Championship 2018-19: Week 4
Fri 24 Aug – 19:45: Boro v West Brom
As Boro hope to add to their portfolio of newly acquired live performing artwork, it appears few of our recent signings have left some available real estate on their body canvas for the Middlesbrough crest – although it may still not be a deal breaker if some insist that there may be issues around fitting that particular school of design into their eclectic tastes. As we speak, rumours that Yannick Bolasie is at Rockliffe having a cubist version of Tony Pulis’s face immortalised on his back may appear a little premature. Still it’s possible the club have missed a trick by not employing a resident team of tattoo artists as a unique selling point – who are on call should any player be in immediate need of expressing themselves with a permanent abstract doodle or profound piece of text that embodies their soul.
Tony Pulis said this week that he is confident his leading targets want to move to the Riverside and gave a rare inside view of this certainty: “Without going into too much detail, I think the players know about our interest, and from everything that’s been said or not been said, I think the players would like to come”. Is this the breakthrough the Boro manager has been waiting for? Has he taken off his cap and looked the player in the eyes and made a positive connection? Well it appears not, as he quickly added “That’s not me having spoken to them, but it’s other people telling me stuff.” Interesting yet somewhat vague for the Boro faithful eagerly awaiting news – though he did say he didn’t want to go into too much detail and “other people telling me stuff” does certainly fall into that category.
Whether that ‘other person’ means Neil Bausor and he’s given feedback on his cold-calling opening gambit of “Hi, I’m calling on behalf of a colleague of mine, let’s call him Anthony, who wants to know if someone asked you to go and play for the team at the top of the league would you rule it out?” – which may well have brought the response “No probably not, especially if the money was right – but I’d have to see what my agent thinks first”. The Boro Chief Executive proudly places another tick in the ‘keen to come to the club’ box and passes on this snippet of ‘stuff’ back to an impatient Tony.
Though Pulis is pretty down to earth and understands some people may have reservations about heading all the way up north further than even the M1 dares to venture. He would no doubt expect that his recruitment team had tested the water on any geographical misgivings though. The Boro manager, who’s currently still holed up alone in a suite at Rockliffe Hall as his wife apparently prefers the comforts of their Bournemouth home, told the press conference this week that “I’ve not had anybody being disrespectful or saying they don’t want to join Middlesbrough or move up to the North-East. The response I’ve had from other clubs, and if we are given the opportunity to speak to players, is that people are very keen to come up here if a deal could be sorted out.”
Incidentally, his wife Debs has visited him in the north-east a couple of times – he once recalled a day out with her at Whitby: “The wind was blowing, her poor face, with a bobble hat on, was red raw when we got off the beach. I told her she had caught the sun but I think it was the cold weather!” Apparently love is never having to say “I’m heading back to the south coast before I need a bloody face lift and a skin graft!”
As to whether some targets have been dissing the area is hard to say – perhaps again Neil Bausor has also ticked the ‘wants to come to Teesside’ box during his brief informal sounding out calls to friends of the player: “How do think he’d feel about joining a club north of London? Would that be an issue?” The response of “Well bro it all depends what you call north” was usually met cagily with “I think you’d find Middlesbrough is named thus because it’s in the middle.” – though without adding the UK and not England. No doubt the caveat of “His agent says the price goes up the further north he has to travel so if you want the deal it’s gonna cost you” didn’t make it into the report in exactly those words but “very keen if a deal can be sorted” was written instead.
As Boro sit at the the top of the table after three successive league victories, Pulis has slightly adjusted his desperate plea for reinforcements after earlier claiming he’s “six players down” and “the squad is not good enough to get promoted”. He’s now using Boro’s unexpected lofty position to shed doubt on whether they can remain as pace setters: “We’ve got expectations to be at the top of the table and to be at the top of the table you can’t afford to lose the players we’ve lost and not replace them.” Clearly his stay on Teesside has allowed him to fully absorb the pessimism wafting through the air and he’s already seemingly become imbued with the general feeling that disaster is just around the corner – should any self respecting Teesider imagine surviving long enough to make it to the end of the road to turn the corner. “The quality in the group has to be improved and the depth has to be improved otherwise I’m absolutely convinced we’ll just fall away.” said the glass-half-empty Boro manager from his Rockliffe window ledge.
Though the Boro manager has said he’s not alone in calling for reinforcements and there appears to be a cacophony of noise emanating from the gathering protesters in the Boro dressing room according to the gaffer. As the disgruntled squad marches past the chairman’s office carrying their placards, Steve Gibson will be no doubt disturbed by the chants of: “What do we want? Players! When do we want them? Now… or preferably before the 31 August”. Tony Pulis declared: “It’s not me shouting and saying, ‘We need players in’ – the players in the dressing room know that we need players in as well. They are not stupid, they understand the situation, they understand what this level’s like and what it needs and what it takes so they are waiting as well for players to come in. It’s not me moaning as a manager, it’s the group.”
Pulis must be tired of hearing Lewis Wing moaning as the team-sheet gets pinned up and he’s disappointedly told that he going to have to play again because Mo Besic still hasn’t persuaded his agent to settle for something below lottery-winning proportions. Even Stewart Downing must have contemplated throwing the odd chair after being told he must continue to play on the right as the Toffees are still chewing over the idea of loaning out the unwanted Bolasie on reduced wages. Adam Clayton is so annoyed that reinforcements haven’t arrived that he’s working to rule and has refused to take one for the team until he’s convinced that his personal target of 15 yellow cards can be successfully managed by the club. As September arrives, many of the players start to anticipate the arrival of the Teesside winter and know that several of the squad will soon start seeking a warm hole in close proximity to the Rockliffe treatment room to hibernate in. Historically, Boro’s central midfielders are most prone to becoming sluggish as the evenings shorten and they begin entering a state of torpor, though sometimes it’s difficult to notice the change in behaviour until they get caught napping on the pitch.
Talking of hibernating and waking up to find nothing new has sprung, many of the Boro faithful may be getting a sense of Groundhog Day with rumours that Robert Snodgrass is once again being target by the club. Who said that the Boro recruitment doesn’t get their man! It’s just a matter of waiting sometimes. Blowing the dust off the dossiers of former targets may be where we’re at just now as there is little movement in the market. At least the Scottish winger shouldn’t have problems heading so far north after stints at Hull and Leeds, though he’ll be 31 in a few weeks but still scored 7 goals and made 14 assists last season on loan with Villa, who are also interested in having him back. Hopefully, West Ham have Boro on speed-dial given their lucrative recent business with the Teessiders – with Downing, Randolph, Fletcher and Hugill all netting the Hammers some decent returns.
Though why wait for old targets to see the error of their ways and change their minds on not choosing Teesside – there are far more recently linked players possibly regretting deciding not pulling on a Boro shirt. When Patrick Bamford joined Leeds, he said in his unveiling interview after being handed the number nine shirt that he was pleased to finally be the main man at a club – “I’ve been wanting to be the main man somewhere for a long time and Leeds have offered me that opportunity so it really is something I grabbed with both hands”. Well he seems to have discovered that being the ‘main man’ in West Yorkshire may have been lost in translation as he once again started on the bench, only coming on in the time-wasting 87th minute slot – just like when he was not quite the main man under Garry Monk at Boro. He was perhaps already beginning to suspect something was not quite right when he was selected to play in the Caraboa Cup in midweek, while all the other apparent less important subordinate strikers were being rested for the game at the weekend. He may soon come to the realisation that only Boro have given him anything like the pitch time he desired – all he’s had elsewhere is a promising future before taking up his usual seat on the bench.
Desperate times call for desperate measures and Tony Pulis has already indicated that he is indeed desperate for new players. We can only imagine some of the left-field thinking possibly emerging from the recruitment team in a bid to help with the apparent difficulty in persuading players to come to Boro. You may recall how Fulham manager, Slaviša Jokanović, thwarted Boro’s planned loan deal of Mitrovic from Newcastle last January after he sent a Snapchat message to the player. Well maybe it’s time to browse through those carefully prepared dossiers for little snippets of personal information and unleash Tony Pulis on Instagram with a carefully targeted video message to swing the deal.
Whether the Boro manager has been pitched with such ideas is not known, though I suspect it’s only a matter of time before it will be tried. “OK Tony we understand Besic’s agent is a big fan of Debbie Harry so we thought if you could maybe sing a bit of ‘Call Me’ and then make the telephone hand gesture it could hopefully break the ice.” This would no doubt be met rather sceptically by Pulis with a reluctant: “Look, I’ll be honest, it’s not really what I’m about but if you think it’s going to help revive the deal then I’ll give it a go… but is this blonde wig really necessary?” With the message sent Boro are momentarily back in the game until the reply of “who is this transvestite you insult me with?” gets posted shortly after. Closer inspection of the dossier revealed it was actually Dirty Harry and not Debbie – but before the recruitment team could run the ‘Do I feel lucky’ idea past Tony, he rather exasperatedly left muttering something about them not being able to organise a certain event in a brewery.
Anyway, no midweek match for Boro and therefore a chance to catch breath before Friday’s TV encounter with West Brom. That will give most of the other teams in the Championship a chance to play catch-up this week, though the only team capable of bettering Boro’s points total is a Leeds side that have won their opening three games and knocked in ten goals. Perhaps it’s a little premature for the Teessiders to start looking over their shoulder but Argentinian manager, Marcelo Bielsa, takes his dangerous looking team to newly relegated Swansea in search of a fourth successive victory. Among this loveless triangle of Garry Monk’s former employers are half of the early season’s unbeaten clubs – two more of them, Villa and Brentford, go head-to-head on Wednesday and the other team yet to taste defeat is Bolton, who host Monk’s latest squeeze Birmingham.
Tony Pulis will be welcoming the club that sacked him last season after they cast doubt on his ability to continue his record of not getting relegated as a manager. He’ll perhaps try to resist that ‘I told you so’ moment after his replacement Alan Pardew won only one of his 18 games, before he himself was ejected in favour of caretaker Darren Moore, who has now been given the job on permanent basis. No doubt Pulis will be keen to make his point by collecting all three on offer but after a slow start the Baggies have bounced back and are now starting to boing. West Brom hit a magnificent (as Schteve might say) seven past the hapless Hoops at the weekend and will be in buoyant mood. Whether the QPR result flattered to deceive is not something that should be taken for granted but 11 goals in the last two games (nine of which arrived in the second half) should focus the Boro defenders minds.
Pulis declared Flint and Fry are a great centre-back pairing after the Bristol game and claimed that the big defender bought from the Robins for £7m is probably now worth £4-5m more in the current market. In fact central defence is one area he’s not looking to recruit in, even though he has so far favoured a back three at home. Indeed, with still five strikers on the books in Britt, Braithwaite, Gestede, Hugill and Fletcher, it looks like that he’ll mainly intend to beef up the pace down the flanks with a collection of full-backs, wing-backs and wingers – plus the odd progressive central midfielder with decent tattoos.
So will it be deal or no deal this week as the Boro manager starts whittling down some of the recruitment team’s ticked boxes containing potential loan targets? Much will depend if the banker upstairs running the club calls and makes an decent offer that is eventually accepted. Tony Pulis will not be a happy contestant if he doesn’t land the big prize he’s been hoping for this transfer window. Nevertheless, I suspect it will probably take more than a consoling arm around the shoulder from Noel Edmonds if all he takes home is a penny – even if it is for his thoughts on how good he thinks the whole recruitment process went.
It will be an interesting last 11 days of the loan window with the reported incomings, Bolasie, Besic, Puncheon and Targett. The reported loans of Bolasie and Besic also states that Everton will pay a chunk of the pairs reputed £70,000 per week.
Come on BORO.
Well Werder. Another great read that has had me smiling all the way home on the bus. Particularly liked the Debbie / Dirty Harry mixup that had me thinking in parallel lines of how Danny Ayala might have been encouraged back to fitness….Oh Danny oo-be-do I’m in love with you Danny oo-be-do…
Thanks Powmill, sadly our own Blondie has headed off to Wolves but let’s hope Tony Pulis is not left hanging on the telephone by his replacement…
Werder
A belter to start the week with.
I must admit I had a wry smile at Paddy’s 87th minute sub appearance.
Another brilliant read Werder with the now constant laugh lines thrown in.
Another weekend now past, a little closer to the 31 st. However to be fair I do not think there are many clubs doing much business since the window closed and it is loans only.
As OFB alludes to an imminent signing, it will be interesting to see if Besic and his Agent have a change of heart. Still hope Bolasie does not change his.
Thanks Pedro, I think loan signings in general are a better bet for the transition between the Championship and the PL – but much will depend on whether the players themselves are motivated by the challenge or just the pay cheque.
Werder: the usual.
Thanks Werder for a terrific article interspersed with great comedy lines. Superb.
Cheers Werder. Great read as ever and never taken for granted.
I’m a bit torn on the loans. No doubt from me that the names mentioned would improve the squad and goodness knows we’re short in a few areas should injury, suspension or fatigue set in but tou’d Have to think it’s the younger lads who will miss out. Wing, in particular, doesn’t deserve to lose his place and it’s good to have Tavernier and Chapman on the bench and involved.
For me it all depends on if the ends justify the means. Will Besic, Bolasie and others take us from hopefuls to genuine contenders? If so, it has to be worth it. If they improve us but not that kind of margin then I’d rather keep giving the kids their chance and see what happens.
I’m not convinced that they will be the difference between 6th/7th/8th, where I’m expecting us to finish, and the top two. The play-offs become a stronger possibilty though.
I would like to see a left wing back on the list. That’s not an area where any of the kids get forced down the pecking order.
Targett from Southampton is a left wing back and was a vital part of Fulham’s promotion push, so much that Fulham offered £15m for him on the last day of the transfer window.
Come on BORO.
Thanks Andy, I would hope that we don’t sign any loans that have any guarantees of playing in their contracts – it does happen but last season seemed to indicate that was not the case with Boro as the likes of Baker and Roberts not getting much pitch time. I certainly think Wing has proved he’s more than capable of keeping the shirt and would be annoyed if Besic came in at his expense.
I love Wing, me.
But we cannot built a promotion team around one kid. He is hot now but usually the youngsters might need a ‘rest’ at some time of the season. Especially after a defeat or two. Like Fry needed during his first season.
This is a squad sport.
Up the Boro!
Yes it’s possible some young players may need a rest at some point but it’s not true of everyone and it may indeed be to their detriment to lose their place. Fry may have needed a rest or not but he was more or less rested for the remainder of the season after that one minor error lead to a goal.
Interesting that you should home in on Aden Flint, Werder. Boro may be flying under the radar on Quest, but not in The Times: in The Game footie supplement in today’s paper, both he & Stewie make the paper’s Champo team of the week. Stewie is, in fact, named Champo Player of the Week:
“The formr England winger, now 34, rolled back the years with a superb piece of play to set up Britt Assombalonga for Middlesbrough’s second in a 2-0 win away to Bristol City.”
In the stats section beside the laegue table, Darren Randolph is joint fourth for “top saves” with Marek Rodák of Rotherham.
Going back to Flint, & slightly off topic, I can’t believe he even has more of those ghastly tattoos on the backs of his hands! *shakes head in despair*
Alas the Times has a paywall for online viewing but I’d certainly agree that we’ve seen quite a few players up their game this season and Downing is one of them, along with Shotton who looks the most improved player and Howson. Flint has been a good addition too and has meant Ben hasn’t really been missed as yet. We’ve also got McNair to take a significant part and if Besic also returns then one wonders who would miss out.
On the tattoo issue, I think far worse is the Man City keeper Ederson with the one on his neck going all the way up to his ear – it looks like some kind of disease has spread. Though one of the oddest looking belongs to Hull’s Ryan Mason, who had a less than flattering portrait of his mother done on his upper arm – it looks like she’s very miserable and has got a black eye – she’s competing for space with the rather original swallow and the deep and meaningful text “Everything happens for a reason” – and I think that reason may be having more money than you know what to do with…
Love it Werder! I was particularly amused by the thought of the squad trooping past Gibbo’s office with their placards!
My prediction for Friday:
Boro tattoo, Baggies nil.
Many thanks for all the comments everyone, very kind and glad you enjoyed my particular interpretation of events – it was a very busy weekend of hard graft so glad to have manage an article too. It will be interesting to see what unfolds in the next few days with regard to loans.
Loved it Werder, just hope we do not lose all the kids to loans
Werder
Do you find writing the articles a welcome break from hard labour and work? I think it must because they are so creative.
Thanks Ian but I find everything a welcome break from hard labour 🙂
⚽️⚽️
OFB, Karanka was dismissed over a year ago now. Then it was 0-0 quite often.
I don’t think the Pulis team has played a single 0-0 in the league (except in the play-offs). So I will go for a more exciting 3-2 win for the mighty Boro.
Also, the Swansea vs. Leeds match will be an interesting one too. Perhaps a 0-0 draw down in South Wales could be good for us.
Up the Boro!
⚽️⚽️
Jarkko
I’m not going to change a lucky winning streak!
OFB
Talk that Villa may be trying to hijack Bolassie move. My view is that if he wants to speak to Villa then walk away from the deal.
