Keep The Faith
WE HAVE ten games to save our status. Ten cup finals. Ten opportunities to claw our way out of the mire and towards Premier League survival.
We all know the resources at our disposal. We all know the stakes we are playing for. We all know the potential long term consequences of failure for the club with all the implications for the finances, the cull of the playing staff and a possible collapse of morale and gates that an extended spell outside the magic cash bubble of the Premier League will bring. Think Forest, Charlton, Leicester, Southampton. That could be our short term future if we can not make these ten games count.
We all know too that whatever our individual criticisms of the direction or selection of the team, the tactics, the recruitment policies, the prudent financial model being adopted or the personnel on and off the pitch - and there are many of those among the fanbase as a whole and the contributors to this blog - we are all united in a desire to see the team compete at the top level. We all want the club to stay up and flourish.
No one, not even the harshest anti-Southgate critic, wants to see Boro relegated. Even those fundamentalists who argue it may have a silver lining of allowing space to regroup don't really want to see their theory put into practice.
Now, with the season at crunch point, it is time to put all our internal differences to one side, stop the squabbling between foam-handers and bitter realists and rally round the club. There will be plenty of time for recriminations and blame-game post-mortems in the summer. That is a question of if and when.
For now though, if we are to survive we need to be united on and off the pitch through this watershed spell of games. And we as fans can do our bit. We need to be defiant, patient and supportive. We need to urge the club on. We need to show the same kind of steel, determination and passion that we demand for the players.
There will be set-backs, it would be naive to think a team with Boro's form are suddenly going to turn into Champions League challengers - although we did beat a Liverpool team that tortured Real Madrid. That showed the team can do it. We must do it.
No one is saying it will be easy. It won't be. We may leak goals, we may go in a goal down at the break, we may lose matches. But we must not lose our nerve, or our belief that Boro can do this. We must not fragment into emotional bickering or turn our frustration and fear into booing that undermines the efforts on the pitch.
Today the Gazette has launched a "Keep The Faith" campaign because we believe that a defiant and positive atmosphere in the town and in the ground can boost Boro's chances of survival. Teessiders can help their team. There are countless examples of players insisting that a buoyant crowd helps, that the supporters can be the Twe12th Man, that the roar can inspire our heroes and intimidate the opposition. We know that and in the past we have delivered on our side of the deal.
Now gaffer Gareth Southgate is asking for our support at what could be a defining moment in our history. So often when the chips have been down Boro fans have dug deep and tapped into a century of defiant pride. We need to show that character and unconditional support now. Ten games. Ten Cup finals.
COME ON BORO!
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Anthony Vickers
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Well said AV!!
No matter what side of the fence you sit on, no-one in their heart of hearts wants to see Boro go down, no matter who is to blame.
I'm looking forward to a party on the last games of the season, whatever the outcome. It may be to say goodbye to the Premier and look forward to a new beginning in the Championship, but I sincerely hope it is to celebrate a truly great escape!
We have already avoided the first half of that dreaded cup final and relegation "double". Lets avoid the other half!
COME ON BORO!!!!
Well said AV. It's time for all Boro supporters to stand up and be counted, your team needs you now more than ever.
I am a fervant Boro supporter living in Jamaica and wish I could be there to urge the team on in the last 10 games but I will certainly be cheering ( and praying !) for them during every game. COME ON BORO!!!! You can do it!
So AV's transition from club critic to king ra-ra is complete.
**AV writes: So wanting the club to survive in the top flight is the hallmark of the foam fingered faction now? To think that at the start of the season when I said Boro would finish in the group just above the relegation zone I was being denounced as the chief rabble rouser of the Chickenrun brigade.
Of course we all want the Boro to stay up but that cannot be achieved with a simple fan rousing campaign. Players, and more importantly goals, win matches and we don't score nearly enough.
I'll be there on Saturday with my son, as usual, but still expect to see swathes of empty red seats and not much atmosphere.
By the way AV, it seems as if someone has 'got' to you. Have had the hard word from above, like "be a bit more positive lad" ?
I wonder if you'll be adopting a similar campaign at the end of the season to put our latest novice manager out of his misery.
**AV writes: No one has "got to me." We all want the club to stay up don't we? I do. Do you? So what can we - supporters and the Gazette - do to help achieve that?
Can we influence the manager's team selection? No. Can we buy players? No. Can we launch a destabilising campaign to oust Southgate and Gibson and persuade a multi-billionaire to swoop in with cash to attract a Ottmar Hitzfeld/Martin O'Neill dream team to take over? No. Can we put together a searing analysis of the tactical blunders that will show the gaffer and team exactly where they have gone wrong and suddenly reveal a secret magic formula for success? No. Can we pull our boots on and score the goals the team need? No.... although you may think any one of us has a better chance of a start in the team than Emnes.
So what as fans can we do? We either sit in resigned silence and chastise the team with stony glares or get behind the team with all its flaws and limitations and back them every inch of the way in a fight that is far from over.
Why has the Gate come out and said this now? This should have been the mentality and focus from the start of the season, if not, then definately after the defeat to "Ull" which seemed to be the start of the slippery slope.
Either way, differences set aside, we do need to unite and face this battle together.
I know the fans and people of Teesside will but can someone please tell the players at 3pm on Saturday how much this really means to the area. Up the Boro!
This Infant Hercules.... Zzzzzzzzzz
Boro's fate will be determined by the players. They are the ones out on the pitch. Unfortunately they have been allowed to drift into a comfort zone, protected by the Manager.
Gareth should make it clear in no uncertain terms, that the future of the club is in their hands, no one elses. If they don't have the stomach for it then they should say so, making way for players who do. If we are to go down then at least go down fighting.
The first step to redemption is accepting there is something wrong, that things are not going well and that the solution is in your own hands. It looks like the club have accepted that and have been trying to turn things round.
The vast majority who come on here are desperate for the club to stay up, whatever our views we are always behind the team out on the pitch. Our support is like an open door, it only needs the slightest nudge to get us going.
I am not going to rake through the embers of our season, our current situation has been coming for a while. We have what we have, we are where we are, we just have to get on with it. Support is unconditional.
It will be very hard to stay up, most pundits seem to think we are gone, fans in the East Midlands think we have gone. They have much personal experience of our current situation supporting Derby, Forest an Leicester.
It is probably time for fans to adopt the Millwall approach 'Nobody loves us but we dont care'. Let us hope the team do the same and we can get behind them.
Holgate Ender & John K what are you on?
Yep, no doubt about it, this is a major crisis, it's time to stick together, for the fans to create an intimidating atmosphere and the players to play without fear.
Ian
I agree absoulutely with your post at 1:24 today. And AV, strongly behind what the Gazette is trying to do here. What else is there for us to do?
But I just want to pick up one point from your piece and the same issue in a different way from John K's post. You say the time for reckoning has to be in the Summer. I agree - though it may come earlier if the team, the bench, the technical area, the dugout and the Director's box don't do the biz in the next 3 or 4 games.
What I want to make sure of - and make sure that the Gazette makes sure of, in terms of its stance - is that there is a reckoning, whether we stay up or not.
If we do survive I can well see the arguments being mounted from a whole variety of sources - not all of them at MFC - for a 'Phew, well that's alright then. See you in August lads' approach. I'm afraid that, for me at least, that's just not acceptable.
Three seasons in a row of gradual decline in performances, results and entertainment from an already mediocre base leading to what will, in essence, have been a 114 game long relegation struggle - matched with idiotic rhetoric in inverse proportion to the outcomes is just not on.
Unless things are done to address the issues we all know have been contributing to our 'failure to lift off' then we'll simply be destined to make it a 152 game relegation struggle with even less chance of survival than this time.
And who knows which league that struggle will be happening in.
So, everyone's shoulder to the wheel now but a time of reckoning when our fate is known.
Extracted from Ian Gill's post at 1.24pm -
"Our support is like an open door, it only needs the slightest nudge to get us going."
"Support is unconditional."
If the first statement is true, the second isn't! I believe the first statement is closer to reality. And I believe that it's precisely this sort of thing that AV and the Gazette "campaign" is trying to highlight and lower the barrier to a more sustained vociferous support - even when the "little nudges" aren't forthcoming!
