I first heard that story some years ago told by Warnock at one of his press conferences. I rather assumed that he had been thwarted by Scott and his recruitment team, given the emphasis on the player's stats, but if it was Bausor then perhaps I have been vilifying the wrong person in analysing what has been going on behind the scene in relation to signings, press briefings etc. It was after all Bausor who was behind the £6m Payero fiasco, and to be frank i have never really understood what his role at the club (indeed his purpose in life) is.
Does anybody know? And how does the Bausor- Scott relationship work ?
It’s tempting to believe who we want to believe in these situations without ever having the full facts at our disposal. Who knows who’s telling the truth?
Mind, there is a local North Eastern team at Wembley today. Spennymoor and former Boro coach Graeme Lee have made it to the FA Trophy final. More info how you can watch it in here: https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/25151704.watch-spennymoor-vs-aldershot-fa-trophy-final/
Up the Boro!
“Neil Bausor
An overdue thanks to @AndyR for starting up this thread with a great initial perspective on recruitment and what we might need to be competitive next season. This has been followed by some great and very thoughtful posts leading to a lttle bit of debate about the alleged discord within or between the executive and footballing management at the club.
It is human nature to speculate about what goes on behind the closed doors of something you care about. This is especially true if that something (Boro in our case) isn't meeting expectation. The human mind craves an understanding of 'why' something, anything, may be. So it is natural then to speculate to find plausible explanations. In the Coventry thread I referred to the Ancient Greek gods, themselves the creation of mankind's imagination to rationalise and understand things that mankind has no control over. It seems all cultures do this because it is fundamental to being human.
So. It is not at all surprising that many in here (and elsewhere) are speculating about what is going on at MFC. Until we know for sure what the answer is, we can't always be sure of what the formula is. So, 2 + 2 looks like it is giving us 5, so we have to invent the bit we don't know... 2+2 + 'a' = 5.
So, we are led to believe there are tensions behind the scenes. Nothing surprising if that is actually the case. There is almost always tension at executive and senior management levels in any organisation. The thing is the tensions generally only start to become apparent when things are not going well. If,as a result of, or perhaps despite of, the tensions, the organisation is performing well, then no one will be speculating about the tensions that are most likely there.
While everything goes well, success is rightly celebrated by every element of the team from top to bottom, regardless of any tensions. It is a success of the entire organisation. When things do not go quite right, then on the inside a review of what has happened will inform whatever changes need to be made to hopefully improve things moving forward. These changes might be people changes, but equally they might just be procedural changes. From the outside, and rightly without the benefit of all the information, we can only speculate.
Where am I? Oh yes. There has been some great discussion about what has been going on at MFC and what tensions between different elements of the overall management at the club there may be. It is genuinely interesting to read peoples' opinions on what might be going on and what the solution might be. All the same, I will just try to be patient to wait and see what might happen. Afterall, there is nothing I can do about it myself.
Chatter on interweb about Rogers leaving villa in the summer, 80 - 90! Million, villa close the FPR limits, hope there is a sell on clause
@paulinboro Yes, I read that myself. Let us hope that Villa do not qualify for the Champions League and have to seriuosly think about selling Rodgers. I wonder what our sell on percentage is.
However if Chelsea also fail to qualify for the CL, then, wages apart, that would not be an attractive move for him I assume.
Notts Forest v Chelsea on the last day, may be the decider.
I was listening to TalkSport at St. James Park and the two Commentators were both extolling Eddie Howe's tactical flexibility and how good he is at setting Newcastle up against different teams.
They picked upon how they had started the game with 3 x CB's and 2 x WB's to enable them to press high up. Also to nulify Palmer as their main concern. The main commentator also said how some Managers/Coaches were somewhat arrogant, in playing one and only their way.
Have we heard that before on here.
Here is my stab at Andy's Transfer Chart. Decision, must do better.
