an interesting graphic showing which parts of the team the clubs spent money. 95% of our spending was on attack and midfielders – no wonder Gibbo was underwhelmed with recruitment

    1. Indeed, and not many have a much mooted effective plan B, maybe Conte and his three at the back revolation excepted. Most play their “plan A” ninety percent of the time, why wouldn’t they, and only try something completely different (plan B) as a very last resort. Someone well respected in football management circles, I can’t remember who, once said that players at a certain level are all pretty much similar in terms of ability and you can talk all you like about tactics, systems, plans, stats and dossiers etc., but the most important one thing to get right that makes all the difference is “man management” and getting the very best out of those players.
      We are now familiar with a recent example of this going very wrong, let’s hope Gibbo has seen something in Monk to get it right.

  247. Sometimes a manager gets it right and things are apparently going well only for it to fall apart.
    I am not talking about Boro here, many clubs seem to hit a brick wall for little rhyme or reason to the outsider. It isn’t just the manager to blame.
    Sport is slightly different to real life, a factory has processes that to an extent govern how people are managed, in football you have 20+ different well paid prima donnas to keep happy. You do require a core to provide stability.
    When Ronaldo first went to ManU it was the senior players who forced him to change his ways and become more effective. Listening to an interview of Tony Adams by Merse and it is clear that the Arsenal core played a huge part in their success.

    1. Well done, Ian. Only two touches. I think we saw a Scottish PL player last time around needing up to four touches to hit the ton.
      I think we should only accept one touch for the ton, mind. Truly professionals like GHW! UTB!

  250. Let’s get the Ben Gibson thing into some sort of perspective.
    Manchester City pay close to 50 million for Stones (Bambi on ice ?)
    20 million for Gibson ?
    Given that City always pay over the odds for players, 40 million would be more like it for Ben in the current Premier League economic climate.
    However, let’s hope he elects to stay and give it a go.

    1. I think Ben would be willing to give it until January at least before putting his career first purely out of emotional attachment to the club rather than anything rational. I think the club would be happy also as financially just now they are not dependent upon the finances from a big transfer.
      There is a big “But” in all of this. Baggies open the bidding at £20m and get told to do one, they up it to £25m and get told the same, Liverpool come in with £30m and by this point City and Chelsea are sniffing around for what is literally loose change and up it further. North of £35m and the club could see it as good business. £10m buys you a top Championship defender.
      If Ayala stays, Fry progresses, Baptiste with his proven experience and Espinosa (like him or loathe him) will be fitter and not facing Lukaku’s, Costa’s and Silva each week they should all be good enough. Throw in the Kyle Bartley/Monk/Swansea link and I think its highly likely that the club would cash in Ben at a tempting offer with a sell on clause added on, £40m it is then!

  251. I see Leeds fans are fairly “disappointed” at Monk’s comments about leaving Elland Road. It appears to me that just as their negotiations were taking or about to take place a certain Mr. Orta arrives and Monk coincidentally isn’t too happy or in his own parlance had a box unticked.
    Now its pure speculation on my part but are Leeds fans really that slow on the uptake on what could possibly have changed from the end of the season?

  252. Boro have a new manager, Yorkshire beat Somerset by 3 runs in a fantastic finish to go top of the County Championship, and Cas won yesterday to take a 6 point lead in Super League.
    What a great weekend!

    1. Would have been better still if Wales hadn’t been pegged-back by Serbia, but I take the point, Ken! A Brownlee 1-2 in Leeds in the Triathlon event there (and a British 4+5 in the same race), Lewis Hamilton wins in Montreal…….sport just keeps on giving. I was driving to M’bro with Yorkshire needing that last wicket to win today, and when I checked the phone on arrival I was much relieved. Too close for comfort!
      But at least there will be football to look forward to in about 8 weeks’ time.

  253. Ken
    You can add in the Lions win in New Zealand,, England sending the Aussies packing, Hamilton winning the Grand Prix.
    Shame England didn’t beat Scotland but the kids won the U20 world cup.