Holgate Ender and John K's attack on AV and the Gazette's attempt to highlight this merely serves to justify the campaign's position.
Nobody is denying that crowd reaction will be better when there's encouraging signs on the field. It's when there's stalemates and when things aren't going so well that crowd encouragement or intimidation of the competition might help those out there pick their game up.
What's for sure is that booing and hissing and jeering of one's own team cannot and will not assist the cause. And there are factions of Boro support who have a track record in that regard. If the Gazette can play part in creating a more positive attitude then that's more likely to help than hinder the campaign to remain in the Premier League.
What the hell's wrong in that?
Responses to this blog so far have highlighted or demonstrated differences between those who make judgements, who have effectively "given up" already and those who make the effort or "go the extra mile" to try to make a contribution to making a positive difference and who will fight for the cause until the last.
I hope our players are of the latter variety, because it sounds like we can't count on Grove Hill Wallah. It's clearly not HIS responsibility!
Chris D said:
"Well said AV!! No matter what side of the fence you sit on, no-one in their heart of hearts wants to see Boro go down, no matter who is to blame."
TOTALLY agree. 10 games to go. 10 games to get out of jail free.
Good luck to everyone at the club and lets all shout the roof off in order to keep this club where it is. Going down would be a devastating blow to the towns already fragile economy.
No one, and nothing else has done more to put this area on the map than this football club and we must maintain this at all costs.
This area has been lagging behind the rest of the economy for a very long time and we need to keep the great regeneration going that has been going on for some time. At the very heart of that regeneration is the football club.
TB
My body will be at London Road on Saturday to see the Posh/Cobblers local derby. Hopefully, I won't be watching the real Boro there next season in the Championship!
My heart, of course, will be at the Riverside. Good luck to everyone on Saturday and cheer your hearts out.
I can't be doing with people who say the team have to 'earn' our support, or 'don't deserve' our support. Why like? They get support because they are our team not matter what, no matter how good or bad the players, no matter what the opposition, no matter what division, how bad the PR office is or who makes the kit.
I supported Boro when they were rubbish, an average div two club that dipped into div three and almost went under. There were people then who walked away, the fairweather faint-hearts and the morally weak.
But the real fans were still there every week and they got behind a young team of mainly local lads when the club had no money. We didn't complain because we couldn't afford to sign Ian Ormandroyd or whoever. We just got on with it and did our bit and enjoyed the crack.
It is embarrassing the Gazette NEEDS to rally fans around the club in a crisis. If we were any good as supporters we would be geting behind the team with real passion right now, not behind them with a knife like some are.
Richard,
my apologies for not scoring 20 goals this season, sorry about all those crosses I came for and didn't get, all those mis-placed passes, I hang my head in shame.
Did I mention the times I was caught offside and the tackles I missed? Mea Culpa.
Oops! forgot to mention just going through the motions.
There, I accept full responsibility!
Anthony
Congratulationsâ to the Editor and his Sports Team for such a passionate calling in the Evening Gazette. Surely that will become the 13th man, because itâÂÂs the best voice to have been seen this season.
If we simply apply the same effort as Liverpool did last night to our remaining games, then we will come through and have learnt a harsh lesson. Not the fans, someone inside the club who should not be there.
Roll on Saturday.
Richard
Welcome back, I knew I was missing something! I will put my points differently having read your comments.
It only takes the slightest nudge to get the support noisy and behind the team but we will always be Boro fans and that support is UNCONDITIONAL.
No matter what division we are in we will be Boro fans. That can never be taken away no matter how hard some jobsworth at MFC or Talksport or Motd tries.
Better?
Booing the players is a pointless and counter productive exercise. The one thing I will say is that the club sometimes live in their own little bubble and it does need pricking at times. I think that has already been done and they know the enormity of the situation.
Whether they are capable of turning things round is another matter. The task is immense, not many come back from our current situation. The Baggies apart, the rest of the league have an advantage over us.
As for JP's point about the slide being 114 matches by the seasons end, I would include the last season and a half of Mac in that figure. The slither in the league started Xmas 04. We got 20 points out of the last 18 games and then struggled nearly all season in the league despite Eindhoven.
There will be a reckoning, a price to be paid whatever the outcome of our struggles. For now, it is dust off the scarves and get behind the team.
I deliberately avoiding posting on AVâÂÂs last thread because it was enveloped in a fog of negativity, so dense that I wanted no part of it.
After the Liverpool result the mood was buoyant, even euphoric in some posts. I watched the defeat at Spurs; we were hardly overrun, in spite of several posters, including AV, who suggested we were âÂÂbatteredâÂÂ, or âÂÂwallopedâÂÂ. We actually played quite well that night. OK the scoreline suggested an embarrassing defeat but even Spurs fans found it appropriate to come on to Untypical Boro to question the subsequent bitterness of Boro fans.
I watched the game away at Everton, a team in sixth place where we were narrowly beaten. Did the performances in those two games really justify the vitriol, the doom and gloom?
Had someone said before the Liverpool game that we would take three points from the games against Pool and Spurs would anyone have complained?
What also disappointed me was the Boro fans knee jerk reaction in the criticism of Brad Jones. Those fans who had earlier confessed that GS had got it right in his judgement of the keeping situation. Those fans who had lauded both Jones and Turnbull for their performances since the start of the season. I have seen most keepers in the PL this season make big mistakes, including Peter Chech, Robert Green and David James the current England keeper. Keepers, like all footballers will make mistakes. Strikers miss open goals yet a keeper makes one error and for some reason he becomes the fall guy.
I might be three thousand miles from my beloved club for the time being, but I have retained my Red Book without hesitation, despite only attending four Boro PL games a season for the last three years.
I applaud the post from Ste Mc. ItâÂÂs not just about support, itâÂÂs about passion, deeply ingrained passion . The manager is as passionate about the club as we are, so letâÂÂs get behind the team against Pompey and help us win three points. I desperately wish I could be there.
Empty gestures AV and all too late!!
There have been numerous contributors to this blog almost screaming at you "THIS EMPEROR (Gate) ISNT WEARING ANY CLOTHES". We stated nearly two years ago that the time was running out for the club - and then we had Cardiff. Southgate should have been shown the door that evening.
The appointment of Southgate signalled Gibson's ambition for this club. If he couldn't afford to capitalise upon success, then he should have brought in investment or stepped aside.
Week after week the problems of having an inexperienced management team floundering with selection, tactics and motivation have been paraded on the pitch and the results have spoken for themselves. We have been out-thought and out-fought.
You lot at the Gazette remind me of the closing scene from The Life of Brian - "Always look on the bright side of life". Well we're going to have to - from the championship. If you had reported as it obviously was and campaigned for change, instead of toadying up to the Gibson set, we might have been able to arrest the decline. AV, enjoy your little sing-song on the cross with the rest of the Gibson disciples.
Good bye.
**AV writes: We at the Gazette HAVE reported it as it is: there have been some searing match reports, features and inescapable stark statistical breakdowns of the season. There have also been examinations of some other compelling factors in mitigation of the drift towards danger, not least the pressing financial situation and the logic behind the club adopting a new economic model. You may not like that harsh reality but tough populist posturing in the Gazette won't change it.
The reality is that after a decade of spending beyond its means the cost base - and consequently the expectations - at the club must be lowered to secure the future and that means less transfer spending and more local youth. Gareth Southgate is the manager because he shares Steve Gibson's long term vision that the model can be made to work at Boro and is prepared to accept the short term limitations that come with that, limitations that all the alternative mooted managers who get bandied about would not buy into.
There are problems in covering the club and the Gazette, and certainly myself, will never shy away from them (just look at the way we dealt with 'lettergate' a fortnight ago) - but generally we believe that Gibson has a burning desire to see the club succeed, that he is doing his utmost to maintain the club at the highest possible level, that he wants Boro to be a proud local institution with control firmly residing in Teesside and that, crucially, there is no viable alternative that would not jeopardise the status and independence of the club.