The same goes for Beisc, if he or his agent keeps messing us about walk away from the deal.
If we have to stick with who we have, I would rather trust those we have rather than players who are looking at a beauty parade.
I dont blame the players, they have a short career, they don’t come from here and must look after themselves.
If we dont bring anyone in keep the money in the club for the future, whatever happens wont change my support.
That would be my view Ian
I agree with that sentiment Ian.
Don’t answer the phone if he talks to Villa and sort the agent out. Keep the money in the bank and let Villa manage the risk.
UTB,
John
OFB My sentiments exactly stick with the Kids tell them to go fly a kite.
The loanes not the Kids…!!!
I’m afraid I can’t take the credit it was Ian’s Post !
But I agreed with it
OFB
Sorry Ian looking after grandkids is making my head spin.
OFB
Bugger, I was hoping you would get the blame if I got it wrong!!
Elsewhere, the C word is studiously being ignored as both Yorkshire and England struggle.
The next couple of days see the other clubs playing catch up. If we are still top come Friday night I will be delighted.
I think it is great that people can watch every midweek Boro match, home or away, live on Sky.
Come on BORO.
Brilliant Werder.
You should change your moniker: Werdsmith 🙂
If we do get the two Bs from Everton, we are nearly there. Just one defender needed more who can play at right back. But let’s get the two loans done first. Nothing is sure before we will see the grin of Neil Bausor. Not before.
But I feel more confortable than 24 hours ago. Up the Boro!
I think Besic will be of more theoretical value than Bolasie.
Since joining Everton Bolasie hasn’t pulled any trees up and has been largely injured. We need to be careful which Bolasie we are signing, the lad from Palace that excited people or the underwhelming and overpriced version from Everton?
On the subject of Palace, signings and injuries I’d put Puncheon into the same category as Bolasie. If TP can get them anywhere near back to their pre injury best then they will be stellar signings, but in both cases its a very big “IF” for me.
RR, I did not check but if I remember correctly Bolasie was out injured for a year before his comback last season..
When his knee was OK, there were a different manager at Everton. According to data from EPL, Belasie started for Everton 16 times (5 subs) in 2017/2018 and scored one goal. So he looks OK injury wise now but I cannot say how well he played in the 21 matches in the Premier League last season.
Looks promising though if he plays as well for Pulis as last time around when they both were at Palace.
Up the Boro!
Another fine article from Werdermouth as a prelude to a week of hopeful activity off the field before action on it on Friday. I’m not sure about any of the proposed loanees but if they are TP’s targets I’ll go along with that. As for tattoos, are they supposed to frighten the opposition, because they scare the hell out of me? So far the sportsman with the mostest has to be World Speedway Champion Tai Woffinden. Thankfully his whole body ‘artwork’ is covered by a helmet, goggles and head to feet leathers.
Thanks Ken, I see what you mean about Tai Woffinden’s Tattoos and we are indeed grateful that some are covered by his speedway helmet…
Although I said I hoped for a couple of signings before the window closes, I concur with Ian’s view that we should walk away from situations where we being messed about. I’d rather have the kids playing than bring in high risk prima donnas.
So the Bolassie deal is nearly done and he is back in Liverpool sorting the last little bits.
They key thing will be what he does when he gets to junction 10 with the M6, will he turn right and head down to Brum to talk to Villa.
I wont blame if he does because it is his career.
Surely, if he gets to J10 of the M6 he’s definitely not coming to us. I’d recommend he heads from Merseyside along the M58 to the M6 (J26) then heads north to the M65 (J29) before driving to Skipton and over Blubberhouses and onwards to the A19.
Another good read and rib tickler Werder.
The thought of players parading past SG’s office made me chuckle and perhaps they were singing, Stevie Gibson is king but we need players in…..!
I am going for another 0-0 win. My heart says Boro but head says baggies.
I agree with TP that the squad is not strong enough and weaker than last year. We have made a better start than many of us thought we would do but we have not met any teams I regard as top six opposition.
We have seen some players producing performances that we were expecting of them last season and in some cases long before that but they now need to display these level against the top sides.
I am not entirely convinced by the two potential recruits from Everton. I have seen very little of Bolasie so it is hard to comment on what he is likely to produce. Besic was an upgrade on our midfielders when he arrived, but like a number of players failed to produce good performances and make an impact against the top sides so the jury is still out as far as he is concerned.
Many have mentioned TP’s management skills and how he developed AT. He needs, in my view, to convince MB that he is an integral part of the team and persuade him to stay and agree with him that the club should decline offers in this window.
I don’t think that will happen as it appears there is an uneasy relationship between the two. MB always seems to get substituted first and whilst there is a high five between him and TP it is TP that instigates it and there tends to be a reluctant response from MB.
I think MB will depart close to the end of the window and we will never get to see what he could produce over a full season,
similar to Rhodes and others.
I hope that I am wrong but as things stand, I see us finishing somewhere between 7th and 10th. Beat the baggies and get a point at the dirties and then I will begin to believe that perhaps the squad is capable of punching above its weight.
CoB 😎
Thanks KP, I also quite the idea of a 0-0 win 🙂
I’d agree that Boro probably need between 2-3 signings but not sure if central midfield is that short on bodies – McNair is still waiting to get a start and with Wing in good form he’s probably keeping him out of the team. Leadbitter is perhaps cover for Clayton now so Besic is likely to be competing with Howson, McNair and Wing for two positions. Though one injury and a suspension means we probably needed one extra body – though it will be hard to keep everyone happy until we’re short.
Bolasie is a bit of an unknown quantity and it’s always good to have pace and some direct play in the team – he may start as an impact sub to see if he can deliver but again he may be coming expecting to start.
I just read that Palace want to send Jason Puncheon out on loan in the Championship to get fit as he hasn’t played this year. That for me means a mid-table club not one with aspirations of promotion – we don’t need any unfit players looking to get back into form as why would we play them over what we have?
Going all the way back to big Jack, all our promotions have effectively come from a team and not squad. It is not difficult to summon up a regular first 11 from 74, 88, 92, 98 and, to a slightly lesser degree, last time under AK.
I accept another full back is needed and if we can achieve that alone and enter September without losing anyone, I’d be delighted.
Promotion is built upon good players, yes, but more so it comes from a unity of purpose and bonding that translates to the crowd who pick up on it and back the team with a greater passion and trust.
My favourite promotion of all, by miles, is the 1988 effort, local lads given their heads, brilliant organisation by Bruce and others like Paul Kerr and Gary Hamilton who, with respect, played above themselves week in, week out. They battled always and in a league that is tough beyond compare, but not of that high a standard, this is what we need. I would think that TP would be ideal in this scenario and wish he would trust himself to it.
Already, in Fry, we have replaced Ben and while we can’t expect this every time, we have enough quality players to be able to give Chapman, Wing, Tavernier etc a good go without expecting 46 games a season from them. Success this way boosts the club and creates an identity which every side needs to go up. Of course big money signings can create this identity too – Juninho will remain my favourite player forever – but B&B don’t excite and signing the two of them instantly smacks of factions if things go wrong.
This season has gone a million times better than I expected, so let’s improve what we have and foster a team from what we have
I think there’s definitely something in the idea that successful team often seem to be ones that had a strong core that played most of the games – look how Monk chopped and changed and didn’t allow the relationships on the pitch to form. The Championship has a lot of games but it often depends on avoiding injury to key players and being able to handle suspensions. – but fielding your best XI definitely helps
Agree. I think we had superior squad compared to Cardiff last season but their team finished well above our team. UTB!
I share KP’s reservations regarding the Everton pair but, I guess, we have to hope TP knows what he’s doing. Time will tell.
The reservations about Bolassie can wait until we see the colour of his shirt.
Got to agree with the posts and rational from KP, Richard and Werder about the possible incoming players and their impact on the team and team spirit overall.
Whilst we do need some extra cover and experience what concerns me is as others have said, is a possible split into two camps if we have a bad spell which is quite possible when we play the “top six” sides who ever they turn out to be.
Besic and Bolasie can be no way match fit, ignoring the fact that the latter will not be tuned in to our system of play. What worries me also is that Wing who has more than earned his place, would be the first to be left out to accommodate either of the new signings. Next could be Braithwaite and that may be on his mind. May be his Agent is actively looking for the suitable French club to buy or take him on loan. At this moment I know who I would rather have.
The Bolasie figures for a club like MFC just will not make sense and cannot be justified what ever discount we make get. Remember we payed a million loan fee and 100% of his (probably reasonable) wages for Hugill.
However in the end if they both do sign and along with Hugill and probably a defender, then Mr Pulis will have no excuses and no where to hide.
I’m in the phone booth, it’s the one at Rockliffe Hall….
You keep me hanging on the telephone…..
Is that to be considered an upgrade on the shed GHW?
Considering that TP has said that he only wants Players that want to be here then I’m guessing that Bolasie’s trip to Villa Park today effectively rules him out.
Should he pick Boro I can regard him as nothing more than an overpaid crocked mercenary and I’m sorry but we have had enough of them in the past. His feelings and attitude are quite obvious and he is of course entitled to investigate his options but those players are the ones that cause dressing room unrest and splits.
For me Bolasie is just another Victor Valdes, overhyped, overpaid, unproven after a serious injury, zero commitment or loyalty to the club or his fellow team mates and we can all accurately predict how its going to end. We can’t afford him in more ways than one, he and Villa are a match made in Heaven.
Couldn’t agree more RR.
Too right
Good work, Werder.
Here, courtesy of Roy Keane, are some tales that highlight the difficulties of recruitment. All taken from the summer of 2007, when his Sunderland had just been promoted.
DAVID NUGENT
Deeming Nuge a “decent player” but not a “massive goalscorer” (as we found), Keane opted to meet the ex-Boro man and his agent at his house in Manchester. Less formal, apparently. They agreed a fee, of roughly four million. Surely, that was mostly that?
No. Nuge needed to think it over. And it took only a few weeks before Nuge’s agent telephoned Keane to say Harry Redknapp, then at Pompey, had declared his interest, leaving Nuge “undecided”, still. With only a couple of weeks to go until pre-season, there wasn’t any pressure on finalising the deal, as such. But at some point you have to say “yes” or “no”.
Three weeks later, Keane called Nuge’s agent again, re-implying that although Redknapp was keen, Sunderland had been keen for the best part of a month. Keane was told that Redknapp was away on his wedding anniversary and wanted to speak to Nuge when he returned.
Keane’s response? “I’ll tell you what. I’ve waited three or four weeks, and now you’re asking me to wait because of Harry Redknapp’s wedding anniversary? We’re pulling out of the deal.”
Wise. If the agent and the player don’t get their act together and give you the concrete response your efforts warrant, cut your losses and move on.
GREG HALFORD
Not a Sunderland player, was Keane’s verdict. He found after signing Halford that he wasn’t the work your socks off type his Sunderland wanted, more someone who liked coasting through the game, dealing with the ball, and doing just enough.
So why sign him? Well, he needed more numbers in the squad and Sunderland hadn’t the money to afford the wages of the players he really wanted. And it’s common practice nowadays for the fee and the wages to be agreed before the player actually meets you at the club. Because the player and the agent are the ones who hold the cards. It’s said that Cloughie, like Big Jack, wouldn’t have tolerated agents, and that he would never have agreed a deal until he actually met the player. But times have changed and agents have much more power. Sadly, it is what it is.
KIERAN RICHARDSON
A tricky one. Sometimes, you’ve got to stroke a player’s ego a little – in Richardson’s case, it meant giving him a certain squad number and letting him be penalty taker. So be it.
THE LAD WHO DIDN’T EVEN GET BACK TO SUNDERLAND
We can relate. The word “shopping” came up, and his wife wanted to live in London.
MATT TAYLOR
This one’s a bit of a kicker. After being shown the Stadium Of Light and the boardroom, Taylor told Keane he had other clubs interested in him. Never mind Matt, take your time, Keane implied, as he walked him to his car.
But Keane wasn’t even back at his own car when he received the dreaded “I’ve decided to sign for somebody else” text from Taylor – and Taylor was still in the car park, driving out. Fifteen seconds earlier he’d told Keane he was unsure about what to do. Taylor went to Bolton.
A sudden contradiction? Not being entirely honest? Seems unfair and unethical. Either that, or Taylor had his mind set on Bolton and had merely used the visit to Sunderland to re-enforce his decision.
Do up know who the ‘shopping’ player was Simon? Always wondered.
Whilst it is all speculation, following on from Hugill, I could imagine a minimum 2 million loan fee and 50% wages for Bolasie. That could be at least 4mil for one season, for as RR said an overhyped and the rest, player who really does not want to be here.
Could be an rather expensive gamble??
We keep hoping for another Merson and we ever seem to get is a Gazza or a Parlour or more recently a Barragan and a Valdes.
As TP has said we need players that want to be here, players that buy into all things Boro, not Millionaires looking for their last big fat pay cheque. If a player doesn’t know what Villa Park looks like or the Riverside then we shouldn’t be considering them. Bolasie knows Pulis and I’m pretty sure he knows a fair bit about Bruce. Its a loan not a lifelong commitment and as it would appear something that he is not to keen on but as there appears to be little or no other interest he is stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Maybe he’s working out the comfort factor of the treatment tables at both clubs because I suspect that is where he will be spending a lot of his time if he doesn’t really fancy the Championship.
Bolassie in talks with Villa? He is entitled to do so. If he doesn’t want to come here we dont want him. I wont lose any sleep.
In Braithwaite’s case many of us thought he would be leaving for France. It has been spoken about often enough and as the saying goes there is no smoke without a fire. To be fair, I dont think anyone can doubt his efforts thus far.
I think Braithwaite will leave as will Marvin Johnson. Fletcher will go if we bring in someone else.
I suspect Besic will come back but Bolassie will go to Villa.
In the words of George Graham, “never sign a player who thinks he’s doing you a favour in joining you”. Applies more to permanent transfers than loans but still wise words from a man who understood the murky world of transfers better than most.
Are loan deals subject to a medical, the same way permanent deals are?
One would assume so GHW, after all the club is laying out a large non refundable wedge of money.
All signings are a gamble, all players who may have no history of injuries can be unlucky. But unless there is a clause in the small print, which I doubt in this case, the gamble is higher than I would commit to.
‘Did he ask for six million or only five’? Well to tell you the truth, in all this excitement, I kind of lost track myself. But being that this is an old school manager and would head butt you whilst naked from the shower, you’ve got to ask yourself one question: ‘Do I feel lucky? Well do ya?
Nice one GHW, although I don’t want to dwell on the Shower scene.
If this guy is now down at Villa talking to Steve Bruce, I would pull out of the deal. Sod him, did not want him anyway. Villa can have him.
Too many ‘ hims ‘ ! But you get the message !
Hmm.
The decision will depend on how haile Bolassie rates the 2 offers.
One would assume, rightly or wrongly Len, that the only thing that concerns the player from the off, in this case Bolasie, is his playing prospects in a winning team in a system he fancies.
In reality finances won’t come into it for the player as he has a contract paying 80K a week. Only Everton will be concerned over what loan fee they can squeeze and percentage of wages to cover.
Of course I may be totally wrong. May be the Agent will want a cut…..not sure why? may be there other unknowns. I am possibly naive in my thoughts.
Exactly right. His salary is guaranteed, just a matter of who’s prepared to subsidise it the most.
A lot of ifs and buts. Is he a family man? Villa is an easier commute than Boro.
The thinking man’s pun.
Len
That is so terrible it is great.
Birmingham Live – Gazette equivalent are reporting Bolassie has turned down Villa.
Had a look on the site Ian but can’t find anything to say he has turned Villa down ?
I had a look at the site but could not find anything to confirm he has accepted or not accepted Villa offer.
Given a choice, I would miss out on Bolasie and keep Braithwaite.
The Birmingham Live site were reporting yesterday that Bolasie refused to drop down to the Championship so until I see that Bausor pose I wouldn’t read anything into it.
Regardless I’m not convinced that its a good signing whichever club gets him!
Hope it’s not Boro RR.
What gets my goat is villa must of got rid of there recruitment team when in danger of going bust, so now wait till our super premier recruitment team! (I wish) find a target they jump on our coattails. Hope they get their just deserts and sign Bolassie. Ha ha ha
John Mcginn who signed for Villa from Hibs was also being targeted by Celtic but Villa hijacked the move and according to Mcginn after talking to Steve Bruce he was persuaded to join them.
Let’s hope Bruce can do likewise with Bolasie.
I think people are getting a bit too precious (Ian aside) about Bolasie speaking to Villa. Why wouldn’t he listen to what both his suitors have to say?
Presumably he’s going out on loan to play some games and revive his career, not financial reasons. He can stay at Everton and pick up his pay cheque for nothing. It doesn’t read to me like the actions of a mercenary.
Why not go and have a chat with both Pulis and Bruce and gauge which he thinks will be better for him?
As previously stated I rated him at Palace but have no idea what he’s like now. It’s all about the financials as to whether this is a decent deal for us as far as I’m concerned.