Saving grace. Latte Lathe and Morgan Rodgers sale fees
Transfers in:
| Name | Reported Fee (£m) | Hit/Miss |
| Martin Payero | 6.75 | Miss MISS |
| Riley McGree | 3.64 | Hit MISS/ UNDECIDED |
| Caolan Boyd-Munce | 0 | Miss MISS |
| Marcus Forss | 3.6 | OK/Undecided MISS DUE TO INJURIES |
| Matthew Hoppe | 3 | Miss BIG MISS |
| Matt Clarke | 2.6 |
OK/Undecided OK WOULD HAVE KEPT |
| Dan Barlaser | 1 | OK/Undecided MISS |
| Darragh Lenighan | 0 |
OK/Undecided MISS DUE TO INJURIES |
| Tommy Smith | 0 |
OK/Undecided OK |
| Liam Roberts | 0 | Miss OK AS A SECOND CHOICE |
| Emmanuel Latte Lath | 5.5 | Hit BIG HIT |
| Lukas Engel | 3 | Miss MISS |
| Finn Azaz | 2.9 | Hit SORT OF HIT |
| Seny Dieng | 2.3 |
OK/Undecided DITTO |
| Morgan Rogers | 1.2 | Hit BIG HIT |
| Alex Bangura | 0.67 |
OK/Undecided MISS DUE TO INJURIES |
| Sammy Silvera | 0.585 | Miss MISS |
| Tom Glover | 0 | Miss MISS |
| Jamie Jones | 0 | Miss OK |
| Alex Gilbert | 0 |
OK/Undecided DITTO |
| Rav van den Berg | 0.35 | Hit HIT |
| Morgan Whittaker | 5 |
OK/Undecided MISS TODATE |
| Tommy Conway | 5 |
OK/Undecided HIT FOR WHAT WE PAID |
| Micah Hamilton | 4.3 | Miss MISS |
| Aiden Morris | 3.75 | Hit HIT |
| Delano Burgzorg | 2.75 |
OK/Undecided DITTO |
| Neto Borges | 1.5 |
OK/Undecided DITTO |
| George Edmundsen | 0.7 |
OK/Undecided MISS |
| Luke Ayling | 0 |
OK/Undecided BIG MISS AT 30K WAGES |
Tactical flexibility is an interesting one. I remember Tony Mowbray doing it week upon week - adjusting his side to the opposition - and receiving regular criticism for it along the lines of "why don't we let them worry about us" and "the players can't build any rhythm / don't know if they're coming or going".
Then Karanka came in, offered no real flexibility at all, playing the same way every week, with a mixed response. In fact, the one or two times he tried something different he almost made a point of saying he changed in spite of his own beliefs, though that seems as hard to believe now as it did then.
I think it's the sort of debate that comes up when results are going your way. We tried to explain good runs and bad runs in simplistic terms but tactics/shapes are only one element and often quite a small detail overall.
I'm pretty convinced that if you gave Michael Carrick a fit squad of above average Championship players, a good blend of youth and experience and one or two players are are a bit too good for the league, he'd get us up there. We'd likely be a high scoring, high conceding team sort of side because that how he sets us.
Likewise, when we gave the same ingredients to Aitor Karanka he did the same. We were a low scoring, low conceding sort of side because that was how he set us up.
What I suppose I'm saying is I think it's absolutely fine to have a way of playing and only adjust around the edges if the squad is good enough. It's also fine to be flexible if the players can handle it but again it's the quality of squad that's generally the difference maker.
I do actually think that Eddie Howe is a really good manager, though I don't think he's previously been regarded as a master tactician.
@andy-r As a player, I would prefer the Carrick way. At best, his system is still flexible as the front four have a lot of freedom. To attack and change places between each other during a match. Remember November ...
Up the Boro!
I chatted with Anthony Vickers today and I asked if he knows if Leo Percovich is still at the club (mind, AV is at the club, too).
AV replied that Leo is head of player pathway and development, so he mentors the young lads coming through the Academy towards the first team.
Up the Boro!
@andy-r A good post and argument Andy.
I'm pretty convinced that if you gave Michael Carrick a fit squad of above average Championship players, a good blend of youth and experience and one or two players are are a bit too good for the league, he'd get us up there. We'd likely be a high scoring, high conceding team sort of side because that how he sets us.
I think all teams get injuries although we may have had a higher number than the other top ten teams, I don’t know.
With respect to youth, well ours cannot be good enough as Carrick does not play them. Even when injuries hit, and he put square pegs into round holes.
One could argue we did have one or two players too good for the Championship.
Latte Lathe, Doak, both lost in January I appreciate. Hackney, VDB. Both whom we will probably lose before the season starts to a higher League Club.
We do have some experienced players, but are they good enough. Ayling, Fry, Edmundson, Howson, Azaz?, Burgzorg, Forss, McGree.
One could argue that whilst the wheels did not exactly come off in December, the bolts had become rather loose. and January did not improve irrespective of LL and Doak.
I guess time will tell how good Carrick is. Yes he may have been a little unlucky with circumstances, however IMO, he did not achieve anywhere what he should have done, given the player investment overall and what other Coaches achieved with lesser squads.
That’s fair enough Pedro, it’s a game of opinions.
My own view is that the squad was top 6 material until January but ultimately finished where it deserved to after a disastrous transfer window.
@paulinboro The problem that MFC have, regarding ST's, is that the correllation against the salaries paid. Which generally, I guess is fairly obvious, apart from those clubs with Parachute Payments.
If we were not paying such high wages to underperforming players, then the ST prices could come down. Or Mr Gibson would not have to top up the bucket so much each season.
We are know for paying higher wages in the Championship against the incoming revenue. May be it is about time we started finding better players, before they are coveted by other clubs like MFC and then pay them 15 - 25K a week.
Are Whittaker, Borges, Ayling, Howson even, worth the wages they receive, if Capology is to be believed.
MFC in truth needs to be better ran as a club.