How do the Gazette campaign against that? Against the man who has bank-rolled a golden age deciding that a new model is needed to maintain it? Do we demand Steve Gibson spend money that isn't there and jeopardise the future? Insist he pimps the club to some foreign profiteer with no feel for the club or the game?
There are no White Knights queuing up to swoop on Boro with bags of cash ready to bring in top name players and managers if only the Gazette gives the word. We are all in this together and have to work with what we have got.
I disagree with AV, we dont have 10 games to save our status, we have 10 games left of which results from the the next five will decide our season.
Blackburn play at Fulham tonight, we have to pray that Fulham beat them. We need nine points from the next 5 games minimum to stand any chance and even that is dependant on other results.
Pompey is massive if there was ever a game in our recent history that was a must win game it is this one. Anything less than a victory against Pompey will be a failure especially as they have a game in hand.
This is how I see Saturday:
Hull v Newcastle. 1 - 4
Arsenal v Blackburn. 3 - 0
Everton v Stoke. 2 -1
Boro v Portsmoth 2 - 0
Hull City are hanging on a thread.
It is a long run-in and I am confident the Boro have enough quality to make it tell.
Marlon King may be just the sort we need in the coming weeks. He may not play pretty, but the guy knows when a boot has to be put in and can certainly score goals. However, we want goals from every player. I hope GS has told them all to get shooting instead of looking to pass when the goal is within sight.
That will keep us up, if we hold our heads up at the back and play as a drilled unit for 90 minutes. Not 89 minutes, which has been the âÂÂCareless Caseâ on occasions which have cost us so dearly.
Our awarenessâ levels are the ultimate blame, never mind the lack of confidence.There can be no excuses now of any sort, because there are no-more left.
Finally, letâÂÂs hope Big Fat SamâÂÂs Team gets stuffed tonight at Fulham by at least 3 goals.
Sometimes I feel the players get one win and feel they have done enough for a few weeks until we are back in that relegation position again.
Liverpool at home 2-0 win, great performance although slightly lucky but we deserved it. Then three days later the team let southgate and the fans down at Spurs where we defended like we were midtable on the last day of the season.
It just feels like the players go into a game after we have won with a "well lads we dont have to be 100% committed today because we got 3 points last week".
I totally agree with you AV about getting behind team, its not strange at the fact we beat the big teams when the crowd is there, jumping and roaring the team on.
Pompey at home is oh so crucial. Every game is the biggest one of our season but this might edge it due to the fact we beat pompey and we move above them.
We have to be patient, the game I am not expecting to be a classic and to be honest all i can picture now is a wayward opening 20mins followed with Peter Crouch climbing tall and heading home his first goal in three months. Its a question of can our players respond if a set back happens? I fear we cant but this is roll up your sleeves and with a crowd behind you the players will fight and attack
Tactics are very important, Southgate has made so many blunders with his first eleven this season, Downing behind the striker against Sunderland and Wigan at home, Wheater ahead of Hoyte at right back, Walker and Bates together in the centre against Blackburn, Aliadiere on the right when he causes so many more problems upfront, Tuncay and Alves upfront when they clearly dont link up well, Emnes never given a chance and instead putting people out of position to make sure he stayed on the bench etc etc etc
I just hope the players have the bottle for this fight and grind out results against teams like Portsmouth, we are renowned for messing up against smaller teams and going to Stoke and Bolton will be as physical as it gets
On Saturday I will be there, I will stand up and be counted, I will sing cheer and scream "Come on Boro" until I am hoarse as I have done all season!
BUT if I see a pityless, spineless, lily livered, gutless, confused, indifferent, disorganised, Zonal marked, midfieldless, rabbits in headlamps "Typical Boro" display then my vitriol will be three times as loud and the abuse from my lips will be heard from Skinningrove to Stockton.
Over to you Gareth, either put up or shut up. I do not want to hear another "lessons learned" speech because they are now a part of the embarrasing Robsonesque "They were quality players" and McClarenesque "Magnificent" claptrap.
Now is the time. I want to see a motivated, confident and team full of belief against Pompey. If you can't do that then ask SG to find a man with the necessary spheroids who can!
I can't get my head around why anyone would possibly be against the local paper urging supporters to get behind the local team during a relegation battle.
Portsmouth is massive. Possibly the biggest match since Eindhoven. If we lose it we are in big big trouble. What do these guys want the Gazette to do in the build up? Call for Southgate's head? Launch a campaign to get Gibson out? Are they for real?
As AV said, if we go down (and for me even if we don't) there is plenty of time in the summer for blood letting. For now we ALL have to get behind the team. Anyone that doesnt believe that can't seriously call themselves a supporter.
Neil M,
Bloody well said! This is a time when Boro supporters need to support the team and hope and pray we can get out of this awful mess we are in.
We can't change the players and it would not make any sense right now to change the manager so we, as fans, just need to make whatever difference we possibly can on Saturday.
COME ON BORO!
For anyone who considers that crowds (a large collection of individual supporters, each determined to help their team and share the responsibility!) don't make a difference, here's a comment from the BBC Website's report on tonight's Champions League match in Rome in which Arsenal just scraped through on sudden death penalties:
"Suddenly the intense whistling from the home fans that accompanied Arsenal's possession seemed to affect them as time and again passes went astray."
OK, they still got through, just, but their job was made a damned sight harder by Roma fans intimidation. We all have a part to play.
Ian Oliver said...
Needless to say that I absolutely, 100% agree with these comments.
The appointment of Gareth Southgate was astonishing in its niavety. It summed up Steve " I know best / I'll do what I like cos I own the club Gibson's ambition and the fact that he is a lame duck chairman with no cash who wants to rule no matter what.
Best chairman in the league ??? Do me a favour. Yes he was amazing, yes he saved us and yes he should be knighted and given the freedom of the town for his outstanding contribution and achievements. But that's where it ends. Goodbye and thanks for the memories, that's how it should be.
We simply cannot wallow around the lower ends of this league, perennially flouting with the trap door just because of what Gibson did in the past. It's time to move on.
Gareth Southgate represents a total and utter lack of judgement and a plan that is y based on the fact that Gibson money for Boro has run out.
" judge me this season " Southgate said. Now what we get is a totally desperate cry for help from a totally desperate novice who has run out of ideas to the fans cynically clothed in an empassioned plea. What a load of rubbish.
I do not doubt for one moment that Southgate has a burning desire to see this club succeed and that he is 100% Boro. But I also do not doubt for one moment that he is a totally rubbish manager who hasn't the faintest idea what he's doing.
With 10 games to go we are all holding our breath and HOPING that by some miracle that we survive. I don't think for one moment many people think Southgate is capabale of making our survival happen as he has shown time and time again that he cannot motivate people or that he has the skills required to be a manager.
Yes the Gazette absolutely should now be leading the rallying cry, but they should also have seen this coming a long, long time ago and had the courage to go against their gravy train masters, Boro FC, and had the balls to say it as it is instead of parading ex players and current players to tell us that all is amazing and that Gareth is an amazing manager.
It's PATHETIC. It's so pathetic that if it wasn't Boro we were talking about we would all be laughing our heads off. Southgate is not the man for the job and everyone knows it, apart from Mr Gibson who would rather see us relegated than admit he got it wrong. Why else is Southgate still here ?
Why did we not get rid a long, long time ago and at least see if we could get someone else in who could do a better job. Let's face it, they wouldn't have done any worse. So AV, you say that you tell it how it is. So please explain to me why Southgate is still at this football club. He's rubbish and deep down even you know it.
I know people will have a go at me for banging on again, but I simply cannot lay back and watch us go down the swanny without at least fighting for what I know to be true.
Southgates appointment was totally and utterly wrong and so is the fact the he is still in the job. The league table doesn't lie.
" judge me this season " Gareth - RESIGN NOW IF YOU ARE A MAN OF YOUR WORD.
TB
Nobody seems to like to admit it but the truth is that games between Boro, Newcastle and Hull who all must still play the other two will probably decide which of Newcastle and Hull go down.
Boro had their lucky moment versus Liverpool (who must still have been hung over) as did Hull versus Fulham. With Blackburn winning tonight the game is already up for Boro and the best they can hope for is to play spoiler for Hull or Newcastle.
