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Trying to be positi...
 

Trying to be positive for next season (2021/22)

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jarkko
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I know most of us - including me - are disappointed how the season went after the Christmas. We were in the top six around Christmas time and on paper we had quite a successful transfer window in January.

We bought players where we really needed but the we just did not click on anymore after the window shopping. And the end left a sour taste when we lost 0-3 to Wycombe after two wins and a draw before that.

The off-season is there here. So let's forget the season gone for a while and think that the club and Mr. Warnock are doing their best for a better season.

I will challenge you all fellow bloggers to think something positive we have at the Boro FC now. We did finish tenth in the league and need just a bit more luck, a couple of new strikers more, a proper pre-season training, a larger squad and less injuries to achieve a chance for a play-off spot in 2021/22 season. It is possible (if not always likely).

I will start one positive at Boro for next season. I know there are many more but I will start with one.

I am very delighted we will have a fully fit Marcus Tavernier available next season. I do not say he will be here for sure as an EPL club can come to us with a crazy offer. But I hope it will be unlikely this summer yet.

If I understood correctly. Tavernier is more or less fit already now. Actually I am really looking forward to seeing him being better and more experienced next season. He has just celebrated 22th birthday in March. But he has already played some 97 times in football league and scoring ten goals for the Boro.

I think the up-coming season will really be the season for an adult and matured Tavernier. If he can be kept fit, he will be a leader in the midfield as he has already been one of the most vocal players at Boro. I would even make him a captain for the coming season.

I expect him to be much more constant in his performances, too as he gains more and more experience. He was good last season but I expect him to be the driving force even more next season. And as I said earlier, being a leader in our midfield.

I am sure everybody can find at least one positive in the club, its owner, the management team or players themselves. Please take part and keep us others entertained.

Up the Boro - the Boro will be going up in 2021/22!


   
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jarkko
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I think Tavernier will be one of the top five players in the Championship next season. Up the Boro!


   
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I think this is a really good idea. Although I have doubts I don't like everything being black and white.

At the most basic, with Gibson's support and the infrastructure we have, we ought to be able to ride out anything short of a zombie apocalypse while providing high quality young players.

I think the "golden thread" was the right idea and is potentially very exciting but it was asking too much of a first time manager. Bringing in an experienced manager like Warnock was the right thing to do and we do have a window in which we could build.

There is a core of a really good young team: Fry, Tav, Dijksteel, Bola with support from senior pros like McNair, Hall, Howson & Morsy. If Browne or Wing make the grade next season and we manage to get 1 or 2 of the U23s to step up, then it only takes 2-3 first class signings to make the team sing.

I don't think that Warnock is a hoof-ball manager. I think he focuses on getting the ball from defence to attack really quickly and pressing opponents very hard into mistakes. You could argue that this is simply a Yorkshire version of Bielsa ball. Sort of Ecky Thump ball.

Although on balance I am negative about what I see as likely to happen I think there's still a fair chance that it could go really well and I would much prefer to be positive.


   
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Ken Smith
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I’ve just signed on to register to vote for an independent regulator to safeguard the future of English football. Already the petition has reached 139,672 for the Government to debate this. I think it needs 200,000 registrations for this to be debated in Parliament. I’m non-political but would also like to see a similar petition concerning the Saudi’s proposal for a 50,000 dollar contract for signing up 100 of the world’s top golfers, though that would need a different world wide petition. In the meantime I’m all for the England football team pulling out of the World Cup unless the  venues are removed from Saudi, but I guess that would be a pipe dream. Nevertheless I’m determined not to watch any of the World Cup matches in Saudi. I realise this will not have any affect, but it will salve my conscience. 

On a brighter note I unexpectedly received another meal from Middlesbrough FC. The young courier resplendent in a Boro shirt complemented me on my front garden, but nowadays it’s my hired gardener who is responsible for that. The young courier had only been working for Boro for 6 weeks and plays for Billingham Town second eleven. He knew about Diasboro.club but was honest to say that he was really a Liverpool fan.


   
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@jarkko

I will add that we will go into next season on an improved financial footing. Of course, the pandemic has ruined any cost cutting to some extent but the club can't control that. What they can control is their outgoings.

It's not yet clear exactly who will be leaving / not returning for next season but we do know that both Britt and Ashley Fletcher have departed. I would guestimate that will place us around £2.5m - £3m better off ultimately without losing anything substantial from the team.