  255. Redcar make s a good point, if we’re offered £40 million for Gibson then selling becomes very close to being a no brainer.
    Ian – regarding the weekends sporting success, England may have drawn but it felt like a win to me, scoring right at the death after conceding those two free kicks.
    I’m pleased with the Gary Monk appointment, he feels like the right man to me.

  256. I’m not sure that Stones and Gibson are a direct comparison. They are a similar age (although Stones was two younger than Gibson is now when he got his move) but Stones had a little more Premier League experience. The main point though is that Stones was thought to be Rio Ferdinand-like on the ball. Two factors there, I think:
    1. I presume the thinking was that Stones’ defending could be coached into him but his ball-playing skills were a more natural talent. No-one will be expecting Ben to develop into a such a strong technical player, that’s not his game
    2. Pep Guardiola/Man City wanted exactly that kind of centre-back, which adds millions to any player’s value. Throw in any threat of a bidding war and the price rises to ridiculous levels, as it did with Stones.
    Ben is a very good centre-back in my opinion and his best is still yet to come. However, he has played his football in a team that offered him great protection and that must raise a slight doubt in the minds of those who would have to pay a very large sum to acquire him. I’m very much hoping he stays, his leadership is so valuable to us, but I don’t think we’ll be getting offers of £40m unless a serious bidding war breaks out. I’d be surprised if someone offered over £30m. That’s not meant to be slight on Ben Gibson, just that I think we are perhaps valuing him against a slightly different set of circumstances.
    Onto the manager. I’m on record as saying that Jokanovic was my first choice. He was the only potential option that really stood out for me but it doesn’t appear he was available. I’m satisfied with Monk, but that is largely because the choice appears to have been between him, Pearson and Agnew, which, for me, is barely a choice at all.
    There are plenty of positives with Monk – some Championship experience, a reasonable level of success in his managerial career to date, young and hungry; all well documented above by Redcar Red and others – but a reasonable number of unknowns too I think. He looks like the best option Gibson had available to him, so there’ll be no real criticism from me at SG’s door.
    We must now give him the tools to do his job, in the shape of backroom staff and especially playing staff. It’s a job of which I think he is capable.

  257. Nigel
    Depriving the auld enemy in injury time makes it a bit sweeter. I kept switching channels so I could follow the cricket as well.
    The Ben situation will be interesting, could he be tempted with the give it a go until Christmas scenario? Maybe a sale and loan back.
    A lot depends on who wants him, then how much and how soon.
    We don’t need a fire sale, if top clubs are really keen an auction in January could yield the best price.

  258. Andy
    Typing whilst you posted.
    Gibson could be suited to playing alongside Stone to do the defending and leaving Stone to be the free man. Vidic and Ferdinand spring to mind. Pep was never averse to having a hatchet man alongside a footballer – Puyol and Piquet for example.
    Chelsea is a possibility as he is left footed but Conte may prefer his current set up.
    Liverpool and Arsenal need centre backs.
    I don’t think going to the likes of West Brom or Burnley would do his career any good – I am not being unfair to those clubs, I just think he needs to go higher up the food chain and where he will get a chance.

  259. Ian
    I do feel a bit sorry for the Aussies (I can’t believe I’ve just written that), but although I’m glad England beat them, I do think they were very unlucky with the weather especially against Bangladesh and think that the competition loses something with their elimination. They do play any sport hard with that “Yorkshire” grit, and it’s always good to beat them at any sport.
    As for the “kick and clap sport” of Rugby Union I rarely get excited about, nor motor racing, snooker or tennis nowadays, but I did like the excitement of speedway (no gears, no brakes) especially in the days of Gary Havelock, Mark Courtney, Steve Wilcock and Martin Dixon – nostalgic again!
    Andy R
    I have to agree about your comments regarding Ben Gibson.I can’t see any club paying more than 25m for who is now a Championship player and as yet an uncapped international.
    Don’t get me wrong; I think he is a very good player and would hope to keep him, but he has been shielded with a 5 man defensive midfield in most matches in the Premier League so in my opinion not yet tested to his full potential.

    1. Rich
      He may be on a free but I don’t think he really adds a lot to our squad and is not particularly quick. If it was me looking to recruit then I would pass on JL.

