I liked the point that was made in AT’s article ...If it helps to educate just one child per game, for me, it’s worth it.
And that is the point is it not.
I particularly liked the observation, "He will join fellow USA hopeful Zack Steffen at the Riverside, increasing his chances of being spotted by head coach Gregg Berhalter.".
Interesting, if that is true, the impact on recruitment of having someone else already in your team.
It seems that Larsen was all but signed until his club moved the goalposts. Looking at the line up then I think we are short of a first choice striker. Hoppe is not quite a "project" but he's clearly not 1st choice.
Striker 1
Forss
Hoppe
Akpom
Watmore
It's not great but it will be better than last season as long as striker 1 is a proven championship goal scorer. If striker 1 ends up being someone like Muniz, that is more of a gamble.
@deleriad Well said.
Of course one can dream that Watmore is replaced with Muniz in your list. But at the end of the day, we need a proven championship goal scorer as you said.
We are OK for the time being. Let's find a couple of midfielders and the left-footed centre-back next. Luckily McNair is back if we someone gets injured. He can cover so many positions.
Up the Boro!
Some revealing comments by CW about Uche saying that he’s training ‘ away from here’ and he needs to get himself sorted and find a new Club. It sounds a bit more than Uche is not the kind of forward CW wants but I’ve always thought that he gave his best when playing and defenders thought he was a handful to play against.
Given Boro’s shortage of forwards I would have prefered him as a temporary measure to Watmore ( can’t play 90 minutes) and Coburn - acknowledged that he needs to go out on loan to a lower division.
With so many Clubs looking for forwards then I’m surprised that he’s not been snapped up even by a Division 1 Club.
Philip of Huddersfield
Some revealing comments by CW about Uche saying that he’s training ‘ away from here’ and he needs to get himself sorted and find a new Club. It sounds a bit more than Uche is not the kind of forward CW wants but I’ve always thought that he gave his best when playing and defenders thought he was a handful to play against.
Given Boro’s shortage of forwards I would have prefered him as a temporary measure to Watmore ( can’t play 90 minutes) and Coburn - acknowledged that he needs to go out on loan to a lower division.
With so many Clubs looking for forwards then I’m surprised that he’s not been snapped up even by a Division 1 Club.
Philip of Huddersfield
Philip, the fact that nobody is interested in signing him tells the real story, not even a bid for him 🤔
Come on BORO.
Exmil
"Philip, the fact that nobody is interested in signing him tells the real story, not even a bid for him 
"
I agree is says a lot but part of the problem could be that clubs are unwilling/unable to match his current terms which I am sure will have been much improved from what he was receiving at Wycombe. I expect that the same situation applies to Chuba (CW confirmed that the club had not received any bids) but the way he is playing at the moment I think we need to keep him.😎
J Strand Larsen named in the Groningen team today, so looks unlikely there is any chance of an imminent deal, if at all! ☹️😎
If the rumour about Fry going to Everton is correct then it could explain the large offer, £5 million, for the Hull defender.
This long transfer window well into the season does no one any good.
CW is right , it should have ended the day the season started and then we would all know our teams strengths - and weaknesses.
As it is, all we have is rumour after rumour. Meanwhile, teams getting off to a bad start will be trying desperately to get a few players signed by the transfer window. I include Boro in this category.
Philip of Huddersfield
KP, and he scored their second to lead 2 nil only for the game to end 2 all.
Probably another million euros on his value. I think we need to move on from Larsen.
It is now 15 months since Dwight Gayle last started a Premier League match and in the past 24 months, has only started four PL games in total.
Despite that, Mike Ashley and Steve Bruce made the bizarre decision towards the end of the 2020/21 season, to give the striker a new three year contract that would take him up to the end of June 2024.
Quite incredible, Dwight Gayle, despite rarely (if ever) playing, given a new deal that would take him up to just a few months short of his 35th birthday.
have been heavily linked with Dwight Gayle, Boro having finished seventh in the second tier last season and would surely have made the play-offs at the very least if having a striker. Their top scorer was midfielder Matt Crooks with eleven goals.
I have heard today from an impeccable source that despite protestations of non interest, Gayle has been training with the Boro first team for the past three weeks. Wilder wants to sign him but Gibson is refusing to sanction the deal.
