The latest in a series of profiles and interviews, Orginal Fat Bob gives his personal view on the life and career of a footballing guest before sitting down for a chat and asking a few questions. Our Diasboro special guest this week is Dave Roberts…
1. The Overview – the man and his career
Dave Roberts is a man of many talents Radio broadcaster, TV Presenter and Sports Personality, Middlesbrough Mayoral candidate (he came third in May 2015 election after standing as an independent, behind winner Dave Budd and former hedge fund manager Andy Preston in second), football referee – plus he’s even done a bungee jump off the transporter bridge!
When I asked him why he had decided to do a bungee jump, he laughed and told me a rather unexpected story… “The bungee jump was to bring closure to my fool of a great great uncle, Daniel McAllister, who when a little drunk lost a bet to dive from the top of the then new transporter bridge and in doing so unsurprisingly became the first person to die from jumping off it. It had always been a family tale that someone had apparently done this, so I began an investigation to try and confirm it. The problem was that the McAllister family line had disappeared so we could never prove it. That was until I undertook a search of the Teesside archives and microfiche Gazette archives and there he was, in all his not so glamorous glory.” – incidentally, you can see Dave beginning his bungee jump in the header graphic photo.
Dave always does however, come across first and foremost as a Boro supporter! He gave me a photo of him on the Beeline bus, holding his scarf up in true supporter style (see photo below) as an excited ten-year-old. He remembers it fondly from his more youthful days and thinks he was going to a Boro away match in London in 1973. Like a lot of us on this blog, we all remember Bee Line going to away games using their coaches. Beeline used to have the bus garage at the top of Linthorpe Road, not far from where I used to live as a boy, before they moved to Eston. My friend and I, whose father worked there, often went to see the coaches being serviced and cleaned. I always recall staring up at them, not believing that one day I would be using them myself. It brings back happy days for a lot of Boro fans with the big bee logo on the rear of the coach.
Dave Roberts was born in Middlesbrough and he left school in 1980 to start as an electrician with ICI Wilton Works on Teesside before moving into research within ICI’s Research and Technology division as an Experimental Physicist. He is a bubbly personable guy like all those associated with Broadcasting and an avid Boro fan. I met him earlier this season when he was a guest of Jim Platt at the Riverside, where he talked at length about his love for the Boro and his career in Broadcasting.
He left ICI in 1989, to focus on his broadcasting career and In 1981 he started working at BBC Radio Cleveland, (BBC Tees) in Middlesbrough and whilst there, a mid-morning programme he presented about living with HIV & AIDS was submitted for UK national broadcasting awards. He then moved to Teesside’s commercial station, Radio Tees (TFM Radio). He was a programme assistant for my good friend and former business associate Graham Robb, who in those days was a DJ on the late-night phone-in show. Dave played a character called ‘The Priestfield Pest’ but I must confess I have never heard it.
He then presented a Saturday sports programme paired with his existing football commentary role covering Middlesbrough FC. He began freelancing for Capital Gold Radio in London providing reports and commentaries on football games as well as ITV Sport. He regularly appeared on ITV Sport providing live reports at football matches throughout England. Following the birth of the Premier League, he also conducted after-match interviews for BBC Match of the Day. But his TV career began in earnest when he joined BBC North to cover Durham County Cricket Club, where he became known as the commentator for Brian Lara’s world record breaking cricket innings of 501 not out. He later joined BSKYB’s channel UK Talk to present the daily sports show Sportstalk and Channel 5’s Live and Dangerous.
In August 1998, when Sky launched their 24/7 Sky Sports News channel, he joined full-time and established SKY’s North East Bureau and operated as Bureau Chief and reporter and was seen on a daily basis reporting from the region’s training grounds, press conferences and live at matches of English Premier League clubs.
In 2003, after 5 years full-time with Sky, he left the UK to take up a Presenter/Commentator role with Singapore-based ESPN Star Sports. He covered Euro 2004 from Portugal, 2005 UEFA Champions League Final and World Cup Germany 2006. One story he tells is of travelling to Damascus, Syria to cover AFC Cup Finals where he was arrested by Syrian secret police. This was not his only brush with trouble, in 2005 newspaper reports claim he was ‘roughed up’ by Thai Prime Minister’s secret police at Government House after asking the, then PM, questions in a press conference, on his attempt to buy Liverpool FC. The report says he had been instructed not to ask questions after being identified as not one of the regular press members.