  261. Ian
    Agree with your comments on Gibson and if I were Conte, I’d very interested indeed in Ben Gibson. A left-sided centre-back was about the only position they could improve upon last season (though it sounds like they need a striker now).
    I would equally be interested if I were Wenger. Chambers and Gibson could be a proper partnership for them in time.
    Liverpool do need a centre-half and a leader at the back as well.
    Stones and Gibson has major potential too but City are fairly well stocked.
    Certainly though, the ingredients are there for a bidding war. However, It is only if two or more of those clubs come in for him that we’ll get the sort of money we think would be too good to turn down.
    There should be absolutely no need to sell to a Burnley or West Brom, with all due respect.

  262. But, as we’ve all said before, I would very much like Mr Monk to have a good look at Ripley, Fry and Harry Chapman before making any decisions involving a cheque book. One of the things we struggled with last season was the odd player who obviously had no wish to play for the club, let alone showing drive and commitment to play.
    You can’t inject ability into a player who doesn’t have it. However you CAN coach the ability that is already inside and, if the player has the character and commitment to improve, and the desire to do his best when wearing the shirt, that is a very good place to start.

  264. Ken
    Sorry for the Aussies? Never, they will never show any sympathy for us, scorn if we win, even more scorn if we lose.
    I was asked a question by chap from the land of the long white cloud, ‘what is the difference between a jet engine and an Aussie? The jet engine stops whining when it reaches Sydney’.
    There again an Aussie asked me if I knew why New Zealand men married New Zealand women. Apparently sheep cant cook.
    The Scots are desperate for us to lose, so are the Welsh and Irish.
    I am scrupulously fair, I wish them all the success they wish us.
    Don’t get me wrong, I get on with anyone – even residents of the White Carpathians.
    Balance in everything

    1. Ian
      Maybe I should have said that I respect their sporting achievements. I do think however that they have that “never say die” attitude similar to we Yorkshire folk. I still like to beat them though at their national sports (excluding Aussie Rules) of cricket and especially Rugby League which hasn’t happened for God knows how many years.
      Regarding their superior attitude to other countries, I take it as banter. We’re Poms to them, Limeys to the Yanks, and Sassenachs to the Scots, and none of these terms bother me.In fairness the English are arrogant towards the Celtic nations at times, and that is why they like to beat us at football and rugby.
      Similarly, all Cricket counties love to beat Yorkshire. Whether they respect us, or perceive us as being arrogant, is open to debate.
      I am a proud Yorkshireman, Englishman, and indeed European, and life’s experiences have shown me that one cannot generalise about people’s nationalities; there are good eggs and bad apples in fairly equal proportions.
      However I’m still pleased to beat the living daylights out of them in the sporting arena!

  265. Devastated that Scotland did not hang on when they were 2- 1 up….
    . Anyway back to my other love……Boro
    watched the GM interview on Tees and I was totally impressed by our new manager . I felt it was so refreshing in the way that he spoke unlike some of our previous managers . A lot of honesty in his answers . I hope also that SG has given him total responsibility for deciding which players to move on etc
    Downing for one must be shaking in his boots , for me he would be the first one out the door along with his mate Woodgate and Agnew . I look forward so much to what I think will be a fantastic season under GM

