@selwynoz as for the rest of the youngsters nearing the first team squad it’s been difficult this year as all of them have been in lockdown since March and have not trained at the club.
They have just returned today to Rockcliffe under the watchful eye of our new manager who has returned from his weeks holiday.
OFB
Marvin Johnson is not seen as a left back but more of a wing back of left hand side player.
OFB
Well, just common sense. Marvin is a winger or left sided midfielder, me thinks.
So we will need two left backs if Bola is not up to the job, then.
Up the Boro!
Rumour being tweeted that Paddy McNair has agreed a two year deal with Stoke. If true seems a very short contract, in fact it almost seems like they are taking over his existing Boro one. No fee being mentioned yet so I'm guessing it will come out soon or be "undisclosed" to save blushes perhaps?
We all seem to be assuming that Bola won’t cut it and nothing that we’ve seen so far suggests anything different but...who knows.
If NW plays with a back three he could use Johnson as a wingback. There is also talk of Friend getting another contract which would see him available as a left back in a back four which would fit with NW’s tendency towards big full backs. Then there is a question of whether Stubbs or Wood can play at full back.
However, having said that, I’d be surprised if we didn’t bring in at least one big left footed defender.
@selwynoz as for the rest of the youngsters nearing the first team squad it’s been difficult this year as all of them have been in lockdown since March and have not trained at the club.
They have just returned today to Rockcliffe under the watchful eye of our new manager who has returned from his weeks holiday.
OFB
Thanks. I’ll be interested to see if we have a couple of hidden gems. These days lots of clubs seem to be playing 18-20 year olds in their first teams with solid success. Of the forwards, Walker has had the most experience but I remember being impressed by O’Neill when I saw some televised U23 games and Burrell seems to have scored quite a few for the youth teams. Other than them, people were talking up Ben Liddle as a good prospect and I’m sure that there are a few others.
UTB
@selwynoz From the small glimpses I have seen of them I think Stubbs and Woods both look like they will make it. I would think that Woods may go out on loan (Sunderland or Harrogate perhaps?) while Stubbs being older may be retained to get an opportunity to prove himself as a Sub and be gently introduced.
@selwynoz From the small glimpses I have seen of them I think Stubbs and Woods both look like they will make it. I would think that Woods may go out on loan (Sunderland or Harrogate perhaps?) while Stubbs being older may be retained to get an opportunity to prove himself as a Sub and be gently introduced.
Stubbs definitely looks at least League One potential and may cut it in the Championship. Last year the club were apparently saying that Wood was considered to be a right back which seems odd.
Can't say I'll be sorry if we lose McNair. He gives the impression of only putting in the effort when he feels like it. Partly this is because of his cameo in Sunderland til I die where he came across as really two-faced. That said, he'll probably do a good job for Stoke while O'Neill's in charge.
@deleriad Some Players work really well with some Managers and some don't and vice versa. To be fair to McNair he is on his third Boro Manager since joining us with every tactic under the sun employed and no clear strategy whatsoever in terms of tactics so its little wonder like a few others he has looked lost, confused and off the boil at times. If he goes to Stoke I think it will work out for him, there's nothing better than working for someone who knows your strengths and abilities and wants you for them.
@redcarred Rumours are that it’s £5m to match the fee we paid Sunderland
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Sounds very much like he is almost being Tupe'd across rather than transferred. If its a win/win/win scenario for the Player, Boro and Stoke then that is a result of sorts.
I imagine it gets him off the wage bill as well and opens up a space in the squad for a Player in an area of the pitch where we are short on bodies. As much as I liked McNair the last time I had a Paddy when we sold a Paddy it was Paddy Bamford and I'm not going to throw one over McNair departing.
McNeil never played often in his favourite position
@selwynoz From the small glimpses I have seen of them I think Stubbs and Woods both look like they will make it. I would think that Woods may go out on loan (Sunderland or Harrogate perhaps?) while Stubbs being older may be retained to get an opportunity to prove himself as a Sub and be gently introduced.
Agree with that. The other obstacle other than experience for both is height - I think both are 6ft only. I wonder if Wood, as a left footer, will follow in his father's footsteps and convert to a left back.
Breaking News!!!
Good stuff from Neil Warnock here. I was pleased to hear him alluding to the fact we have been out muscled in the past and he would be addressing that. All in all a positive conference.
https://www.mfc.co.uk/news/watch-neil-warnock-media-conference
@grovehillwallah I just like the fact that we have a Boro Manager that seems to know what he is doing and actually has a plan which he believes in and more importantly he believes is deliverable!