After leaving South East Asia Dave next appeared on ESPN as a Presenter/Commentator for ESPN International. He immediately began presenting the internationally networked football program ESPN Soccernet Press Pass and providing commentary on European and international football matches as well as two new international SportsCenter programmes (Australia/Africa).
Like me, Dave is a former referee and whilst I have never seen him referee we do share mutual friends like Jeff Winter.
2. The Interview – a quick chat
OFB: What was the first Boro match you remember going to see?
DR: The first game I attended was Boro’s 2-0 defeat of Oxford at Ayresome back in January 1969 (so I’m told) however the first I can remember was the trip to Boothferry Park in 1971 where we put 3 past Hull only to lose 4-3. I was 7yrs old at the time.
OFB: Who was your favourite Boro player then and others that you watched at that time?
DR: Only ever one in this era, Jim Platt and I remind him of this every time I see him. I wanted to be a keeper because of Platty and at 5’ 9” I wasn’t tall, but I did make it to the Boro Juniors playing under the much-feared George Wardle, bless him.
OFB: How did you become involved with Boro?
DR: 2 things, first I was born in Boro and second, my mum was a mad keen Boro fan so there was only one way I was going to go. As a teenager she’d travel the length and breadth of the country to follow the lads and I was bitten by the same bug. She then helped set up the Boro Supporters Club and used to make the sarnies for all the coaches so away games became easy. At 13yrs old I started training with Boro Juniors and at 15yrs old I became the youngest committee member of any football supporters club. You could say Boro was my life!
OFB: What has been your most memorable game, your own individual performance in front of the camera and best experience with the fans?
DR: There’s more than one. Luton on the League Liner (train) in 1974. The 1-0 win courtesy of Millsies goal had clinched the 2nd Division title with 6 games to go and Stewie Boam chased me the full length of the train for being ‘cheeky’. Of course we had the great UEFA Cup comebacks and Eindhoven, just to be in the UEFA Cup Final was immense.
As for my own performance, not camera but three on radio – first trying to interview a naked Bruce Rioch in a Chelsea dressing room immediately after Boro had won promotion in the 1988 playoff final 2nd leg. Then the 1998 Coca Cola Cup Final for TFM. I had missed out on commentating on the ZDS Cup Final due to a change in staff after I had done the semi-final and then I had just left Century Radio before the 1997 League & FA Cup Final double, so to be at Wembley commentating on Boro in a major final was stuff of dreams. Then there was the Brian Lara 501 commentary for the BBC. To think I’m up there on the sporting archive shelf alongside the likes of Kenneth Wolstenholme is truly amazing.
I’ve had amazing times as a Boro fan, Man City last year with De Roon’s last gasp equalizer was terrific, Eindhoven was amazing as was sitting in the Old Trafford press box with Ali with us both wearing Brazil shirts to celebrate the signing of Juninho (we were fans on the radio not commentators). But THE best moments were the two UEFA Cup comeback nights at the Riverside. I was working in the USA for ESPN at the time and had to fly across the Atlantic for each game. Thanks to MFC they’d given me a place in the press box and when Massimo did his thing in the semi final comeback I went berserk. I was reduced to a babbling wreck, crying my eyes out as I jumped up and down on top of the press box bench like a true idiot.
OFB: Is your job as glamorous as it looks?
DR: I have to say it is. When you are on the ‘inside’ doing this type of work you don’t realise how lucky you are. I’ve been trusted to be at many ‘private’ events and can count many former Boro players and managers as personal friends. I’m fortunate enough to be able to pick up the phone and call the likes of Robbo or Steve McClaren, Juninho, Marco Branca. Higgy’s a great pal as is Robbie Mustoe. Even though I left SKY Sports over 13 years ago and stopped commentating on the Boro on radio longer ago than that, people on Teesside still recognise me as that Boro commentator bloke, glamourous yes, but it is truly humbling.
OFB: Is your job as exciting as it seems?
DR: I’ve been locked up by Syrian secret police, been driven towards Baghdad during the height of the Saddam Hussein troubles and given a good whacking from the Thailand Prime Ministers body guards, so I’m not sure exciting is the right word. The better moments have been reporting from pitch-side at FA Cup, Champions League and World Cup Finals and refereed games in front of 110,000 fans – all of this has happened as a result of the job. A lot of people have said they’d give their right arms to do this and I can see why.
