The main positive for me is the fact that pay per view internet for lower league clubs was excellent this season and the Boro site with local commentary was brilliant.
Internet has improved but so has the Boro back stage tech team. I can now look forward to overseas retirement knowing I watch live Boro football in my sunset years.
That to me is more important that the results on the pitch. 55 years of high and lows have taught me to take what comes, as long as I can watch it live.
Watford is like the mad hatters tea party, changing managers regularly with gay abandon, but five year contracts does seem excessive. But they are now in the Premier League whilst Boro can’t even reach the playoffs, so what do I know?
The big positive is that all the overpaid underperforming. mercenaries and crocks are now cleared out of the Club. Another positive is that we now need around ten players so we can look forward to a new look Boro next season with the optimism that the start of a new season brings for every fan around the world of all clubs.
I for one can't wait for all the resounding victories and points piling up as simultaneously SG finally organises the backroom operations propelling the Club forward with modern day football thinking, ready and in place for the new Manager coming in in the summer of 2022 when NW has retired after returning us to the Premiership.
I love all this positivity, far better than the doom laden Oneboro or FMTTM sites where they seemingly want Warnock out and are in turmoil over the underwhelming players we are being linked with. They seem to be preparing themselves for another mid table grind, I just hope reality doesn't kick in too early in the season and spoil things.
I'm just glad that all the players we are being linked with would walk into any top six Championship side echoing our intent and irrepressible belief that things are getting much better. I'm off to take my pills now.
Watford is like the mad hatters tea party, changing managers regularly with gay abandon, but five year contracts does seem excessive. But they are now in the Premier League whilst Boro can’t even reach the playoffs, so what do I know?
There is a chance that he may be a better player with better players around him if he can remain fit. Worst case is they loan him out to a Championship Club who pay half his wages and then buy him for £5M.
I have a gut feeling that Dael Fry will be excellent next season. Already now he looks on par with Ben Gibson and I think he will improve still. Actually I think that him missing was one of the main reasons why the second half of the season was as bad as it was.
I hope Fry will win promotion with Boro next season. Otherwise he will leave in summer 2022 to play for a team like Liverpool or Man Utd.
So let's enjoy the chance. We will have two very good ball-playing centre backs next seasoon in Fry and McNair. Even an exciting pair.
Up the Boro!
I have a gut feeling that Dael Fry will be excellent next season. Already now he looks on par with Ben Gibson and I think he will improve still. Actually I think that him missing was one of the main reasons why the second half of the season was as bad as it was.
I hope Fry will win promotion with Boro next season. Otherwise he will leave in summer 2022 to play for a team like Liverpool or Man Utd.
So let's enjoy the chance. We will have two very good ball-playing centre backs next seasoon in Fry and McNair. Even an exciting pair.
Up the Boro!
We can't start the season believing McNair is a CB. He can fill in and do a job but he loses his man too many times and cost us. Hall when fit was a class above in the CB role and considering that is what he is supposed to be then so he should. I'd play Paddy in midfield where he can get goals (and has in the past for us) and utilise those ball playing skills where he can do some damage.
Fry has had a few injury niggles and Hall has a history of injuries so we need strong cover for both of them assuming Wood will go back out on loan to toughen up. I wouldn't be surprised if we listened to offers for Tav, Fry, McNair and Saville to add to the Warnock war chest.
@redcarred, I think I read somewhere recently that someone was interested in buy McNair.
Come on BORO.
I also think that Warnock wants to keep Fry and Tavernier, Saville will depend on an offer made. Saying that if a team come in with a large offer for either or both Fry and Tavernier it would test the clubs resolve, in which case I would hope that Warnock has the deciding vote on yes or no.
Come on BORO.
If we play a back four, it would be Fry and Hall for me. If it’s a back three, it would be Fry, McNair + 1 which probably wouldn’t be Hall as both he and Fry both need to play centrally.
