Cyber Cynics, Viral Vitriol And A Time Honoured Attack On Boro's New Wasters
SIGNINGS imminent: let the pre-emptive bitching begin....
In times past fresh faces arriving on Teesside would be met with curdled mutterings over a pint of Olde Pessimist in the Chickenrunners Arms.
New recruits would be systematically dismantled with cruel relish. If teh club managed to sign them without dropping a clanger. Too young, too old, too slow, two left feet, can't pass, can't control, can't tackle, won't score, never fit, no brain, no heart, no pedigree, no quality, no future. Fat. Lightweight. Drunkard. Idiot. Complete useless waste of time and money. Wouldn't get a game with the Blind School. They'll fit in well with the rest of this shower. Welcome to Teesside.
It was our birthright. The creative bitterness was born as a legacy of a century of Ayresome's barren history. We had won nowt. Failure layered upon failure through fruitless generations with the prevailing winds of cynical consensus make Planet Boro a harsh emotional tundra where none but the most hardy sprigs of green optimism could take root and flourish.
The ingrained negativity was part of our natural defences. It prevented any rash outbreak of irrational optimism, any show of open-hearted weakness like aspirations and dreams that left us vulnerable to the inevitable enamel shattering kick in the teeth that would surely follow.
Back then of course the most actively boozy belly-aching remained in the background, a muted mosaic of intangible angst in pubs and clubs only made vocal and concrete in the brief bear pit of the terraces on matchday - although the imprint of generations of genetic grumbling is burnt onto our psyche and never more than a mild abrasion away from the surface, as we know only too well right now when the whole club is labouring under a heavy black cloud of nagitivity.
Now though the pessimism is given immediacy, momentum and weight by the internet. A cyber sneer at a prospective new hero can become the consensus in a day, unchallenged vitriol go viral with a click.
And with wall to wall television and YouTube to back the case for an ever more pro-active prosecution - the global diasBoro means the on-line inquisition works 24 hours a day - the dye can be cast before the medical is even complete. The new perma-crock carthorse is hung, drawn and quartered before a ball is kicked.
Hence we know already that of our new rejects from a team that dominates a league full of Darlingtons, Will he, won't he defender Gary Caldwell is an error-prone, glacial hoofer and loudmouth who does his talking through the back pages of the press and who Mogga is getting shot of to replace with Sean St Ledger; that Barry Robson is a one footed, mono-paced plodder and injury prone to boot; and as for the other two...
Whatever happened to the quaint old custom of letting the new signings play a few games first and judging them objectively on how they fit the style and shape of the team? Then slagging them.
We've spent forever denouncing the current bunch of mental weak wasters based on mounting evidence. Surely Boro's new Celtic fringe can't be worse? And even if they are technically inferior or have worst stats on Football Manager, maybe they bring more mundane qualities to the party like physical and mental strength, workrate, awareness, determination, a will to win and the ability to play in a way the manager demands. Maybe they are being brought in to do a specific job that right now is not being done.
But don't let that stop anyone indulging gleefully in their blinkered birthright of pernicious pre-emptive character assassination.
You wonder how some of Boro's previous new signings would have been monstered by the keyboard worriers before they got on the pitch.
As we are on a Celtic riff, take Bobby Murdoch. The past it porky pass master arrived at Boro three years and three stone beyond his best. He was as slow as the Marton crawl, his knees were shot, he was out of breath in the warm-up and with a taste for the deep fried beer he had refueling issues. Imagine the outcry if Boro had signed him today. The internet would break.
And still in Glasgow. Take Bernie Slaven... a stroppy part-timer council gardener who had been bombed out by Albion Rovers. One footed, greedy, couldn't tackle a fish supper, only on vague nodding terms with the offside law and couldn't get a trial anywhere despite writing begging letters to the likes Hartlepool, Darlo, Halifax and Rochdale. Sign him? Yeah right. We haven't got the bandwidth to cope.
What about a pensionable central defender with the turning circle of the Cala Portifino and knees patched up more times than a clown's trousers? A veteran warhorse more known for scaring the hell of his team-mates than his technical attributes. Yet Nigel Pearson was a wonder signing.
What about John Hickton? Is he a defender? Is he a striker? "Utility man?" The lumbering baldy get. He'll amount to nowt. Won't last five minutes. Get shot. Foggon? A Newcastle reject? Have you seen the kite on him? He won't be able to run let alone score. Get shot.
Hendrie? Bombed out by Coventry, Newcastle and Leeds and no wonder? He's not winger. He's not a striker. Low centre of gravity? And bandy legs! Bloody hell, he couldn't stop a pig in a passage.
Paul Merson? Great, an emotionally shot drug, booze and gambling addict. You would have to be half-cut and on smack to take that chance. Typical Boro!
The PC powered pitchfork wavers would have had a field day with that little lot. It would have been cyber-carnage. But the mob don't always - don't often - get it right.
It is easy to get carried away with the tide of instinctive public condemnation but remember, shaping a real football team is more like putting a jigsaw together than picking a fantasy team. Anyone can do that.
The important thing is not that the individual pieces don't look right in isolation but that they fit in, that they complement the others and contribute to the emerging picture.
And while we can't see the image on the front of the box, Strachan can. He knows what the big picture is and what he is working towards. In fact, he's actually done this one before and has a fair idea of what bits go where, which ones fit together and which ones he needs to complete this section before he moves on.
Strachan has been in charge long enough now to have weighed up the squad and know exactly where the structural flaws are in minute detail - and in far more technical terms than we can muster - and it is his judgment the strengths of the players he is bringing in can help rectify them. We have to trust him on that and hope that he is proved right.
One thing is for sure, having spent the past month restating the young, brittle and inexperienced squad lacks "men" he will not then go out and bring in more mice.
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Anthony Vickers
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Of the four, Barry Bobson is very good and is a loss to Celtic. Caldwell thinks he is a better player than he really is and makes mistakes in defence too often. For some reason Strachan likes him and the more complaints made by fans about him the more Strachan dug his heals in saying he was a great defender!
Most Celtic fans are glad he is going.
The other two are average and could'nt get into the first team. I think Robson will be a great addition to your team and I hope he helps you get back to the Premier League.
Robson and possibly even Flood will do a good job. Caldwell and Killen? Well, uhm good luck and apologies in advance
AV
No doubt you will transfer my last post over.
Living in derby you get stories about other clubs. The big issue here is the future of Nigel Clough and fans booing. Good old Robbie Savage did an interview with Radio Derby which is well worth listening to. It is on straight away so you dont have to wade through stuff of no interest.
Go to BBC iplayer, local radio for derby and then sportscene or try this link
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p005vj5d/Sportscene_TalkIn_11_01_2010/
It is revealing to hear the views of a player and his comments to and about Derby's Ali and Gary equivalents.
The BBC Said this morning: "Celtic quartet Barry Robson, Gary Caldwell, Willo Flood and Chris Killen are having medicals in Middlesbrough ahead of moves to Teesside. An offer was accepted last week for Caldwell and Robson and a deal for the other two has now been agreed. Caldwell will sign for three and a half years and Robson for two and a half. It had been thought that Flood and Killen would move on loan, but Middlesbrough will now take over the remainder of their Celtic contracts. It means Flood will be tied to the Coca-Cola Championship club for 18 months, while Killen's deal lasts until the summer." Also at the BBC:"Rangers striker Kris Boyd will undergo a hernia operation on Tuesday and faces several weeks out of the Scottish Premier League leaders' first-team." So good (hoops) and bad (blues) news for us. At least GS2 makes business - but I think that was the idea behind the timing of his appointment. So he would have time to access the squad. Up the Boro!
Football should be kept simple. I have always thought that it's great to have two reasonably experienced players per one position: GK: Coyne & Jones (?) LB: Taylor (inj.)& Grounds CB: Riggott & Caldwell CB: Wheater & Pogy RB: McMahon & Hoyte LW: A Johnson & M Yates CM: Osbourne & Arca (?) CM: B Robson & R Williams RW: O'Neal & Flood F: Lita & Franks F: Aliandrie & Killen Subs: Walker, Emnes, L Williams, Bates, etc. I would still prefer a goal getter, an out-and -out striker, though. But anyway we should end-up in the play-offs now. Up the Boro!
If Jason Roberts is available - and goodness knows how Blackburn could afford to let him go on last night's showing and their league position, given that they don't have ready alternatives - he would do a decent job in The Championship for Boro, particualarly paired with the likes of Phillips or Lita and if Boyd is hobbled.
The name of Gary McSheffrey at Brum keeps cropping up in the 'available' stakes in the papers too. Big 'Eck clearly doesn't rate him but, again, in The Championship he has a proven track record as a goalscoring wide midfielder.
In the goalie stakes, Ben Foster is probably not within Boro's compass but Joe Lewis from Posh certainly is. McGregor from Rangers is decent enough too.
The pending influx of Scottish players will make us Bhoys on Tees. It is however bringing a certain amount of tension in the office as a colleague is very much Derby twinned with Rangers. I am pinning my hopes on Boyd arriving to balance things up.
It does take you back to the old days when every team seemed to have a sprinkling of Celts in the team. Many a Boro side has had a Scots, Irish or Welsh influence at the heart of the action. I can go back to the likes of Bill Harris and Ian Gibson. The team that Jack built had Sounness and Murdoch.
It is in the last ten years that the Celtic influence has waned due in large part to the money coming into the premiership. I think it may have been as bad north of the border as the native Scot was as endangered as the red squirrel in Scotland due the influx of overseas players - no doubt our Tartan Boro fans can confirm or deny that fact.
As long as they can bring something to the party and still allow our youth to fluorish I will be happy. Having them on board early is a huge boost and we can rest assured they cant be worse than Folan.
**AV writes: Bhoys on Tees? Middlesbrough-on-Clyde surely. My column today is about the old days when "Boro sign international star" inevitably meant a Scottish Under-21 reserve from Dundee or Third Lanark.
This seems like an astute, no-lose piece of business.
It's a powerful signal to the MFC wasters that the gravy train has finally pulled in at the terminus. If you want to be on the next train you'll have to work for the ticket.
Short contracts for Killen and Flood give them every encouragement to perform and Caldwell and Robson will stiffen the spine. Hopefully, Caldwell will also be able to mentor Wheats to help him regain a semblance of his best form. Hopefully, he'll also help control the disarray which Boro's 'defence' always create at set pieces (as long as Cops and Agnew don't try to coach him!).
A final thought. If Southgate was prepared to pay £4.5m for the Wandering Cowboy, Sean St. Ledger, what would he have paid for this lot? Strachan's tied them all up for less than the balance on SSL.
A great piece of business. Well done Gordon Strachan.
**AV writes: I agree with that. That and the further pruning of the wage bill with the exit of mystery man Mo Shawky and glasslegs Digard make it a good week for the Boro book balancers while adding skills and bodies to the squad.
Not sure how to see this one. I will be pleased to see Robson come, as for the rest, probably same as what we have got. It does concern me a little that it seems a little narrow minded to only aim at Celtic rejects. Aren't there a few premier rejects that we can look at? And what happened to Olivier Geroud?
**AV writes: Yes, Premier rejects. Lets get a few more highly technical players in like Justin Hoyte and Jermie Aliadiere. It's the way forward.
I wouldn't regard them as rejects necessarily.
Barry Robson is a very good combative left sided Midfielder. He has been in good form and stood out as one of the better players on the pitch when we met Rangers recently. He is a great addition to any squad and a leader on the pitch. he has a sweet left foot and can strike a good free kick.
Caldwell is a mixed bag. One moment brilliant and the next a donkey. If he hits a streak of form he will prove a very good and effective Centre back, but watch out for the occasional lapse.
Flood to be fair to him hasn't had much opportunity to shine. When he has played he has looked reasonably up for it and not without a bit of skill. A prolonged run in your side might just be what he needs to flourish.
Killen started pre-season in probably his best form ever for Celtic. He isn't quick or very mobile, but makes a decent target man. Don't expect him to score many goals, but is probably ok as an emergency back up if your main strikers get injured.
I must say guys that Celtic have got by far the best deal here!!
Caldwell is a complete calamity, and although when he is on his game he is capable, he isn't on his game very often at all.
Robson is an honest professional who I think will do well for you. I doubt he's Premiership material, however he has steely determination, which so many teams lack. Killen is a poor, poor striker. He will offer you no more than Folan.
Flood. Well, simply, I do not know why this boy is playing football. He won't get a game for you now, and most definitely not in the EPL. He left Cardiff because he wasn't good enough. Got a game for Dundee Utd before he signed for celtic, where he completely disappeared off the radar. He's terrible!
**AV writes: You haven't seen some of our lot!
Strachan commented he wanted players who would be committed and also wanted more men in the team... he has got them now. Can only be good for the other players. Gee them up a bit !
We all agree that we need characters (we have enough of quality here). So GS2 should know there men better than us, fans. He has worked with them.