OFB: What was your worst game or experience and why?
DR: Personally, Bristol Rovers when I was commentating for TFM. We lost the game and we were awful that night. I remember saying on-air that Parky was ‘Bristol’s best player’ and the whole team then blanked me. I had to ask Mogga what was going on and he set the record straight from the players points of view. It was a foolish thing to say and I had to apologise to Gary for the comment I’d made and that has stayed with me ever since. Professionally, there was Big Mal at Coventry in 1996. I’d only just convinced the Century Radio bosses to allow him back after his ‘colourful’ outbursts the season before. Then it came, as the referee blew for a free kick against Neil Cox near to the corner flag, Ali screamed ‘He played the ball!’ and Big Mal followed up with the same line with a couple of expletives added. My mobile phone rang, Mal looked at me with puppy dog eyes, I had to give him the finger across the throat sign and Mal disappeared to the bar for the remainder of the game and his radio career came to an end. It was an amazing 18 months working with Big Mal, I know Ali (god bless him) and myself had endless stories to tell over far too many beers. There is a book in it I’m sure.
OFB: Who was in your opinion the best manager that Boro have ever had and why?
DR: You can’t rule out Steve McClaren, he won us our first piece of serious silverware, took us to a european final and gave us tremendous moments along the way. Then there was Robbo, the catalyst for great Boro changes. The Little Fella, Rav, Emerson, Boksic and co, what wonderful memories and a truly amazing time to be a Boro fan. But I’m plumping for Big Jack. A true no nonsense man-manager, a man who would tell Boamie to stand on the foot of the centre forweard at corners because if you do he can’t jump for the header. The image of Big Jack collecting the training tops before kick-off stays with me and that promotion winning season of 73-74 followed up with being top of the old First Division coming into Christmas was special. Pity Jack didn’t buy Mariner when he had the chance, he was worth 220k Jack and I’m convinced that one signing would have won us the 1st Division title.
OFB: Who has been the greatest influence on your career and why?
DR: Commentating, the late Peter Jones who worked for 5 Live – he painted pictures in your mind. Refereeing, Pierre Luigi Collina (sorry Jeff) had the grace to apologise to Roy Hodgson for disallowing a goal due to a refereeing mistake. Radio presenting – Graham Robb, Mad After Midnight just got me hooked. Business, Richard Branson – he shows how if you put your mind to something you can make it happen.
OFB: Which opposing team and which player did you fear Boro playing against?
DR: Leeds – we just never got the rub of the green when we played them. Mind you the 4-1 drubbing with Cantona in the side was a joy to behold – that game also got me started with TV by me convincing Brian Barwick (then editor of Match of the Day) to let me do after match interviews, but that’s for another day. Hated playing against Dennis Wise, always chippy, nasty & dirty. Worked referees and was just not a nice human being.
OFB: Who is your current favourite Boro player and why?
DR: We all love Adama, the way he leaves opponents in his shadow is a thing of pure beauty. Then there’s Clayts, shoring up the midfield and you can’t not look at Randolph in goal, but I’ve surprised myself with this one. I have to go purely on form and say ‘One of Our Own’ Stewie Downing. I think he’s been tremendous over the past 3 or 4 months and by putting in shift after shift he’s even won over the boo boys. At the grand old age of 33, he’s a shining light of commitment at the moment to many of the younger stars.
OFB: How do you think the match day has changed from the time that you started watching and being involved with professional football to the present day?
DR: Money. Everything today is based on profit & loss and balance sheets. Clubs even charge kids to be a mascot – I think clubs have forgotten the fans and their importance to the community. If you were to suggest to chairmen today that clubs belong to the fans or that fans were a club’s biggest asset they’d laugh in your face. Sad though it is, that crucial link has been long chopped through.
OFB: If you could be a fly on the wall, is there any dressing room you would wish to eavesdrop on?
DR: Home dressing room at the Stadium of Light after a Boro season card holding referee had denied them a blatant penalty but stiffed them at the other end in the last minute by pointing to the spot for the away team.
OFB: Do you have any regrets in your career, or missed opportunities?
