@ken the football is very poor but the worst in 40 years I'm not sure, I have been going for 36 years and there has been some really bad football during that time
@paulinboroin the air t have
When you talk about bad football, it is important to remember
that it all comes back to the manager, unfair I know, but his opinions and indeed selections over some considerable time have been puzzling to put it mildly. We possess a squad that is a mix of the unknown, and the untalented, we have a manager who is a chat merchant, but his judgement does not stand up to inspection. Tav. Would by now be well ahead had he been played in every match (and he is pretty good). Wing is very good, and could not get a game in a non scoring team,(i hear that this fool told Wing that he was hitting the ball too hard and making it move in the air) you could not invent this stuff. Good to see that wing was loaned to the third division, just as well for the manager's reputation, one feared what he would have achieved in the champ.
I’ve just watched the Blackpool ‘highlights’, or Illuminations, as I believe they’re called. It was certainly illuminating, but not very edifying. Boro got well hammered, barely creating anything and defending very poorly. And this was to some extent Blackpool’s second squad. They had also made 7 changes.
But what can you expect when you give three players their debut, and throw in four from the under-23s and two more from the subs’ bench? How often had this team ever played together previously - with Peltier, Bamba and Payero all starting? NW can say all he likes that his youngsters should have performed better - and certainly experienced lads like Peltier and Spence should have done so - but Boro were on a hiding to nothing from the start with this selection.
And I must say, I’m angry. Doing well in the cups builds momentum, increases fans’ engagement and allows the manager to give more frequent opportunities to fringe players such as Luke Daniels or to those who might be coming back from injury. And we’ve missed out on a plum home tie against the Mackems, which might have drawn a bumper crowd. I think NW threw it all away.
Of more concern in the longer term is our inability to carve out chances, score goals or even shoot. It’s early days, but I do hope this pattern is not going to be repeated too often from now on. We’ve had to put up with this now for far too long. But unless we get in a pacy winger and at least one more striker we will probably continue to struggle.
Finally, does Akpom’s omission from the Blackpool squad mean he’s reached the end of the road with Boro? He’s been stuck in the cul-de-sac now for so long and obviously making no progress, so let us all hope that Boro let him escape. Preferably by someone launching a large boot up his backside.
@plato that could turn into some discussion, arguement, when the subject of quality of boro managers comes up, I would say in order Rioch, McLaren, Aitor, Robson during the decades I have been watching.
I think that somewhere in Paulin’s list Stan Anderson should get a mention though I agree with him that Bruce Rioch would be my choice. Also Tony Mowbray for the financial restrictions he encountered.
But what about the worst Boro managers? I would start with Gordon Strachan, then Raich Carter. But Willie Maddren, Bobby Murdoch and Malcolm Allison didn’t cover themselves in glory, though I acknowledge that like Mogga they didn’t have much financial backing.
@ken Didn't Willie Maddren buy Slaven for peanuts and perhaps Pallister from Billingham, too? Just saying, like.
Up the Boro!
agree with that but big Jack Charlton was the best !
OFB
Absolutely
agree with that but big Jack Charlton was the best !
OFB
Absolutely
No arguments from me on that front although I agree with Ken that Stan Anderson needs a mention as the bulk of Jack's team was his. 😎
Without a doubt and given the cirumstances Bruce Rioch was the best manager at Middlesbrough ever.
Bruce had the most difficult circumstances of any manager with the possible exception of Willie Maddren.
To turn a team of local lads and bargain buys into a double promotion winning team was a Herculean effort.
OFB
It's gotta be big jack
The reason that we feared no one even in the prem. Was big Jack, who allowed no one to have, or exercise any opinion but himself. And that, I'm afraid is the only way to run anything, even a welk stall. As we found out when we were in the prem. It turned out that players (who should have been seen off by the Chairman) were rocking the boat (and how!)