Thought it might be a good idea to create a thread for rumours, sightings, and outright lies about ins and outs in January.
So far we have been linked with a young right back - Cody Drameh - and a middle-aged midfielder: Ken Barlaser. We also tend to be linked with every member of the Man Utd U21s team.
No links out but it seems unlikely we'll see Massimo Louongo again. Bola also seems to have disappeared, victim of yet another injury from the sounds of it. If the links with Drameh hold water then Dijksteel is possibly surplus to requirements.
On the loan front, smoke signs are that Coburn and co will see out the season at their clubs.
Any more for any more?
Deleriad
Great idea to have a separate thread for posts about transfers, rumours and simply journo talk!
Lets hope it’s not pie 🥧 in the sky 🌌 instead of 👁 eyeballs 👀 in the sky 🌌!
OFB
Well, the first deal done now! Hayden Hackney has signed a new contract, committing his future to the Boro until summer 2026.
His previous contract was due to expire in Summer 2023. So happy to see a local lad coming through. Up the Boro!
If the links with Drameh hold water [...]
More on Drameh:
https://c.newsnow.co.uk/A/1157630994?-11183:811:tt_central_top#out
On the loan front, smoke signs are that Coburn and co will see out the season at their clubs.
Joey Barton waxing lyrical about Josh Coburn:
https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/joey-barton-bristol-josh-coburn-7916759
Related to transfers, I see that the line is that we're not expecting any new coaching staff after the appointment of Aaron Danks. Seems likely that we won't end up with an official assistant coach but it sure looks like Woodgate is playing that role unofficially.
@deleriad How many new players will we need in January?
I do not know the exact formation of the Carrick Boro. But I go for this:
Forss (Muniz)
McGree (Mowatt/Boyd-Munce) - Akpom (Hoppe) - Jones (Watmore)
Howson (Luongo) - Hackney (Crooks)
Giles (Bola) - Leninhan (Clarke) - Fry (McNair) - Dijksteel (Smith)
Steffen (Roberts)
Interestingly, we have depth in many places at Boro. Where I would buy a player to improve the squad is :
- Back-up for Akpom at nr. 10
- Back-up for McGree as most of our midfielders on the bench are not that creative
- A scoring centre forward (keep one of Muniz or Forss after January)
So I do not see need for big changes as January is a difficult window anyway. Of course I hope we will keep Jones in January. Up the Boro!
Agree with that, Jarkko.
My only real concerns are covering Akpom and perhaps improving on Forss. Muniz seems out of the picture under Carrick.
Forss is working so hard for the team so I don't want to understate his impact but someone who can do that as well as score a few goals could make a big difference. That would probably cost a lot of money however, at a time when we're really overstocked for (average) number 9s.
I suspect Luongo's deal will not be extended so perhaps another body there would ease the burden as well.
@andy-r Luongo is a real conaconundrum!
On paper (30 yrs, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massimo_Luongo) he looks good. He was with Sheffield Wednesday (3rd in League One) most recently and they wanted to keep him there.
The player opted to look for a club in the Championship, though. A lot of experience on this level, Australian international, etc.
But we have never seen him play even a minute for Boro. Is he fit or injured perhaps as I cannot remember him being named on the bench?
Anyway, he should be able to play back-up for Howson this season. But his contract is valid only until January, of course. If he goes, we need a replacement. Up the Boro!
@jarkko Agree that we don't have a good replacement for McGree. Watmore has been playing there but then we don't have someone to step in for Jones as needed. (Willis isn't really up to it yet.) I don't think it plays to Mowatt's strengths and Boyd Munce looks like he's not going to make it.
Not sure we have anyone who can replace Akpom. Crooks is the obvious choice but he's never convinced in that role. Hoppe seems like he deserves a chance but he's maybe not making a case in training.
Disappointing that Muniz seems to have gone backwards. I suspect that we might end up trying to negotiate a return for Muniz in January. I checked and I don't think he's played for Fulham this season so he could go out on loan elsewhere.