DR: I do regret not continuing my refereeing career in England. I was flying when I had to choose between staying or going to Singapore to be a football TV presenter. However, the experiences both my family and myself have had have been truly amazing, so I’ll settle on not following up with an idea I had before the internet kicked in. That was to list all cars that were for sale on a computer and set up a system where people looking to buy cars could log in to that computer from anywhere in the country to see what was available. It was all to be done on-computer connection – I think that might just have had legs, you could call it something like Tinternet perhaps. Nah, it’ll never catch on.
OFB: Who was the nicest person that you have interviewed and why?
DR: Gary Speed, a true gent. He would always say hello, stop and talk and genuinely ask if you were okay when you bumped into him. He also asked me for advice several times on all kinds of things, he was one amazingly nice human being. From a Boro perspective my old mate Robbie Mustoe, another genuine guy and I’m so pleased to have gotten him his first job on TV in America. Robbie is as genuine as they come and I’m delighted to see him as THE best summariser on US TV today.
OFB: Whereabouts do you live these days, what are you doing and what are your career ambitions?
DR: I’ve just moved from Yarm to Ingleby Barwick. We are renting for 6 months before buying a house. Having moved around the world for the best part of 15 years it’s time to put the roots firmly down again on Teesside.
Business wise I have my own broadcast production operation, we put outside broadcasts into sports events like Formula 1 tracks and football grounds. We make RedArmy.TV the weekly Boro fans TV show you can get on Freeview and Virgin Media. That’s a great story as it is staffed entirely by Boro fan volunteers who I’ve coached in TV production skills and some of the guys n gals are now flying. Unlike other online fan platforms we’re not about making money, no-one gets paid and I pay all the costs of running the show.
My business has just pitched to film every EFL game starting next season for the next 6yrs, we have been shortlisted and it’s off to London next month to present our case to try to win the long contract. If we get it it’ll be fantastic for Teesside as everything will be done from Middlesbrough and it’ll create several jobs. I’ve also been helping bring other jobs to the area and we’ve just landed a ‘super-ambulance’ manufacturing project to Stockton. This too will create jobs and we are hopeful this will be the start of a much larger project that could create up to 1,500 jobs, all badly needed for Teesside.
OFB: Whom have you made a lifelong friend through football?
DR: I like to think Higgy and Robbie Mustoe, both great guys who I know I can pick up the phone to any time. Neither come from Teesside but both have so much affinity with the area I’d be happy to claim them as our own. For those who’re about to point to Robbie being in the USA, yes he is, but you should hear how he talks about the area, he loves it!
OFB: Is it nice for you to think that you can act as an ambassador for Middlesbrough’s town, the Teesside area and its people?
DR: I’m passionate about the town and its people. I’ve been fortunate to live in some wonderful places around the world, but I’ve always missed home. Whether I was presenting World Cup Final programmes on ESPN, commentating on Champions League Finals or negotiating large corporate deals for Fox, I always, and without exception, managed to get a Boro reference into my work. It got so bad I was nicknamed ‘Mr Middlesbrough’ by Rodney Marsh when I worked with him presenting a daytime TV football show in London. I love my town, my club and the area and no-one will ever stop me from being an unofficial ambassador for it. Perhaps one day someone might allow me to be an ‘official’ one.
OFB: Do you think that Tony Pulis is the manager that we have been waiting for and needed to get us into the Premiership and stay there?
DR: Yes, we needed structure. I was a big supporter of the signing of Garry Monk however in the end he didn’t seem to know quite what to do and the squad size ballooned and players didn’t seem to be putting in a full shift. Pulis is old school, he’ll not take any prisoners, I’ve already heard he’s given ultimatums to some senior players and we’re starting to see discipline come to the surface. I still haven’t ruled out 2nd place, as I write we are 9pts adrift but that is nothing with just under half a season to go. I have money on us to go up automatically, under Monk there was every chance that dosh was lost, however I’m still confident the bet is still alive. Worst case, we’ll be in the play-off final and who doesn’t fancy a trip to Wembley with the Boro again.
OFB: Do you think we can still achieve promotion this year?
DR: Oh yes, as above, yes, and automatically too!
OFB: As a former referee, do you think the standard has declined in the Championship this season or is it that the game is so fast we need the modern technology to make a correct decision?
DR: No, I truly don’t think refereeing standards are falling. I just think I think there’s far more scrutiny of decisions as there’s more money in the Championship so decisions are becoming far more crucial and you just have far more importance riding on them. As for modern technology, you can burn VAR on the half way line before kick off for me. Goal line technology was as far as they should have gone – it is comical to think we might stop a game of football for 4 minutes just because a guy in a bedroom in Essex might have spotted something the referee has gotten wrong. Forget it, the faster it crashes and burns the better for me.