Reference 'changing managers with gay abandon'. I think that a very determined club (and there are some) will try a Young manager on the strict understanding that he succeeds or is gone and no hard feelings, and they do not mean to waste two seasons finding out, half a season at best. To persist with a dud can eat up time until you forget what it was like to play in the prem. We have suffered some torture watching managers who, frankly, had no idea. This season has seen some examples of 'Management' that would try the patience of a Saint. I personally, cannot excuse 'hoof ball' and not trying promising young players in meaningless matches tells me that joined up thinking is still in short supply. Can we trust this club to start the season with Tav and Wing and Fry as fixtures, with the ball on the ground? Do we really know our goalkeeper is good enough? Are we going to play our Young, very tall, striker? We would not play him after a scoring debut, so I will not raise my hopes.
Don't take too many of your pills, you might get too optimistic and we can't have a Boro fan trading cynicism for belief and optimism. Just what are the pills by the way? I need some too, they may stop the dreams about Gestede coming back because he's scored a goal and is described as free scoring.
UTB,
John
Just to inform folks that I have just received an email from the Petitions Team that Parliament will debate ‘THE INTRODUCTION OF AN INDEPENDENT REGULATOR FOR FOOTBALL IN ENGLAND BY DECEMBER 2021’ will take place on 14th of June.
Don't take too many of your pills, you might get too optimistic and we can't have a Boro fan trading cynicism for belief and optimism. Just what are the pills by the way? I need some too, they may stop the dreams about Gestede coming back because he's scored a goal and is described as free scoring.
UTB,
John
The medication is based largely around Malt mixed with water and then stored for a dozen years or so in old barrels. It has excellent therapeutic values. 😉
Nuno to leave Wolves by mutual agreement despite signing a new 3 year deal in September.
Come on BORO.
I take the same same so I must need to increase the dose... maybe it's because it's a Highland Malt. Well, any excuse.
UTB,
John
I think that you’re spot on here. McNair is a quality footballer and that gives him the ability to be a good covering defender but he doesn’t cope comfortably with a big dumb forward or even a fast winger. I’d prefer to see Fry and Hall as the base at the back with others as support. This then raises questions about whether we should keep Wood or send him out again. In any case I would like to see McNair using his ability to see the play to help us score goals rather than stop them.
I do welcome your sudden optimistic slant and am happy to keep on with the same pills......at least for the moment. It’s fun to dream.
On a slightly more serious note, I’m confused as to how many good young goalkeepers the club has. We seem to send out two or three on loan every year and there’s always a few more in the academy, some of whom seem to make international squads. Is none of them worth a first team slot or a shot at number two. I know young keepers need to keep playing and so they go out on loan but we seem incapable of getting one to finally make the grade. Is there a genuine candidate amongst them?
utb
I also agree with RR and Selwynoz and think PM should be in midfield with DF and GH at the centre of our defence.
NW should be in our squad as both DF and GH may get injured/suspended during the season in which case I prefer a like for like replacement.
If necessary, give NW the odd run out with the under 23s to keep his match fitness up to scratch and he can always come on as a sub as and when necessary. 😎
Duncan Watmore has first-hand knowledge of two of the most experienced managers in the game.
But while 72-year-old Warnock and 66-year-old Allardyce might be tarred with the brush of being ‘old-school’, the Middlesbrough forward insists it would be wrong to equate age with an unwillingness to take on new ideas.
You can read more about Watmore's thoughts in both the Gazette and Echo today.
Very quiet anything on Boro now. Warnock promised the retained list to be published already last week. The papers stll informing the list is imminent. I would be interested in what happens to Jordan Archer and Marvin Johnson, for example.
Also I hope to see some posts generally from the bloggers around the world and Lancashire in particular (😉). New threads are needed before the Euro 2021 will start.
As ever, up the Boro!
At least we have not signed any out-field players paying over the odds. So no lousy striker has come in with a ten million fee and £ 30 000 a week salay.
Idling and very quiet, not really any rumours. But without signing anyone, one cannot make mistakes 😇.
Up the Boro!