I certainly see a logic in here. Wishing for a goal machine (not from abroad, thank you). Up the Boro!
This Caldwell signing appears a little strange to me. At a time when we have little money to spend, why waste it on a centre back, unless he's going to sell Wheater, Riggott or Pogi? The reports I've read are that he is no better than what we have already. Robson on the other hand could be a good addition.
**AV writes: He wants a leader at the back, an unflappable organiser who can get the best out of the whole unit, a bit like when Robbo went for Nigel Pearson when Boro had money to burn and there were far "better" players around. Also, Poggi looks set to leave in the summer and Riggott has a terrible injury record.
Interesting to see how the new players get on and Strachens judgement of players and characters. He does now these players after all. I for one am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Interesting also to see if it opens up the debate as to how the old firm would get on in England. I'm assuming these players have all been an integral part of a Celtic team in the past?
**AV writes: Flood and Killen have been benchwarmers but presumably Strachan believes they offer more than Emnes, Shawky and Digard.
Are they any good? Who really knows. We need bodies though and a bit of graft. If they give us that it will be a huge improvement.
We still lack that out and out goal getter though - Strachan needs to get Lita firing and have a plan B if Boyd says no - which looks possible.
I work with die hard Celtic and Rangers fans. Neither have a bad word to say about Caldwell. If he does have an odd lapse in concentration can't be any worse than our lot and the goals we've shipped. Robson also well thought of. Flood and Kitson good workers.
Boyd highly rated although I'm told he doesn't look that clever at times but he's a very good goal poacher. Hernia's don't take that long nowadays to heal. Maybe the suddeness of this op is the pre-sale requirement. If the deal gets done he'll be sorted by middle Feb.
This really is a big throw of the dice by Strachen, but he knows these guys very well and there strengths so good luck all round.I am sure he had there names penciled in when he first came.
Another great article AV comments again spot on.
Caldwell's not coming:
Sky Sports News: "Reports are suggesting that Celtic defender Gary Caldwell is now likely to join Wigan Athletic rather than Middlesbrough, where he has undergone a medical."
Why must Wigan always stick their noses in? Although I'll forever be grateful to Dave Whelan for the fitness club...
**AV writes: Oh no! He's doing a 'Ben Watson' (there's a cautionary tale in there somewhere).... or is it part of an on-going brinkmanship to get more dosh out of Boro. These things are always slightly grubby. Uncle Eric is down at Hurworth as we type so latest full story should emerge soon.
This was posted in another place....
"A Celtic fans view on Caldwell and Robson.
"Take no notice. Loads of people turned against Caldwell because his major contract dispute with loss of form coincided and with talking to the press about it has made him a hate figure with those of our fans with anger issues. Caldwell is a rare ball playing CB who the game flows through and is a natural leader.
"On form he is a really good player of a rare type, almost like a sweeper. Plays a lot of great long balls that no other CH could do but our dafter fans who have some irrational dislike of him only remember the (acceptable) percetage of the long balls that go astray. He was our best player for a season and a half until this summer and was POTY last year. He is Celtic and Scotland captain and always picked.
"His only flaws IMO are a lack of pace and a strong tendancy to have bad form dips every season or two that last a good number of weeks. The form dips usually relate to becoming becoming prone to the gaffs rather than playing bad. For some reason though he is one of those players who has to be playing superb to get any credit while other players get praised for nothing!
"Robson is a robust player with a lot of ability too. Good football brain, sweet left peg, has a great longball/corner/deadball/shot. Has a few goals in him. Fairly good in the air and in the tackle, An absolute lion in the battle and a natural leader. Very much a traditional British player.
"He was superb when he signed season before last inb our run in. He has scored CL and UEFA goals despite few appearances. Very one footed but has a good abilty to spin about for a pretty big guy. He has incredible upper body strength and you often see two players going for him and bouncing off. His ability to shield the ball and his strength to hold people off means he is often hauled down by frustrated players and wins a lot of Fks.
"Played all over the MF. Best in CM but has played a lot wide too where he is descent as long as you do not expect a pacey twinkle toed player. He has been a first pick since he got fit a few months back and our good run has coincided with his return. He played great in his first half season then he was out for a year and has only been back from that for a few months. So, he has only been here 2 years and we have not even squeezed a season out of him in that time. Despite that he has been great in a lot of big games and battles.
"A lot of people will be very sorry to see him go. Seems a very nice bloke. Looks like a character from the beano though!
"You are getting two first pick Celtic players including Celtic and Scotlands captain, I dont know the fees but Robson is worth a couple of million IMO and if Caldwell had been sold a year ago he would have been worth 4 million quid. "
**AV writes: I think Robson looks like a young David Moyes. I'm not sure which Beano character that makes him though.
Totaly agree AV lets give them a chance to kick a ball before we give them grief. Strachan has rolled his dice lets hope lady luck shines. Any news yet in interest for Johnson? I hope not.
What motivates Celtic 'supporters' to write in to tell us about the supposed inadequacies of Caldwell who apparently has the occasional lapse (who doesn't ?).
Robson is good player who will be a loss to the Bhoys. I haven't seen as much of Flood or Killen but I respect Strachan's judgement he was a good and successful Celtic manager who won 3 championships with his players.
I watch Celtic whenever I can, these are good players who will improve the squad substantially. We seem to have secured them for less than the price of Aliadiare !!!
If you have any doubt about the deal just ask yourself who you would prefer at the Boro - the 'Boro 4' @ £2 million or St Ledger @ £4.5 million? With my Bhoys hat on, I know who I'd sooner see at Paradise.
Gordon now needs to do the right thing for the 'Great Old Club' and get McGregor and Novo from the Huns and Burke from Cardiff.
Times are changing.
I had to smile at the comments the Celtic fans have made regarding for example Caldwell and how glad they are to get shot, but it brings to mind Schwarzer, we couldn't wait (me included) for him to go. In fact most of us would gladly have contributed to a wip round to pay his train fare down to Kings Cross.
No doubt one or two Boro supporters posted on Fulham blogs stating he was past it etc. Yet look at him now he has been one of Fulhams best players since he joined, nothing more to be said.
I for one hope that a couple of the new players have an edge, show plenty of agression and generally get stuck in, give me that rather than the Aliadiere techno dross which leads nowhere.
AV said a while ago we need to 'get Northern', hopefully these boys from the 'wrong' side of Hadrian's Wall will bring a bit of 'Northern' culture with them.
I think Caldwell is getting a bit of unfair criticisim about here. Less than two years ago this guy was a Scottish player of the year. OK, his form was not good in recent times but it wasnt helped by playing beside tweedle de and tweedle dum (Mick & Loovens). He can also do a job in midfield. I think he is the biggest loss of the four!
To be honest the majority of this negativity comes from the FMTTM message board. People who are incapable of making there own minds up about things then use FMTTM as a way of gaining an opinion.
Shut the board down, solve the problem.
**AV writes: Are you trying to get me blitzed in a flame war? It's not even true, FMTTM is just a reflection of our pysche, not a driver. I remember my grandad chuntering away about how useless they were. It is in our DNA. As for the current negativity, I get plenty of people stopping me in Asda to have a rant and most of them have never used the internet in their lives. Now, the Three Legends...
Caldwell is on his way to Wigan ...Duh missed out again!
AV
It's a wonder how different sets of people take different inferences from the same set of circumstances/people to be sure.
This even stretches to your good selves and the Northern Echo. The Gazette seems sure that all four Celts are Boro bound but the Echo reckons that Caldwell's done a Ben Watson, opted for Wigan and beggared up the joint deal for him and Robson.
More delays maybe?
**AV writes: It's to do with timing. Yesterday club officials were saying it was a done deal and most papers went with that this today, as did the print Northern Echo. We checked this morning with the club before we went to press and were told it was all agreed and the signings imminent, which is what we have written today.
Since then there has been a twist (isn't there always) and Caldwell's people have been back in touch with Wigan, who have told Sky Sports and that has been picked up by the Echo website. It could be that he has 'done a Watson'. It could be a negotiating ploy to get a few bob more out of Boro in an auction. We don't know but we won't be trying to second guess anyone. We have dispatched Mr Paylor to get it from the horses mouth. That's how we work. Dull, eh?
Av, please give a call to Uncle Erik! We must know. Anyway we must still find a goal scorer, too!
UTB!
My Old Man's a Kilmarnock Season-Ticket holder and he rates each of the Celtic guys - each having their own strengths to bring to the party. Dad was fulsome in his praise of Robson and Willo Flood in particular. He says Caldwell's got a "hard man" reputation, but doesn't know much about Killen, but what he knows of him, has concluded he's useful.
Boyd went to Rangers from Kilmarnock, where he was leading goalscorer. On Boyd, Dad, never a Rangers fan, says his leading Scottish goalscorer tally is despite having missed as many matches as he's played this season.
He, Boyd, isn't a particularly mobile player (a bit of a Viduka type perhaps?), but is an out and out predator. He creates goals as well as knock in chances of other's creation. Boyd's current injury and recent availability history is "unfortunate" and it's on occasions like these that Boro need to get far more facts and assessments of his likely future availability than we have done in the past, before committing to a possible long-term deal and an inflated salary. The Old Man indicated that the rumours in Scotland said Rangers had offered Boyd £18,000 a week, but that Boro were prepared to offer him £5,000 more than that.
A general point - I'd rate much of the SPL football with that of the Championship, rather than the English Premier League, so these players will probably be of top-half Championship/ bottom half EPL quality.
Against English opposition, I'd probably rate Boyd as a Hulse or maybe a Dean Ashton (before his recent retirement) or similar, in terms of his scoring potential in this league. Remember Alves? And although short of match fitness, he wasn't crocked when he arrived!
If Caldwell goes to wigan, does that scupper the Robson deal? Wasn't it 1.6 mill for both?
I expect Lambykins may well have to re deploy his well know negotiation and influencing skills. - Ya joking arn't Ya!
**AV writes: The current status of the Caldwell deal from high placed sources within the clubs is: "looking dodgy but not irretrievable." They hope Strachan's personal kudos and another fiver a week can get it back on track. They will stress he will be a key part of the new team rather than a benchwarmer behind Titus Bramble in a struggling team. They are talking to him now.
The others are still on although if Caldwell falls through the fee will be adjusted.
Transfer watch LIVE!!
Anyone else find AV’s updates re the Glasgow 4, more entertaining than the actual football recently. I thought deadline day was exciting but this is something else. I can only wonder what the next epic twist maybe. Perhaps Hull enter the fray?
AV if you had to put money on it, is Caldwell coming?
**AV writes: Whose money? I think it is very hard to resist the lure of Premier League money. We must hope Strachan's personal clout weighs greater than the purse on offer at the Dave Whelan EgoDome. I would say the fact that he has gone back to talk to Wigan is very, very worrying. Our best bet is he rings back and asks us to match Wigan. If he does we will do so. 65/35 at the mo I think.
Transfer windows are great. The people you see at Hurworth! We saw Chris Sutton going upstairs in the canteen once (when we were still allowed up there under Robbo) then went downstairs where Viv Anderson denied point blank that there had been any contact. Another time Ugo Ehoigu was in reception six foot away from Lambie who told us he was unaware if the player was on Teesside.
Then there was the time Bobo Balde agreed to sign but could he use the bathroom then did a runner, jumped into his car and sped off. Or when the Gazette man borrowed a pen off an Italian bloke hanging around reception then was later told that "you may have seen someone who looks like Benito Carbone but that was off the record."
If Caldwell doesn't fancy signing for us and would rather be a bit part premier league player then perhaps Strachan has misjudged his character anyway?
The remaining 3 players will be a good start for our January transfer exploits.
AV, wasn't it Southgate who suggested at some point last year that the internet has given everyone a voice and hastened fans opinion changes, in the sense that negativity can travel faster now and anyone with a computer can comment on anything they like. Wasn't he shot down for that?
And now today you mention pretty much the same thing....wearing bullet proof vests now are we?
**AV writes: He was talking about "opinions without responsibility" but we at Gazette Towers are very responsible. We are accused of being responsible for everything. On that issue it is well worth listening to the full nine minutes of Robbie Savage v BBC Derby's Brownlee equivalent on the Beeb website Rams page.
Some posters on here genuinely don't know what they're talking about, or they are being duped by others!!
Someone said their Dad was giving praise to Robson and Flood? Let me say this......Robson is a decent player and will do well for you. Someone said he turns quickly for a "pretty big guy". Robson is definitely not a big guy. He's about 5"10.
Flood WON'T GET A GAME. He is utterly hopeless. Also far, FAR too lightweight.
Killen is a big, cumbersome, completely immobile guy who I think will make less than 5 appearances for you between now and the end of the season.