OFB: Finally, if you hadn’t had the career that you have had, what do you think you would have done as a profession?
DR: I started out as a footballer with the Boro juniors but did not have the commitment to see it through. I then became an electrician after school and even now in my spare time I bash walls as I renovate rundown houses, so I’m sure my Dad would have had me in the building game. Saying that though, when ESPN in Singapore came calling in 2003, I was flying with my refereeing and had to make a decision whether it was refereeing of TV, I chose TV but if I hadn’t perhaps I could have been a Boro season card holder who denied Sunderland a blatant penalty and stuffed them with a last-minute spot-kick at the other end. Now where is that time-machine?
OFB: A huge thank you Dave for taking the time to talk to Diasboro and all our readers, posters and bloggers.
Great editing by Werder spotting all my typos !
OFB
A great read, I genuinely knew nothing about Dave. I suppose it was because I have lived away for so long.
OFB,
I’ve just had a slow read of that article while enjoying a beer and I thoroughly enjoyed both. A man who knows how to be interviewed, obviously. I agree with Ian above, I knew nothing of him at all but he comes over as an enthusiast, dedicated Boro fan and a really nice guy.
That business of jumping off the Transporter, my grandmother used to say the fire brigade used to moor a barge to catch you because you had more chance of surviving than if you went in the polluted river.
Any, very good OFB. More please. In your spare time of course.
UTB,
John
OFB
A very interesting read thank you and good to learn that one of our own has had such a varied and successful life.
I think this is my favourite interview so far, ofb. I’d never heard of the guy, but he’s definitely one of our own.
Pleased you likes it
I sent Dave a link to the In2Views here’s his response
Quote
“Really enjoyed reading it, thanks
Best!
Dave”
Unquote
OFB
Ditto. Not knowing the person but great red. Up the Boro!
OFB
Thanks a lot for that it was a great read. I remember hearing Dave on the radio from time to time and it was good to hear how he moved on from that over the years.
Definitely a Boro boy done good!!
Excellent read
Dave should go into schools and speak to some of the graduate classes and give them some insight on what it takes to be successful or at least reach for some of your goals,
It must have taken alot of sacrifice and focus on his part.
Good luck to him with his pitch for the EFL games
The best interview yet Bob of the most garrulous of interviewees. Yes, I had heard of him but knew nothing of his achievements. So sad that Ali Brownlee is no longer with us as he would also have been on your list Bob. Just imagine your interviewing the pair of them together. Or maybe not, you might not have got a word in, but what fun you would have had!
Yes, having met Ali once that would have done nicely.
How about an interview with Ali’s best mate, Gordon Cox? And later Gordon’s doughter, Lauri.
Up the Boro!
I’ll put it on the list. The only problem is I only go matchdays which is Gordon’s busiest day getting postatch interviews and setting up the press room.
I’ll try !
Thanks Ken
It was enjoyable (as they all are) with Dave who of course is media friendly.
I saw Ally quite frequently at the Boro if I had being doing In2Views then and if he was still with us.
Ally was a great and respected broadcaster and above all a true Boro fan as is Dave.
OFB
I miss Ally
Good work again, Bob. As always.
Lauri comes across as very friendly and approachable on Twitter, I think she’d be a great interviewee.
(Colin Young praised her, in his Jack Charlton bio, for her advice on spelling “Middlesbrough” right! Interestingly I got it right from day one…)
Many thanks I’m touch with her
Sorry haven’t had time to post at the moment as I’m busy redecorating the bathroom amongst many other things and had programming support problem unexpectedly crop up yesterday evening.
Anyway, what a great read that was from OFB and what an interesting bloke Dave Richards sounds – even though many of us didn’t know much about him, the In2views piece certainly packed a lot in and managed to bring him to life in three dimensions. I also particularly liked the photo on the bus too, which almost looked like a still from a movie by Roddy Doyle or Play for Today.
Dave Richards sounds like one of these people full of energy, who is always looking to get involved in the next project (better not tell Mrs Werder otherwise she’ll be adding to my to-do list for slacking) – also he sounds quite brave for putting himself into some tricky situations in a few countries I’d not be keen on visiting myself. I guess after that, jumping off the Transporter Bridge is no big deal – though then again bungee jumping is probably best left to those who have a decent chance of not being separated from their joints and limbs.
