An interview with Duncan Watmore from the Matchzone section of today's Metro:
As it's to my electronic subscription edition, you'll need to turn to page 30.
I read in the Northern Echo this morning that Neil Warnock is advocating scrapping parachute payments as it gives relegated clubs like West Brom an unfair advantage in the Championship.
While as we know that's not always true as Boro seemingly squandered their payments, I think the gap between the Championship and the PL has becoming increasingly difficult to bridge and will become even greater without parachute payments.
Warnock's idea is that players contracts should include safety net clause that mean they are reduced on relegation. While that sounds sensible it would in practice mean promoted clubs would find it even harder to attract better players who wouldn't want to risk losing a huge chunk of their wages.
In reality, it's almost an unsolvable problem that if you try to level the playing field in the Championship you then make it more likely promoted clubs will come straight back down. Unless you cap spending at the very top then you have no chance of making either the Premier League or Championship a level playing field - and there's absolutely no chance of that happening in the now billionaire's club.
I heard Chris Wilder on MotD last week talking about the plight of Norwich and other promoted clubs and their difficulty of attracting new players, which he said involves agents now demanding £100k a week as the norm for established PL players. The maths on £5m per player wages will soon add up even before transfer fees.
Anyway, it makes the notion of Boro winning promotion something of a poison chalice - especially if they scrape into the play-offs with a team that has few quality players and inconsistent performances. I think only automatic promotion is now the only viable route and by playing good football that wins convincingly against average and poor side.
Probably the only real point of promotion for most clubs is the chance to receive parachute payments and to try and build a better team in the Championship after the inevitable relegation!
I think Neil Warnock is right and that relegation pay reductions would have to be mandatory in all players contracts.
As you say though, attracting players to bottom end clubs would be tough, though it already is to some extent.
I think, therefore, that contracts would have to go further and include a relegation release clause whereby a player can be sold for a pre-agreed price.
The Daily Mail report that if Boro lose at WBA today then there will be a parting of NW and MFC, that’s if you wish to believe the Daily Mail.
Come on BORO.
Its in Hartlepool Mail and all over the social media.
I suppose the media have put two and two together with an international break coming up giving any new manager chance to work with the players.
I’m pretty dubious about the reports as I think it’s only sensational journalism.
OFB
Four changes with Hall, Peltier, Payero and Watmore in for Dijksteel, Crooks, Hernandez and Sporar
OFB
A few surprises with Dijksteel and Sporar dropped - hard to decide if it will be a back-three or four as no obvious right-back unless it's Howson if Peltier is left-back...
It didn't sound like Warnock was getting ready to depart in the interviews in the local media - he was talking about how Steve Gibson understands the difficulties with so many injuries and his aim was to just try and hang on to the top six.
Yes you may be right that automatic release clauses could help solve the problem. Though the devil will be in the detail as to how much the transfer fee would be - too high and the players wouldn't agree but too low and the clubs would fear losing money.
Josh Coburn gives Boro the lead in the 38th minute. Here's hoping they can hang on to it for once!
Well the first 35 minutes was a dreadful game of football both sides poor and unable to pass the ball. Then out of nowhere Boro got their first chance of the game and Coburn lashed it into the net to continue his scoring run. The game livened up a bit after that but hard to see how West Brom are third on that performance. Hopefully, we won't see the usual second half where the opposition work out how to get the better of the Boro defence or rather Boro's defenders arrive on the pitch with their gift bags!
Here we go again: Grady Diangana equalises for West Brom in the 65th minute & Isaiah Jones picks up a yellow card for a bad foul at the same time.
Just noticed that Adam Reach is playing for West Brom.
Just noticed that Adam Reach is playing for West Brom.
And Jordan Hugill, who's come on as a sub...
1-1 at the final whistle. At least they managed to hang on to a point this time!
Well it wasn't pretty but at least Boro have stopped their losing run - indeed the almost snatched a late winner. It looked like Boro might be suffering another second-half collapse after the Baggies equalised but in truth the home side never looked that great. Boro had only 28% possession and added to that just a 44% passing accuracy - those stats don't really give you much chance of winning games but most will have settled for a point before the game.
Interesting scenes after the game with all the players hugging Neil Warnock and then all of them went to the away fans and seemed to spend quite a long time waving and clapping - almost looked like a farewell from the manager - maybe it was just relief!
Vic's verdict:
FT: 1-1 spirited show & great point at parachute powered promotion chasers. Many predicted a battering but battling display. Good Coburn goal, Watmore may have sealed it, Boro almost snatched it at death. Defended well bar goal, big saves by Daniels. Solid
P.S. That "may" should've been a "might"...
No matter what, that was a very good point at WBA and it could have been 3 points if they had not cleared of the line in the last minute of injury time. How Howson got booked when one of WBA staff were out of the technical area and blocking Howson from taking the throw.
Come on BORO.
Well it wasn't pretty but at least Boro have stopped their losing run - indeed the almost snatched a late winner. It looked like Boro might be suffering another second-half collapse after the Baggies equalised but in truth the home side never looked that great. Boro had only 28% possession and added to that just a 44% passing accuracy - those stats don't really give you much chance of winning games but most will have settled for a point before the game.
Interesting scenes after the game with all the players hugging Neil Warnock and then all of them went to the away fans and seemed to spend quite a long time waving and clapping - almost looked like a farewell from the manager - maybe it was just relief!
Or maybe they were showing the Daily Mail (and others) that they are all together.
Come on BORO.
THAT is why most of would lose money if we were betting men (or women). Obviously we'd have settled for a point at WBA at 3pm.
A draw I didn't expect and I didn't even need to finish my 1/2 bottle of Malbec. Just had to listen to Radio Tees commentary but the team seemed to have defended well unlike in the previous 2 matches though the WBA goal came from a free kick. Josh Coburn scored his usual goal. Have we found a goalscorer through our academy at last?
Messy scrappy game with both sides looking poor. Despite that, a point away at the Hawthorns has to be regarded as a good point regardless.
Bamba for me MOM and Howson scrapped and battled. I thought JLS done well when he came on and looked to be battling with some fight and desire compared to his previous showings. Maybe he has realised that the Championship is a dirty fight rather than a classy joint.
Daniels done well and dealt with everything thrown at him. Tav continued to excite yet managed to frustrate and scare at the same time. Overall there was clearly plenty of effort for the departing Manager which was a change from the second half surrenders of late. Perhaps too little too late.