Of the very few links so far, Barlaser seems really interesting. I hadn't realised he was so high up in assists and goals this season. Seems like someone who could potentially replace Howson or sub for Hackney sooner rather than later. Creativity in the middle of the pitch is something we struggle with and Barlaser could provide it.
I was looking back at the summer's links and Semenyo (Bristol City) stood out for me. He's come back from his injury. Doesn't seem to have made much impact this season but he looks to be someone like Akpom who can play up front or as a deep-lying striker. Probably too ambitious going for him. With Coventry's woes, Gyokeres might become available but, if so, he'll probably end up in the Premier league. If we do send Muniz back, then Cameron Archer might be a viable loan. He can press from the front like Forss but also play wide on the right. The problem is that he may take a dozen games to get match sharp but he does look like he's in the same sort of position as Ryan Giles: previous successful loans but not getting a game. He also seems like the type of forward that Carrick is looking for.
If we're looking for an understudy for Giles and possibly to replace him next season, then I've liked the look of Cameron Pring at Bristol City. Like Giles, he's a natural wing-back rather than left back.
Overall, I agree that we should be looking at a fairly quiet window and trying to avoid loaning in 18 year old wonderkids who aren't ready for the Championship. Also to be looking at developing as many of our own players as possible. The one exception would be someone like Archer who could be loaned in if we can return Muniz.
An interesting article if anyone doubted Steve Gibson’s commitment:
https://footballeconomyv2.blogspot.com/2022/12/owners-support-critical-for-boro.html
Come on BORO.
@deleriad I am sure Plato would say that please bring Coburn back in January and send Muniz back to Fulham. And he is right, at least long term.
I like Muniz' attitude and he seems to be enjoying his time at Boro. But neither he or Forss have scored many goals yet. I know Forss did score goals at this level during his time at Brentford and also at International level for Finland, although Teemu Pukki is the number one for Finland for that position.
Perhaps it is the style we play at the moment that the strikers do not score more. Our team is scoring plenty - but it is often Akpom or Crooks. Difficult to say, but neither Forss nor Muniz have scored many or any.
Up the Boro!
Giles signs permanent contract (well not really) click on the twitter link:
Come on BORO.
According to Craig John's in the Gazette Q&A we're seriously interested in Ross Stewart and Dan Barlaser but not Cody Drameh.
Teamtalk seems to think that we're one of a number of clubs interested in Cameron Archer on loan but that could just be recycling last summer's story.
According to Craig John's in the Gazette Q&A we're seriously interested in Ross Stewart [...]
If he was "still out injured", how come he was on the pitch & able to put the Black Cats ahead (temporarily) at Hull {from a pass by Patrick Roberts - remember him?). However:
That Stewart goal, combined with Boro's 1-3 defeat, meant that the teams swapped place in the league, with Boro 13th, still on 30 points, one behind Blunderland, with a GD of +2 compared with +5. 🙁
The alleged interest by Boro in Barleser of Rotherham has a feeling that the player will welcome it as it pushes up his bargaining power for a better contract
Philip of Huddersfield
ps Separate issue , the locals here are bottom of the table and regretting Corberan was allowed to leave so easily.He’s manager of the form team in the Championship- WBA , with 6 straight wins. They are zooming up the table.
As Argentina won the World Cup on Sunday, I was wondering what the status of our Argentinian really is. Martin Payero won the Champioship in his home country recently I think and they have the close season there now.
Does anyone see a future for him now that we have Michael Carrick in charge? Payero had many injuries during his one and only season with us. He did not speak a word of English when he came over to cold Teesside, too.
I know Boca Juniors have an option to sign him after the current loan. He joined them on July 14, 2022 and his loan contract will expire on June 30, 2023. His initial contract at Boro is about to end on June 30, 2024.