I totally agree with Andy R, if everyone on here was a professional footballer with two clubs wanting you on loan (wages the same no matter who you join) wouldn’t you go and talk face to face with each manager before making your decision.
As for those who say that because he has spoken to Villa, we should pull out and let him join Villa, how will they feel if he became the championship player of the year, while helping Villa get promoted and BORO stay in the championship. I suppose it will be the fault of the recruitment team for not trying hard enough to get him to sign for us.
Come on BORO.
Paddy on the bench again for the Dirties agin the Swans…
Swans a goal up through McBurnie after 24 minutes. *prays*
Bugger! The Dirties equalise in the 40th minute – through Roofe – who else?
The link I referred to about Bolassie
https://ninetyminutesonline.com/premier-league-striker-set-to-snub-aston-villa-and-middlesbrough/
Subsequent gossip suggests we need to look elsewhere (or not bother). If I remember rightly Steve Bruce was Wigan manager when they kept pipping us to deals.
Villa are a much bigger club, maybe they are more attractive than us. No renting of clothes, wailing and sackcloth and ashes will change anything.
31st of August gets closer, if we get much further down the list then shred it.
Leeds losing 2-1.
🙂
Double bugger: the Dirties equalise again! 2-2…
2-2 it is then, with Bamford laying on the second equaliser.
Down to second on goal difference, interesting that useless Bristol City won 3-0 at QPR.
I think the friendly game today was a shop window for visiting scouts and managers,
We have players that we can use as baite when negotiating for the ones we could get .Freeman, Forestieri, come to mind,
Perfect result tonight, both teams dropped points and Leeds went above the anonymous leaders.
One for the Cricketers………
https://youtu.be/iPIjT-zdryY
Absolutey priceless GHW.
I wonder what the late FS Trueman would have made of that. I can also actually hear the late Brian Johnston also enjoying the ‘wind up’.
Yes, superb.
We should sack Pulis now we are not top of the division.
As soon as we reached the top, I knew there in only one way to go. Now the slide has started.
We must appoint a new manager before the WBA match on Friday as West Brum scored seven (7) in their last match. And that means we will be well beaten.
On addition to a new manager, we need about ten panic – sorry – urgent signing on the player front. Otherwise the temporary manager will has it too easy to choose from.
And then a new manager again. And more players in January. We cannot stand still and we must use the revolving doors more at Rockcliffe.
Who is going to watch the match on Friday as we are in a slide? Just sack the manager first.
Up the Boro!
you had me there Jarkko, just for a moment I thought you were joking 🙄
He’s a decent man Jarkko so he’ll probably walk – maybe we should bring back a proper manager like Steve McClaren as he won’t concentrate on that boring defensive stuff…
If we were going to bring anyone back It would have to be Mogga for me. Just think what he could do if he had some money to spend? There again without a Recruitment Department to guide him he’d probably blow it all on the likes of Friend, Dimi, Leadbitter, Adomah and Ayala.
It looks like Bolassie is may well join Villa.
Getting boring lets move on, rummages through Primark remnant box.
There are ten days left until the window shuts. I am certain that we have analysed, studied and profiled enough players to be able to have a long list of alternatives in the Recruitment Department archives (stifles snigger).
Just have to wait and see who the Premiership clubs don’t want and then who Villa reject. Then and only then can we can put a bid in because thats about as scientific a strategy as we seem to “not” have in place at the moment. Nothing like being predictable and thats the problem. Its obvious that the best players will get snapped up whatever price band and category they fall into. The clever bit and the point of having an entire dedicated department is to identify the elusive and under the radar bargains, not the bleeding obvious crocked, ageing Premiership cast offs which will bleed SG dry.
They can identify any amount of players, but if they don’t want to come to Middlesbrough there’s not much they can do.
Steve Bruce is full of praise for our recruitment team, they have contributed massively to his career over the years.
Jarkko is now well and truly into the Boro psyche. I like it!
Spoke to an Evertonian last night. He reckoned that Bolasie would be fine going forward ‘especially in the Championship, but don’t expect him to track back, he’s bone idle. He also wants to be in London as much as he can, so with Villa being only an hour away that would be a bigger draw than going up to the north-east’.
On that basis I reckon that Bolasie is probably weighing up those pro-Villa arguments against a better financial offer from us, and using that as leverage to try and squeeze another million or two out of Villa. The idea that it’s only Everton that will gain from any deal and not the player himself is slightly optimistic. Whisper it , but I have been lead to believe that there may be ways and means of some of the money finding its way back into the player’s and agent’s pockets. Perish the thought.
GHW
I made that point some time ago, players will not view Boro in the same way we do.
A professional recruiter in any industrial sector selects carefully through a multi faceted detailed evaluation process based on a number of factors including personal circumstances as well as personalty issues along with the obvious base skill factors required etc.
There is no point in chasing a potential employee if you know they won’t relocate for family reasons, nightclub reasons or the local Tattooist isn’t a fully paid up and registered member of the the Tattoo Workers and Allied Trades union.
Evaluation means minute detailed research on Suitability, Affordability, Availability, Skills, Experience, Attitude, Injuries and a myriad of other criteria for players that you may have a potential interest in and for a Professional Football Club I would guess this to be around a targeted, detailed and focussed 50 players minimum at any one given time and upwards of several hundred on a headline basis as a minimum covering all ages of career progression and likely costs and potential. (Harry Maguire, cough)
If a Manager wants a fast, tall, goalscoring wide player capable of tracking back who is relatively injury free (less than 12 days per annum) then Recruitment should be able to draw up a shortlist from their database in minutes. Finance may then interject with salary expectations no greater than £30K a week and with a future resale value in 3 to 4 years time covering initial outlay (or preferably with a profit). HR may then contribute with a bias for a Lad who comes from a Durham Mining Village or his Gran lives in Greatham.
Whatever the “ideal” criteria is, its unlikely that you will get a 100% match but experience should tell them that arguably 87.5% and above have a minimum success rate of 75% and above (note that this can be done retrospectively to populate a prediction model). There is the caveat of common sense of course that ultimately should be an automatic override. As an example, dodgy, misspelt back street tattoos will no doubt lead to endless urine extraction in the changies so unlikely to “fit in”.
If this profiling doesn’t exist then I’m happy for any Football Club to pay me a six figure salary plus bonuses to put such a beast in place but considering all these players are running around with training bras and microchips in between shoulder blades recording their every movement I doubt it very much. The question is why are we seemingly inept at delivering and meeting requirements and from the outside looking in always playing catch up?
RR
That’s the sixty four thousand dollar (plus agents fees and other incentives) question.
Ian and other aficionados
Don’t mention the C word. Early finishes on both fronts.
You’ve missed the boat….
https://www.ft.com/content/88dcc316-a311-11e7-9e4f-7f5e6a7c98a2
Redcar Red
You can do all that but if someone comes along at the last minute from a bigger club then that muddies the waters.
Dropping out of the premiership may be a blow to a players ego, it is only over the last few days the penny has appeared to drop with Bolassie. Going to a club a similar size to Everton may be more attractive, playing at Villa Park may appeal more than the Riverside.
The fact we are not getting our targets in possibly doesn’t help attract players.
He may still come but as time goes by you suspect it will be less likely.
The club just has to move on.
Ian
Had we done all the above I don’t think Bolasie would have come out as a target nor Gestede, Guedioura, Barragan, Valdes and a long list of many others that we have signed and “just missed out on”.
I could be wrong but our rumoured “targets” seem a bit desperate in the cases of Puncheon and Bolasie. The Besic saga is frankly embarrassing that we didn’t know what his agent was like considering all the time he spent up here and yet we seemingly really didn’t get to know him (or his entourage) and that we are still sniffing round the player if what was reported last week and this week is correct.
Now perhaps MFC are being really clever and all this has been a smoke screen in the pursuit of our real targets?…………..Nah me neither!
RR,
I was about to post the same comment about it being masterful and cunning ruse to blindside the clubs that don’t have our sophisticated recruitment skills.
I hope Bolasie goes elsewhere as I said in a previous post. If he wants to spend time in London you’ve got a problem. Cut him adrift and let him get on with it. Anyway who’s going to take him to Austria for a week to get him a little more fit?
I’d love to think that your last paragraph is true but, well, it’s not impossible. Yes it is.
UTB,
John
Latest on NewsNow is that MFC are to insert option to buy clauses for both Besic and Bolassie to make us a more attractive proposition.
Roll on 1st of September.
In response to Richard…
I’ve done some research on the mystery “shopping” player. Keane wouldn’t specify who it was, though it was known that he didn’t get Nugent, Leighton Baines or Chris Baird. It’s documented that he ran out of patience with Nuge and that Baines told Keane that if Everton came looking for him, he’d have to join them, because he was an Evertonian.
That leaves Baird, who got married the year before Keane made his bid, and picked London club Fulham over Sunderland. Makes sense… although Keane said the mystery man never got back to Sunderland, while it was written at one point that Baird was on Wearside for talks. So maybe not.
Anyway, Keane took the opportunity to swipe at WAG culture…
“This side of it, with the women running the show, concerns me and worries me… Maybe it shouldn’t really because the players I am talking about are soft anyway. If someone doesn’t want to come to Sunderland then all well and good.
“But if they don’t want to come to Sunderland because their wife wants to go shopping in London, then it is a sad state of affairs.
“What is your priority? Your wife and her shopping, money or your football?”
Sums up why Keane failed as a manager.
Funny you mention that, GHW. I was about to get to that part.
In a way, you can’t blame him for the “football first” attitude. It’s why, at least superficially, it’s easy to take Ferguson’s side in Beckham’s deteriorating relationship with Man U, by simply arguing that the former England captain had the choice to put his football before his celebrity and didn’t do it.
Or, alternatively, Lord Fergie couldn’t accept that Becks had outgrown him. In 2002-03, Becks could still score and change games, but he wasn’t under SAF’s control anymore, which SAF obviously didn’t like.
A Keane failing was to not understand that not every player wants to be shaped into the mould of the “professional” that Clough and Fergie had led him to believe in.
Many of us like to see the youngsters coming through the ranks and making it into the first team and being a success. One such player who did that in the days before the academy is the subject of OFB’s latest In2views piece – the man in question was a former favourite of mine as I watched on from the Holgate in my late teens. So here is a nice long chat with David Hodgson for your midweek pleasure…
https://diasboro.club/2018/08/22/in2views-david-hodgson/
That’s more like it Werder. Thank you.
UTB,
John
Enjoyed the interview very much Bob. Thank you!
I have some anecdotes from Hodgy that I will be happy to share later on myself.
My internet went down early this morning and only shortly came back so just catching up on the news – it seems Bolasie has discovered Middlesbrough is not the in the centre of England after all and has discovered Birmingham is instead, so it sounds like he’ll be joining Villa. Then again, wasn’t he best mates with Adomah – I suspect Steve Bruce let Albert show him around and clinch the deal. Maybe not being top of the league any more made him lose interest…
Thanks OFB remember Hodgy and Proc well when they lived in our road.
Looks like the Bolassie deal to Villa is getting closer.
So what can we learn from Keane on recruitment?
(1) Even if it doesn’t suit you, players need the right amount of time to make up their mind (Nugent). They also need to feel like they’re wanted, even if it means indulging them (Richardson).
(2) Sometimes, even if a player wasn’t your first choice, is unsuitable for the strategy or doesn’t fit your preferred mould (Halford), it is still a failing on your part as a manager if you can’t be at least a little flexible towards him. The player’s attitude may not help, but that doesn’t make it an excuse.
(3) A player has a right to “take a look” at the other clubs who are interested in him even if, deep down, it’s likely he’s already made his mind up (Taylor). He may very well be using your interest to enforce his opinion, get himself a better contract, or both, but that’s just how it is.
(4) Whatever your personal distaste of, say, WAG culture and how it doesn’t click with your image of the “model professional”, times change and you have to keep up with them. Try and put yourself in the shoes of the player who needs to consider what would be best for his family as well as his career. It’s only easy to take the “football first” view if your family is content. (Note that when Keane was asked to move his family up from Manchester, he refused. He was out the Sunderland door not long after.)
Typical of do as I say not as I do
On to Martin Braithwaite.
Has Pulis (1) made him feel like he really matters and (2) deemed him not quite suitable for the strategy? I’m thinking “I don’t know” to the first point and “maybe” for the second.
To most, me included, his goals and vision are vital at this moment in time and we need him until we can get a proper replacement. But if he really doesn’t feel welcome, and doesn’t want to be here, we can do nothing about it.
Si
Yes Pulis spent a lot of time with Bolasie at Rockliffe but from what I’ve heard He likes to get to London at every opportunity and the train from Birmingham takes just over an hour
OFB
OFB
Great read on Hodgson, has he any players he knows he can tempt in.
There is still time to go but there will be a drift down in the quality we can get in. Wil we reach the point where we are adding players for the sake of numbers but they dont improve the squad?
If we need projects we have plenty of our own. Nine more sleeps to the close of the window.
Ian
Hodgson recruits for most of the Prem amd yes knows a lot of players whom we should sign !
OFB
A lovely article and interview with Hodgy. I remember that 5-0 FA Cup win at the Vetch. It was the main match on Match of the Day as the BBC had targeted it as a possible surprise result, Swansea being high up in the Second Division at the time and Boro mid-table in the First Division but with only two away wins to their credit. Well it certainly was a surprise but not how the BBC anticipated as Boro had only scored 9 times in their first 11 away games. I still have a VHS recording of that match.
Whilst on the subject of statistics it was sad to hear of the death of Albert Sewell aged 91. He was the source of much of my historical statistical information as editor of the News of the World Football Annual and later the Nationwide Football Annual, also the BBC’s football statistician from 1968 until his retirement in 2005.
RIP Albert.
A great bloke Hodgie and an In2View I really enjoyed
What started as a small chat lasted 3 hours and it shows !
OFB
Thank you OFB for another great interview.
On another note, it seems at the moment we have lost out to Aston Villa over Bolassie. I am not too bothered about that but is it another failure by our recruitment team and did TP speak to the player direct ?
The whole Bolasie thing reminds me that it’s never easy to attract new players to Middlesbrough full stop.
OR FANS
That’s why Boro fans appreciate the likes of you Si and Jarkko amd others who have found out what it’s like to be a Boro fan
OFB
Maybe we should put in a late bid for Anwar El Ghazi lol.
I see now that it appears that Bolasie is near to signing for Villa, some of the people, who yesterday were advocating that we pull out of the deal and set the player adrift, are now blaming the recruitment team for listening to them ! You couldn’t make it up.
Come on BORO.
Eee! OFB! Your interviews are improving time on time- like a maturing good wine!
Well done,
Tractor Man
I’ll have to buy you a glass on Friday night !
Thanks
OFB
Thanks OFB for another great interview and read about a Boro legend who Boro should never have let go when they did.
Last season I attended the home game against Birmingham and Hodge was the guest of honour in the Riverside restaurant. He did an interview session with Steve Vickers and it was fascinating to listen to him and hear of his highs and lows, some of which you have covered here.
KP
If you are ever there again let me know and I’ll pop in to see you and buy you a beer!
Yes all you other bloggers I do get my hand down sometimes !
Thanks for the kind words
OFB
Other journalists and fans have taught me over the years to judge a player, and even a manager, on a financial basis and not a purely statistical one.
Whether one likes or dislikes a player or manager, their success or failure in the eyes of a fan or pundit depends on whether or not they are perceived to be worth their wage and their resources respectively. The size of the pay packet, the transfer kitty and so on are certainly not their fault, but the manner in which they apply their gifts in accordance with the money and/or resources they’ve been given to work with really defines their mentality and how good they really are.
I think Tony has to think of a different path, he should look for players like Cloughy used to, the ones with talent but need a chance and kick up the backside,
Get them fitter than they have ever been and see what happens ,nothing to lose as they would cost nowt.
I’m thinking Ravel Morrison, Tomlin, McCormack, there are others, a good manager should be able to do it, it might just work?
Great bloke Hodgy. But Bob, your article has ruined one story for me. We played Sunlun over the Christmas period in 85, I was hanging around the club shop area waiting to see who turned up when an elderly lady asked me in a more Northern accent if I had a ticket. Thinking she had mistaken me for a tout (hardly in retrospect dressed as an 80s student) I tried to direct her to the main ticket office. She and her husband looked at me oddly and said, “here you can have this one… mind it will mean you are sat with us”. I was taken aback and thanked her but couldn’t see why sitting with them should be such a hardship.
An hour later sat in the Sunlun players family section of the North Stand I realised why and heard the lady referring to “our David” throughout.
I was too shy to ask, but I’d always assumed that Hodgy’s Mam and Dad were my benefactors, now sadly it seems not. I don’t think they had another David in the squad at the time (not with North East sounding relatives anyway) so who were they? Grandparents maybe? “Elderly” to a 20 year old me meant pretty much anything from 35 upwards.
Anyway, we won 2-0 and a small act of kindness that I still remember fondly and always took to be the source of Hodgy’s similarly good nature. Blood will out and all that.
