@pedro I think we should also ask the question, “why would RE take the job?”, if all that you’ve said is correct.
There are two sides in job negotiations and I’m pretty sure Edwards could have turned MFC down, if he wasn’t happy with what’s being asked of him - surely he’d have got other offers where the players suited his style of play better.
The pre-season is always a time for speculation and the journos have columns to fill with not much going on. I’m prepared to wait until we’ve seen more of recruitment and player changes before condemning either the club management or our new manager.
It’s has been announced that Alan Peacock passed on over the weekend.
i got to know Alan well as he was an active host at MFC and often joined in the lunchtime talks. Quite often he used to come and sit with myself and Mrs OFB at our table but I wasn’t fooled, he just wanted to talk to her not me “! He always did have any eye for the women.
He lived near me in Ormesby (up the bank) and had a BMW coupe CSL often likened to the Batmobile. He looked shocked when I told him they were worth a substantial amount of money these days.
Alan.moved into a care home last year in Nunthorpe but still went to the Boro games with his Boro Blazer,slacks and Tie and was always immaculately dressed.
A Boro hero gone forever RIP
OFB
It's going to be all down to the preseason training for those who stay as I've been looking into various details and it's regarded as 8-12 weeks for sportsmen to notice improvements from intensity training. Given the transfer windows is also going to be open another 8-9 weeks then it's going to be from September onwards when we'll see a team Edwards will regard as his.
We don't know as yet who will be sold and how many changes there will be in the squad but I think Boro lost 5 loanees (Doak, Giles, Iheanacho, Iling-Junior, Travers) plus Dijksteel and Coburn have left - with maybe 2-3 big sales possible (Hackney, Rav, Azaz) then there's Howson out of contract plus 3-4 players out of contract next year too - so that could easily stretch to 10-15 new players already.
The noises in the local media at the weekend was Edwards had to rebuild the team from scratch this season - it's looking more and more like that may be the case if there are indeed sales and some players don't make the cut with Edwards - although you would hope he brings some youngsters into the squad too.
@martin-bellamy That is fair question Martin and of course he did not need to say yes, as he still (reportably)) had three years to run on his Luton contract.
We have to assume that MFC is still a decent gig to have in the eyes of the majority of EFL Coaches and Foreign ones to try their luck at also if given the chance.
But I am sure he sees it as an opportunity to get back on the ladder of promotion, if he can be reasonably successful. And he also has the cushion of a new three year contract coupled with whatever he agreed with Luton. What is not to like.
@original-fat-bob My mother who is in a care home, has two photos of herself and Alan Peacock stuck to her wardrobe door.
These were taken a couple of years back, when Mr Peacock visited her home to speak to Staff and Residents. A lovely man.
On a completely unrelated note, I was was reading the Guardian review of Rod Stewart's Glastonbury performance and came across this sentence...
Da Ya Think I’m Sexy? was perhaps never not going to be confronting, no matter where it appeared in the set; once swaggering, even leering, in this context Stewart sounds genuinely inquiring, though perhaps not prepared for an honest answer.
I thought it sounded familiar - my Boro v Blackburn (FA Cup 3rd round preview)...
Sadly, like some of us on Diasboro, the FA Cup has probably lost much of the romantic pulling power it once had but if Rod Stewart, who turns 80 on Friday, can continue to perform 'Da Ya Think I'm Sexy' without fearing an honest answer then flirting with a cup run is still probably not beyond us - even if Hot Legs is now mainly a reason to Google potential causes and possible home remedies.
So maybe I should add the guardian to the Leicester City owners to the Diasboro readership 😉
Straight plagiarism. A call to Sue, Grabbit and Runne is surely called for.
Sorry to hear about Alan Peacock. I always thought that Clough got all the credit with Alan not so appreciated by the local press. It seemed that when Clough left he came out of his shell and was much more effective as a centre forward than a second striker.
I also remember him being particularly good in the air and he was just what Leeds United needed to get promotion. It also goes through my mind that Alan left Boro for Leeds with an injury problem which might explain his short lived success at Leeds.
Everyone who met him said he was a genuine guy with no airs and graces.