Like Wimbledon, Boro have had a better run than their talent deserved. Sadly for them they will not be missed by many.
I do hope that Pools get to play them in the Championship some time in the next two or three seasons so that there are real derby matches.
Anyone not backing a call to arms can't label themselves a Boro supporter. Despite being half the globe away I get tetchy if we lose, never mind go down. But it's on the field where it's at and Blackburn didn't help last night. Where was Mark when we needed him?
What management has to do is plan for, acquire and then manage its assets. Now the human kind don't always perform as reliably as a Toyota, but who did the due diligence before our recent signings which have made a poor return on investment? Was a list of the criteria needed for players, especially overseas players, made to judge their likely suitability for the EPL?
In AA's case it seems like the end product, ie goals, even though attained against inferior oppostion, clouded the judgement of facets such as strength and fortitude (against the John Terry's and Vidics' of the world). I'm not sure what criteria were made for Emmenes as we don't get a chance to assess them.
Skysports is reporting Benefica interest in Alves - at a cut price. We should take the money and dock a portion of the loss from all those responsible for his acquisition.
Keeping everything crossed for Saturday
John, Aus
Overnight news is 'curate's egg-ish'.
The Blackburn win didn't help. The Twelve Million Brazilian to Benfica? Well, we'll have to see what sort of a hit Boro have to take to move him on. But how will he react now?
Will the prospect of 'shop window' and an escape from what must be a less than happy interlude for him mean he might get his finger out and actually deliver something before he goes?
Or will he just take the money, warm the bench, have 'minor niggles' and get out as soon as he can.
Like one or two others I haven't been around here much to listen to the 'Meldrews' appearing to revel in the 'I told you so' mentality. Many kept their heads down after the L/pool result but most have come back since.
For me, supporting the Boro is not something I can turn on and off like a tap. For all but the last 12 years the Boro have been pretty crap to be honest, but that never mattered to me. Its my town and I will always love the team that represents my town.
Some down here laugh at the comments on this blog. "Everyone else slags you off and now you are joining in" is the common theme. What they wouldn't give down here (Southampton) to have a team in the Prem fighting against relegation. They sold out in their run in to relegation and for all the faults of the club, the fans were magnificent.
What else can we do other than play our part in the run in? Showing your anger jsut harms the cause. Stay away if thats what you are going to do. Its just too important now. So whether you have foam hands or are a 'meldrew'. The time for support is now. Leave the recriminations and finger pointing until the end of the season for be assured, they will come. We shall overcome...........
As the season movs into it's last quarter it reminds me of a film but which one?
Is it a blockbuster based on historical events where the bad news is coming and we wait for the bad news to strike? We all know the Titanic is going to sink and Pearl Harbour will get bombed but cant do anything about it.
Is it a battle against all the odds where the goodies come through due to some piece of fortune or fortitude against some all conquering entity? We all knew that mankind would come through against the aliens in Independence Day or War of the Worlds.
Or is it an Agatha Christie mystery where our favourite Belgian Hercule Poirot pits his grey cells against some dastardly event. We dont know the answer and the director keeps use in suspense to the end.
I havent got the foggiest but I know which one I fear and which one I hope.
I fervently hope the foamies dont get frazzled on the roof as in Independence Day. There again, we did win through in the end. Is it a small price to pay?
**AV writes: I see it more as "Carry On Up The Boro!" Any other suggestions?
At the risk of raising Typical Boro again:
Peter Crouch is reported to day at not being concerned that he hasn't scored since December. Must be certain of a hat-trick on saturday then!
" It's a Wonderful Life"
(I like happy endings)
Ian, AV
How about The Omen: The Director's Cut
Escape to Victory, surely!
AV
Take a bow, YOU'RE SPOT ON. You at the Gazette try to retain balance, that's what you should be doing. For the Town, for the supporters and for the community.
I said two weeks ago over 'Lettergate' that you were in danger of a M.F.C. ban for your harsh but justified comments. Yet you rightly try to rally the troops because we all need BORO to stay up and the rallying call is what the vast majority of us supporters want.
You're also right about Steve Gibson. He's made mistakes yes, he no doubt would be the first to admit to them. Southgate being his worst. But without him we are a Sheff Wed, a Bristol City, a Leicester. NOT A PREMIER CLUB.
Just look at how popular this blog is to see the passion there is for BORO. We have fantastic fans, A fantastic chairman and a fantastic club. So lets put our genuine concerns to one side for the last ten games and see if together we cant keep OUR BORO UP.
You are my BORO my only BORO.
How about:
If we lose against Pompey - Apocalypse now
If we get to the last day already down - When Time Ran Out.
If we go down on the last day - Black Sunday or Descent
If we stay up - The Greatest Story Ever Told.
Back to work
'Titanic' - A few happy bits, a few sad and then the ship goes down. Or preferably 'The great escape'
Seriously though, like any REAL supporter Saturday night's mood is still governed by the Boro result after 55years supporting them.From Delapena & Ugolini to Downing and Jones, and all in between.
Irrespective of the on-field performances to date this season we have to get behind the team, for all our sakes and another season of drastic mood swings.
"Come on the Boro"
As we are slipping towards being a borrassic club in teh second tier based on local kids and free transfers how about BACK TO THE FUTURE
In view of the task ahead, I hope we're all made of -
The Right Stuff
I like this game. My suggestions:
The Crying Game
Fatal Attraction
Great Expectations
For Whom The Bell Tolls
Local Hero (for Stewie)
Bambi (Alves)
The Year of Living Dangerously
It really concerns me reading some critics on here.
Can I suggest they work out how many years the club has been in existence, look at the past 10/11 years, then look at the success during the previous 100 odd years.
To be so vitriolic against Gibson is amazing. Maybe he will sell up if we get relegated. Maybe he will sell up if we aren't, but as the saying goes - you never appreciate what you've got 'til it's gone!
Does anyone think we will be in the Premier League forever?
Next season we will have an extra four home games in the league at say an average 20,000 gates, ã20 a ticket, makes for an extra 1.600,000 in gate money.
So my reasoning is dont sell season tickets just have pay at the gate and 23 home games would earn the club ã9.2m on that basis, plus parachute payment, plus about ã30m in sales and we could revamp the whole nightmare very quickly
M. Sebastian T, I refer you to track 6 on Morrissey's 'You are the Quarry' album.
AV,
Why has the main part of the Boro website recently gone to two pages in the daily reports? Internet access is slow at best here and it's sooooooo frustrating having to wait for the damn thing to refresh. I suspect 30 pieces of silver in the shape of advertising is the cause so little old me will have to put up or shut up.
By the way, I agree with your article whole heartedly. Hope you can hear me shout from the bush on Saturday.
**AV writes: I don't know.
I saw the comments about Alves and the interest shown in him by Benfica.
I wonder if we shall more movements out of him following his tummy trouble?
I think I can be classified as a foam hander but I have always felt that positiviness is the way forward. If you think too negatively you end up "down" with your thoughts. I see negative people here in Finland.
We Finnish as a nation are considered "negative" people - so this mentality has to be connected somehow in North East! Our country is in the North Eastern corner of Europe - we think as you in the in North East, too. But let's us all keep behind our beloved Boro!
By the way Portsmouth striker Peter Crouch says he is not worried about having failed to score since December, as long as someone in the team hits the back of the net to help the club avoid relegation. So we are not alone with a goal drought!
All the luck in the world for Boro on Saturday. Up the Boro!
Dumb and dumber (for GS and Coops)
ItâÂÂs a bit late in the day to be concerned with anything other than winning games.
The reactions from your blog shows a massive lunge of passion towards the club which will no doubt signal a big crowd on Saturday to get behind the lads.
Even back to back wins would take us into a zone where we can breathe more easily.
The three worst teams will go down and the Boro are not one of those. We have a squad of players which is far supreme to many above us and only our lack of goals has prevented us from sitting in a comfortable position in the table.
Is Alves going to be on the bench is my one concern. The law of averages say he is going to start scoring goals and his very presence is an initial threat to any defence at that price. You can buy Hull for ã12m never mind their team.