I have always thought that he should be more actively involved in the game. With so many doubts about our recruitment past and present, it seems a shame that there is an unused resource who as it happens adores this club.
I’ve passed your post onto Hodgy to see if it rings any bells
OFB
Cheers Bob
Ah Bolassie.
A death foretold, it was all laid out, in detail, on this blog.
Why the despair, he is an aging crock,
He will never strut his stuff on any pitch until he is safely off Everton’s books, 80 000 a week is a lot of money, and he had to go, be grateful that we dodged a bullet.
Plato,
I absolutely agree, I reckon we got truly lucky.
If his head is in London what’s the point of going to Villa. He could have gone to Aldershot, Stevenage, Crawley, Luton, The Orient, trouble is they need someone who’s going to perform not shop and club. There’s also Arsenal, West Ham and Spurs and a few others why weren’t they after him?
UTB,
John
Looks like Villa will be signing two wide men. Should we now be targeting Snodgrass?
Seems to have gone quiet on the Besic front, is that deal also about to slip away?
Note to recruitment dept MFC.
What about Snodgrass.
At least West ham like our money and may feel guilty about the Fletcher fee.
He will do for a year especially if MB leaves.
Must be a better shout than Bolasie.
Get Besic deal done.
Abraham is still available I do believe, Chuck in kalas and the Oja lad from Liverpool and we can put the cheque book away and concentrate on the football.
That’s five in. Let MB go if not commited, Johnson can go for game time.
Excellent interview, Bob. One of your best.
Thanks Len it was enjoyable to talk to him.
OFB
Just a thought,
Christie and Fabio would have been good cover for the defence.
Bamford could have covered the loss of Braithwaite
Traore could have offered the pace we crave and we would still be up 15m on Gibbo.
Billy
Keep the faith. No doubt we will have a few crocked 29 year olds or 30 somethings targeted, carrying a niggle, knock or minus a cruciate or two just dying to get onto the Riverside pay roll.
Come this time next week there will be a glut of the unwashed and unwanted looking for a retirement home and somewhere to rest their weary and hamstring strained legs on a bench somewhere, location irrelevant.
Exmil
I may be wrong but I don’t think most on here who criticise the recruitment team are miffed about losing Bolasie (I’m in the “bullet dodged” camp). I think the frustration surrounds the fact that we appear to be spending a lot of time targeting one or two players and then, losing out at the last minute, seem not to have other irons in the fire.
I hope we’re proved wrong and that a couple of players, approved by TP, who would strengthen the squad arrive before the deadline.
Steely
Our problem seems to be that we are grateful to be allowed to make an offer for a player from a ( big?) club.
They then tell us that it will take a long time, to which we reply,” too true sir, whatever you say sir”
I think that these clubs are pleased to play tricks with us ( we have had countless midnight dashes, planes and boats and trains, all for basically worthless players)
We have had the player kidnapped at the airport.
They delay if the player is worth any money, they delay in case they get a better offer, and of course they delay just to be cussed
The true offenders are, of course us.
All it needs is straight talking. Tell them you want to buy player A ( Having first established that he wants to play for us) ask for an answer, ask a second time, then walk away without telling them, if they still think that you remain on their hook, great, let them,
When they contact you as the window closes, enlighten them, tell them that you do not wait until the last day, do not get into bidding wars, and do not like being treated like idiots.
Interesting to note from the Villa site that they have also had video streaming issues, with the live feeds going down and as a result having to refund supporters.
It appears the issues are not confined to MFC and is related to the new EFL requirements and their new suppliers. Issues are still being addressed and as yet without a resolution date.
At least our next few games are on Sky so some of us will not need the streaming service until after the international break, by which time hopefully everything will have been resolved.
OFB,
Just sat down with beer and read the interview. Excellent. The man has a real passion. Great work and thank you David Hodgson.
UTB, John
Thanks John
Still a week to go until the deadline. I would imagine there are one or two irons in the fire that haven’t made it to the rumour pages.
I do wish people wouldn’t believe everything they read on the gossip columns.
Heading home on the bus from the office and just read the interview OFB. Really enjoyed that. I liked David Hodgson as a player and remember being gutted when he followed so much of our outstanding talent to Anfield. It will is good to hear he regrets leaving and what a shame that so often it boils down to economics rather than just assembling (and retaining) the best talent you have .
Thanks OFB.
Here’s a Hodgy anecdote. I’ll hand you over to him.
“I’d been playing regularly for the reserves and scoring, so a week before the game, (Big) Jack asked me if I fancied playing in John Hickton’s testmonial. Of course I did!
“So he said, ‘Here’s the deal… you run me a bath. And if it’s the nicest bath I’ve ever had, I will play you in the testimonial.’
“…I made possibly the greatest bath I have ever made in my life – perfect temperature, suds up to the brim, nice and deep – and afterwards, sure enough, Jack said it was the best bath he’d ever had, and I was in the team.
“But when the team was named the following week, of course I wasn’t even on the bench. Jack saw me the following day and suddenly remembered our deal.
“‘Sorry son… I promised, didn’t I?’
“I nodded. ‘It wasn’t my fault. Hicky wouldn’t let you play.’
“He was lying of course. He probably forgot, but you forgave him because that was Jack. Just a great guy and a brilliant manager who lived up to my expectations, and more.”
Maybe we should revisit the Steve Sidwell link from many years back. He is the right sort of age and fitness level seemingly preferred at the moment. How about we offer Brighton a £20M loan fee and ask him up to Rockliffe then we could all put a bet on that he will be in Steve Bruce’s Villa office by the weekend and we can all make a killing with the bookies. The only drawback might be that he has just announced his retirement so may be considered too fit for us.
Sign him up. The analytics boys may not yet have stumbled across one of football’s greatest and unassailable truths: that every great English football team has always contained at least one dirty ginger player.
Check it out.
Villa have announced the signing of a wide man but not Bolasie – yet?
If MFC’s deal is on the basis of a loan for Bolasie with option to buy but Villa offering just a loan where does that leave matters? Can Everton insist he goes on loan to us if Villa will not match deal?
KP
it would be a dream if he turned down Villa, we, of course would announce that we had withdrawn our offer the moment he went to villa, end of, period.
Or Everton might simply turn round and say: ‘Bolasie, come home! ‘
It’s a dog’s life.
GHW
Clearly, in the case of Bolasie and Besic, the gossip columns were right. Perhaps it’s agents or selling clubs leaking information but the next seven days will tell us how good Boro are at keeping potential targets under the radar.
As we appear to need a wide man I can offer my service as wide is what I do well, I have a bit of arthritis in my feet so would need time in the treatment room.
I can also offer value for money, I can sit in the directors box and it will cost the club £3,000 per week.
If no one comes in that is fine, just dont bring in someone to fill the squad photo.
No Caleb Folan or Dong Gook, no Ameobi or Dire. If they dont improve the squad and are likely starters stick with what we have.
The problem is if the likes of Braithwaite leave but there again we have the skill and guile of Gestede to look forward to.
Ah yes Ian, I had forgot about Rudy. Great.
Looking at our transfer activity to date we have attracted Aden Flint who is proven at Championship level but perhaps considered to be getting on a bit in years and at the £6M or so that we paid for him is unlikely to have the same resale value further down the line and £6M is a big sum for this level (note that I think he is worth it). Without being disrespectful to another Football Club but recent history and form would indicate that moving to Boro is an upgrade on Bristol for him professionally (and like as not financially).
Paddy McNair, circa £5M, two successive relegations in a basket case of a club now playing in League One. Also comes with a bit of a reputation for injury problems. Moving from Sunderland to Boro is an upward move based entirely on current situations without getting into a “my club is bigger than your club” debate. It is also likely that he hasn’t had to relocate.
Andy Lonergan probably couldn’t believe his luck at getting another contract and at a Club whose training ground is less than hour from his previous one, not forgetting that he may even actually live North of Leeds.
Then there is Jordan Hugill who departed the bright lights of London because he clearly wasn’t going to get anywhere near the West Ham starting eleven but is a local lad who like most of us would have loved to have played for the Boro and taken immense pride in it.
There is a bit of a pattern emerging in terms of who MFC have had a modicum of success with and who they haven’t. Players who either see MFC as an upgrade or a Player that sees it as a downgrade but his local home town team.
Looking back a bit further to last year, Britt we paid over the odds for which persuaded Forest to let him go and for the player himself he was joining a promotion favourite from a mid table club whose future was mainly in the rear view mirror. Ashley Fletcher, a rarely used Hammer who spent time out at Barnsley and is from Keighley. Braithwaite a bit of a marquee signing that went almost as soon as he came. Howson a Leeds lad who has already played for his hometown club but stuck at a Norwich side in the middle of nowhere (and not only geographically). Ryan Shotton, Birmingham or Boro? Marvin Johnson Oxford or Boro?
Randolph is the possible exception but even at that he had been demoted to a West Ham bench warmer with World Cup Qualifiers on the horizon. Cyrus Christie was another who perhaps viewed it as a sideways move at worse case and with parachute money contrasted with Derby’s finances perhaps saw it as a marginal upgrade.
The Joe Bryan link indicates similar thinking in fairness but there are others out there at a similar level here and in Europe. The Freeman from QPR logic makes sense and still might on a loan basis. The Millwall pair I suspect was desperation plucking out of thin air because they had a decent game against us a few hours previously.
‘‘Twas ever thus. I remember a certain Martin Reagan having a stormer against Boro in a FA Cup match in 1948. We signed him up ostensibly to replace Johnny Spuhler who then naturally went on to score 81 goals in 241 matches for Boro.
HT: Villa 1 Brentford 1, though it could have been 3 apiece. Villa finishing the stronger and Brentford should be down to 10 men. Commentator remarked that Bolasie was somewhere here prior to joining Villa.
Come on BORO.
Exmil
Here and now rules OK!
Bolassie looks to be history, pictures of him at Villa, so lets consign him to that, Room 101 has plenty of space,
The difficulty is who do we look at next? If we appear desperate what fees will be involved? I am getting the get on with it feeling. Shut up shop and wait until January unless we bring in quality.
Of course with Bolasie ready to be unveiled at Villa following on from the already unveiled Lille lad, I would guess that Albert is now down the pecking order.
Whilst I know it would be egg on face for MFC and a hard pill to swallow for TP, but a loan for Albert could be worth thinking about??????????
Anybody in agreement?
No don’t like returnees – Bates, Woodgate etc never really works a second time around. Remember them as they were.
And Pally!
No !
Ditto
No No and thrice No
OFB
Yes, Albert was a popular person and our besr winger for a while. Up the Boro!
GHW
A truly great piece of commentary by TMS, forget any bias.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/45258754
Pedro
The same thought crossed my mind but I don’t think the hierarchy here would go for it.
On the other hand, Ian’s offer seems very reasonable. Boro lad and all that.
What? Gary fixing up his Dad ? Steve Gibson would surely stamp on any suspicion of nepotism at the club.
Now, I am a sensible grown up and would never take any pleasure in Villa drawing tonight. What is the point in being petty because it leaves Villa behind us.
Stuff that, I am being Teesside through and through and my heritage is to bear grudges. I defy anyone to deny my heritage.
Villa equalise with the last header in the 95th minute so Boro stay second but joint top with Leeds and erm Bolton !
Ian, what will be will be and quite a lot of posters have got what they wanted with regards to Bolasie.
Come on BORO.
I will take the draw as otherwise Brentford would have had 10 points too!
Can the season end now!
Villa are welcome to Bolasie as I was never convinced it was a good move, maybe The other B from Everton on a loan for sensible money may make sense. Time will tell on any other incoming.
Perhaps holding fire now until January is a sensible move but when have Boro ever done sensible………
before I forget, thanks to Weder for the usual start to the week and to OFB for the interview.
Exmil AKA Captain Pugwash
I didn’t really have a view about Bolassie as a player, I dont worry about the fact he didn’t come to us.
Just a bit concerned we keep missing out on our targets, Historically we kept schtum bur I wonder if modern media makes it impossible?
All teams have now played 4 matches and where is the pre season favourite for top spot, Stoke ! Well they are just above QPR 0 points, Reading 1 point with 2 from a possible 12. I know a long way to go but a bit of a surprise all the same.
Come on BORO.
Just like Boro in 1926.
Or Boro last seaspn and Villa in 2016, me thinks. UTB!
Ian aka Long John Silver, it’s not just the modern media but I suspect agents let things “slip”. I, myself, don’t form an opinion about any possible new signing until I witness the player with my own eyes playing a few games for Boro.
Bolasie divided a lot of posters on here, let alone all other Boro sites and the fans themselves. Some were worried about his injuries, some about his form, some about his wages and some about his commitment on the field. On the other side others thought he was the quality we need, filling a gap on the wing. Probably Jason Puncheon will have the same divide as it is rumoured he is a target but until a player plays a number of games in the Boro shirt, who knows how he will fit in.
Come on BORO.
Made me chuckle……
A man is alone in an airport lounge. A beautiful woman walks in and sits down at the table next to him.
He decides because she’s wearing a uniform, she’s probably an off-duty stewardess.
So he decides to have a go at picking her up by identifying the airline she flies for, thereby impressing her greatly.
He leans across to her and says the British Airways motto :
‘To Fly. To Serve’.
The woman looks at him blankly. He sits back and thinks up another line.
He leans forward again and delivers the Air France motto:
‘Winning the hearts of the world’.
Again she just stares at him with a slightly puzzled look on her face.
Undeterred, he tries again, this time saying the Malaysian Airlines motto:
‘Going beyond expectations’.
The woman looks at him sternly and says:
‘What the f&£k do you want?’
‘Ah!’ he says
“Ryanair”.
Nice one
Caused a chuckle or two here as well!
GHW Even the missus thought it was hilarious. Some feat.
OFB, that was a great read, thank you, it took me right back. I grew up watching those players, week in week out. Thanks again.
OFB, That was a great read.
It was unfortunate that the trio of Hodgy, Proc and skippy were sold.
I remember the Swansea game well as match of the day were there to see us get beat.
Didn’t Hodgy come back to us from Norwich? I seem to remember him getting sent of in his first game.
I hope the mention of Colin Cooper in the boot cleaning question was meant to be CC cleaning Hodgy’s boots not the other way round, otherwise they must have been really small boots.
Or are you just trying to catch us out!
A typo? Could it be Terry Cooper and not Colin Cooper? Terry played for Boro from 1974 to 1978. Colin made his debut 1985 – I met Colin for chat in 1986 or 1987 but hadn’t chatted since but seen him several time on the field and Rockcliffe.
Up the Boro!
It’s probably o can’t read my own scribbled notes
Yes Hodgy came back to us on loan from Norwich but only played a few games and went back
OFB
No problem, Robin. This is your hobby, not profession.
I was thinking that when you made your notes you were thinking both these Coopers were playing as left backs. In hurry mistakes happen. At least I write down sometimes – actually often – different that I think. Brains are quicker than a hand.
UTB!
The club is delighted to confirm the signing of Bosnian international Mo Besic from Everton on a season-long loan.
Many thanks to OFB for yet another enjoyable read and a lot of interesting stuff in the interview too – especially about him regretting his move to Liverpool as he would have preferred to stay at Boro with his mates instead. We always think it’s the dream for players to go and play with one of the big clubs and none were bigger at the time than Liverpool. In the end it’s the old story of decisions being dictated by money. Whether we can draw parallels with Bolasie in that he ended making his big money move to Everton and would have preferred to stay closer to home in London where his friends are instead – though these days the sheer size of the money involved probably makes the prospect of turning down these deals very unlikely.
My favourite bit in the interview was when he resigned as Darlington manager at half-time only to be re-instated by full-time. I wonder if any other managers feel that despondent during a game that they’ve just had enough – I’ve certainly seen a few Boro games over the years that would have made me feel the same way.
Anyway, sound like a great bloke and will always remember watching him from the Holgate and seeing him sprinting onto chase balls – he was pretty quick from what I can remember and always seemed to be quite tanned, even in winter – maybe a regular at the sun beds on Teesside!
More likely from being wind whipped whilst training on Redcar beach than a sun bed! 😎
Good Hodgy read OFB,
His whole swagger and soul boy look was cool indeed at the time and he always came across as a very genuine and likeable person. I remember when he was banned for the FA Cup fourth round in ’81 (the match after Swansea) and he appeared unannounced in the Holgate End to support his mates.
He was never the greatest player but was a great trier, and despite his regret, good for him that he went to Liverpool. We were appalling at the time and he had more than done a top shift.
His autobiography meanwhile, when it comes to anecdotes, is excellent and well worth a read, the Boro and Liverpool sections are first rate and generally are not rehashed old tales. The ghost writing and typos are a big iffy but it is recommended deeply. The best Boro book I’ve read.
Thanks
I’ll look out for the book
OFB
That might have been where I got the Big Jack anecdote about the bath from, Richard. Hodgy was quoted in Colin Young’s biography about Jack but I wouldn’t be surprised if Young used Hodgy’s book.
Excellent story about one of my all time favourites (I didn’t remember I had so many favourite players as a kid). Thank you a lot, OFB!