Just a note to state that I have now completed my review of what I consider to be the top 20 most remarkable seasons of League football by Middlesbrough FC . It can be found on this website under Middlesbrough FC - Club History. It includes every League match with date, score, Boro goalscorers and crowd attendances for home matches and lists top goalscorers for the following seasons:-
1901/02 First promotion from Old Second Division
1913/14 Highest Position in Old First Division
1926/27 Promotion from Old Second Division with 122 goals
1927/28 Relegation from Old First Division with record number of 37 points
1928/29 Immediate promotion from Old Second Division
1938/39 Highest Position in Old First Division between the 2 World Wars
1950/51 Top of the Old First Division at Christmas
1954/55 Remarkable turnaround after losing 8 of first 9 matches in Old Second Division
1962/63 The season of high scoring away matches in the Old Second Division
1966/67 Promotion from Old Third Division
1973/74 Promotion from Old Second Division under Jack Charlton
1974/75 Jack Charlton’s first season as manager in Old First Division
1986/87 Promotion from Old Third Division under Bruce Rioch
1987/88 Promotion from Old Second Division under Bruce Rioch
1991/92 Promotion from Old Second Division under Lennie Lawrence
1994/95 Promotion in last season at Ayresome Park under Bryan Robson
1996/97 Relegation from Premier League because of 3 point deduction
1997/98 Promotion from First Division to Premier League under Bryan Robson
2014/15 Losing playoff Final at Wembley
2015/16 Promotion to Premier League under Aitor Karanka
Naturally I don’t expect everyone to agree with my choice of the aforementioned 20 seasons, I could well have extended that to 24 or 25 but I thought 20 was a nice compromise. My next project will be famous Boro Cup runs most of which have occurred in my lifetime, and will also be shown on the Club History section in due course.
Newsnow reporting that QPR are closing in on signing Charlie Goode for c. £1m ahead of Boro. Looking like one of our targets is getting away.
I did suggest previously that he may favour QPR given he was born in Watford and probably will not need to move house. 😎
https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/qpr-beat-middlesbrough-to-charlie-goode/
I also like his brother Johnny B Goode I believe he was a record signing !
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Looking forward to tonight’s Championship play off game. A good chance to see what sort of standard is required for the upcoming season.
It will also be another opportunity to see what kind of effect the absence of a crowd will have on both teams in a high profile game. Probably the stakes are much higher than in Saturday’s Cup Final, with the rewards of the Premiership going to the victors.
Usually the losing side receive the total gate money by way of a consolation prize. I wonder if the EFL will compensate them?
@grovehillwallah. I think your idea that the EFL compensate the losing side is a very good and fair idea. Given the EFL's performance to date however I shouldn't hold your breath! 😎
Surely the time is fast approaching for the Championship to break away from the EFL in a similar manner to the Premiership?
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/42704713
It doesn't take a marketing genius to realise that the potential of the Championship is being undersold and very badly run, indeed mismanaged. The EFL have proved beyond a shred of doubt that they literally haven't a clue how to run the business, and indeed it is a business but a struggling one that should be a runaway success.
The potential for the Championship as a business is phenomenal in the correct hands. Just look at tonights game, it is one of the most lucrative football matches in the world and it involves the third and fourth placed teams, not the Champions! imagine if this was in the USA, it would be hyped to Superbowl levels of manic hysteria.
AFC Wimbledon have signed goalkeeper Connal Trueman from Championship club Birmingham City on a season-long loan.
He is the second keeper to leave Birmingham in the space of 24 hours following Lee Camp's departure.
As Aitor Karanka is now the manager at Birmingham, I am worried we might lose Tomas Mejias, our number 1 keeper.
Both are former Real Madrid players and Karanka has signed Mejias before. Should we all be worried?
Up the Boro!
I have a thing about players who stick their hands up (in the area, with no danger). Not a good habit, and best to get rid of a.s.p. Because no good will come of it. Interesting that Charlton converted him to a defender a few months before we jumped in with both feet and bought the pup. So we are back to the old question, who o.k'd this (and other buys)?
@jarkko. I think you are mistaken, he is not our No 1 with Pears and Stojanovic fighting for that position at present albeit there are rumours that NW is looking at keepers.
Mejias will never be No 1 in my view and if he goes to Birmingham then so be it.
I suspect a few former Boro and Notts Forest players may be making their way to Brum in due course. 😎
K P, I think you have never seen him play! It says so on the back of his shirt, mate!
Number 1 🤣🤣🤣
Up the Boro!