So letsâ look forward to unsettling Portsmouth and keeping the faith going strong until we are secure. I look forward to your blog on Monday with utter confidence which is very unusual, but times are changing.
Silence of the Lamb?
How about Deep Throat? For singing that is...
Comparatively speaking the last 11 years have been a golden age for a club like Boro. My long departed grandad would not have believed it if he was told we'd play in Cup finals, win a Cup and play in a European final.
I am sure that Keith Lamb stated that in the year we got to the UEFA final and reached an FA Cup semi we lost around ã10m. In other words in the most successful of seasons we lost a fortune.
If Steve Gibson had reached the point he could not underwrite those losses he either had to sell up to somebody with deep pockets or try to run the club on a cheaper footing. Maybe the first option was not available.
I find the level of criticism aimed at him unbelievable in some of the above posts.
To all true fans - back the players to the hilt for the rest of the season. All is not yet lost.
Sad to see Southgate has given up on Alves after all the money spent. Maccarone , Job, Nemeth, Huchinson were all recently discarded wrongly in my opinion. All with little or no return for Boro .They would be good assets to have now.
We often refer to square pegs in round holes on this blog .But coaching is all about getting the best out of the players you have and if necessary to improve the results changing the style of play to suit the players you have and not trying to change players to fit a system that dose not suit their style of play.
I believe Alves is a good goal poacher if used correctly. If you watched Henry last night for Barca, two goals, pace, finishing, perfection, thatâÂÂs his game at his best. He does not play in front of the defence, no he finds space plays along the back line and uses his pace. By playing this way he does not need to compete physically.
This is also how Alves played for years. He has had his game changed to suit the Southgate blueprint and cannot cope. I firmly believe that both Alves and Emnes could get us the goals we need to stay up. But they both need to have the ball put in front of them to run on to. Either over the top or better still on the ground through the defence.
However this would call for Southgate to change his teamâÂÂs style. Less passing, less possesion in midfield and a more direct game. Not so good to watch but more effective. After all it was Southgate who bought these two players so surely he should play to their strengths.
We cannot afford to keep paying out year after year on strikers then discarding them because they donâÂÂt fit the system. Keep Alves, toughen him up in training then play to his strengths and watch the results.
I'm not that much bothered about the film titles, so long as we get 3 points against Portsmouth on Saturday. Successive league home wins that would be - it must be a while since we achieved that! It would also give the players and the supporters some confidence that the mythical corner might have been turned, and that we CAN get out of this mess.
But, since you asked, if we lose I think it would be "Goodbye Mr Chips", as survival would almost certainly then be "A Bridge Too Far". A few poor results in the next few weeks and it will certainly seem like "The Long Good Friday" as we contemplate the inevitable. Our Premier League life would have "Gone With The Wind". There will then be suggestions that our manager has proved himself a bit of a "Forrest Gump".
Of course if we can keep the "Titanic" afloat for another year, we will need some "Braveheart" performances from the lads, reminscent of "The Chariots of Fire"; and the tension will be like "Touching the Void" as we approach the denouement.
Essentially I wonder whether, if the players can show "The Commitments" we all crave, we might see "Alfie" Alves discover where the goal is as, at the moment "My Left Foot" seems as accurate as his. Stewie has, earlier, been described as a possible "Local Hero" if he can score a few, in which case we might be looking for "The Third Man" to pop up with a couple to help out.
It's not "The 39 Steps" we need, but 39 points for safety and, if we achieve it, we can all enjoy one heck of a "Saturday Night and Sunday Morning". I just hope its three other teams feeling "Brassed Off" at the end of the season, not us.
Hopefully that has introduced some "Sense And Sensibility" into the debate.
Hi AV, I just want to pick you up on a statement you made in your article:
âÂÂNo one, not even the harshest anti-Southgate critic, wants to see Boro relegated.âÂÂ
Wrong! And hereâÂÂs whyâÂÅ
IâÂÂm not an Southgate critic, so to say I want to see Boro relegated may seem a bit strange. It might be easier to tell you what I DO want, and why I (at the moment I have to say, thankfully) gave up my Red Book at the end of last season.
What I do want is to watch my team play in a competitive league, where you feel you might have a chance of winning something significant and, at the same time, that if things go awry, you might just go down. We only ever get half of that in the Premier League. Yes we won the Carling Cup â I was there watching and loving every minute along with the other Boro fans â but letâÂÂs face it as things stand in the Premier League, Boro will never ever to win a title.
So my problem is not with Boro, or Southgate, who I think is a genuine guy whoâÂÂs trying his best with limited resources. It is with the very fabric of the Premier League itself, which is, letâÂÂs face it, now a four or five team monopoly. A league where a top club can, with apparent impunity, bend rules to suit and plunder the best players from any smaller club with the impudence to field a truly class player they may have missed on the transfer market as soon as they show their class. Will Tuncay or Downing still be at Boro come August if any of the top four come calling? We all know the answer.
I think IâÂÂm among the growing number of fans, Boro or otherwise, who is just plain fed up with the grind of existence in the Premier League, where staying up is seen as success, who are sickened by the arrogance of Man United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and now Man City, who see it as a right to be winning silverware every season. So Arsenal hasnâÂÂt won a trophy since 2005? Oh my god, how do they sleep at nightâÂÅ catastrophyâÂÅ .such a big clubâÂÅ .should be winning many more competitionsâÂÅ .etc etc.
And value for money? DonâÂÂt make me laugh. I gave up my season ticket when I realised I got as much enjoyment watching my 13 year old play on a Sunday morning as at most Premier League games.
IâÂÂm not one for blindly following a team just because theyâÂÂre named after the town. I want something back in return, even if it is failure occasionally. IâÂÂll accept that if you can at least see that itâÂÂs something approaching a level playing field, both in terms of opportunity to improve the team and treatment by the powers that be.
So, would I cry if Boro get relegated? Not a chance. In fact IâÂÂd be much more likely to go back and buy a season ticket. You can think of a hundred ways to make the Premier League more competitive (salary caps, maximum squad sizes, minimum number of UK players or more even distribution of TV money, to name but a few) but you and I know theyâÂÂll never happen.
The Premier League is more interested in growing its brand abroad (39th game anyone?) and making pots and pots of money than cultivating a genuinely competitive league. A Premier League run, in part, by the teams in that league? No conflict of interest there, then.
I just feel that the League has just become a bit TOO corrupt for me to ignore any more. And if Boro do go down, most fans who do go will probably enjoy their Saturday just as much, because most of the time itâÂÂs the banter, pre and post match experience that delivers the real value, not the match itself.
So IâÂÂll keep my money. I might even start going to watch Pool or Darlo. At least then I wonâÂÂt know with any real certainty who the top four clubs will be at the end of the season before a ball is even kicked at the start.
**AV writes: I have some sympathy with your views and have expressed elements of them myself at times over recent years. I think the fact that the machine is financially and politically rigged against the makeweights is a corrosive cultural cancer in the game and a major contributory factor in declining gates and sterile atmospheres across the top flight also rans.
That said, the club's finances are precariously balanced and the impact of having revenue suddenly halved while the debts remain so imposing will be potentially devastating for Boro in the short term. If you are frustrated at not being able to compete in the Premier League wait till you see the angst that may come with not being able to compete in the Championship.
How about 'Groundhog Day'
'Napoleon Dynamite', (Gate as lead, wouldn't need much of a makeover)
'Dancing on ice -the movie', staring AA, or alternatively, 'Falling Down'.
Can't get the thought of Keith Lamb tapping/hovering at my window in the middle of the night in a 'Salems Lot' type scene out of my head now.
I'm all for rousing the fans but how about a call to arms for the players? It's one step forward, two steps back at the moment and set piece mayhem at the back. If we give Peter Crouch free headers on God help us. The next three games hold our fate. If we dont get 7 points from them I'm afraid its ARMAGEDDON.
johnboy and AV
Like many I don't like the financial muscle and power of the big clubs but you have to remember the maxim about babies and bathwater.