The colour picture is iconic for me. I had cut it out from Shoot! magazine and it was on my bed room wall for years.
I think Liverpool played on the Helsinki Olympic Stadium once and I went to see the match just to see Hodgy. Still my favourite even he left Boro – but not after he joined Sunderland.
I also followed his career closely when he was at Darlo as a manager.
I just wonder why he was so popular as his goals record was not that great while at Boro. I wonder what RR thought about Hodgy with that record. But he was definately one of our own Geordies.
Great read, again. Up the Boro!
I must travel to Sweden on business later today. And back on Friday evening – I hope to see a live stream of the first half via Riverside Live. I have Wi-Fi access as always when flying on Norwegian but I do not know if the connection is quick enough for streaming. Hope to see final minutes at home, though.
As ever I am positive and go for a 2-1 win. We are on a good run and we fear anyone. Also TP must know some of their players even the WBA players have changed a bit since he left – was it just Noverber last year?
Up the Boro!
Jarkko
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but the game tomorrow will not be available via Riverside Live video as it is being shown live on Sky. So it is either Riverside Live audio commentary or video via another site if available.
Yes, it is live on our TV. The problem is that I cannot see the TV while travelling and must rely on WhatsUp massages from me missus now.
Thanks for the info, KP. Appreciated.
UTB!
OFB – a great piece interviewing Hodgy, for me its particularly interesting to hear about what ex footballers are up to today.
Presumably Boro have a plan B as an alternative to Bolasie, I’d feel much happier with Besic back on loan, hopefully that’s a deal that can be delivered.
Thanks Jarkko for giving us “must rely on WhatsUp massages from me missus” when travelling – it’s got to be my all-time favourite typo on the blog 🙂
A typo. UTB!
Boro have signed Besic on a season long loan.
Come on BORO.
I must admit I expected that Besic would be back, we still need a speedster and or wide player.
But it is a start.
Besic makes sense, hopefully we didn’t have to pay his agent loads of money for the loan.
Generally I was happy with him last season and gives us options in midfield.
Good to see Ayala and Hughill are fit and I am guessing will be on the bench tomorrow.
Some more pace wide would be good as well, still a week to go to find that player!
I am surprised that so much of the “scouting” is via computer programmes and stats and if you are lucky a you tube clip of their best bits! What happened to seeing a player play in an actual match?
I would never dream of recruiting a memember of staff without a meeting to see if they matched up to their CV and could explain it all. It’s, all very good saying that a player is very good on paper, as others said, football is played on grass (or at the old Baseball Ground, sand!)
Thomas Kalas to Bristol City on loan – could have done another good job for us!
So the Besic saga is finally over and with a happy ending – in a way it’s worked out much better to get him on a season loan rather than a permanent deal as it’s meant less long-term risk and less expense. Now cynics may argue that the last minute hitch with his agent demanding crazy money has benefited both parties at Everton’s expense – Besic gets to keep his PL wages as the balance is subsidised by the Toffees and Boro get the player for the season with a lesser financial hit. Have Boro employed Baldrick as a consultant for cunning plans…
Werder
I would argue that it is only a happy ending if he is picked to play and is able to up his game against the better sides and help the team gain wins against them.
If he produces no more than he did toward the end of last season then I would see the investment as a negative return.
I do accept, however, the need for more numbers/quality in midfield and it is difficult to see who else we could persuade to come and would they fit in as quickly.
Question marks for me still around Besic but on the balance of risk it is probably one worth taking and far less a risk than Bolasie.
What are the odds on Henry being appointed manager of Bordeaux and his first signing being Martin Braithwaite?
Braithwaite won’t be going anywhere !
I hope you are correct and he continues to play the way he has started for the rest of the season.
Nailed on certainty
As Exmil states it’s probably a surprise that Stoke have yet to win a game this season, but it sometimes happens to relegated teams from the top tier. In fact Boro hold the unenviable record of any team in that respect. After relegation in 1954 Boro Boro drew their first match in the Second Division and then proceeded to lose the next 8 matches. They then won 17 and lost only 6 of their next 26 matches to rise to 9th by Easter. If there had been playoffs they might well have made them.
What is the purpose of this blog? Well, although it’s very nice to see Boro in the top two after 4 matches, but the normal rule of thumb is to wait until each team has played 10 matches before looking at league tables. But as Boro did in 1954/55 a poor start can still result in promotion. For example Crystal Palace lost their first 3 matches in their promotion season via the playoffs in 2013. Also Bournemouth in 2014 accumulated only 9 points from their first 8 matches and stood in 15th positions but finished as Champions with 90 points by the following May.
On paper Boro’s next two matches look tough, but who’s to say these two teams will even be in the playoffs by the end of the season? Until some consistent form has been established by any team including Boro should we really be looking at league tables yet. The main criterion is an average of 2 points a game, and Boro will achieve that with a couple of draws before the international break. Let’s not worry about other teams points totals at this stage, if Boro maintain that ratio of 2 points a game, then it’s odds on they’ll get automatic promotion.
Rumour mill says that Boro are in for Huddersfield winger Rajiv Van La Parra….I spoke to a friend of mine who is a Huddersfield season ticket holder about him and this was his reply ‘ He can beat a man, but he then wants to beat him again, he’s got pace but no end product.’ Where have we heard that before ie Traore. Wait till TP gets hold of him. If it is true that is !
Tony Pulis’ comments on Assombalonga are interesting. He says that players have a responsibility to be fit and work as hard as poss. Apparently Pulis’ believes Brit could be fitter but is working hard. I take a strong implication that TP felt that wasn’t the case last season.
So who is next in on loan and how many I wonder?
Braveheart’s friend is right re Van la Parra.
He has pace, but no where in Traore’s league, is tricky , can beat a man but has no idea when to pass and inevitably loses the ball as he dilly dallies about and is not a goal scorer. He has failed to improve in the last few years when his defects are so obvious to the Town supporters. Also he is nowhere good enough for the Premiership and is not a stand out player in the Championship .
Give me Adomah or a winger Huddersfield sold recently – Ince, or I would settle for giving Tavernier a chance than getting an average winger which is all Van la Parra is.
Sounds either like another project or one to stay clear of.
For me it is now or never, if we don’t make it this season then we are likely to be consigned to the Championship for an extended period which I don’t want to see.
We need players experienced at this level who can hit the ground running and are able to fully contribute toward a promotion push. Yes I know I am asking for a lot but if you don’t aim high then you are likely to fail.
Some nice words from Mo Besic which indicates he wants to be at Boro and that is encouraging and bodes well.
CoB
Interesting comment from Besic about being fit. When he came in January he had barely played in two years. He has had a full season and played a lot of pre season football.
Lets hope he hits the ground running, From what I had read he had done well for Everton pre season, lets he hope carries it on.
Good to see Ben Gibson in the Burnley side playing European football.
Shame he is not in the Boro side doing the same thing.
If Burnley can do it then why not Boro??
Comments from Everton fans about Besic.
https://thisisfutbol.com/2018/08/blogs/everton-fans-react-to-besic-exit/
Well Besic arriving beefs up the central area of the pitch. He showed some decent form as last season progressed along with his fitness levels before becoming anonymous in the Play Offs. Good to hear that he feels that he is in a better place now fitness wise and more importantly that Teesside is where he wants to be. If he is a better player than last season then thats a very good positive signing.
Other areas of the pitch however remain exactly where they were when we finished last season with those gaps still looking susceptible. No LB cover and despite TP’s thoughts RB to me looks questionable unless Besic arriving sees McNair as more of a RB than a Midfield alternative reinforced perhaps by the emergence of Wing.
Van la Parra has experience of the Championship and has done OK in a wide role but no more, no less. Maybe we are now down to fourth and fifth place choices/alternatives but the squad needs beefing up and we are now getting close to the wire. To me Van la Parra represents a decent squad addition but not an upgrade on what is already here and I’m not so sure that he is a big enough improvement on say Johnson for example to warrant added expense. Still he fits the criteria in terms of already used to life “up north” and can’t get a game at his existing club so would see the Riverside as a feasible alternative plus the possibility of getting back to the Prem whilst seeing his Terrier team mates move in the opposite direction. No surprise then that he looks more likely than say a Bolasie (or Puncheon for that matter).
I still don’t feel that we have found an upgrade to Bamford (I see Hugill as more of a Gestede upgrade) or Fabio who could cover at Right and Left Back plus add some zest and impetus from the bench. Ben has been covered as well as could be expected but replacing the Adama outlet is probably impossible. Lets hope that whoever it is adds more with their all round game than just one or two extreme skill sets.
Cracking read, OFB.
Kelham O’Hanlon’s dad, Bill, was a very old school, throw-the-board-chalk-at-stupid-answers-to-questions kind of teacher.
He was my head master all the way through St Edward’s primary school. We were all terrified whenever he acted as a substitute teacher.
To loop back to earlier in the thread, St Eddies is at the top of Eastbourne Road, at the bottom is a series of shops we we knew as kids as the Palladium shops. It was only when I was older I discovered there used to be a cinema there, from where the shops took their name.
Am reasonably ok with Besic signing, am very pleased Bolasie hasn’t.
Thanks Chris
The Palladium was a poor mans ABC Minors.
Owned by Thomson enterprises who also had their head office at Palladium buildings. They had lots of cinemas in the North East. The chairman George Kitching was also a director at MFC.
I saw my first ever Western at the Palladium. It was on their new wide screen and starred Oblong Cassidy
I remember seeing Carry on Sergeant there, memories or what?
UTB,
John
Redcar Red
An Adama replacement is an interesting concept.
What are you replacing? The aggressive Orc or the Sleepy Ent? Is it better to get a player who contributes on a regular basis.
We have done OK this season without him, Shotton has surprised everyone with his displays.
What is Gilly droning on about?
Lets look back. Post Jockification, McManus played at centre back, several times he went off due to injury and Matt Bates moved to centre back and we looked much better. Matt Bates was playing left back or holding midfield, top player but he was better at centre back. He never played with him in front of him or as him at left back.
He moved to centre back and a natural holding midfield player or left back came on.
People say Grant was a step up on Barry Robson. I dont recall Grant playing in sundry positions such as full back or left midfield, he nearly always played in his preferred position. By that I mean he played ONCE at Forest supporting split strikers, a cunning Mogga ploy with Juke on the right and Scott McDonald on the right. Gosh that was dull but we got a point
As previously posted, poor Andrew Taylor played at Arsenal with Rochembach in front of him.
Eventually I get to the gist, just because a player is not as devastating as Adama dont think he cant be replaced. He had his strengths but would if someone can contribute on a regular basis. If Adama rips up the top flight then good luck to him and Wolves. Having taken the money with no surety and get consistent good, regular performances from a replacement, I will settle for that
Ian
The story of our lives really, whatever the sum of money, it has always been well worth taking the money.
Some wonderful players have disappeared to clubs that valued great players more than money.
However, to suggest that we can, and will, find a better player ( so do not worry) has proved a mirage. Finding their backside in the dark with their hands is more than enough challenge for our recruiters.As a club we seem to be very slow on the uptake, it could be put down to extremely poor evaluation of our own playing staff, an example is Wing, will we really drop him from the team to accommodate some unknown recruit? Are we really unaware of the difference his though balls and speed of thought make to the team, ( that goes for Tavernier too).
Jarrko, as it is on SKY, I am sure there will be a few sites streaming the match on the internet. VIPLEAGUE is normally good or just google live stream for options.
I see Ben Gibson was sent off for Burnley in the Europa match tonight.
You mean Boro’s deep cover sleeper agent, bringing down Burnley from the inside. 😎
Seemed to be a harsh decision. Thinking back when Pallister left Boro didn’t he have a poor game on his first appearance for Man Utd, same goes for Woodgate for Real Madrid?
how to replace Adoma?
The team is functioning well at the moment.
For all Adoma’s pace and trickery terrified defenders, he was prone to watching the game go by or losing the ball in dangerous positions or coming back into the box and giving away a penalty. Very exciting going forward and great to watch.
TP did improve his all round game but was playing AT like playing with 10 men? and does the team now have the full compliment of 11 players that are a more effective unit?
I am thinking back to Kris Boyd who did nothing apart from score goals (for Rangers at least).
I would be interested to know what others think
It’s an interesting question Old Billy. The great advantage of having Adama in the Championship was that he became a focus of attention for the other side who were terrified of what he could do to the left side of their defence. They concentrated so much on stopping him that they often lost their own structure. However, that in itself demonstrated the problem for Boro. Having him in the side certainly made us lopsided in attack and when a side found a way to keep him quiet, we didn’t seem able to take advantage of the space that was available elsewhere.
The big question for this year was always going to be whether TP could structure a side that played an all-round game with the option of using Traore when appropriate. Now we’ll never know the answer but there is still a lot to look forward to, not least seeing the youngsters come through and the new faces coming in.
For me, I’m really enjoying the sense of having an experienced, professional and honest manager in charge of the club. TP seems to run the club the way that a good business is run, good human relations, sensible financial decisions and a sense of looking for best practice. Clearly, the acquisition of new players has been difficult but I’m not sure that the blame is so easy to attribute. In the case of Bolasie, we again saw a simple choice made in favour of a more ‘fancied’ club. I’m happy to see us acquiring players who want to be at the Boro and if they don’t come in then I’m pretty sure that TP has some Plans B and C to provide cover if necessary. I would suggest that if we can bring in a left back and an experienced winger we could survive quite happily through to January.
UTB
Selwyn,
Your reply is pretty much spot on!
Best example was the home game against Wolves. He terrified their defence so much that they had two players sent off.
There was to be no dividend from this as Wolves still managed to win the game.
I loved watching him and hated him being left out of the team but was I being selfish? Did I want to be entertained rather than accept a more pragmatic approach that may have yielded more victories?
He certainly had me on the edge of my seat at times.
As Ian has alluded to which Adama are we looking to replace? The dynamic searing paced entertainer who terrified teams or the little boy looking lost, chasing the ball by running to his team mates instead of making runs and creating openings for them?
We were in effect a ten man team with an unknown quantity who could destroy teams or just be a peripheral figure looking on. Considering that we didn’t really get any benefit from him until the last four months of the season his overall contribution last season wasn’t perhaps as great as our romantic recollections afford us with the passing of time.
Van la Parra doesn’t quite do it for me as he has equally frustrating flashes of technical brilliance interspersed with a frustratingly blinkered ability to be a team player but using Adama as a reference point maybe, just maybe he will be a more of a joined up addition than Adama was. Saying that I will still miss jumping out of my seat every time Adama got the ball but would happily swap that for a few more ground out victories..
Getting close to signing Antonio from West Ham on initial loan
Playing catch up so belated thanks to Werder and OFB.
Good news regarding Besic, if he comes back as the player we saw after January (play offs aside) then I for one will see it as a positive loan move. Bolasie going to Villa is for me a bullet dodged so I’m happy on both counts.
Looking forward to tonight’s game on the “big screen”. West Brom have scored a fair few but they let a few in as well, were averaging 2 goals a game (league) and have kept 3 successive clean sheets so I’m not expecting a 0-0! Excitement, goals and a Boro win would do me nicely. However I’d also take a drab 1-0 win!
I was also at the Swansea FA cup game. Beeb hoping for an upset only for Boro to carry out a proper demolition job with Hodgy absolutely tearing them apart. I don’t think the BBC have forgiven us since.
GHW and Len, loved the jokes btw👍🏻
FAA
The BBC have never loved us so they have no need for forgiveness.
As for tonight, the heart says 2.1, the brain says 2.2.
I’m with Chris expecting a high scoring draw.
Chris
I agree that a score draw is most likely.
BTW, your reference to St Edwards brought back memories of its previous history as St Mary’s College. I spent a year there prior to transferring to the new building on Saltersgill Avenue, the shops in the Palladium buildings providing us with the opportunity to buy sustenance for our long bus journey home.
Who could forget St Mary’s Convent……
GHW
Life at St Mary’s College certainly perked up when the Convent relocated next door to us at Saltersgill!
Throttlers 2 Throstles 1
Antonio at his best was really good. What’s happened to him?
Goodness me St. Mary’s College, in the 1960’s when I was at Art School in Newcastle I had summer jobs with Whitbreads on the delivery lorries. We used to deliver there very week, Whitbread pale ale, Guinness and milk stout. Pretty well a third of a lorry load too.
Anyway on to tonight. I think Boro will surprise us so I’m going Lions 3 – 1 Spotty breasted birds.
On the other hand, no I’ll stick with that.
UTB,
John
I’m a long-standing admirer of Antonio, and advocated on here that we should sign him when he was at Forest. He gave both Fredericks and Kalas an absolute roasting when we played them down there,and was the outstanding Championship player that I saw that season.
What we did was unbelievably stupid. We bought Downing from West Ham, and this money enabled the Hammers to scrape together enough to go for Antonio. The rest is history. Antonio turned out to be one of West Ham’s few successful buys of recent years, both scoring and creating goals, playing all over the front line , and giving 100% every game. Notwithstanding Stewie’s recent form, he rarely made the impact that most had hoped for, and for two seasons his form was distinctly patchy. On the evidence that I saw, we got the worst of that deal.