I wish him luck in his endeavours and hopefully he’ll pull off the EFL filming project too – so once again many thanks to OFB for producing a very good In2views piece!
Werder
Thank you a piece only enhanced by your editorship !
OFB
Many thanks Bob. It’s a great read again and you can feel Dave’s enthusiasm for the club and the area bleeding through his words.
I’d also not heard of Dave before but there’s something very fitting about that, in that Diasboro is a congregation of one-time strangers communing around our shared love of the Boro. Learning about fellow Boro supporters and hearing their views is what the blog is all about, so not knowing Dave doesn’t feel inappropriate at all.
Another great read and In2View Bob!
I see that the Gazette are reporting on the new TV deals. If I had my way all Premier League matches would kick off and be televised at the same time on a Sunday, and all Championship matches at 2.30pm on a Saturday. There are enough TV Companies and channels available to televise every Premier League match simultaneously, and possibly 4 of the top Championship matches.
Clubs might argue that it will affect their gates, but why would anyone want to watch a match that their club weren’t involved in if their team were playing at the same time? Lower league clubs could also play matches on Saturday with a 5.30pm kickoff to avoid clashes with Championship matches.
Of course my idea would probably be laughed out of court by all concerned, but everyone is allowed a pipe dream, aren’t they?
.
Just purchased my match pass for Saturday’s game at Cardiff. Please find the link below.
https://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/matches/fixtures/first-team/201718/february/cardiff-city-vs-middlesbrough-on-17-feb-18/
Great interview there Bob. You can really tell Dave is a proud Middlesbrough ladand is willing to talk up the area at any given opportunity. I’m surprised so many on the blog know very little if anything about him and his history. Maybe being away from the area is why. We do tend to be a bit parochial on Teesside I suppose.
The picture of him on the Beeline coach brought back a few memories, not least the scarf he’s holding, as I had one exactly the same. A satin effect type material with the letters sort of painted on. Needless to say they didn’t stay on for long!
On a more reflective note it is 2 years today that we lost the most passionate of Boro lads and Voice of the Boro, Ali Brownlee.
I was driving to York from work at Linton on Ouse when I heard the sad news. Big John Hickton was being interviewed by a bbc Tees reporter and hearing my boyhood hero, and Ali’s I believe, talk in such a heartfelt way was quite something. During the interview John broke down and I don’t mind admitting I had to pull the car over as my vision was getting very blurred.
I think Mark Drurey does a great job doing the commentary on Tees as like Ali he is a big fan, but there won’t ever be anyone who could replace him. After all how can you replace the irreplaceable
I can echo quite a few of the comments so far. I too am not familiar with Dave, but your interview has really brought him to life. Never mind the editor in chief mopping up bits of grammar and spelling, you have developed a great style of writing these OFB, so kudos where it is due. Well done.
As for Dave Richards himself, what a great career he has had, but how good to see someone looking to share his experience and bring opportunities for other people to work in his home area. Very good luck to him. Another great export from the Boro.
Thank you it’s much appreciated
Dave has suggested that he can help to promote the Diasboro blog as he is a true supporter
OFB
Despite TP playing things down Saturday is a huge game and one that this Boro team need to win not just for the points but possibly more for pride by beating a team in the top half.
Depending on your viewpoint TP is either a half full or half empty glass right now. When GM departed we were 3 points off a Play Off spot now ten games into the new Emperor’s reign and TP is 4 points off the same target. Tightening up at the back has worked but at a huge cost to our creativity. Gone is Christie and his rampages down the flanks, similarly Fabio has all but gone from the opposite side of the defence.
Braithwaite who we hoped would be “too good” for the Championship and become our talismanic magic man in front of goal never looked like living up to the billing. Gestede seems to be the target man but with nothing and no one around him to follow up. Paddy hasn’t rediscovered his golden boots form from a few seasons back albeit stuck out on the left doesn’t help. Britt has blotted not only his copybook but also his goals per game ratio.
Our metronomic midfield has progressed slightly with Howson now venturing forward but Stewy despite all his energy, running and enthusiasm hasn’t contributed any significant goal returns which at some point very soon has to be questioned. Adama has added something but at the moment he is the only assertive element and despite him regularly taking two minders out of the game his team mates haven’t taken advantage of opposition sides effectively being reduced to ten men because of his new found reputation.