   
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Ken Smith
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Where have Boro gone wrong in the last ten years?  AFC Bournemouth were the in League One in 2012, Wolves too in 2013, Crystal Palace were promoted via the playoffs to the Premier League in 2013, Norwich finished only 14th in the Championship in 2018, Burnley and Brighton were arguably on a par with Boro when we were promoted in 2016, and Villa not much better than Boro two years ago, and all of them have progressed and comfortably established in the Premier League (although Norwich not yet) whilst Boro have gone backwards. After promotion in 2016 didn’t I read that Boro were financially in the top 30 or so richest clubs in Europe? Or was I dreaming that? Answers on a postcard! Don’t forget Leeds United as well with Patrick Bamford and Jack Harrison!

This post was modified 3 years ago 4 times by Ken Smith

   
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Just seen tweet saying that we have signed Joe lumley


   
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@ken

Some of that has to do with wealthy owners, Ken. Below is a list taken from footballbests.com, with some of those clubs among the wealthiest now:

POSITION OWNER CLUB NET WORTH
1 Sheikh Mansour Manchester City £15.19 billion
2 Roman Abramovich Chelsea £9.65 billion
3 Stan Kroenke Arsenal £6.31 billion
4 Shahid Khan Fulham £5.93 billion
5 Nassef Sawiris Aston Villa £5.39 billion
6 Guo Guanghang Wolverhampton Wanderers £4.41 billion
7 Joe Lewis and Daniel Levy Tottenham Hotspur £3.98 billion
8 Glazer family Manchester United £3.8 billion
9 Joshua Harris Crystal Palace £3.42 billion
10 Gao Jisheng Southampton £3.1 billion
11 Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha and family Leicester City £2.96 billion
12 Mike Ashley Newcastle United £2.6 billion
13 John W Henry and Tom Werner Liverpool £2.6 billion
14 Lai Guochuan West Bromwich Albion £2.2 billion
15 Farhad Moshiri Everton £1.9 billion
16 David Sullivan and David Gold West Ham United £1.56 billion
17 Tony Bloom Brighton & Hove Albion £1.3 billion
18 Andrea Radrizzani Leeds United £450 million
19 Abdullah bin Musa’ad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Sheffield United £198 million
20 Alan Pace Burnley Unconfirmed

 


   
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Posted by: @paulinboro

Just seen tweet saying that we have signed Joe lumley

Absolutely fabulous signing.


   
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@deleriad

Purdey good !

OFB


   
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Selwynoz
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@jarkko

thank you so much. You have absolutely set out my thinking about the club and about this blog. There are a number of extremely intelligent people writing great stuff here but for so many of you, it seems to be a place to let loose our disappointment about anything and everything that the club has done or tries to do. Why not occasionally look at something with a touch of optimism or at least recognise the correct steps that the club is taking. The negatives have been recognised and we all know what they are but to return to them again and again just sours the atmosphere of the blog.

If I had to list the three key things that the club is doing it would be 

1. Recognising the important role that the club plays in the broader community and doing everything possible to use that power to help people who need help. Whether it is the immigrants initiatives, the food parcels that are delivered or the impact the players and manager can have by their messages and behaviour, the club is doing a great deal and I admire that

2. Building an academy that can hold it's head up against any club in the country by training a stream of young men, many of whom have been able and will in the future be able to build a career in the professional game. They also seem to place a proper emphasis on preparing these boys for life in general. In the short term (2-4years) their seems to be a serious possibility that half a dozen - or maybe a few more - of the first team squad will come from that source.

3. Putting the club onto a reasonable financial base. Ultimately, I don't know if this is possible and it indeed raises the bigger question about the whole financial underpinning of the Championship but they started taking the right steps and are continuing along that path. In fact, as a blog topic I throw out the question "who would we want the next owners of MFC to be?"

I'd also like to know what the club is doing to raise the level of women's football at the club.

UTB

This post was modified 3 years ago by Selwynoz

   
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jarkko
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@selwynoz Thank you, mate. I just thought we need to see the positives after a few difficult months. And I also realised there are actually some very good players in the team already, just that we need a proper striker to lead the line.

And thanks also for Deleriad for your contribution.  Let's keep this going for a while.

Up the Boro! 

 


   
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@selwynoz

I'd agree that the club does a lot of good things and the academy is up there with the best and they also do a lot of good work in the community. Plus you can't argue with Steve Gibson's continued financial backing in which he has probably given the maximum investment he could have within the rules of FFP.

OK many of the financial problems in recent years derive from some over-extravagant spending on inflated transfer fees and contracts for players who clearly weren't worth what we paid. My main criticism of the club (though it's probably true of most clubs) is that they have in recent years got stuck in making too many short-term decisions that seem to be without a long-term strategy - Monk to Pulis to Woodgate to Warnock to who knows doesn't appear to be a line of progression that would easily accommodate the players signed for each successor.