Boro’s interest in Antonio goes back a long way. When he was at Sheff W he was on Mogga’s radar, but of course the Boro manager didn’t have the resources available to him to clinch a deal. More’s the pity.
Since his injury last season, Antonio’s form has been much less impressive. He seems to have lost something in both pace and touch, but he remains a wholehearted performer. I’d welcome his signing, particularly on loan, but we may need to be patient. It may be some time before he gets up to speed, and I suspect that his best days may now be behind him. Nevertheless I’m excited that we may be signing him. It’s just a shame that we didn’t do it five or even three years ago.
What’s next? Tom Ince in the January window? You couldn’t make it up.
Was just about to post the exact same Len but you beat me too it. On his day an absolutely brilliant player at this level but his injuries are a concern. Depending on the terms could be worth a gamble that could pay dividends. Certainly on paper at least he would look like an upgrade to me.
That Antonio wasn’t “one of our own” and didn’t fit the narrative of Prodigal Son Returns To Lead The Team To Triumph might have played its part.
The Burnley story is all the more interesting for the lack of goals.
They finished 19th in 2014-15, just like Boro did in the awful 2008-09 and 2016-17 seasons, with a mere 28 goals. That’s identical to our 2008-09 tally and just one up on our 2016-17 tally.
It gets more interesting. Last season they netted an average of less than one per game.
Yet they all seem a very happy bunch, their supporters. I would imagine they take great pride from “sticking together” and “keeping calm” throughout two relegation struggles (one successful) in three years, rather than panicking and swapping manager.
I still don’t like Dyche and wish him relegation, oblivion, and a job in division two where he can credibly moan about lack of funds.
Thanks first to OFB was the ongoing excellent reads in his In2view section.
Nice to hear of his regard for Boro. I wonder if MFC ever use him for identifying possible project buys?
I expect a tough game tonight and will be there to see it all being well. I also think it could go either way or end as a draw. I am hoping for a win as I do not expect us to get a result at Leeds next Friday. But you never know. Depending how fit Besic is, we may see him on the bench for that game.
Crowd of 22,650.
Tough game tonight.
I’d like to think WBA aren’t at their best yet, still settling in to Championship life.
2-1 Boro
I would also like to think WBA are not at their best but if Saturdays 7-1 win is a gauge then I hope they do not hit their best tonight.
Simon
Achieving 7th spot is a great achievement but, as there always is, less than one goal per game! Really! That’s a rediculously low amount by any standard you’d care to go by. Says a lot more about the standard of the “Top Flight” and the ability of Burnley to bore the opposition to death.
Well done to them for what I see as over achieving but personally I’d rather see a few goals going in the opposition net.
And please don’t trot out our last abysmal attempt at premier league survival as a yard stick to measure the success Burnley have had of late. If we had given it a “go” things may have turned out different. But we, or rather AK, didn’t and we are where we are. Ifs buts and maybes certainly.
Posted a reply to Simon but it’s disappeared into the ether.
Basically less than a goal a game and Burnley managed 7th place. That stat says a lot more about the dearth of quality in the risk averse “Top Flight” than the ability of Burnley to punch above their weight. Regardless of them keeping faith with their manager post relegation.
Can you imagine if AK had stayed on after relegation? Implosion and turmoil wouldn’t come close.
There was no way he could have stayed. The toxicity was too much. I do believe it ultimately resulted from three sides – individual players, chairman, and manager – wanting to ensure progress in their own way, and the clash of culture and ideals that sprung from that.
Individuals may have preferences to play the way they want. The chairman will expect the manager to have the interests of the club at heart as well as his own ideals. The manager may well be furious at the hierarchy for foisting players upon him that he does not want.
Trouble.
Who says we would have been relegated if he had stayed?
Metaphor time.
2016-17, or January-May 2017, was like eating a vegetable you don’t like. No one can deny its benefits – Boro are wiser for the experience and the balance sheet is a lot healthier – but no one wants to remember it.
If we want to replace AT and pace/ speed is the main criteria then we could go for Usian Bolt.
He is currently on trial here in Australia with Central Coast Mariners, hoping for a contract.
TP could do a Steve Bruce and hijack the deal.
Not sure he would cope with the Teesside winter blizzards but he would give Balasie ten yards start.
Usain Bolt learning to cope with bitter cold Teesside winters: puts ‘Cool Runnings’ into a new light
Old Billy.
I think the way Dyche puts it, he’s only being realistic about Burnley’s place in the financial football chain, rather than complaining about it.
Makes a change from the Rafa Benitez vs Mike Ashley thing going on in Toon Town. It’s been said that while Ashley is a terrible owner, Rafa uses him an excuse. And that Rafa is a “Spanish Redknapp” in that he always needs more money and more players. Make what you will of that.
Si,
What sticks in my throat is when he said that Boro had taken Championship spending to another level while his wallet was
bursting with parachute payments but his club were too tight to spend any of it.
Did I mention that I don’t like him?
I cannot believe that Benitez is still at toon. They have not supported him.
He must have handcuffs on,
Must be down to his contract. Maybe he has to pay to walk away.
Simon
if you hire a person who is glad of the job, he will gladly do his two seasons, take the money and run.
when you hire a person like Benitez( all sorts of trophy’s ) he will tell you that four of his players are playing in the wrong league.
Then he will tell you that he has first refusal on a young player heading for the top.
You see the difficulty, every time you say no the picture becomes clearer to him.
He is on the road to nowhere, and so is your club.
Onto things Boro rather than Burnley!
Just about to set off north for the game as due to a forthcoming 3 week holiday to Canada, this will be last chance to see a game for a while.
It is not going to be an easy game, let’s hope that TP has got the players drilled and ready. I am sure he will to prove a point to WBA
So I am saying 3 to Boro and 2 to the team with a bird!
UTB
An awful lot of talk of gambles on players on this blog.
so we sell class young player, and then roll the dice big time, buying old crocks who once were contenders.
I remember, long ago, a Boro manager brought in a player, ex welch international, was dropping down a league.
The manager said ” I have wanted him in my team for eight seasons”
He was overweight, over priced, under paced, and never played without a massive bandage on his massive thigh. That told me all I needed to know about buying players. In fact it would be a good idea to employ a used car salesman in that post I reckon it would stop a lot of grief..
Is he still fit Plato??
Simon
You could say that, as long as Ashley owns NUFC, the manager of the time will always have a ready made excuse for under achievement.
In the event that they are relegated, however, it will be interesting to see if Rafa retains his Messiah status.
Oolong forward to the game tonight. I am expecting an entertaining display and hope Boro can maintain their generally good return from Sky’s Friday night special. Afraid to put the jinx on matters though, so I’ll borrow OFB’s balls and go with 🏐🏐
For oolong read looking…
Judging by the line-up, is this the 3-4-1-2 I’ve wanted to see for what seems like forever?
Of course, that team included Fabio at right wing-back, Traore in the hole and Bamford up front but still, I’m happy to see it if indeed it is the case tonight.
Shame that Wing has missed out though.
As AV said ” set-play sucker punch”, and how many times have Boro been caught the same way in the past?
Got thew score wrong but we won. Excellent. Glenlivet poured.
UTB,
John
I’ll drink to that
Bloody good stuff. That was worth getting up early for.
The team was positive, well organised and kept going right to the end. Howson and Clayton never stopped, the back three were never troubled – except when Flint hit the bar – and Friend and Shotton are really growing into the wingback role. Friend in particular had his best game of the season. Still not 100% sure about BA and MB together up front but they certainly worked hard. MB seemed to fade out a bit in the second half.
Anyway, back on top and ready for next Friday.
UTB
Take a bow Adam Clayton. Fabulous!
Thought we’d blown it after that terrific first half but a very timely winner keeps the pressure on the chasing pack. Early days, of course, but we have to savour the moment.
Howson shaded MOTM for me but a good team performance.
Terrific first half performance lacking only in a goal. I thought we pressed them really well throughout and were positive in everything we did in the first 45.
The tempo dropped in the second half but we remained determined and solid.
A very encouraging performance against a good side and a terrific theee points.
We look a little short of quality in my view but it’s being made up for in spirit and organisation, not to mention our set piece threat.
Enjoyed it.
After years of trying (and ultimately failing) to play football “the right way” only to be sucker punched from a cross or set piece when we think we’ve got a result… we turn the tables. And it feels good.
A note from Hodgy ref the visit to Roker amd the free ticket
Quote “
Hi . Certainly wasn’t my mum she was long gone unfortunately by then. My dad yes maybe my step mum I’m trying to wrack my brain if I played against the boro at Roker Park Really enjoyed reading the article thank you for asking me .
“ Unquote
OFB
Thanks Bob. I should have been clearer, the game was at Ayresome Park, 28 December. Notably, it was the first time Bernie had really stood out for me as he and Gary Rowell played either side of starchy Archie in a front three. Even Don O’Riordan, played well in a 5-2-3 and it looked just possible that things might be going Willie Maddren’s way. Sadly that was the high point. In the mists of time I can’t remember much about Hodgy on the day (sorry) but I do remember Eric Gates’ family being most impressed with Pally and Mogga.
Writing this before reading anyone else’s comments after my early morning watching.
We deserved to win but was thinking that it looked on 0-0 until Dani popped up in injury time.
Thought that we worked really hard and look to be a very fit side. Everyone seems to know their roles and we were always looking to go forward. Howson looks like the player that we thought he should be.
One thing that I was not impressed with was Randolph’s kicking, always to the same spot and often going out of play.
Still see that we have 11 behind the ball for defensive corners, WBA showed the advantage of leaving players up field when defending when they got a two on one only for Gayle to blast over. Also on Albion it looks like they have brought their Premier League attitude with them- shouting and pointing at officials, asking for cards when decisions go against them.
Looking at the stats surprised that we only had 38% possession.
I’d resigned myself to miss watching the game yesterday as we had guests arrive to visit us from London and then also had a surprise early-evening 50th birthday party to attend. As luck would have it our flagging Spanish guests were up at 4.30am to catch their 4-hour delayed Ryanair flight so we left the party a little early. Anyway, all of which meant I caught the last hour of the game and rather appropriately it was Boro’s spaniard who handed the points to Tony Pulis’s team with a deserved late winner.
So here’s Redcar Reds match report of our 2.6 points per game table-topping league-smashing heroes…
https://diasboro.club/2018/08/25/boro-1-0-west-brom/
Well you don’t always get what you deserve but last night we certainly did. That first half was one of the best I’ve seen, live or on the tv, for quite a while as I missed the Sheff U match due to streaming issues. A goal or two and it would’ve been over by half time.
A change in formation from TP that worked, again, and from Randolph through to Brit and all in between it was a great all round team performance. Stand out performers for me were Howson, Clayton (again) and Fry with honorable mentions for Braithwaite, Downing and Friend who I agree had his best game from those I’ve seen.
West Brom may have had the lions share of possession but we didn’t let them do a lot with it. Flint had their best chance and a speculative 30 plus yard strike were the only time our goal was under any sort of a threat.
As the game wore on and we hadn’t managed to put one of our chances away that nagging Typical Boro feeling poked it’s head up. You know the one where we get done by the late sucker punch. Well this Boro team appear to be putting that feeling to bed. The Millwall come back and last nights injury time winner show to me that everyone is pulling in the same direction and so far they’ll keep going until the final whistle.
A fourth clean sheet in a row was very well deserved though I’m a bit disappointed we’ve dropped below the 2 goals a game average😉. UTB!
I think what we are seeing demonstrates the secret of TP’s success. Put quite simply, he gets his players playing to the best of their ability. And importantly, all at the same time.
Just what we we saying as we walked back to Borough Road after the game.
As a critic of Assalomba? Can I say that he had a great game, clapped off the pitch, and two stone lighter,( and the better for it).
The improvements in this team are due to the manager and are easy to see, extra height in the team, including the defence, extra fitness, witness the late goal. Extra confidence, winning tight matches.
It’s a big ask, but my word, what about winning at Leeds on Friday night, it should be some match.
It’s a little churlish to moan after last nights great win……but…..on numerous occasions Boro players were caught in possession and out muscled for the ball. Get on the weights or shift the ball quicker.
Thank you for the match report RR although I was at the game I relived it through your post.
Excellent stuff as usual
OFB
GHW
You’re right. It’s the only weakness in last nights performance.
The usual from RR, pretty much reflected my view of the game, even down to the camera man clearing off early along with a few fans who will have missed the goal! Always amazzes me that people will leave early.
Was a bit worried that we would concede in the dying minutes having settled for the draw so was elated with the goal. At least the ref didn’t see the possible handball which was justice for some of the other dodgy decisions or fouls that he didn’t see.
Not sure the lino on the East stand side was awake as he missed a few things such as the ball clearly being out of play on more than one occasion.
Anyway, top of the league will do me and wonder if there will be any coverage at 1145 in Vancouver next Friday (or even if there is whether Mrs BBD will be keen on my watching!
UTB
Great report thanks RR and an even better result against a strong side who will be there or thereabouts come crunch time.
An excellent first half during which the side chased and pressed high up the pitch from the off and it clearly knocked the baggies off their stride. Shame we didn’t take advantage of the chances that fell our way and that the referee didn’t have the courage to award us the two penalties we should have had.
The second half was a bit more fragmented and when I was beginning to think that we could end up like we did against Villa, Cardiff and Fulham up popped Danni to give us as deserved win with a bit of a helping hand! I just wish he would keep his hands to himself when defending at corners and set pieces as he is likely to give away as many penalties as he scores goals.
I like a few others still feel we need a bit more creative quality and perhaps a 15/20 a season proven goal scorer unless Hugill can fit that bill.
BA for all his hard work and selfless running does not perform adequately enough for me against the stronger and well organised teams. He is in my view a League 1/lower Championship striker and no more.
I suspect TP will persevere with BA until January and then look to move him on to free up further funds for a replacement.
If the squad can maintain last night’s level of commitment and industry coupled with taking chances more frequently then we should be in the mix at the end of the season. 😎😀
Because most of us were able to see last night’s match live it would be a shame if Redcar Red’s excellent report went slightly under the radar. Nevertheless it’s the first match report I look for on my iPad and was an honest and fair reflection of the match.
The BBC and Sky publish identical OPTA Stats for all the top matches, some are interesting but in reality results of past performances have no bearing on current matches. Redcar Red quite rightly pointed out that Boro hadn’t beaten West Bromwich Albion in their last 7 matches, but as we saw last night that seaquence was broken. The only issue I disagree with RR is the term of ‘bogey team’ commonly used by most people. I don’t actually believe in ‘bogey teams’ as the past is the past and now is now. As a matter of fact West Brom are one of the few top clubs which Boro have beaten more often than they have lost:- 37 wins against 31 defeats in 89 league encounters, and even more impressively at home with 27 wins and only 7 defeats in 45 meetings. Anyway that’s my being pedantic and nit-picking.
As for the match itself I enjoyed it. What one or two might lack in skill, there’s no denying the commitment shown by all the players. The one problem I see is the ratio of shots on target against total shots. Both Assombalonga and Braithwaite should certainly have scored. I liken Britt to Traore in some ways – he is not always aware as to the best options when in the penalty box. We do seem to lack a natural goalscorer without Bamford unless Hugill might fit the bill. However I don’t
wish to be too critical as I thought the win, although unlikely late on, was thoroughly deserved.
RR,
Thanks for the usual comprehensive report, it sounded a good game. I’ve seen the highlights on Sky and I reckon Boro could have had three more. Howson’s header that Britts backside got in the way of, Braithwaite and Assombalonga. Never mind, a win is a win and a clean sheet too. Good stuff. A bit more composure please forwards, easy to say I know.
UTB,
John
RR
Thanks for the overall view that watching on the telly just doesn’t give you no matter how many cameras are following events on the pitch.
I must agree that in the first half the ref seemed to be favoring the Baggies. Stonewall penalty when Flints shirt ended up like billowing like the Cutty Sarks main sale on the tea run from China and Livermore was more than fortunate not to be getting showered before half time. That said Ayala was fortunate not to give a penalty away for his attempts at all in wrestling. But two wrongs don’t make a right so poor officiating it is.
For the non penalty decisions sky showed the refs view on both occaisions he had a clear view of what was going on.
Just read Darren Moores post match interview on the beeb football website and I must’ve been watching a different match. Apparently they “dominated” the game and we were defensive. Yes they had the lions share of possession but we didn’t allow them to do anything with it. As for defensive I’m sorry but 18 attempts at goal knocks that comment on the head. Admittedly the amount on target wasn’t a particularly good return but it shows we were getting into positions to have a pop.
Back home Wednesday and looking forward to Friday’s game against the Dirties, then a well deserved (ahem!) holiday with Mrs FAA to Gran Canaria. Can’t wait me like!
FAA,
I do think that football managers have special lenses fitted to allow them to see a different game and ignore relevant facts. Arsene Wenger’s allowed him not to see events that were controversial and committed by Arsenal whilst throwing up the oppositions indiscretions in sharp relief. A useful managerial accessory.