So where is the additional creativity to come from? Besic is another “nut job” in the middle to add to Clayts and Grant’s routine misdemeanors and isn’t known to be a creative force, in fact more likely to give the ball away cheaply apparently by trying a ridiculous chip or eccentric lob rather than simply recycle. Not sure if thats a good or bad trait.
The Huddersfield lad seems just a journeyman defensive back up option rather than a flair player so that leaves us with Johnson who has struggled to date at this level and the unfit Harrison who hopefully after a few weeks back in training and getting to know and watch his team mates might be close to being ready. Being ready is great but where exactly? Story is he is a right sided player but the thought of Adama on the left is not convincing anyone on Teesside. Paddy is a Striker so perhaps if Harrison fills the left berth then he may just get a chance up front in preference to the big non scoring striker who seems to be TP’s preference.
Ten games is enough for TP to suss out what he has available, something has to improve and that will like as not require a change of tactics and/or personnel. I’m not sure another 90 minutes of Gestede being isolated, Shotton (and now Friend’s) long throws and Downing running himself into the ground taking a few wild pot shots is going to cut it much longer.
Perish the thought we witness another Jaffa like performance and then endure left wing Paddy being hooked for Clayts forcing us into another TP trademark disorganised struggle for the last fifteen or twenty minutes. As much as TP’s experience goes before him and I have full belief that he will in time succeed, right here, right now he needs to show some fight to keep the Boro faithful and their hopes alive and perhaps more importantly on side.
Hmmmm Interesting!
But I like it !
RR
A great summary of where we are right now and the need for TP to get these players to gel and push on.
As you point out we still have players being played out of position and others who are not making enough of a contribution which is all resulting in the strikers feeding on scraps.
Paddy in the No 10 role behind Britt with a left footer on the left hand side of midfield and AT being played on the right may be the way to go but all the midfield need to contribute, which to date they have not been doing.
If AT is shackled by the opposition or has an off day then who else is going to create the scoring opportunities?
I hope I am wrong but I think this season has gone and TP still needs to do some sorting out over the summer with regard to the midfield.
Good post by RR and a honest judgement from KP.
At this moment in time I do not see how anybody could put forward a good argument that TP has OVERALL improved the position of the Boro.
As RR pointed out we are now behind in the curve compared to GM and the play offs. Also the January window to date has had no impact.
Considering what is at stake I find that really strange and more than disappointing. However may be TP expected more in terms of points to have been delivered at this time.
It’s a typical Boro sort of status quo. We change things to achieve the same result but we are trying alternatives.
No jokes about the band please. He prompted. Well, it’s an open goal even our strikers can’t miss. Or can/could they?
Fans check band’s back catalogue.
I check the wine level in the bottle.
UTB,
John
Many fans writing on the Gazette website are not happy with the style of football that Boro are playing under TP, and I must say I can sympathise with them. It’s not the style of football that I would want to view either, even it might be effective in the long term, but I suppose most are willing to tolerate as long as it results in achieving Premier League football. But what happens if it is successful? Will Boro continue to adopt the same style just to preserve their Premier League status? As I no longer visit the Riverside it doesn’t really matter to me, but will the average fan be happy to watch a typical TP coached side represent Middlesbrough FC in the Premier League? I’m afraid I wouldn’t because I think we should aspire to be better than that.
Football is now 85% Business and 15% Sport compared to the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. Things started to change in the 80’s when the big clubs power started to become almost unassailable to the many.
The advent of the Premier League finished the sporting element almost entirely and by the turn of the century the order was virtually set in stone so much so that even Liverpool after their European ban could no longer compete at the very top of the table and effectively haven’t for over two decades. The only way to break that mould is the Money City (sorry Man City) model which in effect is a richer and more expensive version of the Chelsea model previously.
Outside of the top 6 or 7 its literally David versus Goliath in terms of attracting the best Players, Media love in and by default negative PR on the lesser upstart clubs and in turn biased pressure on Officials and the FA themselves. OK from a Boro perspective that last one is no big deal as we have been used to FA “impartiality” as indeed did Sheffield Utd all those years back when it comes to the FA making examples, just so long as they are commercially correct ones of course.
So in essence I agree with Ken and his vision of a preferred playing style but the harsh reality is look where Stoke and West Bromwich Albion now find themselves in their search for the beautiful game and progress in the Premiership.