@pedro If only MFC had an experienced, successful businessman at the helm…
Nice to see we have the most expensive adult season tickets
I suspect the price shown in the table reflects the rack rate, without any account taken of discount schemes, such as Boro's early bird price. Neither does the table indicate how many tickets are available at the listed price. Who knows, we might appear nearer the other end of the table that shows the average price for an adult season ticket.
Just making the point that it is lazy for whoever published stats like these without any context and it can lead to misleading interpretation.
@powmillnaemore I agree with what you say, however over a number of past seasons, Club ST prices in the Championship have always shown MFC to be near the top in various different articles.
Some have shown our prices to be higher than a few in the EPL.
Of course the true facts will never be known. A little like the wages paid to players.
Reference player wages and apology, who have been showing Howson’s wages as £30k per week for the past number of seasons but Howson has been on a year extension for a couple of seasons (if not more) and I for one do not believe that each 1 year extension would include a wage of £30k per week. The trouble is people are prepared to believe everything that is written, where do capology get the individual players wages from, on club accounts published each season does it list each individual player or club wages as a lump sum 🤔.
Come on BORO.
Paul do you actually believe everything you read, this coming season my ST was £490 and half of the East Stand is the family zone and an adult with a child or two is a hell of a bargain, yes in all parts of the stadium the adult price may £574 but to quote it as the cheapest is totally false.Nice to see we have the most expensive adult season tickets
Come on BORO.
Nice to see we have the most expensive adult season tickets
I suspect the price shown in the table reflects the rack rate, without any account taken of discount schemes, such as Boro's early bird price. Neither does the table indicate how many tickets are available at the listed price. Who knows, we might appear nearer the other end of the table that shows the average price for an adult season ticket.
Just making the point that it is lazy for whoever published stats like these without any context and it can lead to misleading interpretation.
From mfc.co.uk
Post early bird cheapest non discounted ticket oap, 18 -21 £574 is the cheapest if I'm reading the table correctly
https://mfc.co.uk//tickets/season-tickets
Early bird average adult season ticket price £560
Post early bird average adult season ticket price £626
And no I don't believe everything I read, If I did farage is going to be next PM and Starmer is left wing
I'm back. And this time, hopefully, here to contribute more frequently. (I can only apologise for the long absence.)
Been reading what our former boss Tony Pulis had to say today about MCBoro, and his primary points appear to be the need for a strong spine and the numerous points dropped from winning positions.
We have to be frank, three successful promotions in around three decades doesn't make for good reading, especially as two of those were between 1994 and 1998. One read of that sentence gives you a feeling of gloom, like time left us behind barring those brief spells now and then when it really looked like we were about to go somewhere. Which is why the near misses, particularly 2015 (peak Bamford), 2018 (peak Adama and Bamford) and 2023 (Chuba in tune) really hurt on reflection.
So I looked to the times when we actually did do it, and found not merely a strong spine but synergy. I loved that the group of "reliables", like Fleming, Vickers and Mustoe, remained together and were key players for both 1995 and 1998 amongst those who took the limelight with the goals, assists and excitement. Pearson was a key member of both the '95 and '98 sides, alongside Alan Miller (RIP) and Jamie Pollock in the former, and Schwarzer and Townsend in the latter. Fast forward to '16 and you not only had the spine of Dimi, Gibson and Clayton, but synergy in Nsue and Adomah, and Ayala and Leadbitter... so much to admire in those teams even if they weren't always the most attractive to watch. I'm also in awe that we actually only dropped two points from a winning position, in the league, in 2015-16 until the last four games.
This brings to mind the seemingly irrelevant 2-1 cup defeat to Burnley in January '16, which was a serious turning point even though it wasn't a league game - we not only conceded our first goal against Championship opposition in two months, we actually surrendered a lead, and that aura of invincibility was shattered.
But at least we had that kind of aura to shatter...
The current situation sadly reflects the end of Mogga's reign in that it repeatedly looks like the squad is about to be something and get somewhere, but it looks less and less convincing that we can actually get there. For all the visible attacking promise at the beginning of 2013-14 (namely in Carayol, Adomah, Butterfield and Kamara), we dropped twelve points from winning positions in the league prior to that very sad day at Barnsley, and surrendered a lead at home in the cup to Accrington Stanley.
We are in a better place now, no question, but the pattern feels very similar.
What do you all think?
@simonfallaha excellent post. Good to see you back.
The summer time will be quieter in here than during the season. Up the Boro!
@jarkko It will indeed. Though I’m ready to make a suggestion of “reflective” discussion topics to keep us debating during the summer months. One being, what’s really needed to fill the Riverside or convince season ticket holders to renew, especially now.
@simonfallaha. Good to see you back Simon and as ever an excellent post on what, in part, is needed to achieve success and get out of this division.
Unfortunately I don’t think many of our current crop of players would hold down a regular slot in the successful squads of the past. 😎