I remember back in the 70's and 80's wishing we were up with the big clubs, the trophies were largely dominated by Liverpool, ManU, Leeds, Arsenal, Chelsea with interventions by teams like City, Villa, Everton, Spurs.
Whats different now? The big clubs are more powerful but we are just as likely to win the league now as then. The country is full of new grounds, attendances are way above the levels then.
There was a reason why the club had 1986 on its badge, why the Ayresome gates were re erected outside the new ground. There was a debate on Radio 5 last night which included John Murray and Graham Taylor. Graham Taylor in particular mentioned the mess the game was in during the late 80's.
There was also a great deal of discussion about the poison dwarf and his bitter dislike of the English game. They dismissed his views as precisely that. Do we want competition like in Spain and Italy where ALL the TV monies go to a very small group of clubs, do we want a competitive league like France where there is an annual spread bet on how many points Lyon will win the league by.
We have only just caught up Spain and Italy in terms of wages and transfer fees. They could sell their TV rights worldwide but it is the Premiership that they buy. The EU want to end the collective bargaining and go down the same route that brought ruin to Italian football.
The problem we have is the distribution of the money, not enough cascades down the pyramid. I would love to see that addressed to benefit the rest of the game.
Whether we like it or not the big clubs benefit teams like ours. If they wanted to they could go their own way and negotiate their own TV rights. Then we would see some hardship.
For all that, I agree with a lot of the points made but I dont fancy us being the first to voluntarily get off the gravy train.
This is all very well, but........ having followed the Boro for over 25 years this has got to be one of the worst if not THE worst run of results I can ever recall.
THAT fact alone leaves me with little hope or confidence, except to say that it is time we prepared ourselves for the increasing likelihood of us going down, and then into the same kind of freefall in the Championship that Charlton and Southampton - to name but two very similar-sized clubs - have just experienced. The omens are not good.
And seriously, other people can quote me on that - even you Mr Vickers.
Southgate has always been poor as a manager, and Messrs Lamb and Gibson, similarly, must be living in cloud cuckoo land if they couldn't see the rot that was setting in even as far back as October last year.
I say sack the whole lot of them and start with a clean slate, regardless of where we end up in the leagues right now!!!!
Just one thought on something AV wrote on a response to the idea that playing in the Championship would be a good thing. My understanding is that Boro's debt is an internal one within the Gibson-o'Neil group? Am I wrong on this?
If I'm right then effectively the debt doen't exist, if it is internal then Steve Gibson and his partner owe it to themselves. What it serves to illustrate is that for a decade Gibson has been using his companies profits to fund Boro's transfers, for which I am and always will be grateful.
If I am right and the debt is internal within the group, then if in the nightmare scenario that we are relegated we will be operating in the championship effectively debt free, unlike others such as Leeds who have imploded as a result of por financial management.
Of course this is all detail the important thing is we beat Pompey!1
UP THE BORO!!!
**AV writes: A debt is a debt. If I borrow ã50 out of the holiday spending money pot to pay the gas bill I may "owe" that money to myself and that is better than owing it to a utilities company who may cut me off for its recovery - but I am still ã50 down when it comes to the final reckoning.
Owing the cash to Bulkhaul removes the immediate threat of the debt being called in, or the banks adding interest and surcharges but it doesn't alter that fact that the club have been spending beyond their means for a decade and it doesn't alter the reality that the debt exists and must be tackled.
An added problem is that if Boro are relegated they effectively will lose half their revenue. Income will go down from maybe ã60 to maybe ã30m - but the debts, the running costs, the wage bill all remain. You can do some simple equations and say that the parachute payment will cover the bulk of the wages, and that the sales of the likes of Downing, O'Neil and Tuncay will pay off the most pressing debts and maybe the running costs of the club for a season.
But that doesn't leave a lot in the pot to fund transfers.
That is why it is ludicrous to suggest - as some wild eyed conspiracists do - that Steve Gibson is somehow deliberately trying to get the club relegated, as if there is some magic bullet solution to the problems by going down a level. There isn't. That just makes it worse. If you are struggling with your mortgage you either cut your costs or move to a smaller house but you don't get a job paying less which is effectively what stepping down a league entails.
Saturday night FEVER
Ian
Yes we did dream of joining the elite back in the 70s and 80s - because then it WAS possible to do so.
Derby did it, Forest did it, Ipswich proved a small club could compete at the very top. The difference was then you could get there with the big boys temporarily but not stay there for more than a few seasons. One would be enough for any club.
With just a dozen games to go Bill Shankly named Jack charlton's newly promoted Boro team as his dark horse for the title. The club fell away though.
Jack wouldn't make the investment for the one missing piece in the puzzle - a top class striker to replace big John who was in the twilight of his career - Ipswich bought Mariner for 200k (a figure Jack refused to pay "for someone who will ONLY score goals") and made that leap to the top 2.
The most recent example was Blackburn at the beginning of the Premiership years who bought a title with a newly promoted side and some shrewd purchases.
Nothing like that can happen now and likely never will again.
Like johnboy I turned in my ST a couple seasons back - under McClaren. It was the mind-boggling state of a home game in August against the mighty Portsmouth with one man up front that was the last straw!
I wont return whilst the club are in the Premiership. Its a stagnant pond of a league where the 4 or 5 top sides retain their position by using their financial clout to suppress the rest by fair means or foul. It reeks of corruption at the highest level and frankly who wants to see a side playing at home with one man up front irrespective of the opposition.
Relegation would bring me back though. Meaningful matches again. A target to aim at - whatever divison the club sank to before it re-established stability.
Every game is critical now, yet all we hear about is who the next 'big' player to leave will be. The negative attitude, whether or not realistic given the state of affairs, is no way to boost players and fans.
The team has not been that bad this season, but morale and belief seems to evaporate as soon as it arises. The leadership is not there, either on or off the field. Proof, if needed, is the sight of whoever it is with Southgate with the big sheets of paper, Hoddle-esque, wondering what to do.
In my book, when that happens, even if the coaching badges suggest it, it's time to wrap up the paper and go home. You don't see Fergie, Wenger, Hiddink, even Benitez doing it. They know what football is about and what they are doing. Boro have become comical, but I hope they manage 17th.
Just to carry on from my previous post and AV's response, an internal debt is a very very different proposition from an external debt. It may have to be dealt with, or it could be written off. I'm sure the latter wont occur, as that debt would be an issue if Steve Gibson were ever to sell the club, which I hope he has no intention of doing anytime soon.
Clearly though relegation would have a huge financial impact and result in a fire sale. I'd be very happy if in that scenario we only lost Downing, Tuncay and 'Neil. I suspect we'd also lose Alves (Mmmm...), Huth, Aliadiere maybe, Wheater maybe.
I do believe though that we'd be in a better position than a lot of relegated clubs, although I hope my belief is not put to the test.
Looking ahead to tomorrow, pompey will come looking for a point and Boro are never at their best against teams who keep it tight and show little ambition, an early Boro goal is what we need and I will celebrate a win by any margin irrespective of the performance.
It doesn't matter about debt or league domination. The facts are we haven't been good enough over 28 games to be outside the drop zone. It's a simple fact that we are languishing because we have not scored enough goals and made to many errors at critical moments.
Look at west ham, their chairman nearly went bankrupt last year after his bank crashed and he lost over 2/3 of his finances. Abramovich has lost a few 0s of the end of his balance and Man Utd havnt exactly threw the cheque book at Carlos Tevez have they?
The fact is the cream always rises to the top. Would Carrick be the same player he is now if he stayed at West Ham? Would Vidic? Answer is no, they wouldn't. The reason is because of the way players are managed and controlled.
Arsenal have more debt than Boro and probably have spent less in the transfer market in recent seasons than Boro but do they blame the debt or the inexperience? Not really. They didn't pay ã30m for Fabregas or Adebayor or van Persie. They harnessed their talents made them stronger, quicker and taught them how to play football properly.
The model Boro are trying to create is based on the Arsenal methods and there are plenty of comparisons. the difference is that Wenger is a far better manager than Southgate and the clubs status up until this season gives them champions league football which all the top players want.