But if a ‘little’ club like Bournemouth can survive with an attractive style of football, shouldn’t Boro try that same route?
I’m not sure we can say Bournemouth can survive. If they are still there after 10 seasons we could maybe say so, but not after just a couple of seasons.
Well, this looks a bit like when Karanka came in. Defence first and a long barrel spell in front of the goal. How many matches or minutes we went without scoring when Karanka joined us?
I hope we will have a happy ending to the story again. We have every chance of finishing in the top six. But we need to get points from Cardiff next.
Up the Boro!
It’s all a waiting game now for everyone.
Players fans and management
Players just waiting to see what they have to do to get into the playoff zone
Management waiting to see if their calmness and assuredness of knowing their methodology is correct and being siccesfuly transmitted to the players
And patience from the fans not shouting for gung ho performances but kist getting behind the team and being the real 12th man.
Personally I am prepared to wait and see this season out. I have not done any forecast where the Boro will finish but do not see us getting promoted this season
Aston Villa Wolves amd Cardiff have taken time amd resources to get where they are and unfortunately our recruitment of an unsuitable manager and uncommitted and inexperienced players have cost us dearly
OFB
It was the second anniversary of Alastair Brownlee’s death yesterday, St Valentines Day, a poignant day for a husband and a family man. Many tributes and memories are evoked on days like that, and all I can say is that each anniversary is a shade easier to bear than the previous one.
The first anniversary of a tragedy is almost as hard to bear as the original day, and in my case was doubly so. Alone with a lighted candle I felt melancholy, especially more so after I received a phone call from the son of my best pal informing me that his dad had died. My best pal since we were three year olds. and the person who had introduced me to my future wife, had died on the first anniversary of my wife’s death, so that date would now become doubly indelibled in my brain for the rest of my life.
I can’t imagine what it must be like for someone like Leo to suffer a tragedy of losing two daughters in a tragedy, but I can associate with the feelings of Ally’s family on a significant Saint’s day, so my thoughts are for Mrs Brownlee and her family. As a football fraternity we too will never forget him,
Nicely written Ken
So TP has identified that our main issue is taking chances. The equation is simple; Goals = Chance conversion rate x Chances. Better strikers would improve one side of the equation, but for now we’re stuck with the ones we’ve got. In theory creating more chances would lead to more goals so put more creators on pitch. However, of the more creative types, Pulis is not considering Baker or Johnson and he’s moved out Christie, Fabio, Braithwaite and Forshaw. He prefers the more defensive minded Besic, Clayton, Fry and Cranie in the matchday squad. Our outfield bench usually contains 4 defensive players out of 6.
Villa are currently on an impressive winning streak and they regularly play 4 creators (Snodgrass, Adomah, Hourihane, Grealish) with only 1 holding. Yet against Norwich, with a Striker off, we moved Adama upfront who isn’t a Striker, instead of Bamford, who is. Then after we went one behind and needed a goal we took off Bamford (Striker by trade) and replaced him with Howson, a midfielder, rather than with Britt, our top scoring Striker.
None of this is a shock, many Stoke & West Brom fans warned us of the defensive nature of TP’s football. It’s what did for him in the end. So, no surprise then that until the summer revolution he’s reverting to type. Therein lies another problem, there are many players currently in the squad that know they will be moved on in the summer no matter what. They know they’re not his type, so their motivation to bust a gut has diminished.
Cannot argue with that Billog.
Sorry for the delay OFB.
An excellent article about a Boro lad I had heard of, but knew little about.
Enlightening to say the least. It is always nice to see one of our own do well on the International Stage
Many thanks
Dave has invited us to go on Boro TV and talk about Diasboro.
I’ve siggested that perhaps Werder and Redcar Red could fit it into their diaries when both are going to the Riverside.
I know Werder has a lot to do but I’ve got a great face for radio not TV!
Plus it’s not wide screen!!!
OFB
Bob, I have been to Boro TV a couple of seasons ago. So not that frightening as we all know our Boro.
So somebody’s else turn now. I will be busy when next in the UK. Mind, I could go if AV would join me on the sofa.
Up the Boro!
Saturday sees the first of three games in a week as Boro head to Wales as they hope to get the measure of the task that lies ahead. So here is my match preview for the trip to Cardiff…
https://diasboro.club/2018/02/16/championship-cardiff-vs-boro/