Caldwell winning the player of the year award last year is commonly thought of as a total farce by many in Scotland. There was McGeady, Bougherra, Boyd, McDonald, Gomis, Davis and Buaben but to name a few who had FAR better seasons than him. On his game, he's a decent (no more!) defender. He isn't on his game enough. If he signs for Wigan then a central defense of him and Bramble will mean definite relegation.
I wish Boro well, but there is no way Boyd or Novo will sign for you guys. Boyd looks like staying at Rangers, although if he left it would be to the EPL or Germany he would go.
Novo is similar. He would hate to leave Rangers but if he had to, then he would return to Spain, with Deportivo his likely destination.
Burke would be an excellent signing for 'Boro, and if you could pay £2m or so, then that's a great option.
I have just got back into the office, as usual logged on and had a look at the latest thread only to bump into the unfolding Caldwell story.
It is 2 hours 10 mins since the last posting so hopefully there will be more news from Uncle Eric soon.
If Caldwell doesnt come there is still a word of praise for the speed that the actions have progressed.
**AV writes: I think it is brinkmanship now. The offers are on the table. It is down to what he wants. Strachan has made his pitch but I don't think he's the sort to beg.
Still a chance with Caldwell as Wigan have just announced signing of Steve Gohouri from Borussia Monchengladbach.
Personally, while the jury [mine] is out on GS2 so far [based on results and performances to date] I sense a harder edge suddenly coming into play in January - now he has the ability to act he has sent a clear message - can't play/won't play = off you go. Character counts as much as footballing ability = in.
I like it - the positive strokes meaningless quotes have gone and I think there is a line being drawn here - I've judged the team and found it wanting. I'm taking action. These are MY men. And as others have pointed out - £4.5m for Sledge, or £2m for these 4 [Caldwell dependent]?? I know where my vote is.
Will they do it? Who knows - there are no stone cold certainties and one thing we've learned over the last few years is that what you pay and what you get are NOT linked - the Prem is littered with overpriced underwhelming players. But the stall is being laid out, standards are being re-aligned, and action is being taken. There is nothing in that to be criticised. How it works - well let's see - up the Boro!
Smogonthetyne now in Nunthorpe:
My thoughts exactly. We need more instant updates from AV in these situations I've given up the work front checking the latest on Sky and BBC web sites.
Hope he phones and says match the money.
Smogonthetyne now in Nunthorpe, I agree! Time for memoires AV?!
GS2 should pull the plug on the Caldwell deal regardless now. His heart wasn't really in joining us if after agreeing terms and passing a medical he has hot footed down to Wigan to see whats on offer there.
GS2 said he wanted players who wanted to play for Boro,Caldwell obviously doesn't and he has good history with GS2
**Av writes: You have to remember that players see football as a job and talking to clubs as a de facto interview. Sometimes if you are good at your job and you decide to leave your current post you may have two or three interviews lined up. Some places may ask you back for a second interview. Most people would weigh up all those offers before deciding. Some may try to play one side against the other to wangle an extra couple of quid, free BUPA or maybe a company car. It doesn't mean they suddenly lack the qualities to do the job.
I do have to agree with your comments on how t'net gives everyone a voice, whether of course they have anything to actually say or even spell is often cruelly exposed.
I was given a link to a Manccy papers website where a gang of yooofs who had been terrorising an area had all been put behind bars, some of the comments from their friends and family must be great encouragement for anyone with normal kids, even in a shrinking job market it seems the competition hasn't stepped up to the mark.
Anyway I snobbishly digress. Alf Ramsey was often criticised for some of his choices, but what he assembled was a team, as AV says, the team is a jigsaw that needs putting together right, some parts in isolation will look well weird and couldn't possibly fit anywhere, but low and behold it suddenly opens up and bang there you go Constable's Haywain when previously you expected a badly drawn Piccasso from what you had in front of you.
So maybe some of these players aren't world beaters, but we don't need world beaters, we need grafters with a football match length attention span. We don't need any rocket scientists, but what we do need is for them to have time to prove themselves on the pitch.
Yeah this is all very familiar with memories of Derek Whyte etc coming over the wall for a warm, but we are unfortunately at the beginning again and if we can survive the next few years then maybe we will be in a stronger position than a lot of clubs who have over reached and are about to, just for that PL glory.
Oh yeah, ............sack Lamb
**AV writes: Oh you and your wacky catchphrases. "Badly drawn Picasso?" Badly Drawn Bhoy surely.
Well I will be happy for some new players, I don't care how they have played in the past. All that matters is how they play for the Boro.
Its good to see fatty and waster aren't playing for Egypt this afternoon, Yakubu is playing for Nigeria though.
Robbie Savage's rant at the radio host started off well but he seemed to get lost in himself after that.
The one point I thought was good though was the comment about how the local media and the fans were just sat waiting for something to go wrong so they could criticise. Kind of reminds you of the current situation with Boro doesn't it?
No matter what Southgate said, there was always someone willing to turn it around and use it as a big stick to beat him with. Southgate has gone, but it continues with Lamb. Doesn't matter what he does or how he does it, long before the facts are known, there are many happy to speculate and criticise.
We even have our own young players, take David Wheater as an example, going through a tough time (as is the whole team) and instead of finding support in the fans who once cheered them, they find plenty just waiting to bash them for letting that one through.
I am perhaps taking it a little too far, because I do think we have many good fans who still back the team to the hilt, but it seems in this age of "Cyber Cynics", the cyber-sticks are getting larger and are very rarely put down.
What the internet has really brought to football fans is long memories. It is so much harder to put the past to rest and look towards the future when you are reminded of how bad it was/is/can be.
**AV writes: It is about immediacy. The anger cycle used to be weekly and it petered out quickly. When your main outlet was writing a letter to the Sports even the most angry fan usually ranted a bit but never got around to actually putting it on paper and if you did, when it was published the following Saturday you either looked daft after a 3-0 win or your point was swept aside in the new anger aimed at some other cock-up or scapegoat.
I agree about Savage. Credit to him for having an opinion but he needs to know when to stop digging. He lost the moral high ground very quickly because while he was right about the methodology of the complaints - reporters should never make public prenouncements based on rumour and innuendo - he was wrong to then attack all dissent completely and failed abjectly to grasp the reason for it.
He was floundering at the end and by admitting that maybe the team just weren't good enough and there was nothing the manager could do he will handed ammunition to the boo-boys and undermined his boss.
Caldwell to Wigan is good news, with Poggi, Hines, Riggott, Wheats and our midfielder general (removes tongue from cheek) Rhys, what the hell do we need with another CB let alone one that whinges moans and bellyaches to the press. Boro have been there and done that, let Caldwell follow Ben Watson's career path.
Robson I think could do an emotional Boateng type job in terms of a bit of experience and Flood looked like he had potential but of the Emnes variety. As for Killen, bring back Folan and/or Bent.
Stricken is looking totally lost and desperate to me than ever and its about time Gibbo realised he has dropped another one and brought the curtain down on this Panto once and for all. Look what Big Nige has achieved and Billy Davies for that matter and I bet most readers on here would struggle to name 4 players of either Leicester/Notts Forest off the top of their heads.
This season is washed up and finished and as long as Stricken remains will only get worse.
I agree with many of the sentiments on here. We DO have a long standing self destructive habit of finding the black lining to every silver cloud. Boro's motto should definietly be "a pessimist is never disappointed."
Generally in life it is easier to be ill-informed, negative and see crisis looming than try to find out the facts and see the positives (look at our national gutter press) and more specifically a cynical frame of mind is a better fit with our self-deprecating and sarcastic sense of humour.
It must be said too there is some well weighted and delightful colourful writing in that piece. In some towns people would praise you for that. Here we will just assume you are "writing for a move to a big club". (Joke)
AV
As you have wilfully failed to update us every 3 minutes on the Caldwell situation, maybe Uncle Eric has gone home for his cocoa and even now is sat infront of his flame effect gas fire with slippers on, i re read the thread and the posts.
A thought sprang to mind but luckily I was sitting down. It didnt dawn on mew when I posted about the Robbie Savage interview first thing today.
We talk of the instant nature of our responses as fans but the clubs are just as culpable and are only too keen to exploit any media they can to get their message across.
The difference between them (that means all clubs not just MFC) and us is the fact we tolerate freedom of speech on this blog. We do not have hissy fits with those who are off message, we cannot call the club in for a friendly chat.
Redcar Red
The one thought about your list of centre backs is that Hines is long term injured, Pogi is out yet again and Riggott is just about to break down again. Not over reliable to say the least.
Excellent blog, AV!
Meantime, 'back at the ranch', all I see is your blog awash with the kind of nonsense that compelled you to write your article! Stop it, people!
Meanwhile, who said Picasso's art is anything less than brilliant? How dare that poster! Doesn't he know that beauty lies in the beholder?
Redcar Red
That was an unusually vitriolic post from you, mate. For a moment there I thought it was Tony Black I was reading.
Do you not think, even if results to date have been dreadfully disappointing, that GS2 needs just a tad more time to bring in his own men and turn it round?
AV - Beano characters? If anybody remembers Michael Reiziger (what an impact!), he surely was the spitting image of Plug!
**AV writes: Good one. Not the Beano but Julio Arca is the double of The Count from Sesame Street. Any more?
**AV writes: Good one. Not the Beano but Julio Arca is the double of The Count from Sesame Street. Any more?
Hahahahhaha................ Brilliant going to try and think of one
You can add this to my previous if you want AV. Thought of one...... sorry Phil..
Phil Stamp and Shrek
Phil Stamp
http://retaliators.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/shrek-forever-again-will-be-the-last-shrek-i-hope-so/
Shrek
http://www.londonhearts.com/scores/players/stampphil.html
Judge for yourself..... Uncanny!!
Getting back to your blog AV I don't believe "the mob don't always - don't often - get it right." is correct.
When the club is linked with someone you've got to go with your gut reaction to the player, most of the players you referred to were when we the supporters would only be able to see highlights and extended higlights at best. Only Paul Merson would have been subject to 24/7 coverage of the beautiful game.
When the team is read out before kick-off, I think most fans would agree on the best eleven or who shouldn't be in that starting line up?
The Gazette has linked videos to youtube sowing Alves and Emnes banging the goals in, I still like Emnes and think he will do well even if it's not with Boro.
A few players I was disappointed we signed/loaned and I don't think performed are Jason Euell, Brian Deane, Paul Gasgoigne, Marcus Bent, Jason Euell, Marlon King, Lee Dong-Gook (I remember Southgate was excited that he was a superstar in an airport somewhere? Which showed the other players what kudos he had) I can't remember how I felt when we signed Phil Whelan (Rubbish) but I remember looking forward to little Johnny Hendrie coming in on the wing!
It would appear unlikely that Wigan could accomodate two new central defenders after already securing Ivory Coast central defender Steve Gohouri yesterday - Still would Caldwell risk being third choice at Wigan or third choice at Boro - afterall, who wants to play in the PL anyway?
**AV writes: Playing a key role in a reshaped Boro under a manager who likes and knows him or a regular in Wigan reserves and on the bench behind Bramble? He has been offered £25k at Wigan but probably £18k at Boro. Maybe we would squeeze a bit more. He was sleeping on it so he can't be totally convinced.
AV, I don't know how much you get paid but wouldn't it be nice to be "sleeping on it"? Thinking if I would be paid £18 000 a week or £ 25k... No, I couldn't sleep!!!
Why don't we talk about the salaries per year. So £1 million or £1.3 million a year. How many season tickets that is per season? I dare not to think about ...
**AV writes: Plus a £100,000 signing on fee. Maybe more. It is crazy. Madness, Completely unsustainable. Boro can't afford it but Wigan - lowest gates in the top flight and very rarely on TV - can't either. That's why football is a basket case, why Boro have debts of £30/50/77m and why club's like Portsmouth, West Ham, Hull, Cardiff, Crystal Palace and Watford are going belly-up.
I hope Boro don't cave in and match it. At some point clubs have to start to say "NO."
I don't know what the wage bill is at MFC, but surely the 12 plus million parachute payment is exactly what should be used to finance new players, to try and secure promotion back to the premier league.
AV, do you have any idea what the current wage bill is?
**AV writes: It was about £32m last season. Take off Downing, Huth, Tuncay, Alves, a chunk of Mido plus the bits and pieces and a cull behind the scenes and it is down to about £20m. Slice another £2m off by shipping out Digard and Shawky.
I think the Championship average player wage is just under £200,000 a year - £4k a week - while we still have squad players on double that and first teamers on treble that.... and a few on even more.
Most clubs, even in the top half, run on annual wage budgets of less than £7-8m. Only the three relegated from the PL last year plus Cardiff and Sheffield United have wage bills over £10m. We are on £20m and that can't be sustained at this level; especially with falling crowds.
If we don't go up this summer I expect another cull. All the big earners - O'Neil, Aliadiere, Arca, Jones, Wheater, Hoyte, Lita - would have to go and all the ones whose contracts are up will not be renewed.
