and relaxes...If you can hold it for 15 minutes then you make the Guinness Book of Records 😉
Seems to me we are in excellent shape for the season. Well done to all the recruitment team.
@exmil Wiki saying, Alan Browne, plays for Middlesbrough Football Club.
He signed for Sunderland last season (summer 2024) on a three year contract, and made 22 league appearances. So I guess not a regular given they had just signed him.
Hopefully just an experienced back up for Hackney and Morris
@werdermouth And that is when he is playing. He collects red cards like we older ones, collected cigarette cards.
@werdermouth I just cannot believe tha amounts being paid for unknown players by EPL clubs.
Sunderland are certainly giving it a go at staying up. Not sure how many signings, transfer fees and wages. It’s mind boggling the amount of money being thrown around and the accumulated dept.
Could you imagine if there were no PSR Rules.
I understand that Hackney is staying.
If so, that’s the best transfer news of all. I’d now make him vice captain. Overall a very good transfer period.
There seems to be a plan.
So, it’s onwards and upwards. Fingers crossed that this is going to be a good season.
philip of Huddersfield 👍😁👍
Ben Doak back in the Scotland team.
Looking at the forwards ie Che Adams, Lyndon Dykes, Keiron Bowie (no relation To David} George Hirst. None of them can hit a barn door. Tommy Conway should have been top pick.
Steve Clarke tends to pick the same old players, some of them well past their sell by date.
On another note, I'm off to Turkey tomorrow for 4 weeks. Will be keeping up with Diasboro.
@philip-of-huddersfield I must say I was a little worried for your Huddersfield supporting neighbours and friends when I saw that they had signed someone called Alves 😉
List of summer signings
Browne was injured for a few months in the middle of last season, but came back to the team in February. Hence only 22 matches last season.@exmil Wiki saying, Alan Browne, plays for Middlesbrough Football Club.
He signed for Sunderland last season (summer 2024) on a three year contract, and made 22 league appearances. So I guess not a regular given they had just signed him.
Hopefully just an experienced back up for Hackney and Morris
A good signing by Boro, me thinks. Up the Boro!
@malcolm - Enjoy your stay there. It's been 37 years since I went there but I still remember the smell of the pine trees when I got out of the aeroplane (and the wall of heat). I will never forget Ephesus.
My sister-in-law and her husband went there several years before me, but cycling in the interior rather than to touristy coastal areas. They told me one recurring theme was being invited into the homes of locals en route and that nobody would accept money from them for drinks and snacks" "No - it is our pleasure to be hospitable". That was several years before Turkey became a regular tourist hot-spot.
Rest well and I hope it won't be TOO hot.
@original-fat-bob - A full team. Eleven.
With signings like Brittain and Jones and the loans of Targett and now Browne, it feels like some lessons have been learned about balancing youth and experience. I don’t feel like any of those players would have been considered last season as it was all about youth with potential, all about tomorrow with a lower regard for today.
There has been a lot of turnover again this window - most of it necessary - but I do feel like a more sensible balance has been struck.
Maybe that was one of the lessons learned from the summer review.
Absolutely agree Andy. This has been a great window representing a complete change of focus from the previous three or four years. I think there was a noticeable improvement in recruitment with Chris Jones's appointment resulting in the outstanding captures of the likes of Morris and Van den Berg from his long-term watchlist. But the solidity and experience of this window's signings demonstrate that the grown-ups, and Rob Edwards in particular, now have the upper hand and that we are at last focused on making a serious promotion challenge rather than treading water by gambling on prospects and selling on the few who might make the grade. The departure of Forss and with him the four year illusion that he might eventually make a mainstream striker is as emblematic of the change as any of the new signings.