Debt is neither here nor there. You do the best with what you have got and you coach the players you have into better players. It's this ability that will ensure the model works and at the moment Southgate dosnt have it becuase he cant manage the players he has. we talk about O'Neill who nearly came to Boro and you just cant help thinking that had he have came there is no way, absolutely non whatsoever that we would be in the bottom three.
If we stay up then Southgate must go and a manager who has experience of dealing with transfers for a pittance and who is a proper coach is brought in. It is the only way Boro will survive. It is the only way the model will work and it is the only way forward......
Jonnboy: Great post!
I agree wholeheartedly with your analysis and your sentiment.
The issue we have with Boro's transition is one of timing. With the relentless growth of the Premier League as a global brand, itâÂÂs inevitable that Boro, at some point in time, would be left behind.
With a heavy weight of debt around his neck, the Chairman, ideally, needs revenues from Premier League TV rights to help reduce it. I suspect that he has "banked" on another season, at least, in the top flight to enable the MFC debts to be reduced and that an earlier-than-hoped-for end to Boro's Premier League membership would be, financially, "very unwelcome".
MFC is one company in a portfolio of companies owned by the same guy with some investment interest by the OâÂÂNeill (?) Group. The leisure complex at Hurworth isn't completed yet and is still to start raising revenues. At this time it's a debt burden and presumably, isn't yet an earner. Until cash starts to flow in from it, Bulkhaul and MFC are the main sources of income. TV income would have been part of the projected cash flow from the business model developed and to lose, what is it? ã30-odd million in TV rights by relegation from the Premier League would make a considerable hole in the plans, I imagine.
Sure, there'll be contingencies, but they'll be much, much less attractive business options than if Boro stayed up.
Preparedness to fund a Ben Watson acquisition in January despite being in such a debt position, was, to me, an indication of how important staying up is. However, we're now where we are and like AV says, if we do slip into the Championship, ã93M, or whatever the figure, is an awful lot of debt to take down there with you!
Although (some of) the debt is likely to be "internal debt" in that it'll be Steve Gibson loaning money to himself. But nevertheless, debt funding and servicing are clearly major issues for any club transitioning from the Premier League to the Championship.
Boro's indulgent spree of the last few years has come at a price. Boro's fundamentals, with those of other lower-tiered clubs, preclude us from being able to compete with Manchelarsepool because of how the Premier League has been allowed to develop under Richard Scudamore's commercial stewardship and through his willing commercial alliance partners in the global media networks.
Do you think Alastair Darling might take a sympathetic view and nationalise Bulkhaul? After all, Newcastle United's sponsors got taxpayer support!
Recent posts on here â I refer especially to Tony BlackâÂÂs most recent, have served to highlight the essential difference in outlook between those who see football as that, a sport, and those who recognize that it is now, first and foremost, very big business.
Steve Gibson will always be a businessman first.
That his opportunistic acquisition and subsequent handling of MFC as a business happened to coincide with the aspirations of the wider population of âÂÂordinaryâ working-class people of Teesside, was precisely that â coincidence. It suited both.
ItâÂÂs going to be interesting to see how some people, who have clearly enjoyed the good times that have been bought using Steve GibsonâÂÂs debt tolerance, react to the harsher reality of our inability to keep up with the Abramovichs, the Lerners, & the Al Fahims.
The current reality is that we now sit on the edge of that new order, as weâÂÂve been predicting in this blog for a couple of years.
Although Steve Gibson wouldnâÂÂt want us to be relegated, IâÂÂm 100% sure, I speculate that his view of the situation is quite different from most other Boro supporters.
HeâÂÂs bound to have seen the writing on the wall from distance â unlike others who focus on only the football. Gareth SouthgateâÂÂs appointment and everything thatâÂÂs flowed from that has all been part of the re-adjustment that has had to be made within the Gibson commercial empire.
ItâÂÂs those others who focus on football as sport and NOT as business, who will feel most disappointment, disillusionment, let down and probably betrayed and angry, if and when Boro leave the Premier League.
It will probably come as some comfort in time however, when Boro find a new level at which they can perhaps compete to win something â rather than the occasional match on a Saturday.
In the meantime, what many will object to, is the feeling of being used and manipulated by those with money and power. But, regrettably, that is the way of the living world. So if it happens, weâÂÂll grimace, bear it and live to fight another day in another environment in which we stand a better chance of doing better.
For his part, itâÂÂll take Steve Gibson longer to repay the outstanding debts and he wonâÂÂt get as much for his businesses if and when he decides to sell on.
But from MiddlesbroughâÂÂs and TeessideâÂÂs perspective, itâÂÂs better than going into administration! Because, many people rely on Steve GibsonâÂÂs businesses for their livelihood and there are other community benefits accrue from local ownership of MFC.
Interesting thoughts on the uncompetetive nature of the PL. Maybe we should let these Galactico clubs go and play in their own European League every week, and have our own prem/championship. It would certainly be more competitive.
When I mention this to my Man U, Liverpool, or City colleagues they reject this entirely as they would miss the so called typical English game. What they don't see is the only thing typical now about the PL is the monotony of it. Until these clubs get bored of if it themselves nothing will change.
Of course I want Boro to stay up, especially when there is the chance of the odd David and Goliath moment, ie Liverpool. But the fact remains that even if we got Fergie as boss and a striker who could score we'd only finish top 10 next year.
So, despite the misery of this season, I am actually believe it or not almost enjoying the nervous tension of being in a worse position then we have for years as it is giving us something worth competing for!
Jiffy
I did say I agreed with a lot of what was being said, just beware of the alternatives.
The problem in this country is that not enough revenue is being cascaded down the pyramid. The problems overseas in some countries is that the pyramid gets chuff all. We will never be able to put the genie back in the bottle but we dont want the same situation as exists in Spain and Italy.
I was in Leeds in the early seventies and saw quite a few top flight matches. Most of them were purile. When MOTD or ITV edited them they looked great. When Big Jack got us into the first division people saw a full 90 minutes of Leeds and Liverpool playing flat back tens, launching all and sundry into the stands and nicking 1-0 wins. It wasnt pretty.
Why is Tony Black so fuelled by vitriol at both Southgate and Gibson?
I can see that people may be frustrated, anxious or angry at the situation we're in and frightened at the consequences but just don't understand such personal animosity aimed at two of the people central to delivering Cardiff and Eindhoven. And all that shouting. I think he needs anger management.
Also, while I don't want to seem like I am picking on him, his position that if Gibson has run out of money we should say "thanks, now bugger off" and show him the door is a truly appalling and cynic ingratitude that I am sure is not shared by anyone on here.
And why does he persist in saying Gibson must sell to this mystery money man waiting to turn Boro into a giant of the game? He seems well informed about the game. If so he should be aware that there are no buyers out there. Not for big brands like Newcastle, not for Champions League challengers like Everton and certainly not for little Boro. That boom is over.
On a wider issue I think Boro fans have to recognise where we are in the pecking order: Boro are a top half second tier club who have been artificially kept in the top division for a decade because of Steve Gibson's money. If that has run out then we will go down. If not this year then next. Or the year after. It is inevitable.
When this happens I hope supporters who have been spoiled by the success and who have forgotten where we came from don't look for scapegoats or use it to justify them selves as they walk away.
I'm with the lads who "want" to go down. Or at least don't think it is a disaster.
In the Prem the club has lost its soul and direction and we have all been kidding ourselves that there is no life outside being cannon fodder for the big boys.
We are so grateful to be in the PL that we would rather be whipping boys and scramble in the dirt for the crumbs off the top table and havent realised that we have lost the spirit and pride and integrity that made us the club we are.
I would rather we went down and showed some spine and play with a bit of passion in a competition where we have a chance than go through another decade of nervous scrapping with Bolton and Fulham for 16th place.
Just been in touch with my Benfica supporting mate in Lisbon and he reckons their papers have been running with the Alves story for a couple of days now (http://www.record.pt/capa.asp?id=77deaeed-a138-4418-9eae-1e3bfb53b8d6&idCanal=00000264-0000-0000-0000-000000000264).
He did add that player speculation happens all the time over there and that if the quoted 11M Euros is true then he definitely won't be joining them.