AV I think I’m right in saying that when Man Utd are conducting transfer business, they ask the other club to deny all knowledge. Then Man U can announce the transfer at their terms and time. Also I think the stock market rules may have something to do with it. It looks like Boro have adopted the ‘I know nothing’ approach.
I like the idea of Bobo Balde squeezing through the toilet window and shimmying down the drain pipe. I like it so much it has given me an idea for a TV show ‘Total Transfer Window Wipe out’
Contestants (footballers looking for a move) start by climbing out of the transfer window. They have to negotiate several tricky obstacles. Depending where they fall off the course, determines which club they will join.
Jermaine Beckford of Leeds has currently passed the ‘sucker punch’. So has dodged a move to Newcastle and is currently on the bouncy balls. One false step and he’s on his way to Wolves.
Gary Caldwell is poised to start the ‘Dizzy Dummies’ will it be Wigan, Boro or Hull.
Rob Lee when asked if he would like to take part jumped at the chance to join in the filming in Argentina, unfortunately Geography Rob took a wrong turning and is currently somewhere outside Tirana, Albania.
**AV writes: I like it. You could have where they have to avoid a pack of hacks, possibly a giant maze where they are chased Pacman style by three or four of the rat pack. And a mental agility test against the clock, working out the permutations of different basics + appearance fees + signing on fees + image rights.
Meanwhile, back at the fils rouge....
Having read quite a bit from Celtic fans about Caldwell I really hope he signs for Wigan. In my eyes it would be a lot cheaper option to persuade Pogatetz to stay another year [assuming we are in the Championship] and play him in his best position at centre half.
According to them Caldwell is quite small for a centre back causing problems at set pieces and lacks pace.Why we would want to spend so much of our pot on a centre half is beyond me. Hopefully Hines and Bates will also be in the mix for defensive positions next year.
One Celtic fan [not a fan of Caldwell] said that we had dodged an exocet never mind a bullet by missing out.
Gary Caldwell can choose to go where he likes, we live in a free society and if he decides not to come here then I dont want him here.
If he doesnt come just ask yourself this simple multiple choice question
1 Should he come to Boro and play in the Championship.
2 Should he join Wigan and play in the premiership for 38% more in his wage packet (based on AV's 18K at Boro and Wigans 25K)
As AV states and we are all aware it isnt that straightforward. He may end up on the bench at Wigan, he could play under GS2 at Boro.
But put it another way. If a major national newspaper offered AV the chance to be the North East football correspondent with a signing on fee and a 38% pay increase what would his wifes answer be?
No point getting het up about Caldwell, As Redcar Red says we have Pogi, Riggott and Hines. Sometimes, sort of.
**AV writes: Hmmmmm. Maybe it is just me being old fashioned but I wouldn't swap the artistic freedom of being a libero and being creatively engaged, writing with colour and length and enjoying it for a move to a national and do down page six or eight par snippets to order, almost identical to every other paper which then get chopped up and badly headlined by a sub in London. But 38% you say?
Morning all,
Well I hope he sees the light and comes to Boro as a regular and possible hero. He'd get a standing ovation just for turning Wigan down.
But; look at the good players who prefer to take the money and sit most games out on the bench. £25 thou or £18 thou! I don't know Caldwell but over 5 years on a short career think we know where he'll sign.
I also hope we don't cave in and match it, but if we do and he is instrumental in turning this season round to the play offs and promotion who amongst us will complain then about Boro's debt.
I agree AV, it would be good if clubs did start saying no. But until the competition organisers make it that way, the truth is it will continue.
Look at Liverpool today, "rumoured" to be ready to spend £25m on an unproven striker, just days after we're told in the media that they may just have to sell Gerrard and Torres to secure the club.
Didn't Boro say NO last season when trying to sign Ben Watson and Wigan offered more? And how many people have posted to criticise Lamb for not offering that little bit more to get him here? We may not know the real truth of these negotiations but it doesn't stop people slamming our guys if we don't pay more to secure a player does it?
The only real answer in football is competitive regulations that ensure these fees and wages do not continue, because players will continue to demand more, clubs will continue to make bigger offers for players, and fans will continue to demand better players at their club (yet cheaper tickets ;-)
I fear it will take a few prestigious clubs to break down before anything will be considered.
**AV writes: Boro have been saying 'no' for a few years now and fans have been in uproar about it. They said 'no' when Viduka asked for an extra £20k a week and when Schwarzer asked for £10k and an extra three years. They say no when clubs agree fees and players agree terms and then the agent asks for £250,000 for himself to complete the deal. They have said 'no' to a lot of prospective signings' wage demands in recent years, not just Watson.
It is the only responsible thing to do but arguably it has led to relegation and certainly it has caused many fans to blast the club for a "lack of ambition."
Re ‘Total Transfer Window Wipe out’, I can think of a variation called 'Whose airport is it anyway' with a footballer [He could be called something like Diego Forlan] at one airport, then club representatives at two other airports [just for arguments sake they could be Manchester and Newcastle] beckoning him hither - whats that, he's been in the Lounge for 4 hours - somthings happening!!!
By the way on salaries, as an exile 'down south' I know I could make a lot more money by working in London, which is accessible to me, but like AV [well, NOT like AV but you get the gist] I think there is more to life than money!!
If Mr Caldwell chooses Boro over money then without seeing him play he will become a hero to many overnight. I know what I'd choose [bear in mind, as others have delicately pointed out, taking the 'its not about the money' route still nets him £1m+ a year - hardly a calamitous decision!].
This is the most sane of boards - keep it up!!!
Back to the matter in Hand. Are you getting pressure from Upstairs AV? Too many random posts?
Anyway it doesn’t strike me that Caldwell really wants to sign for either of the two clubs. If Wigan are offering more money and Premier league football but he still needs to sleep on it!? When the only other offer was less money and lower standard of football? Unless he has a burning desire to play for MFC and lest face it I don’t think many out there do, what’s his dilemma. Unless he’s hoping Hull wade in with an offer?
We have made him a very good offer; we can’t do anymore than that. It looks like he’s hanging on for someone else. And if that doesn’t come he’ll follow the money like we all would.
Is there a hitch with the other Bhoys?
**AV writes: No, I think they are just renegotiating the fee. About £600k we think. Maybe Caldwell's choice is the devil he knows or a more lucrative leap in the dark.
Interesting how Dave Whelan has come out and said today that they have made an offer for Caldwell after he turned down a move to Middlesbrough. Seems to me if a player is having a medical and has agreed terms...then they have not turned down anything.
And strange that the player knows of interest from Wigan before any offer is made and stopped signing on that basis..hmmmm didn't I read somewhere a club cannot approach a player till an acceptable fee had been agreed with the club holding his registration?
**AV writes: Whelan said that they knew Caldwell was "keen to play under Strachan but that Wigan had made him a very good offer", which suggests to me that he really wants to choose Boro but the money has swayed him. Although not enough to say yes immediately. If I was Roberto Martinez I would be wondering if I wanted a player who didn't really want to come.
Celtic have accepted a £1m bid from Wigan so he can talk to them. He doesn't need permission from Boro.
AV, you say that Wigan can't afford it, but they can.
Their scouting network unearthed Valencia and Palacios. They were signed for next to nothing and moved on for a vast profit. The same will be done with Rodallego and Figueroa. Maybe we have become complacent and listen too much to the glowing praise (deservedly so ) for the Academy. Are the club's scouts in
Angola at the moment, there must be lots of potential there?
**AV writes: A couple of good sales last season (and Cattermole too remember) will make a decent dent in the debts built up in getting Wigan up to the Prem and keeping them there but it won't clear them.
They had a wage bill bigger than Boro's last year and were close for the few years before that so they need to make those kind of sales every year just to break even. In August 2009 they were rated as having a credit score of 2 out of 100 and were technically insolvent. Without Dave Whelan they are goosed. Not that different from Boro except they haven't started saying 'no' yet.
.....burning question - is Eric still camped out at Crockcliffe or is he now back at Gazette Towers huddled around a mug of coffee watching Sky Sports??? Just need to know whether the 'hotline' is still 'hot'??
**AV writes: No he is back. We just ring up 'senior figures' every hour on the hour to ask "have you heard anything yet? Has he rang?" If Caldwell is sleeping on it he is keeping student hours.
Great write up AV. It is good that you mention the players up above and they bring back good memories. Howeveer what you fail to mention is that all those players wanted to play not like the primma Donnas today, who actually think they are better than they are.
I have seen all of the four supposed signings and none of them are any better than what we have already. It would appear that Strachan only wants his own people around him. I dont hold much hope for the future, if this is the quality of signing he is going to make
So if Caldwell goes to Wigan purely and simply he has gone for the money. 19 EPL games left most of which he would spend bench warming also the prospect that come May he could find Wigan relegated as they are only two places and one point of relegation zone . If only for self respect and his international career better to be playing regular with the Boro than not playing at all.
AV - I think your comment 10.01 this morning is probably the most accurate description of the reasons we are where we are now - we've started saying no!
Steve Gibson decided a couple of years ago that things had to change. He made this decision before we got into a situation like Portsmouth, West Ham, Liverpool, and Rangers where the Bankers are running the club and making decisions.
Soon enough one or more Premier League clubs will use up their goodwill at the banks and go under. Steve Gibson has stopped that happening to us - for the second time.
So, we're in the Championship and struggling a bit - but let's wait and see what happens in a couple of years and where the likes of Hull, Wigan, Pompey, Bolton, West Ham, Blackburn etc are then.
Good article AV. I too remember watching all those players and all of them great for Boro. Surely the lesson is that it doesn't matter what they have or haven't done for some other team, but what they will do for this team.
I'm in the camp that is waiting for Strachan to prove he is the right man for the job. however, this is the start of it. He's seen what he thinks the shortcomings in the side are (on a technical basis, an emotional basis and an experience basis). We can only really begin to judge him based on the performance of the team that he is building. It serves no purpose at all to slag off or discount any of his signings untill we have seen what they can do for the team over a couple of months.
Here's hoping he is getting it right and despite my reservations, the team will have my unqualified support - even the new comers that Celtic fans are glad to see the back of.
Any news about Caldwell yet ?
OFFICIAL: Caldwell has passed a medical and agreed a deal with Wigan. From his agent.
"Caldwell has passed a medical and agreed a deal with Wigan."
Just like he did with us the AV, lol
13.25 Wigan Athletic have completed the signing of Celtic defender Gary Caldwell, who turned down a move to Middlesbrough.
The remedy for the so-called 'body blow' of Caldwell 'doing a Watson' is to go out and get a better centre-back - as well as securing the rest of the signings that are needed.
I well remember all of those who were getting similarly lathered when Watson did the same thing. I was never convinced about him anyway and said so at the time - and a few short months later he had proved himself not good enough for The Prem and got shucked off to Palace.
Boro may just have had a similar let off. On to the next targets.
As I posted above there are too many bad vibes about Caldwell from Celtic regulars to make me more than happy he's gone elsewhere.
In your response to our friend from Grove Hill above you refer to a cull of high earners if we dont go up. I'm sure this will happen up to a point. The parachute next year means we might be able to gamble and keep a small number for a further year.
If we remain in the Championship beyond that clearly the whole wage structure will have to come down considerably unless Mr Gibson is prepared to subsidise it to the tune of millions per year.
I'm sure you would agree with this broad picture. If so can you please explain to me what on earth we are doing offering a player nearly £1 million p.a. on a three and a half year contract?
Caldwell signs 4 year contract at Wigan. Thats a long time to keep your bum warm.
John Powls wrote:
"a few short months later he had proved himself not good enough for The Prem and got shucked off to Palace"
Actually QPR, though I agree with all the sentiments of the message. In business-speak, we should view this as an "opportunity" rather than a "threat".
Maybe the Wigan Hijack will become an annual fixture for the Boro, helping to renew our paranoia during the dark days of winter.
Does the Gazette know of a Caldwell plan B?
If we still get the three other Celtic players we are still short of a few more players.....any idea who the targets are?
**AV writes: Strachan says he has a queue of players who would be happy to come to Boro.
Good luck to Caldwell and Wigan. Doesnt want to play for us, it isnt a crime so lets move on.
Not even going to dwell on whether it is a blessing in disguise because when he has finished playing we will still be Boro fans. Same goes for Johnno, Downing, Sounness, Clough, Slaven. Even Vic and Uncle Eric.
We move on to the next stage of life on Planet Boro.
Win some, lose some, take the learning and move on. Strachan set the challenge, Caldwell failed the test. We win by not overpaying, and its clear that the player is money motivated therefore would have been wrong for us, so we win again.
No fault on Boros side this time. Next!
So £4.5m saved on Hulse, £3m saved on St Ledger and now £1m saved on Caldwell. If all were to sign 4 year contracts at say £18k a week = £8m in wages and £8.5m on tranny fees. This has reduced the clubs debt by over £16m. Now for a failed move for Ribbery and the club will be in profit!
The reject 11 is taking shape nicely.
