I have been doing a little digging around and I have discovered what I believe is the cause of the all the delay. When looking up the resumé for the originally preferred candidate, Rob Edwards, someone at club inadvertently downloaded the details for Ed Roberts, a successful offensive and defensive High School football coach in Arkansas, ( see https://lionathletics.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/ed-roberts/472 )
The confusion only became apparent to the club when interviewing Mr Roberts who offered no indication how he could coach the Boro lads to put the ball in the net, but was full of great ideas how they could get the ball over the line to give away a goal kick. Having recognised their error shortly before putting pen to paper on a three year deal, the club is now desperately trying to make up time to get Rob Edwards, not Ed Roberts, in situ before the transfer window closes in September.
😂😂😂
Well, this ridiculous saga certainly has all the hallmarks of a classic British farce, mistaken identity being a key element often. Even Shakespeare used it, for example in A Comedy of Errors and Twelfth Night!
I can’t think of any similar case in all my years watching football where a club has taken so long to appoint its new manager, at least not when the apparent first choice has supposedly accepted the job. I really think someone in the club needs to step forward and explain to the fans why the process has taken so long. Ongoing EG and Echo speculation is not doing the club any favours. Much longer and our ‘appointment process’ will start appearing on other clubs’ spoof videos just as our comedy of errors defending did last season!
The silence is deafening - it's certainly all gone quiet on Rob Edwards in the local media with no mention of him in the Echo for over three days and no mention in the Gazette since a 6am piece yesterday on Gary Pallister's thoughts that included the revised 'this week' estimation of his appointment - plus nothing from any other of the News Now regulars either since the weekend.
Is this an admission by the club that the 'delay' has become a bit embarrassing and have stopped feeding their contacts in the media or has that 'barring an eleventh hour hitch' disclaimer come into play?
If we hear nothing today, which is now a week since Edwards appointment was declared as imminent, then we may start to see some backtracking and downplaying appearing...
Very good 🤣 though maybe we shouldn't rule out Ed just yet...
@werdermouth Looks like there is no one at work at the club. Their web page has not been updated for a while. Eventhough both van den Berg and Hackney have played in the U21 tournament since last update.
I hope they will open the gates at Rockcliffe for the players to join in for pre-season training. But there is no coaches announcend yet!
Up the Boro!
Has the backtracking started in the Gazette...
'Imagine it's not Rob Edwards' jokes reminded me it has happened at Middlesbrough before
This has descended into something beyond the definitions farce and farcical, really it is simply a handy guide to other clubs on how not to appoint a new manager.
How can they expect fans to watch this unfolding and be inspired and on their side? Then there's the aspect of the players they hope to attract and those they hope to keep on the books.
Just who is at the bottom of all of this pantomime? I can hear my father saying 'they're worse than Fred Karno's army. Mr Carrick silent, Mr Edwards silent, Mr Gibson silent and Mr Scott silent, for all we know he is in the Antarctic.
Utterly bizarre.
UTB,
John
so. It'll be a Lennie Lawrence swan song after all that Rob Edwards nonsense. An experienced and wise old head, Lennie is just the man for the job.Has the backtracking started in the Gazette...
'Imagine it's not Rob Edwards' jokes reminded me it has happened at Middlesbrough before
"An experienced and wise old head, Lennie is just the man for the job."
Sorry Powmill, I'm not entering that viper's nest. Im settling for the much easier task of trying to solve the Middle East problem.
@lenmasterman Maybe SG hasn’t finished reading his copy of The Art of the Deal yet!
‘Mr Scott silent, for all we know he is in the Antarctic.’
Perhaps he went outside saying, ‘I may be some time…….. ‘ We can but hope!
I think when Scott left Steve Gibson’s office last Tuesday to appoint a head coach he may as well of said “I may be some time…”
It gives a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘the club are searching for a new manager’ - he’s probably hidden in plain sight…
Well.
My oh my.
That came from left of centre didn't it?
Rob Edwards then?
I can't say that I saw that one coming.
They've finally found him 😉
https://www.mfc.co.uk/news/2025/june/24/rob-edwards-appointed-head-coach/
It's a 3-year contract with Adi Viveash and Harry Watling joining him!
I was expecting that man with a beard that's been in the local papers - it's not a lookalike is it 🤔
Great Scott! (As we used to say in ages past.)
Well I didn't see that coming
Blind-sided again, a complete surprise. A new car and SatNav and he found Hurworth and Rockcliffe! Let the hoping begin.
UTB,
John
Indeed. No more negativity. Time to get behind Rob Edwards.
So he was hidden in plain sight after all - no wonder it's taken so long nobody knew who that man hanging around on the stairs was...
It took a week to shave his beard!
@paulinboro Hah, hah. Happy days again.
He sounded like a decent guy and hopefully a good manager.
At least a smile on his face. The pressers will be nicer than with Carrick, I hope. Up the Boro!
Quite an impressive assistant coach set-up, me thinks. One experienced (Adi Viveash) and successful, the other young and progressive (Harry Watling). And add Leadbitter to the mix, who knows the club well. This could be exciting.
Up the Boro!
Harry Watling looks different from the one I just googled...
Well, Rob sounds pleased and positive and the smiles seem very genuine so good for them. I don't know much about Adi at all but he looks a decent catch.
A concern might be that they have all been very southern/London based and focused and while much of our north-east is very beautiful and welcoming, it will be different to what they've known. We've had this before.
But they all appear to want it and, if so, then that's massive and a good start.
Good luck to them all.
Now that we finally have an announcement, how about we park the Scott issues for now and just get behind the new management team and look forward to the new season?
Yes, he came across well, full of enthusiasm and energy and he actually looks completely recharged and indeed much younger and less weary.
I like the sound of his plan to play with energy, win the ball back quickly and play good exciting attacking football - hope he can pull that off and it will be interesting to see how the team shapes up in the coming weeks
https://www.mfc.co.uk/news/2025/june/24/rob-edwards--first-boro-interview/
I for one am right behind Mr Edwards and his coaching team, thankfully we're out of the difficulties caused by silence and a few honest statements make one hell of a difference to the fans. You can't beat communication and honesty nor can you ask for more until it really starts. Pre-season should be very interesting particularly for the players and even more particularly the youngsters, I hope they all ignore the blandishments of their agents!
Please keep talking to us.
UTB,
John