I think we paid around €6,75 million for him and he is 24 years old already. By now he should be playing for Boro regularly if he was good enough. But is he good enough?
Up the Boro!
Just realised that the Echo wrote also about Martin Payero later this morning:
Up the Boro!
I do not know if we should buy a striker or not in January. We have quite a number of reasonably young strikers already. Only Burnley and Sheffield United have scored more than Boro this season.
- Akpom, who is on fire and contracted until summer 2024
- Watmore, a winger/striker, contract until June 30, 2023
- Muniz Carvalho, on loan from Fulham until summer
- Marcus Forss, aged 23, still 3,5 years of contract left
- Matthew Hoppe, aged 21, contracted until June 30, 2026
- Josh Coburn, aged 20, on loan at Bristol Rovers
I think long term, we are OK with young potential strikers. Short term, there is a question mark over Muniz Carvalho - should we keep him or not until summer.
We do need goals but I think we have both Forss and Coburn who can do it long term. The interesting question will be who will be available in January and what will Fulham do with Muniz Carvalho.
In an ideal world Carrick and Boro will solve the goal scoring problem that has excisted there for some ten years now. When ever we have bought a good striker, he always found the goals hard to come by.
So it will be interesting to see what will happen in January. Carrick has said he likes one to three (!) new players. I think we might buy a striker if Sunderland's Ross Stewart or Coventry's Viktor Gyokeres become available.
But I doubt if we can pay £10 million for the former or if Coventry will sell as long as they are above us (now level on points with Boro).
Up the Boro!
A deep analysis on Chuba:
Up the Boro!
@jarkko good spot re the Chuba article. It shows what we see with our eyes; he likes to come deep and drift out to the right then play really good passes into the box. He then follows up and scores most of his goals in the 6 yard box with simple headers or tap-ins. He seems to be quite an instinctive striker.
What he doesn't seem to do is to attack the box while running with the ball.
We're in an odd situation with strikers. Forss has worked hard but so far he hasn't convinced or scored many. Watmore is Watmore; he can score you a goal out of nothing and terrorise defences but he's not a natural striker. Muniz looked good at first but seems to be going backwards. Hoppe I can only assume is simply not up to the right standard; I hope it's not a case of Connolly syndrome where he has had one golden game then just drops down through the leagues. Coburn is clearly prospering at Rovers and it would sabotage his development to bring him back and put him in the stiffs.
We have a lot of strikers but except for Akpom, none of them have made a case for themselves. (Watmore is really best as a wide attacker but I think he tends to move into areas that Akpom likes to use.) If we keep buying strikers we're going to be burning money yet it is clear that Carrick has identified a central striker as a key requirement.
There is an argument for bringing back Coburn and making him first choice alongside Akpom. That responsibility worked for Hackney but it is a gamble. That said, Coburn has arguably had more experience and a better track record than Muniz, and definitely more than Hoppe. If you look at Coburn vs Muniz at the start of this season, Coburn looked to be slightly ahead of him in development which makes loaning in Muniz and loaning out Coburn even more baffling.
I don't really know the answer. No one bar Akpom seems to be good enough yet it will be hard to improve on Watmore and Forss without breaking the bank.
@deleriad I agree. A conundrum in attack.
We might need someone for the spring time but not on loan. Hoppe and Coburn are for next season and later.
Mind, Forss did score goals at this level (and at International level) during Brentford 's last stay in the Championship. He should score more.
Also Muniz could become good.
In all, very tricky. But if a correct striker becomes available, I wouldn't be surprised if Steve Gibson acts, again. Up the Boro!
Ipswich Town have taken Middlesbrough midfielder Massimo Luongo on trial, with a view to a permanent switch when his contract at the Championship side expires next month, according to TWTD.
The 30-year-old joined the Championship side in September, following his departure from League One side Sheffield Wednesday in the summer. Luongo previously had a trial with Reading, before signing for Boro.
Looks like we need one midfielder in January 😉.