Watson
Hulse,
St Ledger,
Caldwell
Now I’m off to get myself shucked off! Lovely
**AV writes: I like your thinking. Isn't that how big business and governments work.
One missed, so lets just worry about getting the 3 in. Not knowing that much about any of the 3 Celtic lads, but reading the comments here, seems like they may bring a bit of battle and leadership but dont seem to address the lack of creativity.
Looks like Kilgannon may be available for that central defensive slot for similar money, having turned down Burnley, Have you heard any more names on the grapevine AV?
Why does it take Boro so long to sign players up? Wigan have come in, made an offer and signed a player (Caldwell) in 24 hours, yet we have been talking about signing these players for over a week and we still don't have anyone signed up!
All seems a bit strange to me. If I was selling 4 no longer required players I don't think I would allow someone to come along and cherry pick from the bunch possibly derailing the whole deal. And i don't think many would.
So begs the question during negotiations was it made clear to Celtic we do the deal but knock back any approaches till we finished as i believe alot of the bigger clubs demand...
AV's response to John's post above is interesting. There clearly has been 'uproar' over the club saying 'no'. But surely the reason is partly because we aren't told why they are saying no.
For example Viduka left, we all assumed the barcodes were paying him silly money, but no one from Boro said 'we're not prepared to pay him the extra £20k a week he is demanding over the £40k (or whatever the figure was) we have offered'.
It all comes back to poor communications from the club and the fact that it operates in an opaque world we peer into, see some shadows and make a guess at what they are.
I think its great that the club is acting responsibly, I think its poor that they are not willing to explain themselves more openly.
**AV writes: I don't think you are right there. The Viduka deal was disected publicly and the chairman explained the potential costs and the implications in great detail. It was stressed that he wanted "half an entire year's season ticket money."
The problem is that so many fans simply don't believe it and prefer to accept the conspiratorial line ("Lambie has dropped a goolie") or the players' view propagated by Bernie ("they are not treating the players right".) People have to accept the reality of Boro budgetary constraints.
OFFICIAL: The Celtic Three have all signed now.
Why instead of coming out with a load of nonsense don't newly signed players admit why they turned one team down in favour of another.
Not "I was sold on the managers vision, long wish to play in the Premier league, massive club with great fans and long standing history."
No the real reason why i ditched club A in favour of Club B was that Club B offered me £_______ more fill in any figure you want + massive sigining on fee so I am happy to come here to be a spare part and collect loads of cash in the process.
Good to see that the Celtic three have been offered only fairly short term contracts.
Maybe the way forward for Boro is to only offer players two year deals and then hopefully the players will put in a bit of extra effort to earn another deal.
C'Mon Boro!
I've read plenty of interviews with Lamb and Gibson before where they insist they will not be help to ransom by agents and have walked away from many deals due to it. Gibson even said there are some agents in the game he will never work with.
I also do recall the Viduka saga being very public with Steve Gibson saying that he offered Viduka more money than he would have liked yet Viduka still wanted more.
The fact remains that MFC decided a long time ago to not reveal too much about dealings with players and agents and I'm sure that for every player we are talking to that the public knows about, there is another one we're talking to in and managed to keep it quiet.
We may all demand to know what's going on but at the end of the day this is the clubs business and I doubt they'll be holding press conferences to explain why a player turned us down, or why for that matter, we declined to buy them.
Well Vic, three out of four ain't bad.
The other day I wrote about a Five Point Plan For Stopping Boro... after Caldwell's U-Turn I was tempted to add a sixth, "Snatch a player they're about to sign from under their noses."
But then, Ferguson did that with Keane when he was ready to sign for Blackburn years ago, so such a trick is not strictly reserved for the likes of us. You could be forgiven for thinking it is so, though, after Forlan, Watson and now Caldwell...
And, truthfully, Caldwell WAS an international centre-back. He did score in the famous win over France.
So who plugs the gap at centre-back now? I maintain that while it's too easy to blame our shaky defence on the sale of the Berlin Wall (most pro-Southgate pundits were more than happy to!), we haven't really replaced him.
Speaking of Bernie - when will the next video meeting be with your good self, Eric, Bernie, Jeff etc, end of the transfer window? `it's been a while since the last one.
**AV writes: Good question. It will be nice to get the old band together again. Either that or re-run our pre-season one for a laugh. How long ago does that seem?
Whether or not we can agree on the merits of the Celtic three, it's good to see some much needed bodies arrive early in the transfer window - and all for a relatively small outgoing fee - plus I'm sure they'll have an impact both on and off the pitch.
The club were right not to push the boat out to capture Caldwell - afterall, his CV is not that fantastic (Newcastle, Darlington, Hibs, Coventry, Derby, Hibs, Celtic) - plus we still have three decent players for that position already.
Though the headline 'Flood Killen Robson at the Riverside' sounds like our former manager left it a little too late before realising he was out of his depth.
**AV writes: Caldswell That Ends Well
**AV writes: Bhoys on Tees? Middlesbrough-on-Clyde surely. My column today is about the old days when "Boro sign international star" inevitably meant a Scottish Under-21 reserve from Dundee or Third Lanark.
Er, there was no Scottish Under 21 team when Third Lanark were still going AV. And by the way, there was an excellent article on the 'Hi-Hi's' in a recent 'Backpass' magazine, well worth a look.
It's fair enough that Caldwell takes the extra 7k a week on offer plus what seems to be a longer deal. I'd pick up splinters for an extra 2m in my bank!
Maybe he is a big blogger himself and saw the reactions of fans to his signing and thought Wigan would be a warmer reception?!
Cheers for the updates AV, its great to have a bit of an inside track, keeping us up to date.
As for Dukes, 80k a week was his reported contract and he played 9 games in his final season - whilst I wanted him to stay and was gutted the club did not sign him up (lets stake The Count) I think it turned out to be a good decision. (All hail the Count). The bad decision was not replacing Jimmy, Yak and Vids with similar goal scoring quality. Look where it got us. We never recovered from them leaving.
Any early news on the next targets AV? Where are the strikers?????
AV
Just re-read your piece atop this thread and more than a few of the posts therein.
What strikes me about the successes that might have been - and probably were - judged harshly when they arrived is just how much their 'transformation' had to do with managers that knew what they were doing.
Just take Murdoch, Hickton and Foggon for three - they fitted a 'them shaped' niche in a team pattern and a style of play that, in that case, Jack Charlton had in his head and translated so successfully to the pitch.
That's why Strachan has to be judged in the same light - and so do the incoming players that are of his choosing.
The acid test for all of them will be if they 'fit' into a Strachan pattern and style of play in his head that produces a team on the pitch that is significantly more than the sum of the individuals and succeeds.
That's all that matters and if they do succeed in the same way they will be the heroes of this era just as Hickton, Foggon and Murdoch were of theirs.
Chances are - especially with (I hope) several more decent recruits coming in - that it'll be more than the work of one or two games to establish that pattern.
By then, achieving even a play off spot this season might be a heroic aspiration.
AV: Serious question, is this a bigger blow for Boro as a football team or a bigger blow for Strachan's credibility as he seemed to have put a lot of store into signing this particular "leader of men" ?
**AV writes: I think it is a massive blow to Strachan, not neccessaily to his credibility because you can't argue with money, but certainly to his plans. He had invested a lot of strategic thought in building a team around his proxy at the back - a player who despite a hefty offer and personal kudos we could not secure.
Where was Dave bloody Whelan when we needed him when we were signing Alves - that's what I'd like to know. Too busy renaming buildings after himself no doubt!
Ironically if he had gazumped us there too, that would have been another stick for a number of posters to beat the Count with. With hindsight of course, he gets the freedom of the town and hindsight is never in short supply in the diasboro.
Strachan has inherited a psychologically fragile team from a psychologically fragile manager who dispensed with the services of Bill Beswick who clearly helped to keep the team psychologically robust.
Strachan stated earlier in the week that he has 'to bring in people that I know from this level and people I have seen at this level recently.' so that's what we will be getting, and hence the 3 from Celtic.
He also said: 'we need a couple of leaders. We have one or two and we have players who want to be led.But we need more of them and that’s what we are trying to do.'
Until the team gets a spine (which must have been why he wanted Caldwell) it will struggle. As I see it we still need a leader up front, a leader at the back and (long-term) a leader in goal. If he doesn't get those in this window, then his own psychological fragility could come into play and his thoughts may return once again to his round-the-world trip.
I have my doubts that a successful championship and premiership club is going to be built on a chance meeting in the stands at Coventry.
Yes, I don't have any choice about who I support and I've done more than my fair share of 2nd division mid-table mediocrity. I don't want be disappointed by who I support but I'm not inspired and the jury will be out for a while I suspect.
From Nigel Reeve: "......I think its great that the club is acting responsibly, I think its poor that they are not willing to explain themselves more openly."
AV's response: **AV writes: I don't think you are right there……..
For clarification of the above, I think AV is right in the Viduka case. Gibson went public and very specific on that. It was possibly the one time that the club has shared such information as openly with the supporters. And I recall that the supporters, me included, stood squarely behind Gibson because we all felt that what was being asked was ludicrous. We accepted that Steve Gibson was right. Nobody that I know said that Gibson was wrong to overspend on Viduka.
BUT.................
That "process" of communication however, has not been repeated since or before it, and Gibson didn't learn from it.
That so many fans are in open revolt, is largely down to the way in which the club has NOT communicated, but has left the supporters feeling like they're an inconsequential part of the club - of all the stakeholders they're the ones who don't count a damn.
They've been left to find out the hard way, what the clubs new strategic approach was going to be, and to fill in the gaps for themselves. Even in May last year, GIbson was saying nothing but asking for "blind faith".
Had Gibson been as open as he was on the Viduka matter, many people, myself included, wouldn't be feeling as they are now and would have hung in there, knowing the reasons for everything and although not necessarily liking it, being pragmatically accepting of the reality of it.
What Gibson's policy (or non-policy) had been however, has isolated the fans from the facts and the thinking associated with them and has alienated many in the process.
As I've said on many previous posts, it's not the relegation and the decline in standards of play that offends so much, as the exclusion by those who run the club, of those who chose to associate with it, support it and wanted to feel part of it.
The PR has been absolutely dreadful. Which brings me right back to Nigel Reeve's point, with which I wholeheartedly agree.
The Viduka example merely serves to illuminate and reinforce the important subtlety of the matter that seems to be lost on Gibson & Co. They're response to criticism of communication is NOT to try to put it right professionally, but not to do any at all!!
Craig
It is just possible that an extra load of spondoolies AND playing in the premiership may have swayed Caldwell.
Lets try it in reverse. We have two holidays available Mr Craig, bed and breakfast in Benidorm or all inclusive in the Caribean both at the same price.
We must not get consumed by the fact players dont come here. An extra 38% on your salary and the chance to play at a higher level seems a reasonable reason to go Wigan if you ask me.
Would you turn a similar job move down?
AV.
Can you close this post down, and start a new one entitled something like "Robson at Riverside in bargain buy snap-up from Celtic"
In these economic climates I think these three buys are a steal and knowing some of my Celtic pals, they are gutted that Barry Robson is leaving, they reckon he is worth 5 times the amount.
All this viral vitriol, is making me wonder if we are supporters and fans, or are we hecklers and boo-boys.
UP THE BORO, THE BORO's GOING UP
AV
Beware incoming, expect posts from Werdorno Wallah any minute now as the 100 approaches.
A choice between the Premiership and the Championship is pretty straightforward. Professional footballers are not known for their altruistic tendencies, money talks, and at the moment the Boro are reduced to a whisper!
**AV writes: The Boro could do worse than look at you because you know where the goal is and have a predatory instinct that money can't buy.
Just caught a bit of Serie A on the TV. There was a balding striker playing for Siena who scored a couple of really ggod gaols against Inter at the San Siro.
I suggest if anyone gets a chance to try and find it on Youtube or an ESPN repeat. He may be worth a loan deal or short term contract.
We have lost the communicative-style leader we so badly need out of those four but in Robson I think we have found a player who wears his heart on his sleeve, will give us 110%, love every minute while doing so and will show leadership through actions. It's abundantly clear that the vast majority of Hoops fans really appreciated him and are sad to see him go.
As his former fans say (virtually to a man), he has lots of 'dig' and that is exactly the kind of player we need to help galvanise our spirits and to spur us on.
He could well turn into a hero with serious cult status. Welcome to Middlesbrough FC, fella!
I agree with Boro Doug that ultimately you can't blame Caldwell for signing a four-and-half year contract worth £25k a week as it's probably means he's secured his financial future for life by netting himself almost £6m.
So whilst we are all busy deriding bankers for excessive bonuses as the country struggles, it's still OK for average footballers to pocket even more ridiculous sums of money as most clubs edge towards the brink of insolvency.
But the same arguments are used to justify these massive salaries for both bankers and footballers alike - if you don't pay they will go elsewhere - Where are the regulators of football?