Absolutely agree Andy. This has been a great window representing a complete change of focus from the previous three or four years. I think there was a noticeable improvement in recruitment with Chris Jones's appointment resulting in the outstanding captures of the likes of Morris and Van den Berg from his long-term watchlist. But the solidity and experience of this window's signings demonstrate that the grown-ups, and Rob Edwards in particular, now have the upper hand and that we are at last focused on making a serious promotion challenge rather than treading water by gambling on prospects and selling on the few who might make the grade. The departure of Forss and with him the four year illusion that he might eventually make a mainstream striker is as emblematic of the change as any of the new signings.
I'm not sure that this window represents a total change in direction from recent windows. In recent years we have tried a broad range of acquisition types.
As well as Morris and Van Den Berg, the two that you mention, we have hit it big with Rogers, who was very much a prospect and derided in some quarters and now, in addition to his sale, he may well earn us another Pds10 million in add-on fees, as well as more established players such as Latte Lath and Azaz who have also paid out in jackpot sales.
Alongside those big successes, we brought in solid professionals such as Borges, Barlaser, Lenihan, Edmundson and Ayling, players of some seniority who can fit into the team as needed and, at the same time, help the younger players. Then there were 'prospects' such as Hamilton and Gilbert, who haven't worked out yet and Silvera who may be coming good as a squad player at wingback. If you then add in Whittaker - on whom the jury is still out but looking better - and Burgzorg - there is talent there somewhere but will it ever come out - you can see what a broad spread of players have been brought in. On top of that there are the relationships that bring us a loan player such as Doak.
All of this is mirrored in this year's acquisitions but perhaps with everything operating at a slightly higher level that comes from good scouting and good relationships. We have high level prospects in Kante and Hansen, semi-established players such as Malanda and Sene (a more powerful version of Latte Lath?) alongside top-class Championship professionals in Brittain, Jones and Browne. We then have the potential icing on the cake in Strelec as well as the amazing loan deal for Nypan and the incredibly sensible acquisition of Targett.
At the same time as all these incomings, the club moved on players with loans and sales and thereby rationalised the squad.
Under all this are some interesting academy acquisitions who we can hope will come through to bolster the first team.
We can't expect everyone to work out but I must admit that it's hard to see a potential bad choice in this new intake.
Despite all of this, there does seem to be a temptation to downplay Kieran Scott's contribution to Middlesbrough's recruitment work. Clearly, I'm not in a position to know the internal workings but we are certainly moving forward as a club and he must be at the heart of it. I'm sure that plenty will remember the voices raised against Scott when RE was being touted as new manager. "Jobs for the boys" was perhaps the most polite comment and there were a lot worse. Now we have a bright manager and what looks to be a top class coaching team behind him. We can't realistically expect to win every game but it's nice to dream about it.
The next two weeks will be a great chance for the new guys to bed down and then we have another run of games that will test us out.
All very exciting and I'm looking forward to it.
UTB
@selwynoz I agree with all of that. We have learnt something and built on the team of last season (Hackney, Morris, Ayling, Conway).
But we also had more money as we sold Rogers, Latte Lath and vdB with very good PRIOFIT. We cannot underestimate the money these bought in. Perhaps we did not afford the WAGES of the more senior players last year.
Anyway, it is always team work as a club. But looks like the work done in the review has worked. Especiqlly I am happy with the coaches we have now to support the head coach.
Top of the league. Up the Boro!
Breaking news:
Hibs have signed Middlesbrough midfielder Daniel Barlaser at the tail end of a long Deadline Day that included late heartbreak in their pursuit of Scotland striker Lyndon Dykes. Although an official announcement won’t be made until later this morning, The Evening News understands that the Barlaser paperwork on a season-long loan went through well after midnight.
Well done, if true. Up the Boro!
Dan Barlaser joined Boro on 29.01.2023 and his contract expires 30.06.2026. UTB!
Looks a much stronger squad now but also a bigger squad with a lot more attacking options for Edwards.
Though with 9 or 10 attacking options comes the problem of fitting them into what is normally only 3 slots under the new formation.