Philip of Huddersfield 👍
It's going to be all down to the preseason training for those who stay as I've been looking into various details and it's regarded as 8-12 weeks for sportsmen to notice improvements from intensity training. Given the transfer windows is also going to be open another 8-9 weeks then it's going to be from September onwards when we'll see a team Edwards will regard as his.
We don't know as yet who will be sold and how many changes there will be in the squad but I think Boro lost 5 loanees (Doak, Giles, Iheanacho, Iling-Junior, Travers) plus Dijksteel and Coburn have left - with maybe 2-3 big sales possible (Hackney, Rav, Azaz) then there's Howson out of contract plus 3-4 players out of contract next year too - so that could easily stretch to 10-15 new players already.
The noises in the local media at the weekend was Edwards had to rebuild the team from scratch this season - it's looking more and more like that may be the case if there are indeed sales and some players don't make the cut with Edwards - although you would hope he brings some youngsters into the squad too.
Given that we may be facing this huge turnover in players, are we all now starting to recognise the potential magnitude of the tasking facing RE and his team and does that mean that we have to temper our expectations for the coming season. Do we accept that it is at least a two year job and we have to wait until then to see if he is a success.
Anyone care to suggest some KPIs for season one. Here are some that we could start with.
- survival (maybe this should be solid mid-table?)
- good entertainment
- 5 academy players introduced to the first team squad with reasonable playing time.
I will be curious to see how it plays out if we are not in play-off contention this season. Will there be instant cries for another change in management. I sincerely hope not.
UTB
Re Alan Peacock it was sad that he died just as he was about to be made a freeman of Middlesbrough the highest civic honour the town can bestow on one of its citizens. The campaign was organised by Dr Josh Warwick who is a noted local historian and Boro Supporter.
OFB
Interesting article which clearly sets out the very successful philosophy behind Brentford's success. Everyone has a price and the suggestion is that every position has replacements already scouted for when that price is met. The key is selling for the right figure.
UTB
Interesting article, which really emphasises that a head coach is indeed primarily a coach and not just a reduced-power manager that ensures authority at a club is held elsewhere.
It seems for the head coach model to truly work then a club do indeed need to plan for succession from within - plus the concept that every player can be adequately replaced also avoids the risk of being left with huge holes in the squad or radical overhauls that create a new team that lacks continuity.
However, before any of this exists you need to have a successful team and coaching philosophy that can be continued or evolved - I suspect the difficult thing may well be getting to this initial stage and having this platform. I'm not sure when Boro will achieve this first step and if Rob Edwards will be the first of a dynasty or just the next man with another plan tasked with getting back into the PL.
So it's the first of July and in theory Jonny Howson is now out of contract - maybe then it will be announced he has been given an extension (though in Boro's timescale it could be next week). You would have thought if he wasn't going to be retained then it could've been already announced so I'm expected he will be remaining and now it's the new financial year a deal can be signed.
I think the main indicator for Rob Edwards is that it needs to be seen to working - I think he'll be forgiven for an early lack of goals but he won't escape criticism if his new high-pressing style lacks energy and doesn't both stop the opposition from getting through on Boro's goal and conceding avoidable goals.
I think we will struggle this season, virtually a new team, new manager the chances of everything clicking are slim. As I have said before we have had our day in the sun and FFP/PSR makes competing against teams with parachute money almost impossible.
Even if PSR/FFP were abolished we would struggle to compete because our chairman is not rich in football ownership terms these days.
I want us to succeed but I won't hold my breath
Three or four successive defeats or dire displays puts any coach under pressure these days, added to which I don't think RE will get as much of a honeymoon period as he deserves, given the scepticism over his appointment felt by many Boro fans. In this kind of situation, the last thing any manager will think of doing is blooding untried academy kids.
RE desperately needs a good start, which is the last thing that can be guaranteed given a major squad revamp, alongside a major change of identity and playing style.
The auguries don't look propitious. I guess we will just have to hope for the best
@paulinboro I guess we need to know what the club (and SG in particular) views as success.