Sadly these chairman must already know that there will be no government bailout for football clubs and they will discover that giving in to the demands of the supporters is not really a defence for being reckless.
The problem is that most chairman haven't got the slightest inclination of being straight with the fans in case their precarious financial models start to unravel under the most basic scrutiny.
Let's hope Boro build an affordable and sucessful team to challenge the teams above them with meagre resources - it's now surely time Boro got value for money out of their big budget, otherwise the mismanagement label will start to stick.
I have to laugh out loud with these comments fans talk about the past as if we were Invincible. We only won a carling cup and look where that got us. oh yes
First There was Four now there was three... The 3 Amigos! It's the biggest laugh Ive had. What makes you so sure that these three are going to do anything? Thought players need to gel and be bedded In? And why hasn't any other club put In for them?
This Is for you AV - if the transfer window Is so good In buying and selling players In January why didn't we sell want-away players who wanted to leave last January?Such has Downing,Johnson,Mido,Alves,Shawky,etc,etc? We could of bought new players In then who could of made us stay up!So what Is the difference now?
Oh we are In The Championship. I would say this Is a harder League to be promoted too the Premiership than been Relegated from The Premiership or are we putting false hopes and blind faith again In The board and Management!
Look at Ex Premiership teams who have been relegated and been promoted within the season back to the Premiership The Stats are shocking look for yourself we are doomed oh I forgot Reading are still In the Championship,Sheff Utd are still there and the rest are In League 1!
Watched the same Serie A game and that bald striker galvanised the team.
Well worth an ask regarding a loan. He could fit right in with Mr. Strachen.
Remember the old saying "you only get what you pay for and we are getting Celtic REJECTS
Yes, didnt Maccarone look the part of a good centre forward for Sienna? And where did we play him most of the time? Out on the right wing. A decidion made by another clueless manager.
AV
Wish I could predict the lottery numbers as well.
Hello AV. just wanted to say how much I enjoy your blog. Absolutely brilliant. I have lived in Australia for six years now but still very passionate about the Boro.
The comment about us Teessider's having an "Ingrained negativity" is so true, as is "The aspirations of dreams that left us vunerable to the inevitable kick in the teeth that would surely follow" Classic line that could only be written by a Boro fan.
I remember being at Wembley with 30,000 flag waving Boro fans all cheering around me after Ravenelli scored against Leicester. I sat quietly and my wife said "Why aren't you cheering". My answer was, "We won't win this, we won't win any thing ". How sad is that? I was the same at Cardiff until the final whistle, my wife thought I was going to have a heart attack.
Your comment about my all time hero John Hickton made me laugh out loud.
I actually sat next to the great man in one of the corporate boxes at the Riverside several years ago. It took me half an hour to pluck up the courage to speak to the man, it was if I was 13 again?
Once again Anthony keep up the good work, I know alot of the lads out here in Oz read your column on the net. Never a dull read.
Good luck mate and if ever you are in Brisbane look up the Boro supporters club here, there's a few lads who will buy you a pint.
Regards,
Steve Mills Brisbane Australia.
**AV writes: Cheers. Keep the faith.
Ian if I was offered an extra 38% to move jobs I would expect that with the offer would come a lot more pressure and responsibility. Also there probably wouldn't be another 4 or 5 people in the same role.
What I am trying to say is that Caldwell decided purely for financial reasons. By his own admission he doesn't expect to walk straight into Wigan's starting 11. They have 19 games to save themselves from relegation. If he only plays three or four imes he still gets the cash. In a normal job if you only turned in three or four times you wouldn't expect to be paid surely. You can't compare the man on the street with a professional footballer.
We have been crying out for a midfield leader for our team. I believe B Robson will qualify for that. So a great signing - absolutely!
For the same reason I am disappointed about Caldwell. But I don't blame him - he has a PL opportunity now as well as a few extra million in the pocket over the next four years.
Interesting to see GS2 options now. I still bet him going for a leader in the defense (as we have only Poggy as a leader there) and feel confident we go for a goal scorer, too. The latter is essential. How long Poggy is still away injured?
Up the Boro!
Yes, I am getting exited again. Hasn't been so good for a few months now.
How about the following midfield against Sheffield Utd: A Johnson, B Robson, R Williams, O'Neil?
I know. We still need a goal getter up front... UTB!
Craig
I do not know what Caldwell is thinking so do not presuppose one thing or another. I pointed out reasons why he may have gone to Wigan, earlier in the thread I gave a list of possible reasons.
His thinking may be that by going to Wigan he will be a premiership footballer, if they go down he will be sold to another prem team. We do not know the reasons so we cannot just decide in our own minds and that is the definitive position.
No doubt it will be a number of factors one of which will be the extra money.
Ah the lull after the storm. Anyone heard any realistic rumours about GS2’s next list of targets? I’m looking in your direction AV?
Is the Phillips thing on, just waiting for Brum to buy a striker??
Also AV have you been able to find some stats on the away fans this year and has Jeff the ref been able to confirm that ref are telling linesmen not to flag for fouls?
Much appreciated.
**AV writes: I think Boyd is still the top target up front. I haven't got round to the away fans/mile/goal/£ ratio thing but it is on my list. I haven't seen Teesside's rent-a-quote ref since he set off on his beat the ice Pacific cruise before Christmas.
Two 18 year olds from Rangers worth investigating Gordon? Also Charlie Adam from blackpool? Quote
" John Fleck and Danny Wilson have rejected new contract offers by Rangers.
"Both 18-year-olds were offered contract extensions to their current deals which expire in 18 months’ time. However, the pair both believe they are worthy of better deals than the contracts tabled by the Ibrox club.
"It now remains to be seen if a deal can be struck in the near future with either player, of if they will be allowed to enter the final year of their contracts.
"The financial constraints Rangers are currently working under has made it extremely difficult for manager Walter Smith and chief executive Martin Bain to offer players improved deals.
"SportTimes has revealed Kris Boyd’s new contract offer is yet to be approved by the moneymen running the club and Nacho Novo and Kirk Broadfoot – who are both out of contract at the end of the season – won’t commit their futures to the club unless they are offered better terms.
"One bonus for Rangers during the current transfer window is the money they will bank if midfielder Charlie Adam is sold by Blackpool. 'Gers chief executive Bain demanded a sell-on clause be inserted in the deal when Rangers sold the player to the championship side for £500,000 in the summer.
"Adam has been outstanding for the club ever since, which has put him to the top of Middlesbrough manager Gordon Strachan’s wanted list. The 20 per cent sell-on clause means Rangers would bank £300,000 if Boro sign him for the £1.5m figure that has been reported."
If GS2 can't get the right striker in, there is always the option of pushing Wheater to be a target man. He is comfortable on the ball and can hold the ball up well and has the height that should dominate the opposition box. Should score a couple himself, but more importantly could enable others to get in, playing off him.
Still would need to get a decent addition for the centre of the back four.
Skysports understands Boro lining up move for Plymouth forward Jamie Mackie. Scored 12 goals in 81 apps for Pilgrims. Burnley, Forest & Derby also supposedly interested but Boro apparantly leading the chase for signature.
**AV writes: Well he scored against Boro so he fits the criteria.
AV are you trying to say Boro only ever sign forwards who score against us. (Tongue in cheek as he types). Typical Boro cynicism.
**AV writes: No, not just forwards. And not just scoring. Pretty much anyone who has a good game is in with a shout.
well jamie is 25 and played his football in england but he is scottish so definitely fits the bill !
I guess Strachan would have been on the phone to his mate Paul Sturrock who used to manage Plymouth to get the lowdown on him
craig said:
Skysports understands Boro lining up move for Plymouth forward Jamie Mackie. Scored 12 goals in 81 apps for Pilgrims
12 in 81 - I thought that Strachan was supposed to be very much interested in statistics and goals per game - nearly 1 in 8 in the championship really isn't the sort of record we should be looking for is it??
Scored 12 goals in 81 apps for Pilgrims - hardly a prolific or predatory goalscorer then! Don't know much about him - is he a big 'holding' centre forward? Aliadiere scored 5 in 31 [according to the BBC] so that puts him on a par!
And assuming Boyd is still the top target [which I see as a good thing] where does that leave us with his hernia op? How long will he be out for? Is he a longer-term signing [assuming we get him - don't know what the chances are in reality] and if so do we see a shorter term bet? Or is that Killen???
This is why we the transfer window thing doesn't work - for half of the year we can't speculate like this!
AV and braveheart1
Boyd and Adam would be a nice little package for Boro.
The latter would be particularly good snce it would have the added bonus of rubbing Ollie's nose in it and seeing him go off on one! It might just stop him spending quite so much time commenting on other clubs' fans.
He seems to trot that stuff out as often as Strachan's schtick about 'men' and how many of the Boro squad aren't married.
I have to say that I don't follow the logic around the supposed interest in Mackie.
I know it's only rumours but isn't he just the Scots Killen or is it that Killen is the Kiwi Mackie?
With Killen understudy to Boyd and either to be a partner to Lita the need is for the fourth striker is another greedy goal poacher. Step forward Keven Phillips!
My wife's cousin Neal Eardley plays for Blackpool and Wales. Sign him up.
Just wanted to applaud Richard for so succinctly summing up what has gone wrong between Boro/Steve Gibson and the fans.
From being 'one of us' he now appears to treat the fanbase as his enemy ( especialy those outside his imaginary catchment area...that was a ridiculous comment to make !) He and his cohorts must take a large amount of the blame for the current malaise among supporters.
He must as Richard says start communicating with us once more if he is to have any hope of rebuilding that trust, so important in any healthy relationship. This is not a time for blind faith, people need more than that, they need a plan and some honesty, not PR bloomers, not adidas shirts, and certainly not rebranding with a naff new badge for heavens sake !
To start selling the club as a product, and treating supporters as mere customers is a perilous path to take. As soon as the product begins to look less attractive, as it does now you have nowhere to go. You have sucked the soul and the history out of the club, lost that special feeling you once had with the fans, and your new found 'customers' go shopping elsewhere.
We need a group hug and clear the air talks, before we can in a manly way, walk hand in hand once more !
If we are in the market for a Scottish striker, how about David Goodwillie of Dundee Utd. Looks like a good prospect.
I was pleased to see Stewart Downing have another fine game for Aston Villa tonight. Hopefully, the "Boro" will be represented in South Africa in the summer.
Grove Hill Walla said he was pleased to see Stewart Downing have another fine game for Aston Villa tonight and that hopefully, the "Boro" will be represented in South Africa in the summer.
Me too, but I doubt it. He doesn't have the national press on-side. Today's ESPN journo has an article on Joe Cole that says Cole might struggle to get into an England wide berth spot in front of four others. He named Beckham, Walcott, Lennon, Milner. Downing didn't rate a mention.
Let's hope Capello isn't so blinkered. Walcott runs into his own shadow and Lennon can hardly cross his feet. Beckham would only be used as a sub and Milner is playing more of a striker role now. Personally I think Cole will nudge it ahead of SD as Capello likes his work rate.
John, Aus
John agree 100% Boyd and Phillips will do for me.
If the Sun is believed this morning Brums deal with Babel is back on for nine mil.Which means they will drop there intrest in Boyd and pave the way for Phillips release My only worry is the Mcliesh and Boyd past assosiations.
GS should do what O'Neil did with Downing snap Boyd up while injured hernia ops are not that serious these days and he could be playing by end of Feb. Do it GS
So Chelsea to pay up to £7m for Sturridge. What should we get for Johnson,and will that put some clubs off?
news today...
GARY CALDWELL last night claimed he'd been sold to Wigan against Tony Mowbray's wishes.
Caldwell also hinted Mowbray may have wanted to hang on to midfielder Barry Robson, who has joined Middlesbrough in a triple deal that also reunited Willo Flood and Chris Killen with former Celtic boss Gordon Strachan at the Riverside.
Strachan believed he had also lured Caldwell to the Championship club, only for a last-gasp change of heart by the defender, which he claimed was the toughest decision he's made in his career
If Strachan is after a goal scoring CF who can hold the ball up, step forward Ricky Lambert.
C'Mon Boro!
I personnaly think there is no doubt that Downing will go to South Africa, firstly he was part of Cappelos squad before he got injured and he has been nearly Man of the Match in his return games for Villa even though not fully fit yet.
I think he is now showing his full potential by working with a manger who plays him to his strenghts. WELL DONE STEWART. Despite what some supporters thought of you I referred you as a 8 year old kid and I have watched you progress over the years. YOU WERE ONE OF BOROS BETTER PLAYERS
A quote from Sam ‘Eatser Island’ Allardyce.
'We're aware of the availability of Gary O'Neil from Middlesbrough,' Allardyce said. 'But at the moment we don't have any finances in place to move for any players’
Is O’Neil available?