I make it
Conway
Whittaker
Burgzorg
McGree
Strelec
Hansen
Sene
Nypan
Gilbert
Hamilton
Likely the last 2 won’t be seen much but with 9 subs now allowed on the bench then probably only room for 4 attackers if you have a keeper plus 2 defenders (Lenihan, Edmundsen or Silvera/Bangura) and 2 midfielders (Kante & Browne) - so when everyone is fit it’s a problem but with Boro’s injury record probably not a long term one!
@jarkko Good luck to Barlaser, who always appeared to be a very good professional. I was disappointed he did not make the jump to be a first team player, as he was at the time arguably our best passer of the ball.
All in all, after the initial doubts as to where we would be on September 2, I believe one can say, well done MFC in total for a successful window. So credit around there.
Of course it is very early days, and we do not want to get carried away, going from doom and gloom to unbridled optimism.
We have enjoyed a good start, brought in additional players that look as though they will make a difference to the overall squad. As somebody said, at least enjoy the next period until PNE.
I’m due to write the starter for the Preston game and I’ve already put a few words together. I’m waiting for PNE Dave’s contribution to finalise things, so it may be early next week when it’s published.
We’ll be away in Devon then, but the cottage has WiFi, so that shouldn’t be an issue. Meanwhile I’m still waiting for EE/Openreach to fix the broadband fault at home. Grrrr.
I entirely agree, Peter. My earlier criticism of the recruitment team has been proven wholly misguided. They’ve done an amazing job this window, giving us the best squad we’ve had for years and probably one of the best in the league. I’m usually way out with my predictions, but this time I’m quietly confident my bold statement recently that we will be hard to beat won’t be too wide of the mark. It’s all looking very exciting.
Craig Johns gets some pelters on here for the quality of some of his pieces, and sometimes I wince at his grammar. This morning, however, he’s written a lovely article about how Boro’s team worked patiently through their targets and didn’t ever panic. The squad they have brought together is well-balanced and there are many very strong, experienced professionals, combined with some new young talent. Even losing the players we have looks strategically well-planned. So hats off to the recruitment team, to the club’s senior management - I’m looking at you, Steve Gibson and Neil Bausor - and presumably to Edwards and his coaches for their input. And well done, Mr Johns!
I think we are seeing the benefits of having a harmonious management team at the club as opposed to last season when it was clear that there was friction between the playing management and the club management, particularly the recruitment team. Squabbling management teams are rarely affective and now the playing management has been changed the friction has disappeared. Ultimately the credit should go to Steve Gibson who must surely have identified the problems with the management and took the appropriate steps to fix them.
The effect of having a management team where the playing management and the club management are on the same page has changed the atmosphere around the club and among the supporters out of all recognition. The results can be seen on the pitch and with the success of this window’s recruitment. Long may it continue.
I'm sure being top of the league creates even more harmony at the club 😉
Just a note on Tom Glover - the club terminated his contract so he is now a free agent. It means he can still sign for another club as he was released before the window closed - however, the deadline for signing free agents and them being allowed to play before the January window opens is today at 7pm, when 25-man squads have to be registered.
@werdermouth I always thought free agents could be signed at anytime, as long
as there is a slot available in the 25 man squad at the club?
Yes free agents can be signed at any time but as I understand the rule changed and they have to be registered before the deadline to submit your 25-man squad to make them eligible to play before the next transfer window - which is 7pm today
@werdermouth. According to the EFL regulations as copied below:
“The League will only consider granting permission to make changes to the Squad List outside of a Transfer Window where:
- The Club’s current Squad List contains less than the maximum number of Players permitted to be included on the Squad List and the Club wishes to add an Out of Registration Player or another Player registered with the club but not currently included on the Squad List, or:
- in other truly exceptional circumstances to include but not limited to those set out in the note from Player Admin found on the league Portal.
This to me seems to suggest that players can be registered outside of the windows in certain circumstances and that the Squad List can be tweaked with League approval. 😎
It’s entirely possible - the explanations I read were a bit vague one used ‘might not’ the other said needs to be 🤔