My source said exactly what is Diasborians have been posting that he can see Wilder walking out of the club before Xmas.
OFB
Gayle has signed for Stoke. Played two games already.
Just shows what my contact knows ! He has been training with Boro though
OFB
I thought the Hoppe deal was more or less done but no announcement so far.
Not sure if he’ll improve our defending though!
I thought the Hoppe deal was more or less done but no announcement so far.
Not sure if he’ll improve our defending though!
Reports are that the club are waiting on his work permit. There was a similar delay when signing Steffen. 😎
Sky sports news saying Turkish club have made bid hor uche
Sky sports news saying Turkish club have made bid hor uche
But on a free transfer? Surely not, Uche is a top lad and should fit some English teams perfectly. But apparently not Wilderball style. He is more like Warnock or especially Pulis kind of player.
Most probably Wycombe cannot afford him anymore. Now our problem as we change the playing style with every new manager. Lost money and time, like.
We need a Forss or Akpom kind of strikers (did someone say Bamford). Not traditional giant centre forwards, me thinks. Up the Boro!
Just shows what my contact knows ! He has been training with Boro though
OFB
Could it be Hoppe that has been training with Boro whilst awaiting his work permit? 😎
The72 are reporting that MFC are plotting a loan move for 27 year old midfielder Alex Mowatt with advanced talks expected this week. 😎
Yes of course ! It’s me getting old and losing my marbles !
OFB
The72 are reporting that MFC are plotting a loan move for 27 year old midfielder Alex Mowatt with advanced talks expected this week. 😎
That would be a very good signing.
Manchester City forward Marlos Moreno has loan offers from Middlesbrough and Sunderland. (Marca Claro Colombia via Sports Witness)
MFC have confirmed that Matthew Hoppe has signed a four year contract. 😎
MFC have confirmed that Matthew Hoppe has signed a four year contract. 😎
I'm not sure what to think about this signing? Anyone else got their views?
MFC have confirmed that Matthew Hoppe has signed a four year contract. 😎
I'm not sure what to think about this signing? Anyone else got their views?
I am concerned that he has not played a lot of football in the last twelve months. We can only hope he can get up to speed quickly and can start scoring/creating. Only time will tell. 😎
Now is the time for CW to prove he’s a good coach. We all accept that Boro are short of some players in a number of areas but a good coach would find a way and motivate his players to squeeze out results.
Good coaches do this and also get their team to outperform eg the likes of Clough years ago and more recently here, at Huddersfield, where the coach and his tactics last season got them to 3rd in the table losing out to Forest at Wembley. What happens when he leaves? - they play rubbish, lose their first 2 games and get dumped out of the cup 4-1 to Preston.
I tend to think of Karanka when good coaches are mentioned who, in many games was leading 1-0 or 2-1 and with around 20 minutes to go, the opposition would have attack after attack with the Boro supporters getting more and more nervous. Karanka would see the game out and usually , on my way home, I’d reflect on the game and realise that for all the attacking by the opposition they rarely had a worthwhile shot. Karanka deserved a lot of credit for his tactics. CW now has to do the same starting tonight and squeeze out a victory to get Boro’s season started.
I share KP’s view that Hoppe played very little football last season and I don’t expect him to be the missing forward - 3rd/ 4th choice . We still need a better and more experienced forward to play alongside Forss - I like the sound of Larsen but it looks as the valuations are miles apart.
Meanwhile I’d be happy with Mowatt coming here. Never quite understood why we let the talented midfielder go to Ipswich - probably about money.
Tonight’s result - depends on the number of changes by both teams but I’d settle for a win on penalties if the quality of the performance demonstrates CW’s coaching talents.
Philip of Huddersfield
Hoppe being just 21, with no experience of English football nevermind the Chanpionship, and having played very little first team football in the last year, I think means we shouldn’t expect much in the short term.
Clearly this is a signing with the medium to long term in mind.
Some may not like that but I think that is the model for club generally now, and it’s the right model for me.
The club has committed itself to this new recruitment model and economically it makes perfect sense. The challenge is to strike the right balance between youth, potential and experience and only time will tell if they have got that right.
utb