**AV writes: Of course he is available. He is on Premier League money and a Championship side can't really afford him. Boro exercised the two year option on his contract to ensure he still had a value or the club's only real proven PL player with any resale value could have walked on a free in the summer.
Sam Allardyce speaking on SSN..
"We are aware of the availability of Gary O'Neill from Middlesbrough"
Hmmm......
Hot off the press "We're aware of the availability of Gary O'Neil from Middlesbrough," Allardyce said.
So Strachen is getting rid of a full mid-field Digard, Swakey and now O'Neil and what do we get 3 Celtic REJECTS. This club is going nowhere. Another high earner off the wage bill. WELL DONE BORO, YOU ARE BECOMING MORE OF A JOKE AS THE WEEKS GO BY
Yes Ricky Lambert would be ok but cant play him this time has played for 2 clubs already
FIFA RULES
AV on sky text Big Sam is quoted as saying Garry O'Neil is for sale and he is "aware of his availability from boro". Is this the case that the club is offering our best players to clubs, not even waiting for bids to come in?
Is the whole squad available to anyone or just key wage earners? Sly of him to mention that fact boro offered the player - not so subtle attempt to unsettle the player as well.
Seems the contract extension was to protect the sell on fee in Jan not to keep the player at the club for longer - which would be disappointing if true
**AV writes: Of course the extension had to be taken up. Anything else would be irresponsible. And of course, if Boro don't go up - or are now budgeting on the assumption they won't - then everybody on big money is for sale. That is how it works at this level.
So what are we looking at, £2m for O’Neil? The way Strachan works he could bring in 5-6 players from Scotland for that.Would O’Neil want to go to Blackburn? Would he be forced to go? Would this bring other clubs in for him notably Fulham and of course Hull.
So at last count the Boro coffers had at least £1m in Transfer fees’s available and £18k a week in wages. If the Caldwell stats are to be believed. If the club doesn’t have to sell in this window (massive IF) and there may still be some funds saved from St Ledger. By my maths* moves for Boyd and or another player of similar quality is still possible.
*Please note according to my Maths, Enron and HBOS would still be trading nicely.
**AV writes: I don't think Boro WANT to sell O'Neil. They see him as the key man in the team. But they will know they can't afford not to sell if they get a good offer, either now or in the summer. I think there are players he would rather sell first... Aliiadiere, Arca, Jones are all on PL money, Riggott and Poggi are out of contract in the summer so he will be under pressure to cash in now.
It comes down to whether Strachan believes that he can fund a major rebuild now or would prefer to wait until the summer.
If 'Easter Island' wants O'Neil and he's got no money how about he offers Boro any three of the following as a swap:-
Jason Roberts, Ryan Nelsen, Zurab Khizanishvili, Steven Reid, Chris Samba, Paul Robinson, Brett Emerton
I'd take that sort of a package.
**AV writes: Those kind of deals are non-starters because of the wages.
AV
any info from behind the scenes from the higher ups on how Strachan is handling the job ?
So the Boro Bhoys are to be MFC's next big gamble? lets hope this one works out better than the last few gambles it's taken...
Shame about ONeil, it would have been nice to hold on to him as one of our better performers, even if he has gone missing with the rest of the squad at times this season and last.
Fingers crossed we dont just see another false dawn like we did at the beginning of the season before our Premier League players left, the Bhoys come in, we look good for a few games, then at the end of the month johnno and O'Neil leave and we go back to being terrible again.
We should see £10m from Johnson and O'Neil, lets hope GS2 gets the cash and can invest wisely. We need several more job lots of players in (Scottish or otherwise - at least they'll be used to the cold) before the Boro will have any strength in depth and a bench that can change games, never mind a starting 11 that can win them.
**AV writes: There is NO CHANCE of raising that kind of money. Jonno is out of contract in the summer and unless two clubs he personally wants to join tell him it is now or never and conduct an auction I can't see him raising much.
I said jokingly back in the summer that the captain's armband at the Boro had a 'For Sale' sign on it - it's seemingly being used to extract a bit of extra cash from potential buyers. First Downing, then Huth, now O'Neil - though it didn't seem to do much for Wheater's value.
Boro still receive about a third of their PL money from the parachute payments in order to cover some of the contracts of players on PL wages.
It would not be the action of a club seeking promotion to sell their most consistent performer at this stage of the season - he'll still have the same value come June if he's got another two year's left on his contract.
Though given the huge grey area regarding the club debt, nothing would surprise me anymore - but we would lose any momentum gained from signing the Celtic three if started selling our better players now.
It's not a question of 'getting rid' of Gary ONeil - he never wanted to come here, which is a shame because I think he's a great player. It has been obvious since 'day one' that he would sooner be somewhere else (anywhere it appears !).
I was surprised that he wasn't picked up by a bigger club - he and his 'mate' Matthew Taylor' are very talented players who deserve to be on the fringe of the England squad and would have been if they had been playing for a club in the top half of the premiership. They never got the credit they deserved.
He's lucky he didn't get his wish and go back to Pompey like he wanted to - he'd be begging for his wages like the rest of them. Some people just don't appreciate how lucky they are.
The greedy, ugly, unfair, phoney, corrupt model of football is going down the tubes before our eyes - brilliant !!!!!
I'm really looking forward to seeing 'innovative' mechanisms the owners of Man Utd, Liverpool, Tottenham et al.... are going to come up with to get their hands on more funds because clearly the operating model needs more 'Bunce'.
I hope they don't come up with the same old boring ..'sell the stadium to my son's company who rents it ..... releasing funds ...' or ....a new 'gilt' bond issue because fans are telling us they want to be part of a football club owning democracy .....'
Maybe they should consider asking fans to adopt a blade of grass from the pitch?
Maybe they could try using the copyright laws to charge fans for using the name of a club/player in their songs ?
Have they thought of charging people living near the stadium some sort of levy for being able to hear all the excitement for free !
Can anyone else remember those BS accountant/reporter types who used to come on the TV and tell us that " from a financial perspective the fan in the stadium is irrelevant .. the real and important revenue streams will be ..secured from television rights .. pay-a-you-go blah blah blah blah ." ?
I get bored with most TV games within 30 minutes ..
Apart from the world cup the one footballing event I am looking forward to is the Rooney sold to 'Real Barcelona' press conference. It will be great to hear the justification. Maybe they will come clean and say ' We (you) are on the bones of our arses ... I'm off to Lalapalooza...Have a nice day...'
AV is spot on with his comments that anyone on PL wages HAS to be available.
Even the Red Tops [and even the Maily Dale even though none of the Royal Family are footballers, apparently] are now talking about the crisis in football finances, at all levels but especially the Prem where the betting is on not who will be first, but how many clubs might just go to the wall.
What Sam actually said is that he can't afford O'Neill. He also said that noone had bid for any of his players, and that he needed to sell before he could buy. This is probably more the media trying to stimulate some stories in a moribund transfer window - weekly pre match press conference
"Sam, you say you want some new players - are you aware that Boro will sell GON if the price is right?" Sam: "We're aware of the availability....etc etc".
Some players might well feel the cold winds starting to blow, preferring to hang on to see out their lucrative current deals because when they expire on 2/3 years time they won't get such generous terms ANYWHERE.
Seen many big deals go down? Nope, me neither. Wigan 'splashed their cash' on a £1m player on a c£25k/week contract. Interestingly I see Newcastle have [on the face of it] withdrawn from any Beckford deal because they won't pay £1.5m.
The whole market is being realigned, visibly [transfer fees, number of transfers, greater focus on players within the UK rather than foreign etc etc] and invisibly [players wages, agents fees etc]. This is only the start, finances in football are about to implode - I think Boro are doing sensible things, financially. Lets hope we can do better things on the pitch!
I have missed something? Has O'Neill left?
One comment from a gobby manager and evryone seems to think O'Neill has gone.
Blackburn are in freefall just like Boro last season. I am sure if O'Neill does leave it will not be for a team as poor as Blackburn.
C'Mon Boro!
I think it purely depends on Strachan. If he was offered a pretty good sum of money for O'Neil, knew he could keep the money to strengthen the squad then he may consider it.
I mean let's face it, O'Neil is a solid worker with a reasonable bit of quality above Championship level, but he is not going to get us up single handedly. Just not that kind of player.
If you're offered something good, like £4-5m and then consider that his wages are three times that of an average champo player, then if, and I mean if, Strachan has players in mind to buy within range, he may consider it since he could easily turn O'Neils fee and wages into three new signings.
Ultimately though it will all fall down to money and whether we can afford to turn down quality bids.
AV I hear what you say about the need to sell, but I think we might get £3m for Johnson vVia a Tribunal as we will be entitled to compensation as he is under 24.
But what other assets can we raise? Pogatetz £1m bid turned down even though he has only 6 mths left on his contract. Risky if we are in a big financial hole.
Riggott, can’t see us selling him due to injury record. Possibly could leave for free in summer
Wheater, £3m, maybe. Not really proven in Prmeier league, not excelling this year either.
Hoyte £750,000 squaddie for a bottom half prem team, e.g. Bolton. In fact I could see Bolton buying all of our players
Arca, no value
O’Neil £2.5m, the remaining 2.5yrs on his contract = £3.25m
Yeates £250,000
Aliiadiere £1m, Come on Mr Coyle dig deep!
Emnes ?
Digard, any news on the fee agreed with Nice, AV?
So really only three potential big money sales. Will any of them be here in August??
ONeil and Robbo will be awesome for Boro it must stay in place at all costs. Add Boyd and Phillips to this squad and we will make the playoffs.
l would love to see Yeats,AJ,ONeil and Robson across the middle.
Sky Sports News Middlesbrough confirm Sheff Utd in talks to sign Mark Yeates for £500k.
Yates looks like being on his way now - GS2 is definately putting his stamp on the team. As worrying as the O'Neil speculation is you get the feeling the club has a very specific direction this transfer window. Before it seem pretty hit and miss about who would sign and if they would. Now it feels like targets have been identified and the gaps will be filled. With two weeks left lets hope they will be.
Routledge would be a step up from Yates. Johnson, O'Neil, Robson, Routledge across the middle is starting to seem (dream) like a solid midfield.
Routledge I guess would be a more expensive player to sign - but the offer of knowing who your manager will be next month maybe tempting!
Still need those strikers.......
I like AV's comment that GS2 would rather get rid of Aliadiere, Arca or Jones ahead of O'Neil! Who wouldn't? Fat chance of any interest for those players though.
Lets hope Strachan decides to keep O'Neil until the Summer at least, Fat Sam playing 'mind games' to unsettle O'Neil I suspect, hopefully that won't work he has proved a grounded, honest guy to date.
braveheart1 - are you for real? I like the idea of the Count giving the Gazette sportsdesk a bell to apraise them of Strachan's performance to date!!!
"Middlesbrough have confirmed that Sheffield United are in talks to sign Mark Yeates. It is believed Boro have agreed a £500,000 fee with United, who they coincidentally play on Saturday.
Boro are already being strongly linked with a replacement in the shape of Queens Park Rangers' Wayne Routledge."
AV, Any truth in this?
**AV writes: There has been contact from Sheffield United but no fee has been confirmed. Routledge is just one of many names that seems to be floating around although he has been linked to Boro every other transfer window since 2002.
The news about Yeates to The Blades is a bit of a curiosity.
For all his enthusiasm and trying he's never really showed he could step up to be truly effective in even this very poor league. So, why do United want him? I presume it will mean him warming a bench at Bramall Lane rather than The Riverside but I guess he'll get another signing on fee.
The other curiosity was Mr. "Why are only two of the squad married" complaining because Yeates wanted a few days to talk to his good lady about another move.
Whilst I had my tongue pretty firmly in my cheek on most of that Blackburn swap list since it was aimed at raising the proverbial and metaphorical digit to Mr. Easter Island - word has it from a variety of sources that there are deals to be done on Roberts and Nelsen - and maybe even Andrews who I didn't list because I don't particularly rate him, but he is a sort of poor man's Gary O'Neil.
Why is Strach considering letting Yeates go? Along with O'Neil, he tortured QPR... he's still very useful to us.
We should see £10m from Johnson and O'Neil...
**AV writes: There is NO CHANCE of raising that kind of money. Jonno is out of contract in the summer and unless two clubs he personally wants to join tell him it is now or never and conduct an auction I can't see him raising much.
**lowers head sheepishly** I stand corrected AV - I had based my made up figures on us moving him on to Chelsea / Sunderland etc whom the nationals have speculated a deal of£ 4-6m being done if in January, and assumed about £4m for O'Neill to get to the £10m, although I'd guess that with the noises coming out of the club it sounds like we will get to keep Johnno until the summer anyway - good for fans & team performances, but bad for the balance sheet and transfer cash I suppose.
Heres hoping for a great performance from the new Boro Bhoys on Saturday!
AV, what's going on with Mark Yeates?
I think he's shown plenty of promise, can't be one of our top earners to get rid of and is a player who works his socks off. I also read he can play up front since he has an eye for goal.