UTB,
John
A terrific performance from Boro and a very good result, against a very good team we made look average.
By the 90th minute i was resigned to a draw and telling myself it was a good result. Then up popped Ayala to administer the coup de grace.
Watching the match on TV last night was the first time i’d seen Boro play this season, i was impressed, they look good.
I also think a good start to the season is so important, we’ve had to play catch up so mamy times in recent seasons and it makes getting i nto the top two extra hard.
So far, so good, bring on Leeds.
Its interesting Tony as mentioned Steve Gibson might want to have is say regarding the happenings in this window.
I think Gibson is fuming over the Adams leak of the release clause ,and the push from his agent to get him moved.apparently we offered a very good package to stay,including options.
I believe we had some big signings lined up, for this division ,but the negotiations kept moving and promises negated,
Let’s hope those we do sign,buy into what we are about, and we copy a Bournemouth and continually improve .
Great performance last night, for the first time in a long time, we looked the part,slick and confident.
Just shifting back to the Bolasie episode, apparently he turned up for his interview with TP wearing a fur hat with a big bushy tail hanging down the back. TP somewhat perplexed asked him “what the hell is that fur your wearing and why?” To which Bolasie replied that, “my bessie mate up from the big smoke this morning, asked me why I was packing an overnight bag”, to which I replied that “I’m off up to Middlesbrough for an interview”, my bessie mate said “wear the fox hat, so I did”.
Late equaliser for Reading at Villa, poetic justice.
Come on BORO.
Stakhanovite…….. . . AV certainly testing the Diadboro with that one.
confess I had to look it up. a true red under the bed…..
please forgive phone spelling. fingers too fat
Contributors this forum may recall that I have declared often that I am not a Pulis fan but after last night’s performance I have to admit that he clearly knows what he is doing.
He got the team formation and tactics absolutely right and as a result we stifled West Brom and stopped them playing. The football served up was attractive and forward looking. He has got the players very fit and has engendered a high level of commitment so that they keep going right to the end of the game. The players seem to want to play for him and there appears to be high morale and a terrific team spirit in the squad.
These are attributes that I haven’t seen in our club for quite some time and if the manager and the players can keep it going for the full season then the future looks bright and we should be up around the top of the league come May.
Boroexile thats a great post I enjoyed it
OFB
Boroexile,
Welcom to thbe Pulis camp. For me, it’s just a pleasure to see a manager getting Boro to play near the top of their potential for most of the time. It breeds confidence and trust.
Friday night is going to be the acid test and I have to say that an OFB special 0-0 outcome would not be something to sneeze at.
It’s a fun season so far!
UTB
⚽️⚽️
I was only able to get a text commentary during the first half as I was travelling back from Stockholm and was on the flight. So from the highlights seen today and from RR’s magnificent report in here, I missed the best part of the game.
My flight landed at 20:25 (BST), so about 5 to 10 min before the half time. As I had just hand luggage, trashed through the airport to the train station, took a three min ride and saw my wife at the station. A quick car drive home and were were there when five min was gone of the second half. And we saw the rest of the match live on TV.
So I was lucky the flight landed 10 min in front of the timetable, enjoyed again that there were no border formalities (there have not been any pass port control between Finland and Sweden for the past 50 years at least) and the train arrived just when I entered the station plafform. Anyway I made a new personal record of being at home and on the sofa in 30 min since the aircraft touched the ground!
Well, the second half seemed to have 0-0 written all over the match all night but how my family – my son and wife are Boro fans, too – enjoyed the late goal scored by Ayala. We showed the world – or the majority of half-empty Boro brigade – that we have a team to fight with the very best in the division.
Like Cardiff showed last season, you need team spirit and hard work to succeed in this division. We seem to have found our mojo again and the team plays constantly to their maximum. We do have quality, but do not only rely on an micracle by an individual like Traore.
Well done Boro. Next match will be even tougher and away from home. But we can get a point from there if we play as a team.
Up the Boro!
Talking about half-empty glass brigade, I noticed that if we had lost to Sheff United a while ago – we won 3-0 – the Sheffield team would have had now 12 points and being second on the table. So they are not a bad team.
Also we now have a four point cushion over Aston Villa who are the fourth on the table this morning. And more over, we have an eight-point cushion over the favourites, Stoke. And six more that West Brom.
But this is a marathon with a lot of matches to come. But nobody is going to take these points from us anymore.
So let’s support the team now. We are ready for the season and if we can get a derfender and a couple of wingers, then excellent. But seeing Becsic back is a good start.
Enjoying this season as ever. Just happy that Boro excists and being happy to follow them after all the trouble in 1986.
Up the Boro!
What a really nice, positive post.
As always, great report RR.
I notice that Antonio and Van La Parra both played for their clubs yesterday. Does that mean any loan deal is off as they are obviously in their teams squads.
Also, Snodgrass played for West Ham, not saying we were in for him but he would have been a good addition to the squad.
If Friday night was Teesside’s night then yesterday surely belonged to Catalonia where a Rugby League team from Perpignan having almost been relegated last year, became the first foreign team to win the Rugby League Challenge Cup; shades of Cardiff City being the only ‘foreign’ team to take the FA Cup out of England in 1927 beating the mighty Arsenal also at Wembley? Well Les Cats having won only two of their first eleven matches this year have been on a storming run since, not only securing their Super League status for another year, but deservedly beating the mighty St. Helens and now Warrington Wolves in yesterday’s final at Wembley.
But this has more significance in the history of Sport than that, because during the Second World War the French Rugby Union in collaboration with the Nazi French Vichy Government actually banned the Sport of Rugby League in France hoping to wipe the sport completely out of France. So Phoenix from the ashes! For Sport historians like myself, I commend ‘The Codebreakers’ which also covers the antipathy of the English Rugby Union towards Rugby League before the former became professionalised. The programme can be viewed for the next 28 days on the BBC iPlayer.
Returning to football and for those that are interested in early form League Tables, the match away to Leeds United next Saturday pitches the top two current Championship leaders, and no matter whatever the result, neither club can be dislodged from the automatic promotion places before the international break, unless of course Bolton can overturn a seven goal difference at Preston.
So, up the Boro! But also vive La France, and vive Les Catalans! Except of course next weekend when they visit Castleford.
I’m really pleased for Les Catalans, Ken.
We went to see Wigan play in Perpignan in 2016 and had a great time. Wigan fans didn’t seem to be enjoying the seafood stall in the stadium though – they’re more used to pies than oysters.
RL is really good for the town’s economy as well and everyone was so welcoming.
Thank you RR for your alternative report and the added interesting pre match information.
Overall I thought that we played well and deserved the win, but we must make more of the chances set up. On another day we could be unlucky and get beat, which no doubt will happen over the season.
However, like GHW, I do not want to be churlish, but although the three at the back worked well and TP May use that again at Leeds, the play down the flanks was very limited and I thought Shotton once or twice looked short of breath. George had a decent game on his side, but how many crosses did we actually deliver from the wing?
I thought we missed Wing and was disappointed for him and would have taken the chance with him over SD. Our ten corners were predictable and dealt with by their CB’s. That is apart from the final free kick that Hegazi fluffed and Ayala to advantage with his left foot.
The Championship is full of big, tall players that can out muscle the Boro at times and I am not sure what Besic will bring that we do not have now in Howson and Clayton playing as they have this season. Both have been a revelation.
Again as KP said, we still lack that extra creativity and pace and may be that is what Mr Pulis is trying to bring in.
Are there no Ramirez clones available?
Old Billy……I think I read that the PFL put their 25 squad numbers in on the 31st, so if correct could leave some players at the clubs in Europe stuck in limbo until January. Tammy Abrahams comes to mind and possibly the young winger at Liverpool, Oja?
I like the three at the back system. It certainly looks more solid and allows us to play two forwards reasonably close together, removing the isolated front man that we’ve seen so much of in recent years.
I think we’re a couple of enterprising wingbacks short at present, though those that have played the role so far have done really well.
Good work RR. My favourite moments of your piece were “SuperClayts” and the acknowledgement of the difference Jordan Hugill made, which I’ve saved notes on for my next TP.
That’s Talking Point, which I feel has to be written today, though I clean forgot that we’re playing Rochdale in the cup in midweek. So I’d better get a move on.
I watched the game in Sky with Mrs B (whisper it, she’s an Arsenal fan).
We both thought Boro played exactly how they had to, to beat WBA. They harried and closed them down and I certainly don’t have a problem with ourcteoiance in set plays.
How many times have we all moaned that we can’t execute corners with any level of danger? I don’t think any Ch teams will be comfortable with us this season.
Both I’d thought it was one of the best televised Boro games we’ve seen for ages. We’d had been out on a cultural day to Manchester earlier though, with a lovely lunch in the Northern Quarter, so maybe we were both a bit less on edge than usual.
“Our reliance on set plays” Damn, these fat thumbs…
Richard, Boro Exile – It is good to see you both happy!
To sum up my Talking Point, it’s basically on why Pulis is succeeding so far where Mogga and Aitor ultimately failed.
We talk about money required for players, yet if (sorry to mention them again) DycheBurn (c. RR) can take a group of Championship players into the PL, keep them up, sell two of the promotion heroes (Keane and Gray) at a very healthy profit and guide the rest into Europe, what does that say about clubs, or managers, who spend more and achieve less?
I’ve read that if a chairman insists on giving the manager everything, even that won’t be enough for 90% of managers. They’ll want 31 first team players when they’ve been given 30, or 13 training pitches when the club has 12.
Why is Pulis succeeding? Because he has credibility. The players look at his track record and realise this is a manager who gets the best out of his players.
Because of this they trust him and are prepared to buy in to his methods, because they have been proven to work. It would appear everyone is on the same page, and this reflects in the style of play and reliance on teammates to stick to a set game plan for the betterment of the team.
No prima donnas, just a collective with one common aim.
I think you could also of said that about Senor Karanka in his early tenure.
Eventually cracks appeared, Albert for example. Although I have say I am warming to Mr Pulis. The football played this season has been in the main, entertaining. The wins an extra bonus.
Benfica Winger Rafa Silva on Boro target list
https://everythingmfc.co.uk/news/rafa-silva-boro/
The problem with Karanka was that he didn’t have a track record in management, and once the players sussed him he spit his dummy out. He may go on to be a good manager, but I very much doubt it.
Anyone can use a position of authority to convey the way they want things done, but the best managers, no matter what field they are in get the best out of their charges by convincing them that what is being done is in their best interests..
I think the current squad have had an epiphany and put personal goals to one side to move forward and be successful as a team. They have become a force to be reckoned with and I’m looking forward to a fruitful season.
Thanks for that GHW, and I agree with it. But I’d like you to take time and hear my own views nonetheless, when the time is right.
MArcus Maddison from Peterborough ages 24 born in Durham and played for Newcastle Gateshead amd Blyth Spartans
It’s easier to Persuade Northern players to come to Boro
OFB
Loved the Friday evening match, a beautiful start to a very good weekend.
Now for couple of points.
We settled into the habit of having everyone up for a corner, which left us fans looking on in terror as they posted one man near the half way line ( still onside) they then had one object in life, to get the ball and chip it over every one into our half.
They succeeded once, and we were lucky, ( no, I have no idea why or how we dodged the bullet, but we did) .
Strange thing, on several occasions players were given instructions to cover that lone man, on each occasion they looked puzzled, then failed to get goal side of said attacker. What is going on?
I completely agree with the policy of fielding a rock solid ( and very tall ) defence when the match is of major importance.
Sorry to lose Wing from the side, it cut down the through balls, and therefore the chances, hope it is not permanent.
we need a repeat of that performance against Leeds, with bells on.
Finally, who is going to get sent off on Friday?
because someone always gets the red at Eland Road.
Boro have contacted Peterborough Utd over a possible loan to buy deal for Marcus Madsison
Si
Can’t download your post
OFB
I missed the obvious excitement that Adama’s pace or Bamford’s fancy footwork and instinct would have provided.
The flip side is that by not being so dependent on them we become less easy to defend against. A magic No. 10 would be nice but once the opposition shut him off, then what?
Watched the pundits on Sky sport, the subject of Traore was raised, they said the bleedin obvious, ( exciting but not much end product, since you ask) cue full on reel of him doing the following, doing a dazzling run with the ball to take his team from the half way line to the edge of the box, dragging four opposition with him, of course he put the ball in the box, it continued it’s journey untroubled by any team mate wishing to score a goal. Next they showed him laying on a goal, or two, then they showed him crashing into the box and scoring, several times.
A very chastened group of pundits then said( very quietly)” Wolves have got themselves a great player”
OFB, has Madison been injured as it looks as though he has only played a couple of games this season? On the bench Saturday.
As far as I know Neil Maddison is fit but don’t expect him to be playing in the first team again
OFB
Marcus or Neil, I am a bit confused.
And Yes, I don’t expect Neil to play in the first team anymore. He has his old injuries and he can hardly play in frienlies either. But he has had a good career at BBC Tees, though.
Up the Boro!
Rumours were out last week over Saville to Boro on loan with a view to a permanent deal in January – Not in squad today… Either injured or the rumours were possibly not just idle gossip… Possibly just coincidence
It will be a hectic week at Boro now. Two matches before Saturday – the cup match vs. Rochdale on Tuesday and then the top of the table clash at Leeds. Luckily the distance to Leeds is not that bad.
In addition, we need to sign a winger or two before Saturday. And a defender, too. That will keep TP very, very busy.
Also a lot of F5 (refreshing all the tranfer Pages as well as this site) to do this week to keep us as fans busy, too. One of the most interesting five days of the season going on.
Up the Boro!
Anthony Vickers reminiscing about sitting in a brand new shiny stadium. I couldn’t get a ticket for the Chelsea match but queued with my pal and we saw the Southampton match and were in awe at the experience despite the match finishing goalless. We just HAD to buy a season ticket between us as I spent the winters in Portugal and that worked out quite well for a time sharing it. The Riverside Revolution had started with signings of Nick Barmby, following by Juninho, Emerson and then Ravanelli. Great times, but something was still missing – a stadium almost in the middle of nowhere and it still is.
Boro needed to move from Ayresome Park, I get that, but despite the great European nights I never found that same camaraderie of turning up with ones mates or the atmosphere generated at Ayresome Park in its heyday. The fifties were terrific because I was seeing players from opposing clubs who I had only read about or seen rarely on newsreels – Stanley Matthews, Tom Finney, Tommy Lawton, Len Shackleton, Jackie Milburn, Nat Lofthouse, Billy Steel, et al. Then into the sixties with the likes of Bobby Charlton, Dennis Law and George Best – we always seemed to be drawn against Man United in the Cup. Then the Jackie Charlton years, what memories I’ve been lucky to have had.
Of course there were some terrible years, twice falling into the Third Division, but is it just me who found the atmosphere so much greater at Ayresome Park than the Riverside? Or am I an old man now indulged in nostalgia? Perhaps, but as I reflect I did enjoy Ayresome Park with its swaying crowds, the times when little lads would be passed shoulder high from the back of the ‘bob end’ to the front, the brass and silver bands providing pre- match entertainment instead of the ear-bashing music dished out by Mark Page, but certainly NOT being dampened with urine because fans couldn’t reach those horrible bogs which were supposed to be toilets.
Health and Safety regulations now have ensured a more comfortable stadium, but what is the point when having been allocated a seat, one has to stand because the people in front stand? On balance I must say I preferred Ayresome Park, cosily standing behind a concrete barrier. But then I’m an old fogey now heaped in nostalgia, but I make no apologies for that.
Ken
I’m a slightly younger old fogey but I also think the atmosphere at Ayresome Park was better. Another plus was being able to move position if some annoying person was giving an expert summary while you were trying to watch the proceedings.
I could do a Captain Mainwairing and ask who would first spot my deliberate mistake, but of course I made an unforced error. It was in the seventies when Boro seemed to be frequently drawn against Man Utd in the FA Cup:-
Feb 21 6th Round Drew 1-1, Lost Replay 1-2
Jan 5. 3rd Round Replay Won 2-1
Feb 29 5th Round Replay Lost 0-3
Dec 4 5th Round (League Cup) Drew 0-0, Lost Replay 0-3
Apologies for that.
On another note, I didn’t realise today is a Bank Holiday, but for those of you wishing to see some football our near neighbours Hartlepool United are at home to Chesterfield this afternoon 3pm kick off, and as they have won their last two matches sitting just one point off a playoff place, I’m sure they would welcome some additional support from Boro fans.
The stadium reflected the lives people led back then.
Young people would be horrified if they were instantly plunged back there( with, of course, all the grubby details of everyday life).
to get the point, just imagine yourself plunged back to the stadium in full on Victorian times.
I’m talking the life that they led, the housing, the working conditions, the medical provision ( that would be none).
To sit in a clean seat with a good view, to chat to the people near you in a civilised manner, to have a security section near at hand, to have bars and food outlets, even to have instant news from round the football world, plus replays of incidents as and when they happen ( I will not mention protection from the weather)
Of course Ayresome had charm of all old buildings and a lot of history. It was unique and will always be remembered.