  266. I think we can assume that the Downing/Karanka relationship wasn’t the best. It appears or at least rumoured that Downing was involved in some sort of bust up or disagreement with AK. We now know that there was a divided camp, how divided we don’t know but there was certainly some kind of unease. How and why this happened we don’t really know. We do know that some players faces definitely fitted and could do no wrong whereas others clearly could do wrong and were dropped for want of a better phrase.
    For me this seriously manifested itself away at Derby when Albert was singled out (rightly) for not picking his man up in the dying minutes leading to a goal. Stuani however had just come on and launched a ridiculous unnecessary tackle near the touchline close to the halfway line. the resultant free kick for me is what led to the goal. Now Albert should have picked up the Derby player but Stuani was ridiculously careless in giving away the Free Kick. One was sanctioned by AK, one wasn’t.
    There are other examples and I don’t want to start listing them as I’m sure we can all remember them and its in the past but with seemingly one rule for one and another rule for another it can’t have been great. Leo even felt the wrath of Aitor despite his Charltongate performance showing the utmost loyalty.
    We don’t know for certain but it appears on the outside looking in that AK perhaps wasn’t the best man manager. Throw in his tendency to have favourites, the Orta conundrum and one or two players who clearly thought their proverbial smelled of roses and maybe it got to the point where a Boro lad said something that probably 99% of Teessiders would say in a given situation?
    I don’t know whether Stewy was in the right or wrong but with Leo also falling out with AK (who can forget Higgygate) clearly the atmosphere at times must have been a little difficult to take. It was commented on here (well Untypical anyway) about how little interchange there seemed to be between AK and Aggers during games and were we just imagining it? How many bust ups has Downing had in a fairly lengthy career? The only other one I recall is being played at LB by Rodgers at Liverpool and that wasn’t exactly a tea cup smashing moment.
    We do know that there was unrest in the dressing room that was being covered up and even reported regularly as being the happiest ever, happier than even the happiest happy event known to mankind. Even the Gazette lads fell for it hook, line and sinker. Before Downing is castigated as the villain what if he as a senior pro stuck up for some of the lads who were being treated impolitely? What if he himself was being spoken to in a manner most of us would find unacceptable and replied as most of us would like to but mortgages and family precluded us from saying what we really felt or thought?
    Downing was bought to fit a system that he didn’t fit into, not entirely his fault, ditto Rhodes. His performances on the pitch didn’t reflect the outlay but I don’t think he dropped down a division after being the player of the season or whatever at West Ham to take the proverbial and stir it as well. I’m not convinced that Downing is the character he has been painted, there are far too many others who fell foul of the wrath of Aitor for it to be a coincidence. Emulating a moody Mourinho is great if you have a cabinet full of Trophies but AK didn’t take us there and being honest he was taking us back to where we had been.
    SG has many failings like all of us but he does eventually call time (probably too long and too late) on individuals who fail to deliver. He is closer to the truth and indeed rumoured had to step in and restore order of a sort after Charltongate. For some reason unknown and not washed in public Downing is still here.

  267. Couldn’t agree more RR. A friend of mine, not a player but let’s just say someone who wears a tracksuit to work at Hurworth told me a long time ago that about four months into Aitor’s reign the English coaching staff got together and approached him to stage an intervention. They suggested that it may be a cultural issue but his habit of blasting individual players in the dressing room in front of their mates was not the way here and was counter productive.
    His response was that he had seen his mate reduce one of the best players in the world, no prizes for guessing who, to tears at half time during a match and if it was good enough for him…
    All this took place long before Downing came back to the club and from what I hear Downing can be a touch arrogant so may not be entirely blame free but if I were Gibbo in his (other) day job and I had recruited a highly paid executive to join my team with a view to improving it and he kept schtum and kept his head down when he could see things going on that weren’t right I would see him as being culpable in the failure.
    I would expect the new manager to grant everyone (bar Ramierez) a clean slate as restoring harmony in the dressing room should be top of his to do list.

  268. RR
    As always some very valid points.
    As far as SD is concerned, we don’t have both sides of the story, or all three sides as there often are. Forgetting all the background issues, SD has rarely produced on the pitch and I am not convinced that it is all down to the system, he is not the player he was or never was.
    I am not convinced that GM will be able to turn him into what is needed for the Championship. I suspect he will be retained initially, as I am sure that GM’s management style is to give everyone a chance to prove themselves but if he doesn’t produce then he may become surplus in January.
    I, like most supporters, are eager to see what unfolds during the coming weeks.
    CoB

  269. I am sorry but I disagree with the above comments about Downing, from the information I have heard Downing, Agnew and Woodgate were deliberately undermining AK and causing a split in the dressing room.
    If as you say about Downing that he was upset about AK methods, why would he not turn up on the pitch on match day. Over the past two seasons how many of your match reports, RR, have you praised Downing compared to how many you have said he didn’t turn up. We all had hopes he would tear up the Championship but at the end of the season (and last season) the majority on this site were saying what a waste of money.
    In my eyes, Downing was not the knight in shining armour come to sort out the Spanish Armada but everyone is entitled to their view. I am not saying AK was perfect because he did make a lot of mistakes and I think he was very frustrated by what was going on in the background. How many statements from various players were made in support of AK during his time praising his methods, both training and preparation about the next opponent, how many players went to thank him when he was leaving the club ? surprising for such an evil tyrant.
    As I have stated earlier, we can all choose what we want to believe and we probably will never know the whole true story. We have a new manager, who I think will be a good fit for the Boro and it is a time to look forward with hope.
    Come on BORO.