So why can't he get anywhere near our team? Twice in the press Strachan praised him, and twice he dropped him immediately afterwards. Suspicious man management if you ask me.
Now it seems he is letting him talk to Sheff Utd. I don't see how Strachan is strenghtening our squad by buying one and selling one. 3 in 3 out so far!
Getting a 24 year old for £500k was good business, especially with his record - let's just recall that in his half season in the championship (before he got injured) he scored nine goals from left wing for his team. AJ has scored the same in the first half of the season and is lauded as the best player in the league. Does Strachan have something up his sleeve that we don't know about?
I'm thrilled at our three signings but that hope is tarnished by letting more players go without giving them a chance.
I am concerned about selling players like O'neil and Yeates at this stage with no replacements lined up. I thought Yeates looked like the kind of player we need at the moment, I accept he is no world-beater but at least he gives it a go. Selling him is one thing, to a play-off rival is stupidity.
O'Neil should not be sold either for reasons stated in previous posts. The way it sounds to me is that the club is still in deep financial trouble and we are going to be in this league for a while longer with more mediocre players arriving. James Mackie?!? seriously, 202 games 33 goals is just the kind of striker we need!
I am willing to give GS2 the end of January to convince me he knows what he is doing in terms of building a team. I am still waiting for the club to convince me that they have a clue how to run it professionally. I'll still support the team no matter what, even if we go down again which is not ye out of the question.
**AV writes: No one is trying to sell O'Neil. He is the first name on the team-sheet and if worst comes to worst he can easily be sold in the summer. But most of the rest are depreciating by the week and any offers in January will be considered.
AV,
I see no reason why Johnson and O'Neill couldn't fetch close to £10m.
Sturridge has just cost Chelsea £6.5m, a fee set by an FA Tribunal, probably keen to ensure that young English players are fairly valued, thus incentivising clubs to continue to develop young players.
So if Sturridge is valued at £6.5m, what value Johnson? He has a more impressive first team track record than Sturridge, and a more impressive U21 record, so why not £8m.
I don't get the O'Neil thing. I've never seen him take a game by the scruff of the neck, and god knows, we've needed someone too for 18 months now. But I still think someone would offer £2m, and if they did, I'd snap their hand off.
So there you go - £10m.
Other comments:
I work with a Celtic fan - he's says we dodged a bullet missing out on Caldwell; that Robson is a gem - but an injury prone one; and that Killen and Flood might never make an appearance.
The squad needs some radical restructuring. Too many players who can't play, or don't want to play. Strachan has made his judgement and is shipping out those he doesn't rate, and replacing accordingly. Hats off to him.
If Yeates is off to Sheff Utd, how about Chris Morgan in return. Just the nasty loud leader we could do with.
And we must sign a striker. AV, you must use your contacts to keep us up to date on this one. Agree with the Villa tactics with Downing. Get Boyd signed up now, even though we might not see him for a month.
And finally, anyone who watched B'burn-Villa last night will know Downing has a great chance of makng the World Cup Squad.
**AV writes: We have all been waiting on the Sturridge judgement because it will be cited as a precedent. One of the chief factors in the valuation of Sturridge was that Man City had offered him a £40k a week + big bonuses four year contract last year and were - shrewdly - very public about doing so.
Boro have made a "fantastic" offer to Jonno but it won't be anywhere near that. Plus I think the fact we are in the Championship may also cost us. It will be very interesting to see exactly how this one pans out.
Just got back from a very cold few days in the old Eastern Europe hence not able to reply (Ian & Clive) to some of the points I raised earlier.
Ian does have a point that apart from Wheats we do seem to have Crockliffeitis with the others (makes me think even more about my wish to sign Morgan at the start of the season from the Blades).
Clive, yes it was a bit vitriolic but I'm getting really fed up with seeing our best players and best prospects going and the calibre we are being linked with. In two years we have gone back 20 years and are now back to being a mediocre mid table 2nd tier 11.
I don't see the point in selling Yeates as he is certainly no worse than the unproven trio coming in. Of those 3 Robson may be the hoped for surprise package, lets hope so!
It looks like there may be wholesale changes in the offing but I suspect that not many of the incoming will set the heather alight and we will still be stuck with the "usual suspects".
Call me old fashioned, but I find it a bit sad that we are considering our players as just assets, to be moved between clubs to suit financial restrictions. I like to think of ourselves as a family club, where everyone, be it tealady or star striker (I wish ) are all treated the same.
Whatever happened to just supporting a club, having a few pints and a moan, and revelling in the occasional defeat of one of the big boys. We don't expect Champions League football, just the chance of some Saturday escapism. Money is ruining our game, and possibly our club.
Ambition and positive thinking. Sale of Huth £5m which could raise to £6m, possible move of O'Neil £2m. Missing out on promotion priceless!!! (£60m+)
Hade Edge Boro stated above that Strachan is shipping out those he does not rate. Hats off to him. If Strachan rates some of the ones in the BORO squad that he is keeping then no wonder we have a very poor record since he took over -
Jones, Mcmaon, hoyte,Arca,and his failure loan signings. Until he clears the deck completely of these players. However, having said that the players he is bringing in leaves a lot to be desired.
Our supposed two better players Johnson and O'Niel are going to leave anyway, either now or in the summer, so get what you can for them. If Strachan wants his OWN team then he might as well get a FULL SQUAD OF PLAYERS. Because some of the better players of the present BORO squad are not even getting a chance under him.
I thought at the time of Southgate departure (one point off the top of the league) Strachan would have consolidated that position with decent loan signings, but it has had entirely the opposite affect, he has made us into a team of failures and we have went down the league rapidly.
Yes we are only 5 points off a play off place, however, that is due to the failure of the teams above us, it certainly has nothing to do with our performances since he took charge.
I will still be shouting for us today as I have done for over the last 50 years, but to be honest this is the weakest set of players this club has ever had and I have seen them all, for over 50 years.
The big problem with the Jan window is always the same. We as Boro will suffer from it.What will probably happen is the same as the summer window acceptable take it or leave it offers for AJ, GON and probably Poggi,one or two days before the window closes.
The money situation will make Boro do business and no time to replace as with Huth and the Turk, there will only be loan options available by then,We end up with the same very small squad but much less experienced.
Hope I am wrong but we have been on the wrong side of these windows since we had to sell before we could buy.I think it started with Luke Young, any body agree.
Lets face it. We are running out of saleable assets, so we might as well let O'Neil and Johnson go, because after them we have no one else to sell to anyone who is in their right mind. We are going to be left with a team that is worth very little.
I am sure that Gibson and Lamb knew this when they started their "High Earner" clear out. I think they knew at the time that the team under Southgate was going nowhere but down, so cash in whilst you can.
I think they now also know that things have got no better under Strachen so lets have another clear out economic sense dont you think. I wonder what the price of the team will be after these two go.
I really did have some hope at the start of the season (not much I may add) but we have gradually got worse as the season has gone on.
What is the big deal with O,Neil? He's an average central midfield player who has no cutting edge to his game, his free kicks for the most part are wasted, most of his passes are square or played into poor areas, hence the manager prefers a loanie and Williams in the middle pushing him wide.
Yates found his level in Div 1 and thats where he will make a living allbeit behind the strikers. He's never an out and out winger, there are a number of other players in the squad who are thought to be better than they are,a slight bias from the local media (they want to stay in the good books), Gordon has found out the ones who cant handle his expectations thats why next season there might be 10 new faces
I must admit I am at a bit of a loss at Yeates going. He hadn't stepped up a level yet but he always put the effort in and never hid on the pitch.
As for the other two leavers, Shawky and Digard, one was never here and one was never fit so that is two off the wage bill who didnt contribute.
The disappointment was Digsoft but if you buy a player who was injured and unfit as one for the future then you may get what you paid for. Injured and unfit. But I wish him well at Nice.
In reality you could argue that it has been three in and maybe one out.
AV
What has happened to your live match blog? Mave I missed an announcement or has it just faded away?
**AV writes: We don't know exactly. It is either my steam driven laptop (which is weird because it worked perfectly well for six weeks), some configurations have changed at their end (but no one else seems to be affected) or something about the proxy we use to connect. People who know what they are talking about are looking at it.
I'd rather get it right before we go again because if you run it and it is unreliable and keeps conking out then eventually people just give up. It is a shame because we were just building a decent and lively audience. I thought it was going well.
TIM from SA said: "while injured hernia ops are not that serious these days"
Hope you are speaking from experience mate I go into hospital on Monday to have mine sorted. Not sure how I got it, unless it was all those kicks in the undercarriage I have had through being a Boro supporter for 55 years.
Wish me luck
Dave Connor
I agree with you about Gibbo and Lamb but I think it started earlier than under Gate. AV tells us about wasting the legacy of Eindhoven but My view is that this is the true legacy of Eindhoven.
Even during our run to the final it was clear that we had big earners, some ageing who just were not up for it in the league, the culling was going to place whether MacMoses stayed or went off to become Wally with the Brolly.
Many a club has fallen foul of over reaching themselves, Leeds, Leicester, West Ham, Bolton, Blackburn, Soton etc. Eventually gravity reasserts itself. Sometimes they hold on by their fingernails to regroup, sometimes relegated (sometimes twice!), some manage their resources better than others.
They come back at some stage be it sooner or later.
Mohammad
Good luck with the hernia op.! A lot seems to depend on the surgeon.
When I had mine done a few years ago (silly old farts shouldn't play squash!) I'd read about the sort of keyhole surgery that they use on pro sports players to promote quick healing and fitness recovery.
I discussed this with the surgeon doing mine who 'encouraged' me by telling me that he didn't believe in the 'keyhole' stuff and I could expect a wound 'more like a letterbox'.
When I woke up after the op. it was clear he hadn't been joking!
It was more fun going under the anaesthetic than I'd expected because - by co-incidence - the anaesthetist was a Boro fan of about my vintage. Instead of counting backwards from a hundred he asked me to remember the names of the first Boro side we'd both seen.
I got to Ray Yeomans before I succumbed.
AV.
Imagine, if you will, there were (stretching the bound of improbabilty I know) a perfectly well run (stop laughing at the back) and solvent (stop it) Championship football Club which for years has been run in a parsimonious way on crowds of 12-15,000 or so.
It has no debt but no wealthy backer ready to sink money in. It has invested in an all-seater stadium with a capacity of 25,000. (The maximum likely in his middling sized town where the Club is based). It occasionally rears and sells a promising youngster which contributes to the coffers and means in turn they can afford to nick the cram from the division below.
Everything is in fact hunky and dory. The occasional cup run to the quarter finals keeps the natives happy. (Except for the old blokes for whom it was better in their day, they had proper players back then.)
Anyway, one day disaster strikes and they are promoted to the Premiership. Expectations are raised and the Chairman gulps when he realises that everyone will be knocking on his door asking for a cut of the TV money, increased gate, sponsorship revenue.
The Chairman knows without spending all of the money (and probably more) on new players and pay hikes to the existing ones but without this expenditure relegation is seen a certainty.
Even with this expenditure, it is a strong possibilty. The Chairman considers the long term future of the Club, says 'Stuff this for a game of soldiers' and sees the Club relegated with a record minimum points tally (2. Both home nil nil draws) but they are still solvent, have no debt and life carries on as before.
There is a point to all this.
If the Chairman had said, I'll gamble.... 11 new players on Prem salaries plus transfer fees plus agents fees etc set against the increased revenue... Is there ANY way of that hypothetical Club not becoming technically insolvent even if they avoid relegation?
Just thought I'd ask.
Not long to go now. Only Wheater, Johnson O'Neil and Williams left to cash in on then we will have achieved the double of bleeding the club dry and Championship mediocrity. Then steve Gibson and Keith Lamb will have the football club they quite frankly deserve.
Sometimes you have to get back to fundamentals.
Stevie Gibson has done a fabulous job since rescuing us from bankruptcy. His halo may have slipped a little with Gareth Southgates dismissal, but, hey, we're all entitled to put a foot wrong in 20 years.
Keith Lamb, who knows why he's still in his job? A waste of space.
If you look at our team, who would be good enough to play in the Premiership, if we happened to get back there? Adam Johnson, who's going to leave anyway, and that's about it. Including Strachan's recent signings. I think it's not coincidence that we haven't been deluged with offers for players like O'Neil, Wheater, Alliadiere, Arca and Hoyte. They're not up to the mark.
And Strachan? Struggled at Coventry and Southampton. Cleaned up at Celtic, but my Mam would have managed Celtic to one of the top two places.
So, in my opinion we're going nowhere. My vote would be to clear out Lamb and Strachan and start again. I can't see it happening, unfortunately.
I've supported Boro for nearly 50 years. We were always an old Division 2 side. With Stevie G's support, we've punched above our weight for quite a few years. But, maybe, the Championship is where we're likely to be for a little while.