While the off-field activities are admirable, they are not the primary activity to which most of the resources and attention are directed. So I can only offer comment on the football that has been delivered on the pitch and having watched the various teams containing millions of pounds of talent under various managers deliver the fewest goals by any club in the Championship over the last three years, the positives are probably confined to those off-field activities.

No doubt Boro have some good players in their ranks but not convinced the club have worked out how to get the best out of them or their resources - which are (were?) probably capable of better results on the pitch.

Warnock is just the latest short-term fix for the first team and won't shape the direction of the club anymore than the apparent troubleshooting that Pulis was supposedly involved in. The truth is that both are still dealing with the financial fallout from the Monk splurge that needed the £42m sales of Gibson, Adama and Bamford to avoid financial meltdown.

I'm sure like Jarkko said, Warnock and his staff will do their best to finish in the top six next season and that will need more than a decent slice of luck given the budget they're now working under. I only hope the football on offer improves quite considerably and some of the kids take their chance to shine.

In theory, having wealthier owners shouldn't make any difference under FFP if Gibson is currently ploughing in as much as he can be allowed to - so for me it's all about better use of resources and at least we may see the academy will prove to be a wise investment.

So you're probably right that I'm one of those still feeling somewhat negative of what has passed.


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Signing the new keeper has increased my feeling of positivity and if he can dominate and pass he may well be worth more goals, as in saved, than the ten goal Luton striker. The margins are fine but I think he will inspire and increase the confidence in the mind of the defence.

As Werder says the real importance is some of the younger players seizing their chance which will, hopefully, come sooner rather than later. If these fortunate young men establish themselves in the first team those replacing them in the U23 team can in turn see a path of progression in their careers rather than being loaned out and moved on as their opportunities are taken and blocked by fading journeymen topping up their pension pots for a year or two.

Those few who did take their opportunity towards the end of last season showed an enthusiasm and mental energy that seems to be rare but is hugely encouraging for the supporters to see. Let's hope the club can see how that complex  relationship jigsaw fits and goes together, it's not all about the Monk 'sweetshop' approach, I would hope that we never ever go back to that.

Do we really need eight players in? I suppose we do for cover but is that another definition of a type of player, food for thought and discussion.

UTB,

 

John


   
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@werdermouth.  Count me as one of those who fall into your final paragraph.  I too applaud the many things the club do off the pitch, including meals to the likes of Ken and support for many good causes in the area.  These are all things you would expect from a club embedded in the community.

It is, as you say, the main business where they are falling short time and time again.  If the likes of Burnley, Brighton etc can maintain a place in the PL then why not us.  The answer to that in my view is poor management from the top down as far as the main business activity is concerned.

I fear that unless something fundamental changes then we will be supporting a mid to lower Championship side for many years to come.  I could cope with that if the football on offer was worth watching but there has been little of that since we were last relegated. 😎


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The Evening Standard (London) is carrying an interview with Frank Lampard in which he states that he would be prepared to manage in the Championship if the right project came along!

I wonder if SG reads the Evening Standard! 😆😎

This post was modified 3 years ago by K P in Spain

   
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@k-p-in-Spain

 

Lamapard would be my choice as the next Boro Manager but Crystal Palace are looking 

OFB


   
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@original-fat-bob. Along with West Brom and possibly Bournemouth. 😎


   
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jarkko
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Just saying, like that there will be many Championship players available this summer on a free. As an example Senegal striker Famara Diedhiou and centre-back Nathan Baker were among 11 players being released by Bristol City.

If a well run club like City release eleven players, there must be several players available from elsewhere, too. If I were a player released now, I would opt for a club as soon as possible and not wait for the last offer until late August. There will be loads of players without a contract when the transfer window closes.

Joe Lumley said he was delighted to do an early deal with Boro. Clever. One positive more for the Boro.

Up the Boro!


   
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jarkko
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Posted by: @original-fat-bob

@k-p-in-Spain

Lamapard would be my choice as the next Boro Manager but Crystal Palace are looking 

OFB

I know what is a lama, OFB. But I needed to google for the pard. The Pard is a deadly and swift feline creature mentioned in medieval bestiaries. The Pard is said to be a large, spotted feline that will kill it's prey in a single leap. They are said to enjoy blood. 

A Tibetan monk is a “lama” and the Andean animal is a “llama.”