  270. I’m sorry exmil but the phrase ‘from the information I have heard’ doesn’t cut it. For your accusation re Downing, Woodgate and Agnew to have legs you need to provide firm evidence, otherwise there’s a danger of your comment looking like gossip.
    For me Redcar is spot on, I also agree that the way forward is for Monk to wipe the slate clean for the whole squad except Ramirez.

    1. Nigel
      As far as memory goes, it came as a bolt from the blue, when we (finally) were told about the all out fighting behind the scenes, (too late, of course)
      As for AK , as a man who (definitely) did not speak the lingo, not even football speak, I fail to see how he could have humiliated anyone in front of the dressing room, you need a good command of English to do that.
      The opposite is very easy, a bunch of players with a nasty streak could make a foreign coaches life hell.

  273. Hull city have received bids for Harry Maguire and Andrew Robertson, both players are close to completing the deals to leave the club.
    It will be interesting to see where Harry goes and for how much.
    Come on BORO.

  274. I haven’t been on for a while but I would like to ask some questions:
    Why are there adverts on this sit e.g. Wonga occasionally and some plastic surgery company. Who is being paid for this?
    On to Boro: Why has no-one at the Gazette asked (or not printed) what is happening with Monk’s backroom staff i.e. Steve Agnew?

    1. Dalla
      I never see any adverts on my link!
      Ref the back room team Monk Was asked about it by the EG journos and said it was being discussed
      Out of respect for Agnew no decision was announced about his future but I believe he will leave
      Monk will probably bring Beattie as attacking coach and also a goal keeping coach
      I had heard Beattie had already signed with Monk on Friday
      OFB

  275. Dalla, I must admit I have not seen any adverts on this site, are you sure they are not pop ups on what ever means you use to access the site.
    During the press conference yesterday I am sure it was stated that Monks support staff will be sorted out in the next couple of weeks, I also think Agnew is on holiday so they will at least wait until he is back.
    Come on BORO.

  276. Definitely adverts and not pop-ups. Appear just after Werder’s text. Fisher investments; MyHeritage and more. If I change my settings (as I do if I want to read Premium Boro for free) then they aren’t there.

  277. Ken
    Agree with your views about beating other teams. We have Surrey in the one day cup and they are starting to get away from us at 247-3 with 8 overs left.

  278. I too think that Redcar Red’s comments about Downing are spot on. I have never thought Stewie to be the most demonstrative player and was very surprised when the rumours pointed the finger at him as part of the disharmony with AK. He was never likely to be captain of a team and whilst I think that he has taken that role occasionally, I think that it has been more of a token role to recognise his contribution.
    Similarly any lack of impact which many posters feel that Stewie has had since his return may well be down to the relationship with the manager. I certainly know people who, when they feel unsupported or even actively disliked by their boss, sometimes don’t give their best! An old adage that I like is that people work for people and not companies or organisations. Now there is an obvious counter argument that the people that players should be working for are the fans but the reality is that the fan’s importance to football has been virtually nonexistent for many years now.

      1. Great article Werdermouth and I found your “Monk fish” references particularly amusing. 😀
        The squad comparisons are interesting and whilst on the face of it we may have a good core suited to the Championship that could rapidly change if we cannot hang onto some of the key players.
        Lots of ins and outs could change the dynamics and there may well have to be a bedding in period for new recruits which could impact upon the ability to “smash” the league.
        I suspect our new manager is certainly going to be busy over the next few weeks and it will be fascinating to see what unfolds starting with his back room team.

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