Is it simply to get promoted to the EPL? And if it is, then what’s the timescale? Or is it to be sound financially, to never flirt with relegation and to develop young players for onward sale?
Where does playing attractive football fit into the priorities? If we win every home game and entertain the season ticket holders, is that enough?
There’s little doubt that we’d be relative minnows in the EPL, particularly from a financial stand point, notwithstanding the pot of gold we’d receive by being promoted. Even in the Championship, we don’t have the resources of the 3 relegated teams nor some of the foreign owned clubs, albeit none of us would want to be Sheffield Wednesday fans right now.
Good to see someone from our town doing well.
How can you suggest football is all about money when I've just read a heart-warming story about a team who have generously just given a 40-year old a two-year contract worth nearly £500,000...
OK, just discovered that's half-a-million quid per day and not over two years - the club in question is Al-Nassr and the player is someone called Christian Ronaldo!
Yes, you were right, it's a rich man's game now...
Quite strange that the BBC has not reported anything about Millwall's record signing Josh Coburn. See attachment.
Luckily they have at least reported the sad loss of Alan Peacock. RIP.
Up the Boro!
At least there's an interview with Josh on the BBC Championship Millwall page...
@werdermouth Ok, thanks. But there were nothing on the general Championship page that I check a few times every week to see any news on our competitors.
Thanks for charing. Up the Boro!
Wonder if there will be anybody in the stadium other than early bird season ticket holders given those prices
@lenmasterman Unfortunately, I think Rob Edwards is on a hiding to nothing, even though as Martin posted, he did not have to take the job.
Players turnover could be large, depending on who leaves, when they leave, how much we get for them and most importantly, how much Mr Gibson decides to retain for running the club itself.
Whether MFC take the risk of signing replacements for those they (almost certainly) know will leave, rather than wait until they have gone, could be quite disruptive for the Coach, without even thinking of his possible system change.
As Len said, RE will get far less leeway, than would be normal.
The fans are divided over his appointment, with probably more against than for. Season ticket sales are down, probably by a big number given there has been no confirmation of them.
And just today, after the release of RE saying the fans are so important to the club, the new ST prices are announced.
In all reality, can anybody see a rush to the ticket office to snap up these, at increased prices from last season, with the cheapest Adult ST at £620. Even the Gazette are predicting crowd averages of possibly 20’000.
The comments section does not bode too well either, with fans saying they will choose their matches.
Who can blame them: Numerous date changes and SKY TV screenings. No guarantee of entertainment, and that is before the cold dark nights arrive.
I am not sure now why I renewed. 🤣🤣
I have never seen so much negativity on this blog before. Why?
We have a new head coach, better than an average Champioship squad and some money to strenght the team, too.
We need a couple of defender (shouldn't be so difficult and some 5 to 10 million piåounds to spend on a sriker. Then a few loand and we could have an excellenyt squad.
My forecast is a minimum of play-offs. We cannot do worse than last season and now have have all the inured players back except Dieng.
I am looking forward to the season. I hope van den Berg and Hackney stay. Up the Boro!
@pedro I’m interested in who the majority of unhappy fans wanted as the new manager if they didn’t want RE. It seemed to me that more than 50% wanted MC to go, so they must have wanted the change, but who was their favourite option?
As I’ve said before, I’d have given MC another year, with the support of the club to strengthen his squad, with the clear understanding that promotion was the goal. Not necessarily my goal, but presumably it’s SG’s ambition.
I'm not sure the numbers will add up for many fans with tight budgets who may opt instead to pay the matchday price of a ticket and attend fewer games. Based on the season ticket price released today is only a 25% saving - Especially, if you consider Sky showed 328 Championship live games last season, which would work out at an average of 14 games per club. Add to that the cost of travelling to the game and I'm sure many will pick and choose their games based around what is being shown on TV - plus are midweek games still available to stream for UK residents?
In the end, football tickets are in a market - if fewer people choose to buy it's because demand at the price offered has fallen.
Middlesbrough are keen on a loan move for Chelsea left-back Ishé Samuels-Smith. (Football.London)
OFB
Wonder if there will be anybody in the stadium other than early bird season ticket holders given those prices
Me and MRS OFB