I think we already had one Monk too many as a manager.

Up the Boro!

 


   
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@ken

The simple truth is that we have no idea as to the control and management of a team in the English league system, what are we doing wrong? What are we doing right? Is much more interesting, and revealing. There is no analysis of our games, and I do mean second by second review of each frame of every game. Some of the faults in our approach are amazing. Anyone who watches the habits of the leading teams can be in no doubts as to the faults in our Management, coaching, recruiting, scouting, man management, tactics. I could add much more, but enough pain is caused by the above. Lets start with our inglorious attempt to scoop a season in the Prem. Facing a team and club out of form with it's only good player (and attacker) crocked for three months. It's only defender, and veteran crocked and slow (but going to be on the pitch) we faced a choice of our good young striker (that would be eight goals in a few games leading up to said play off) and the dreadful Britt. It must have been some meeting, because Britt was selected, and of course, said young striker departed stage left for better things.         


   
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@k-p-in-spain

I think that the answer to those who are thankful for our staying in the Champ. Is the following. We have been supplied with enough money and home comforts to easily support a decent stint in the prem. Instead, we willfully, taking our time, seek out the unsuitable and untalented, and unwilling. We are relentless and it never stops. What I am about to say now will be bad news to all our bloggers but I will say it before I have seen him. The gentleman we have signed as a goalkeeper is a perfect photofit of how not to find a good keeper. His club tried him, loaned him out, loaned him out again, and again, and again. He failed to get a contract. Surely to god if we re going to 'discover' a keeper it should be because he is causing ripples in his lower league. Keeping is keeping, if he isn't Good enough for the prem. then he isn't good enough for the champ. I am tipping these people ditching Wing, whilst signing some veteran who couldn't score to save his life, and confuses talk about dead ball situations with smutty jokes.        


   
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@jarkko

I think your attempt at positivity has been well and truly hijacked I’m afraid!

I applaud your effort though.


   
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Powmill-Naemore
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I'll try and stick with something positive in this thread.

I have to say it was refreshing to see the decision to remove some of the wasters from the club before the very end of the season...arguments aside about it could have been earlier. Better late than never I say and a positive decision as well.


   
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Watford have agreed a deal to sign former Middlesbrough striker Ashley Fletcher on a free transfer.

OFB


   
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jarkko, like Andy R, I admire your attempt at being positive but I am afraid you are on the wrong blog for that.

Come on BORO.


   
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@original-fat-bob either its April 1st or you have been on the red all day because that cant be true


   
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@original-fat-bob oh my word it's TRUE, the world has gone mad


   
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jarkko
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If you want to complain about Boro (an interesting hobby that) there are nother threads on this blog. So I will keep up with the theme here.

Below, I will give you two examples of ownership running the show over the players on the pich and the matches.

Derby County have responded to complaints from fans following the collapse of the Championship club's latest proposed takeover bid.

The abandonment of Spanish businessman Erik Alonso's purchase of the club came just six days after Derby's fraught final-day escape from relegation.

Alonso's proposed Derby takeover off. EFL wins part of appeal against Derby. Also manager Rooney wants ownership issue sorted.

When the story of Newcastle United’s 2020-21 season is written, precious little will be mentioned about football. Saudi Arabian investment funds, Premier League arbitration hearings, anti-competition claims, Covid outbreaks, ‘moles’ in the dressing room, rows at the training ground. 

As ever with the Magpies, Mike Ashley’s ownership has cast a cloud over the whole of the campaign. 

At Boro, we have had the same owner from about 1986. Steve Gibson wasn't the chairman immediately but there has not been any unstability since 1986. That is a whopping 35 years of silence and peace. Our fans know the owner is one of the biggest fans and has pumped hundreds of millions to the club already.

Steve Gibson still does that with about a million per month - or as much as the Fair play rules allow. OK, sometimes the money is spent like a fan would do by spending too much on an average player or two. But at least he tries. And usually he gives the manager time to act long term but this have changed a bit recently.

But we - the fans - take the stability of ownership as given. And some even dream of a foreign owner to be better than a local fan you loves the club and the area. Luckily most still hails him as a hero and one of our own. 

I think it is better to be grateful at the situation we have at Boro. We can luckily keep the focus on the team and the players.

Up the Boro!

 


   
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@original-fat-bob

Apparently he has signed a 5 year contract. It will be interesting to see if he can be successful in the Premier League. Watford's recruitment is interesting for a promoted team. As well as Fletcher they have signed an 18 year old striker from Rochdale and are bidding for a couple of plyers from Scotland.


   
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