Up the Boro!
yes I saw that too
https://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-news/43980/former-loanee-luongo-training-with-town
OFB
I’ve loved the enthusiasm of the audience of the Grand Final of Strictly Come Dancing and that’s certainly what we need on Boxing Day if Boro are to overcome Wigan Athletic. Usually a large crowd on Boxing Day at the Riverside has the desired effect, but let’s get Christmas Day out of the way first and see what happens next because Boro face two very difficult away matches over the New Year period.
I’ve given up on the notion that Boro will reach the playoffs this season, and I must say that some of my happiest memories of watching Boro were in the Second Division in the late sixties and early seventies when one could almost guarantee that Boro would win at Ayresome Park. During those 6 seasons Boro only lost ten matches before finally winning promotion under Jack Charlton in his first year as manager.
However as it’s the season of goodwill I wish to extend my good wishes to the fans of Hartlepool who probably need a win at Rochdale much more than Boro need one given the precarious position the club find themselves in at the moment. It would indeed be a dire situation if Pools were to be relegated after gaining promotion a couple of seasons ago, as the National League is probably the most difficult league from which to gain promotion.
I’m looking forward to this new England cricket side regaining the Ashes next year as cricket has once more come to the forefront of Sport in this Country. The glee on the face of 18year old Rehan Ahmed and his teammates on taking 5 wickets in the third test in Karachi was a joy to behold. There’s something magical about leg spin bowling, as it’s very difficult to control. I mentioned Strictly Come Dancing earlier and this year’s was particularly brilliant - if only Boro footballers could perform with such consistency.
Finally, best wishes to all diasborians over Christmas. I’m on a restricted diet so no alcohol or excessive eating, but with a Christmas edition of Strictly to look forward to, Christmas Carols on BBC’s Songs of Praise, plus a performance of Adolphe Adam’s intoxicating ballet Gisellle on Sky Arts channel which I recorded earlier specifically for Christmas Day, I’m well sorted for the big day. In all seriousness the Sky Arts channel has become my favourite TV channel. The recent Portrait of the Year was really excellent. Sadly it’s a reminder of how much I’ve wasted any talents that I might have possessed in my lifetime.
What a cruel world we live in! Trying to redress the bad publicity that Yorkshire CCC have received during the last two years, I’m mollified to learn that the club have raised £100,000 towards rebuilding 4,620 homes in Pakistan after the recent flood disaster that resulted in destruction of homes and possessions in the country. My GP Dr Rashid at Saltscar surgery in Redcar was telling me a few years back how tourism had suffered due to bad publicity because of terrorist attacks in the UK. Whilst obviously not condoning those attacks, Yorkshire folk have rallied round as they usually do in such circumstances. I lived during the Second World War when the only news that filtered through the BBC was the bombing caused by the Luftwaffe to London and our major cities, even Redcar being affected near the cricket ground where a memorial was erected just behind the scoreboard after the destruction of the Zetland Club which killed everyone inside the building. It was particularly depressing for us with German
connections as repercussions were made against anyone with a German surname, and that’s why many Brits decided to adopt their wives maiden names on marriage.
Of course that was then, and today we have good relations with our German neighbours. However the enemy today is not the Germans but the Russians and other nationalities that cause destruction in the name of religion. But today it’s also the destruction caused by floods and famine throughout the World. It might be considered inappropriate to mention this on a football forum, but in some ways I’ve had enough of this life. Our national cricket side have made great strides to cut out sledging, and even the Pakistani community have ‘enjoyed’ Ben Stokes’s approach to Test Cricket.
This Christmas is the time of goodwill to all people, and I deplore such terms as Blunderland and their Stadium being called ‘The Stadium of Shite’. They like Hartlepool United are our neighbours and have some unsavoury individuals, but so have Middlesbrough FC. I was especially upset about the unfair booing of former Boro and Sunderland striker Charlie Wyke, now of Wigan Athletic who nearly died when his heart twice stopped beating during a training session following his return to Sunderland. I can never understand the animosity shown to some former players by supporters. I never cheer when a visiting club scores against the Boro, though if it’s a goal worthy of applause I have been known to clap the opposition.