But it is like comparing an over 100 year old house with a modern bungalow. They are from different era and cannot be compared to each other. The other was built cost saving, the for comfort.
I am missing Ayresome but wouldn’t swap the Riverside back to Ayresome. It had nice memories and you were somehow nearer to the pitch and players, but the Riverside is superior in many ways. Nice in rain, but needs a near full house for atmosphere.
Up the Boro!
Or, and I love old cars, but I do drive a seven-month old for a reason. I dream to buy an old-timer before I retire, they have so much more character than the new ones. But just as a hobby.
As I drive over 20 000 miles annually, I prefer to have the air bags, automatic gearbox, navigator, air con, line assistance and cruise control. And some power for overtaking. And low fuel cionsumption for environment.
So comparing Ayresome and Riverside is the same. Would you rather take an old Ford Escort or latest Ford Focus ST for every day use? Up the Boro!
Jarkko,
I’d love my SAAB 96 back! I wish I’d never sold it… now.
UTB,
John
Away in Turkey for a few weeks so trying to keep up. Managed to read RR great report on Sunday. Great result and nice to see Dani back.
Me too, Turunc
Just a quick post to say I won’t be able to put up a new weekly blog until tomorrow afternoon as we’ve been busy entertaining our Spanish guests since Friday morning and they don’t fly back until this evening so haven’t had an opportunity to sit down and write an article as yet. It’s been mainly day trips, dinners and non-football related conversations – more buenos dias than dias-boro – hasta luego…
Werdermouth,
Don’t let it happen again…
UTB,
John
Looks like the new player options for MFC are diminishing by the day, luckily there are not many days left for more to drop out. La Parra appears to be the latest, leaving possibly the Portuguese lad and possibly Morrison from Peterborough. I know nothing about both but that the latter would have to step a level and like Marvin Johnson is a gamble , and the former may need more time to settle especially if he does not speak English.
Who would be a recruitement Manager? Getting them to come and then agreeing a financial settlement. And no rumours of full back cover.
Have word with this guy Jarkko and show him the error of his ways…..,,,.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/45271994
He has chosen the wrong team. I was more clever. I think I have seen more wins than defeats – or perhaps I only remember the good times and wins while in the UK.
Of course I have seen more home matches, that could help. Often two home matches sandwitched with one away.
But I have never calculated how many trips I have done. Must be over 20 trips since the first one in 1980. So I would guess I have seen around 40 to 50 matches live. And many more on TV since mid 1970’s.
But I enjoy any match Boro will play. Up the Boro!
You have an admirable and indomitable passion for our team Jarkko and it shines through in everything you contribute in here. Top man.
I admire your dedication and your passion for Boro. Even more so as you previously had no connection to the area or the team. I can blame/thank my Dad for leading me in the right direction! Mind you I nearly started following Man U after their European Cup win in 1968 although in my defence I was only 8 and came to my senses very soon after that!
To my shame there may be photographic evidence on an old 8mm film of me in a ManU plastic cap. Can’t believe my Dad bought that for me somehow!
Thanks, chaps. But I do envy those who can have a season ticket or the ones who go to most away matches, too. I know Clive H, for example, travels a long way from Lancashire to all home matches and most away matches. So I feel I have a long way to go.
Also, I have to give gredit to my wife. She has joined me to all trips except the first one I made before we met. There have been only two other trips she has not joined me when I travelled with my Boro supporting son.
She has never misssed a Boro match when we have been in the UK. I am fortunate that she loves watching football as well. She supported Man Utd when we met, but she is Boro through and through now.
Following Boro is a nice hobby, especiallly during the dark winter nights when our own footballl season is over because of snow.
I love Boro. Up the Boro!
Re recruitment and retention:-
I will be absolutely devastated if Braithwaite leaves this week.
On another front, the EG reports that Forest are interested in taking Gestede. I will be absolutely devastated if he doesn’t leave!
Interesting stadium debate. Intriguingly my interest in football developed during the nineties “boom”, when everyone was starting to move towards the advent of the all-seater. I think the Riverside was one of the first specialist all-seaters built to replace the “old ground”, rather than a redevelopment (which Wolves completed in 1994). Other clubs followed suit, Sunderland’s SoL, Derby’s Riverside Replica Pride Park and Bolton’s Reebok during 1997 and 1998. What was once “space age” and “brand new” became commonplace.
Re: atmosphere, The Observer’s Will Buckley was fearful for it as far back as 1995. He bemoaned that clubs were losing sight of priorities, with the owners more keen on new restaurants or car parks than a new midfield, and that (judge this for yourselves) it’s hard to build up the same kind of atmosphere in an all-seater than it is among the terraces.
The thing about the all-seater, or the “modern” stadium, is this. Many of them look so much better on TV than they do in real life. The now demolished Pontiac Silverdome in Detroit looked amazing to my 14-year-old eyes in 1994. US defender Thomas Dooley called the place out for its humidity, citing it as “the worst place (he) had ever played”. Tab Ramos added that the field felt like they were running in sand.
In other news… Mourinho.
Oh dear.
Concluded the press conference he walked out of tonight with this.
“Just to finish, do you know what was the result? 3-0. Do you know what that this means? (He holds three fingers up). 3-0. But (it) also means three Premier Leagues and I won more Premier Leagues alone than the other nine managers together. Three for me and two for them. Respect. Respect. Respect…”
AV pointed out on Twitter that this was Jose’s reaction to the realisation that his methods are no longer working with that group of players. And that he then tends to pick fights (with players, owners, the physio, you name it), paving the way for his exit.
Interesting that some on Twitter are blaming Woodward for not backing Mourinho properly. But then others might say to him, football is changing and you have to accept that the manager won’t have total control like he used to. Hence the term “head coach”.
Whether that’s fair or not is still up for debate. Alan Curbishley was hailed as a future England manager for years, and he took Charlton to a level in the Premier League era they never reached before or since. Kevin Keegan is still deified in Toon Town.
Yet both vanished, from West Ham and Toon respectively, because they were both dismayed that the chairmen were giving them players and staff they did not want.
Alternatively, Mourinho is just making himself the story again. As he usually does when his team is humiliated.
Mourinho is deflecting the flak from his payers and copping it all. Not like some.
I think he needs rehabilitation, a sort of Swiss clinic if you like.
He should still manage a club and work, with a capital W, at Morecambe or Fleetwood, maybe Wrexham, Chesterfield where he can build a team with no money to challenge for the Premiership. Maybe then we’d find out what kind of manager he is.
On second thoughts what have they ever done to deserve that.
UTB,
John
Mourhino is a narcissistic self obsessed arse. I can’t abide his sneering “I’m always right and you’re all wrong” attitude. Successful manager certainly. Comes across as an awful human being in my eyes.
FAA, quite like I feel. And mainly because he was at Chelsea and Man Utd, the big clubs we as Boro fans do not like.
But I am pretty sure he must be a bit different behind the headlines. I am sure he is taking the attention now when his team is playing badly. He takes the spot light away from his players. He has done this before.
So I think we classify people too easily. I used to dislike Zlatan as a person, too. But by reading his autobiography I feel differently about him as a person now.
So let’s not write people off as easily as we do nowadays. At least not before talking face to face or finding more about them. I think mostlt what Morinho is doing is bluffing.
Having said that I do not like the big teams who seem to buy the success. Hence I loved when Leicester won the league in front of the big, rich boys.
Up the Boro!
Jarkko
I have never nor wish to meet him and he may well be different away from the media attention he has courted since he first arrived in English football. Everything comes across as having to be all about him.
Away from football he may well be a marvelous husband and father I haven’t a clue. I can only go by what I see and hear when he speaks.
Once in a lifetime, Boro should be able to have a season better than Burnley had last season. I am not expecting a season like Leicester had, but something in between.
So either Qualificating for Europe through league or winning a cup again (!). But I know we have done both already but my gut feeling is that that is still possible once. At least Steve Gibson deserves that more than many other owners of the PL clubs.
But it looks like going up from the Championship is the harder part. I know we got relagated last year but see how long Stoke stayed up there or Bournemouth and Burnley likewise.
But Leeds away will be difficult on Friday.Their record is as good as our this season – one draw and winning the rest. Up the Boro!
I think participating in the Europa League for clubs the size of Burnley has become a poisoned chalice. Danny Murphy said on Match of the Day that you need a strong squad and players experienced at European level to compete with the Thursday/Sunday set of fixtures. There now appear to be more qualifying rounds to overcome to reach the group stages. Fulham did very well to reach the final in 2010, but they were the last of the smaller English clubs to do so. Boro did well in their first season going out to Sporting Lisbon, but the experience of having participated once and the inclusion of international players such as Hasselbaink, Viduka, Yakubu, Southgate and Ehiogu counted a lot in their second season, not to mention Maccarone showing the form which made Boro buy him in the future place and then having come back from loan periods with Empoli when we were itching to get rid of him. Not only that but Boro were unlucky not to reach the FA Cup Final that season after outplaying West Ham in the first half of the Semifinal. Boro had a really strong squad that season and despite a mercurial League season were never in danger of relegation so were able to concentrate on the Cups.
It was easier for Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United with their large squads to reach the Europa League Final even under its new format than it was for Boro and Fulham under the guise of the EUFA Cup, and I fear that Burnley may now find that it’s better to exit the competition before they find themselves in a relegation battle. When Boro get promoted to the Premier League the last thing they need in my opinion is to qualify for the Europa League. We had our moments of glory but lost heavily financially; the Carabao Cup and FA Cup are a different kettles of fish and to win either again would be more significant than another sojourn into Europe in its present format. Of course to win either would mean automatic qualification into Europe, but let’s cross that bridge when it happens.
I meant to add that Boro played 14 matches to reach the UEFA Cup Final. For Burnley to reach the revamped Europa League Final will take them 20 matches as it would be for Boro nowadays. I don’t think it is worth the extra 6 matches which might be better utilised in reaching the FA Cup Final.
I think Mourinho’s response and behaviour is representative of someone who knows he has lost it and as has been found out but being a narcissist believes in his own hype. The current Man Utd squad has cost millions of pounds beyond belief, light years away from the reaches of all but three or four other clubs in the Country. Just comparing the cost of his squad versus Brighton’s or even Spurs highlights the sheer stupidity of his comments about not being backed.
If as Head Coach he has no input on incoming signings then he must have known what he signed up for when he agreed his contract or perhaps his agent is also on the list of those who have let him down. We have witnessed with TP how a Manager can manage someone else’s squad, reorganise, play to strengths, getting more out of individuals and collectively getting more out of the squad as a whole. Management by intimidation only works for so long and the problem is once it starts to unravel there is usually nothing left behind the facade.
There is an even bigger problem however in that Fergie achieved huge success at Old Trafford with a win rate of 59.7%. Mourinho is at 61% so has demonstrable improvement which albeit less than 2% considering the success of United’s most successful manager you would think should guarantee similar levels of silverware. The problem isn’t just Woodward’s or Mourinho, the problem is that other clubs have closed the gap and that 61% is no longer good enough. Like Arsene Wenger found out the landscape changes over time and nothing stands still. The respect he craves like Arsene and even the great Matt Busby found out is historical and as Joe Mercer (I think from memory) once said “you are only as good as your last result”.
I like Jose and you can’t knock his track record. I doubt he sanctioned the purchase of Lindelhof. We certainly dodged a bullet there.
One thing to admire is his drive, he certainly doesn’t need the money and could just pack it in and lay on a beach somewhere and bin all the hassle and stress. I have a sneaking suspicion he enjoys the pressure.
“Enjoys the pressure”… yeah, that’s actually a good way of putting it.
It’s been said, and I agree with this, that Mourinho needs a true challenge to thrive. A seemingly insurmountable obstacle.
Chelsea? Hadn’t won the league for half a century. Inter? Hadn’t won the European Cup for just as long. Real Madrid? Couldn’t end the dominance of Barcelona and pass the last 16 of the European Cup. United? Unable to find themselves post Ferguson.
At least Mourinho gave us Karanka and a season in teh PL.
Perhaps Mourinho and Karanka cannot manage for several years at one club. See the dip in form Mourinho had after his latest PL title at Chelsea. And same for Karanka, too.
Up the Boro!
Of all the players linked with us I like the look of Nick Powell, he’s caught my eye a few times.
I’ve liked the look of Powell for years myself. I believe that, like Kagawa, he was being bred by Fergie as a successor to Rooney but that never happened.
Jarkko
I think, albeit on reflection, that with Mourinho, Karanka and Roy Keane it’s as simple as this: these are a trio of managers who like to be in command, in control. They like to have things their own way. I think that they want, as Keane certainly did, to feel like the club needs them. So much so that when things go wrong they struggle to handle it more than most.
Haven’t seen the gossip about Powell but I’m not going to get my hopes up. I think he is the best player in the division and when he moves it will surely be to a premiership club, and a good one at that.
I did hear that we tried to sign a winger from little known Spanish outfit Del Monte. Even he said No.
The man from Del Monte, he said “No”… Liked that one Wiggy’s Mate
That’s about the only context where Keane and Karanka can be mentioned at the same time as Mourinho.
Keane and Karanka didn’t have a track record to back up their demands, this meant it would take a leap of faith to grant them it. It comes as no surprise that they blamed their shortcomings on their players, the managers easy way out.
Once a manager goes down that route he loses the players trust, and once that goes it’s inevitable that he soon follows.
I see it is reported that Stade Reims are interested in taking Sheyi Ojo on loan, have Boro lost interest on this Liverpool winger or is it the club/agent trying to push business along !
Come on BORO.
I like Nick Powell as well and would see him as good competition for Braithwaite (though Powell can clearly play a little deeper too)
He doesn’t provide the pace we need or cover at fullback though! A bit like McNair, it would be signing I would be happy for us to make but not one the addresses the real issues.
I expect a young line up tonight, with a couple of experienced players getting game time, possible line up:
Lonergan
Ayala
Fry
Wood
Leadbitter
McNair/ de Sart
Johnson
Tavernier
Wing
Fletcher
Hugill
Come on BORO.
Don’t know if Lonergan is fit he didnt make the bench on Friday
Emil
Fry and Ayala are out of the question, having assembled a gigantic trio, and found them to be a great comfort blanket, they will not be split up anytime soon. An added factor is the statement by Ayala which to summarise said ” having missed the pre season, I am feeling the incredible pace that we play at” there was more, but you get the gist.
I love the comfort blanket provided by three at the back, and the intimidating aura created by them.
I have been sick of seeing us muscled out of things once the match turned serious, because we always fell in love with small players, so good luck to Pulis in his efforts to level the playing field.
Good Post I’ve not felt so comfortable at the back since having Mogga n Pally or Maddren n Boam
Fry Ayala and Flint sounds like a firm of solicitors !
OFB
Then it could be Dimi, with that team I would play 3, 1, 4, 2 and let’s attack to see which team scores the most goals !
As you can imagine by my team and formation, I am more interested in the league until we are drawn against the bigger teams.
Come on BORO.
I’m on my way to the ground and looking forward to seeing the young lads again
We have some cracking prospects and hopefully they can make the step up to the first team
It looks like Harry could be on his way back to Blackburn and Millwall say they could be getting three players for their one!
Leads Fletcher and Johnson
Wouldn’t that leave the first team squad a bit light if we let four go???
OFB
Plenty of links with Players, spurious or otherwise. The Saville one is interesting as I suspected it was as an alternative to Besic. We seem to be very well covered in Midfield so as decent a Player that Saville undoubtedly is at this level I’m more concerned about other areas of the pitch which are very sparsely covered.
So Boro had a 5m bid rejected by Lazio for Caicedo.
What made me laugh was that he is down the pecking order at Lazio, being kept out of the team by a player called Immobile.
Not confident he would offer the pace we seek.
We should (slowly) walk away from this one.
Did I mention he is 29 and they want 9m for him.
Well a little later than usual, here is the Week 5 discussion blog with a busy few days ahead before the international break. Tony Pulis will be hoping for a few more signings and we’ll all be hoping to be sitting pretty at the top of the table and into the third round of the Caraboa Cup…
https://diasboro.club/2018/08/28/2018-19-week-05-boro-aim-to-be-an-attractive-proposition/
Hi Werder
Great Post I agree with Len that you are moving to a higher point with your writing these days. Impressive
I tried linking on to week 5 posts and it said 00ps ! Page missing so there may be a glitch somewhere ?
Probably me !
Well done and great match report RR thank you it presented a balanced view and was superior to other articles in every way.
I just hope you two guys don’t get sick of writing for the blog because we all appreciate your efforts and Long may it continue
OFB
Many thanks OFB, I’ve no idea how many articles I’ve written now on Diasboro, it may be even a hundred but they have certainly evolved from the earlier ones and just glad many readers find them entertaining. I think I mentioned in the beginning that I had no intention of writing for a blog – though that plan seems to have gone out of the window now 🙂
btw Yes there was an error in the link from the match report and I’ve fixed it – so you should be able to post on the latest blog without any problems.