Going down wouldn't be a disaster; are you mad???
So, a club ã90 odd million in debt loses half it's income and thats OK?? Lets 'scramble in the Premier league dirt' shall we with 14 or so other clubs, watching teams full of internationals play, and reaching the odd cup semi, or hold our heads up high amongst the Barnsleys and Blackpools (sorry lads) of this world.
What competition would we have a chance in? Not any cups ' coz we'd be a team full of kids and journeymen. Maybe the league where we might do better and get promoted to.. oh hang on, the Premier League!!
What the locals here wouldn't give to be 'scrabbling in the dirt' instead of watching kids getting thrashed each week. It's a spiral of decline, a club ridden by debt that that is utterly cancerous.
Sounds great the Saints/ Norwich/ Charlton/ Leeds/ Forest/ Derby etc etc etc blueprint for success doesn't it?? We'll be smashing computers next because you can access bad things on the internet!!
So because we can't compete with the big boys in the Prem we should welcome relegation? That's just daft. What if we can't compete with the big boys in the Championship because of the debt? Do we take another step down? Then what?
To me that sounds like a cop out by people who don't have the bottle for the battle now it is getting a bit sticky. Now more than ever we need the fans to get behind the team and demand they fight to play at the highest possible level, not wimp out and resign themselves to defeat and welcome it. Wierdos.
The pressure - it's getting to me. Since the last post (and I hope that is not a portent), I somehow managed to find myself in front of the BBC Football Predictor. Well, it would have been churlish to ignore it!
You know how it is. Try to be sensible here, no stupid 3-0 wins over Liverpool while all our lower-table opponents get beaten. You have to TRY to be realistic.
The upshot is (and here I expect to sense the thunderous noise of Teesside moving en-masse towards the bookies' shops) as follows:
20th WBA 31 points
19th Stoke 36 points (gd very bad)
18th S'land 36 points (gd -18)
17th Hull 37 points (gd -27)
16th Boro 37 points (gd -25)
15th N'cstle 37 points (gd -16)
(Man U for the title followed by Liverpool, Chelsea and Villa, if your're interested).
It all starts with a win over Pomey tomorrow, but you will appreciate a draw tomorrow wouldn't be enough to keep us up if the other results remained the same. Fingers crossed then!
You heard it here first. But what it does show is that even the ale-starved throat recognises the very small margins between the clubs if they finish as predicted. But a hit must also be as good as a mile, and I think very few on this blog would be unhappy to finish one point above third bottom at the end of the season.
Now for the "Penguin's Revenge". Sounds fishy to me.
I'm trying to stay away from The Predictor, it will drive us all mad. Let's just hope we can produce a win today and let other teams look after themselves, although a win for Hull and a loss for Stoke would be nice.
I really do believe the next two games will make or break our fight against the drop, and I have been saying for many weeks that it is likely to be between us, Stoke and Pompey as to who finishes in 2nd and 3rd bottom. That's of course if it is accepted that WBA have gone, stranger things have happened, after all this football.
The problem with doing that predictor thing is that it is impossible to take into account a freak result, or a bad refereeing decision, we tend to approach it logically based mainly on form with a little bit of faith hope & charity.
There are still a few points to be had from unexpected places, it's just who gets them. I am not going to predict a score for today, I never do, but anything less than a win is totally unacceptable.
So for all Downing's spouting in The Gazette, let's see it on the park. But how many times have we heard that and said that this season.
Todays game is almost Boro's last chance saloon.
Cue to Sunday morning March 15. Do I crank up Soccernet asap to get the results or do I wait for the overnight video and sweat through 2 hrs of tension - even if we are three up with 5 mins to go? Better put the dogs outside just in case.
John, Aus
If things ain't going to plan on the pitch, don't boo - encourage the the team even more to get the right result. How would you feel if all your mates at work mocked you everytime time you did something wrong?
Been going to the boro since 1960, and hand on heart I've never ever booed the team. My cousin Alan Moody was fortunate to play for the boro and he was booed along with a few others back then.
I had a few people behind me shouting at Gareth Southgate to go at the Wigan game, but not against Liverpool... .WHY!!!!!!!!!!
I did the predictor and ended up needing 39 points to be safe. There are so many six pointers it is unbelievably difficult to predict with any confidence.
One thing I will predict is that if we dont get four points from Pompey and Stoke it will be very difficult to stay up.
Hi from Stockton
Please get someone in to help or even replace GS.
Someone like David O'Leary!!
He lives locally (nr Harrogate) and has had top flight managerial experience at Leeds and Villa.
I am sure he still has plenty to offer the game at the age of 51.
Its a shame Alfonso missed that difficult chance at the end of the game as I thought he was immense.
We are certainties to stop up if Gareth persists with the Brazilian predator. He will get us the goals that will guarantee our Premiership survival.
"Stockport Wiggy said:
Can't get the thought of Keith Lamb tapping/hovering at my window in the middle of the night in a 'Salems Lot' type scene out of my head now".
I can see it now and the script would go: "Let me in, let me in, I've come for the 3 points...I lost 'em sometime ago and now I'm back to find 'em 'cos I think we might need 'em now! Let me in, let me in!".
I had a go on the predictor after the Portsmouth result. I have us and Stoke fighting out the third relegation spot. Newcastle just behind in 2nd from bottom. So I reckon our away games against those two will decide our fate.
I would assume for many supporters that yesterday's first half performance against Pompey typified how the team has seriously deteriorated under Southgate.
The lack of leadership of the Captain spread like a rash throughout the team. His weaknesses at left back were there for all to see and is made worse because Southgate has to accommodate him in the team as he won't disturb his first choice centre back partnership of Huth and Wheater. A problem of his own making.
Then we can add the absence of spirit, determination and a worrying inability to pass and move the ball forward.Up until five minutes from the end there was a meek acceptance of our fate. Tuncay was an exception because he displayed to the crowd, a desire to win and take responsibility. This was missing from our so called 'local lads' who we are told, hold the Club dear to their hearts.
Its about time Arca was banished and Walker restored to midfield. Amazingly, looking at the table there are nine teams covered by six points to our position in the league.
We still control our fate and we can avoid relegation, despite and not because of Southgate's management.
All I ask for is a genuine fight, a scrap, not gentlemanly endeavour as personified by Southgate. The time has come for boldness, and some 'bottle' Do we have any?
Stoke will tell us next week.
Now what was that your team served up Mr Southgate?
Certainly, not one of those Cup Final performances which Mr Lamb said we needed to produce
to maintain our Premiership status.
You said, âÂÂWe need five wins to stay upâ and were serious.
You are always pleased with every single performance, yet we are second bottom of the pile.
Taylor is a natural left back but the Captain must be accommodated who looks lost.
I have never seen anyone quite like Alves and I donâÂÂt think anyone else has either. He wants to spend 2 weeks on a Trawler in the North Sea to become familiar with nets.
You still persist in picking names before faces, which you once said was a major fault of yours.
I think Martin OâÂÂNeil would have bought all the fans a meal or at least put his hands up as he has done on occasions this season when his team have not produced the goods.
But you support poor performance and you cannot deny that, because after every game the same puppet appears and we have to listen to another load of crap.
Then to top it all you have the audacity to knock the fans who are the only ones producing consistent performances.
Out of internet range until now but that was dispiriting.
Gate called for a wall of noise and got it in the spell after Crouch got their goal, sadly it was aimed at the Boro.
There were two poor teams on the pitch but one showed compsure for most of the match. Thankfully Pompey tried to be smart arses otherwise they would have been away before our comeback.
The sending off for Bates seemed harsh from where I was sat. Didnt look to dive but the ref was much closer. For once I agreed with Shearer, if Bates deserved a card Pederson deserved a life ban.
I'm afraid the Land Crab needs to be benched but as with Pogatetz, the rest were little better. The energy and purpose with ten after he was subbed could be attributed to either our inadequacies or Pompey's instinct for self destruction.
The results were not too bad elsewhere but there was little sign of fight for the job in hand. As a non booer, I think Gates comments that the fans were disrespectful to the many of the players by cheering Tuncay missed the point. The alternative was a shellacking of the rest.