We’re all supporters of our own football clubs and obviously want to beat them when we play against them, but if Charlie Wyke plays against the Boro on Saturday I hope that he will get a good reception from the home crowd. Life is too short to hold grudges. Please remember that, but enjoy your Christmas Day celebrations and hopefully a win on Saturday for the Boro.
Ken - I also watched the Final of Strictly and enjoyed it (though I thought Helen Skelton was perhaps the best on the night). The winner performed well throughout the series.
The crowd for the Boxing Day match - I have read it is already a sell-out.
Pools - I agree with you. The club needs the points and relegation would be disastrous.
Cricket - What has happened to the England team(s) (T20 World Cup winners and the Test team) has been in "beyond wildest dreams" territory. I am beyond delighted with the form shown by Rehan Ahmed (I think we'll find he can bat as well as bowl as, in his 3 First Class games before the last Test match, he has already scored a century and taken a 5-for) and by Harry Brook (I've already said it looks in these very early days in his Test career as if he may re-write English Test batting records). What has been happening on the cricket field is the football equivalent of watching Holland play football in the 1970/80s, but with Holland winning trophies instead of finishing runners-up. No team has EVER played red ball cricket in the way England has in the last 9 months or so. It is so exciting to watch and if anyone ever said cricket was boring, they should be sentenced to watching re-runs of the Test matches we have watched so far during the Baz/Stokes period.
Christmas - I'm pleased you have your day's entertainment lined up. I am particularly looking forward to seeing It's a Wonderful Life (yet !again) and the Christmas Specials for All Creatures Great & Small (I wasn't supportive of this re-make until I watched it and found it to be very good, unlike most re-makes) and The Detectorists. The latter is typically British, understated, poignant humour, really well written and well acted.
Pakistan - I was pleased to listen to several interviews with Barmy Army members during the intervals in the Test series which has just ended. A typical summary would be "I had concerns before I came out here but I have found everyone in Pakistan so friendly, so pleased that England and our supporters have come here. They can't do enough for you and security has been great. I will definitely recommend others to come here and I will be returning for the next series out here."
I don't boo players or teams, not even Boro players having a shocker, though I have sometimes been sorely tempted. I think it is unduly antagonistic. I remember the furore, though about the former Sunderland (and now Wigan) player James McClean who, coming from Londonderry, refused to wear a poppy or a club shirt with the poppy emblem attached, and who DID wear a black armband like his team-mates after the death of HM Queen Elizabeth but stood apart from his colleagues who were together with their heads bowed to show respect. When discussing McClean with a friend I mentioned that he has every right to do that but, equally, supporters have every right to show their displeasure at his choices. I wouldn't boo him for it, just as I don't boo generally, but I understand if others want to. We are still a free society, aren't we? It would never cross my mind to boo a former player like Charlie Wyke. Indeed when players who have been good servants in the past return to Boro, even playing against the Boro, I tend to give a polite round of applause. Obviously legends like Tony Mowbray don't cease to be legends just because they subsequently manage Blackburn Rovers or even Sunderland.
ANYWAY - Happy Christmas Ken and all the other contributors to this Blog. Also to those who may look in to read the posts but not necessarily contribute themselves. Especially to our Club Ambassador to Finland, Jarkko, to whom most years I resolve to send a Christmas card in good time but then usually fail to do so. No point in sending him a card this year as the Post Office staff have been holding strikes and there would have been no guarantee of a card arriving in time for Christmas even if it had been posted four weeks ago! But Yuletide wishes go, via the ether, to the Helsinki area in any event!
@forever-dormo @ken Here’s an interesting article about Harry Brook from the Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/dec/22/the-rise-and-rise-of-harry-brook-england-cricket?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other