No problem, watched it this morning. I agree, amazing man. My dancing days are unfortunately now over, can hardly walk nowadays never mind dance. My favourite dance is the Argentine Tango, not that I’ve tried it but was lucky to see it performed in Buenos Aires a few years ago. I stuck to sequence dancing, saved bumping into other couples.
I think the result was excellent at Birmingham.
But before we book hotels for the play-off final at Wembley, we must remember that we had only four shots on goal when we beat Karanka's team. We scored with a 100% ratio - which is excellent - but I think we should still create a bit more. We cannot expect them to score with every attempt on goal.
We had six shots at Birmingham in all.
Pity if we do not have a match before th 29th if the Rotherham Utd match would be cancelled as they had an COVID outbrake during the weekend.
Up the Boro!
I lived in Argentina for two years and for over a year of that in Buenos Aires as the Project Manager for an Oil & Gas Project.
my apartment was in San Telmo the Latin quarter of BA where all the tango dances are performed. I used to wander through all the bars and cafes and stopping to watch the tango. A fillet steak and a bottle of red with a couple of beers on a Saturday night made for a pleasant weekend.
I celebrated my 50th birthday out there and the Argentinian, French, Brazilian and Chilean members of my project team took me out (the only Brit) to celebrate. We went to a bar that had a tango contest going and had members of the audience on stage strutting their stuff. Of course after copious amounts of red wine and beer egged on by the others, my secretary dragged me onto the dance floor to compete against 4 other couples.
My impersonation of the tango rested on the performance of my partner who used to dance in competitions when younger. After several eliminations of the others we were left as the winners to raucous cheers from the project team.
our prize? Twelve bottles of red wine which were promptly opened!
A memorable birthday!
OFB
I lived in Argentina for two years and for over a year of that in Buenos Aires as the Project Manager for an Oil & Gas Project.
my apartment was in San Telmo the Latin quarter of BA where all the tango dances are performed. I used to wander through all the bars and cafes and stopping to watch the tango. A fillet steak and a bottle of red with a couple of beers on a Saturday night made for a pleasant weekend.
I celebrated my 50th birthday out there and the Argentinian, French, Brazilian and Chilean members of my project team took me out (the only Brit) to celebrate. We went to a bar that had a tango contest going and had members of the audience on stage strutting their stuff. Of course after copious amounts of red wine and beer egged on by the others, my secretary dragged me onto the dance floor to compete against 4 other couples.
My impersonation of the tango rested on the performance of my partner who used to dance in competitions when younger. After several eliminations of the others we were left as the winners to raucous cheers from the project team.
our prize? Twelve bottles of red wine which were promptly opened!
A memorable birthday!
OFB
@ofb
nice story.
What a shame that it wasn’t in the modern era of mobile phones or the sight of you tangoing would be available for all of us.
My experience of Buenos Aires was rather embarrassing. I was the oldest of a tour party and had just spent a day with my attractive tour guide the other side of the Rio Plata in the Uruguayan town of Colon. In the evening we were due to visit a theatre in Buenos Aires noted for the Argentine Tango and all day the guide was teasing me that I would have the opportunity to dance with one of the scantily dressed dancers. “No way” was my response. Anyway I noticed that prior to the performance in the foyer that flash photographs were being taken, and I assumed that they must be of some dignitaries so I was cajoled by my tour guide to have a look at what was happening. In fact it was a queue of male members of the audience waiting to have their photographs taken with a female dancer in a rather compromising position with the men having to roll their hand up and down the thigh of the dancer. What’s more the photographer wasn’t satisfied with the first take and I had to repeat the performance. My tour guide remarked that I was blushing. “Too right” I replied “I’ve never been so embarrassed in my life”. Of course the photographs were on display at the end of the performance to purchase, but I didn’t buy one, though I did enjoy the show.
Getting back to football I thought I’d compare Boro’s record this season with Jackie Charlton’s promotion season and after 14 matches this season Boro had scored 14 goals and conceded 9 although 3 of those were conceded at Huddersfield in the 14th match and Boro were 10th in the table with 21 points. In 1973 Boro had also only scored 14 goals from the first 14 matches and conceded 7, but the difference was that Boro were top of the table with 8 wins, 5 draws and only 1 defeat. In those days a win was only worth 2 points, but if that was upgraded to 3 points for a win Boro would have accumulated 29 points - 5 more than second placed Villa. As it was, although Boro had that 5 point lead, only 6 teams had scored fewer goals than Boro at that time. I find that quite staggering!
Moving forward to the present time Boro have now scored 24 goals in 20 matches, but in 1973 Boro doubled their number of goals scored in the 7 matches leading up to Christmas and with 4-0 wins in successive away matches over Fulham and West Brom and the 8-0 hammering of Sheffield Wednesday finished top scorers by 13 goals at the end of the season and winning the League by 15 points (23 points if a win had been worth 3 points).
The question now is if the current upsurge in goals scored and the average of 2 points per game maintained to the end of the season, would a final total of 85 points not only ensure a top six place, but even automatic promotion as last season’s runners-up finished with 83 points?
Has anyone else seen this long report of Boro in The Athletic
https://theathletic.com/2273583/2020/12/22/middlesbrough-championship-covid-efl/
Unfortunately it is behind a pay wall but I was really interested in the article and so I succumbed. It's a very fair report on the stress and achievement of the last nine matches and paints a very positive picture both of NW and the general level of skill, care and attention at the club. It can only do the club good for the mainstream sports media to write about and accept the positive aspects of the way MFC go about their business.
I don't know if fellow correspondents would agree but for me, whilst they are far from perfect and make mistakes like any other organisation, the club does seem to me to be doing their best to function in a sound, decent and honourable manner from their dealings with the community, the manner in which the Academy is managed through to the first team and the sports science department which has overseen many less injuries in recent times. I'd be very interested to read the views of the more local members of the blog who are probably closer to the truth behind the image.
I was going to put this into a new forum headed Media Coverage of the Boro but (mea culpa) I couldn't quite work out how to do it and, given that it covers the Birmingham match amongst other things, I have added it in here.
Up the Boro
I’ve just finished listening to ‘Ask the gaffer’ with Neil Warnock on the MFC website where he talked for 105 minutes answering questions from Boro fans. I must say it takes something special to keep me awake for that length of time nowadays but I really enjoyed it. When one’s been in football as long as he has, to listen to his experiences with all the clubs he’s managed was very entertaining. All the fans remarked on how they liked his press conferences; such a contrast to Tony Pulis who appeared to wish to be anywhere else at his. It’s obvious that the fans like Neil as they’ve even sent him Christmas presents. He does read the fans’ forums although no mention of Diasboro. Anyway, if you do Neil all the best to you and you your family and enjoy your Christmas Day break.
Personally I have found him to be the most friendly and natural manager that we have had for many a few decades. Theres something very honest and down to earth about him.
I hope he stays - he certainly seems very happy to be here which is good for men our age, I am sure his family must be pleased.
It is wonderful to see someone enjoy his job so much, and that comes out in the young side he manages.
Downing spits his dummy out....again and has a right go at Steve Gibson and Boro.
Thanks for a link - an interesting listen.
Far from spitting his dummy out though, it sounds like he was quite poorly treated to be honest if his account is true.
He has said many things which ring very loud bells with us supporters, all the more explosive because they are throwaway lines with no follow up. Examples, a couple, ' not a bad player, but they paid 7 million for him, my price would have been 2million, at best'. This club must have been target no 1 for all the clubs on the make, I'm constantly being quoted 3-4 million for players who are at best 500 thousand pounds, and a gamble at that price.