Look Low, Aim High.
NOT a single Boro player in the PFA's Championship team of the year. That's not a surprise really. It has been a stuttering season that has been patchy at best and this team - picked by the players - is about consistency.
But it is also a shop window. And one that Boro should be looking in longingly.
Johnno would have been a shoo-in had he stayed, Barry Robson may have been in with a shout had he arrived early enough and Gary O'Neil - branded the best midfielder in the division by both his managers this term - fizzled out just as his fellow professionals went to the polls in early March.
Instead the votes went to players from the team who ground out wins and put in efficient performances week in, week out to get their sides into the play-off places. And it is hard to disagree with the team:
Lee Camp (Nottingham Forest)
Chris Gunter (Nottingham Forest)
Fabricio Coloccini (Newcastle)
Ashley Williams (Swansea)
Jose Enrique (Newcastle)
Graham Dorrans (West Brom)
Peter Whittingham (Cardiff)
Kevin Nolan (Newcastle)
Charlie Adam (Blackpool)
Andy Carroll (Newcastle)
Michael Chopra (Cardiff).
What is damning is that so many of those players are exactly the names that should have been on Boro's radar in recent years. They should have been the players Boro bought when they instead splashed out on expensive projects like Emnes and Digard.
Dorrans - who has destoryed Boro twice this season - could have been our player for a cut-price ã200k had the scouting staff and Gareth listened to then Livingstone boss Mark Proctor who badgered them two years ago to sign a young lad he was convinced was destined for big things. They declined and more perceptive West Brom profitted.
Proc tipped them the wink on Ross McCormack too but Boro dithered over the then ã250k rated goal-getter and eventually he went to Cardiff, scored a load of goals and before he was injured found himself with a ã6m pricetag around his neck.
Charlie Adam may yet be a Boro player... some of the early spadework has been done with nods and winks exchanged in January when he was ameniable to a move but Blackpool refused to sell when they still had wild-eyed ambitions of somehow getting into the play-offs ahead of our heroes. The belief back then was that if Blackpool faded Boro would be back but the pecking order has changed now and if the Tangerine Dream comes true and he enjoys Wembley with the Kiss Me Quick merchants, then what?
But as for the rest, dream on. The Newcastle and West Brom players that could and should have been targets last summer will be beyond us and we can rule out anyone else from a team that goes up through the play-offs too.
But those are exactly the kind of players we need: consistent performers at this level who have the talent and determination to star in a promotion side. If we are to go up next season we will need three or four players who are strong candidates next year.
Gibbo and Lamb have assured us that Boro will be big players in the Championship transfer market this summer and that we can compete with anyone at this level. If so we should be looking at launching a series of pre-emptive strikes for these kind fo players now. And that will take a complete change in perspective.
For over a decade now, Boro's scouting has been all wrong. We have chased over the hill fading former big hitters who didn't really want to come here but who were chasing a final pay-day and Boro obliged. We have signed some of them and been left with massive deficits because they took their wages hom ein a wheelbarrow and had no resale value at the end of their deal.
Or we have risked the farm on players with appalling injury records and chequered pasts or taken wild punts on over-priced foreigners without doing our homework to ensure they were physically and mentally suited to the cultural leap. Or taken fringe players not quite good enough for the big clubs but who think they are.
We have wasted fortunes "scouting" players who anyone on here could have suggested just from a cursory viewing of Match of the Day and Eurogoals but who were never going to come because we can't pay th ewages any more. In fact, a couple of 12-year-old Football manager wizards would probably have done better.
The club's big wigs have been locked into a template of looking for a bums on seats quick-fix and short-cuts and the elusive Juninho factor (that is what the Alves deal was about, chasing a mirage) instead of building a team slowly from players oozing potential who they bought on the up and could sell at a profit to one of the big boys later on.
Meanwhile the cream of the lower leagues, eager to step up to the Premiership and who would be desperate to join a side like Boro, have been ignored because of a fear that a crowd tuned in to household names would turn up their noses. That is why Boro were not in for the likes of Tim Cahill and Phil Jagielka, Peter Whittingham or Joleon Lescott when they were going for a song outside the elite. Or Graham Dorrans.
That is why they went for Alves and Mido instead of Beattie and Chopra who were available at the same time for half the price. That is why last summer when we should have moved quickly and desperately needed Nicky Maynard, Ricky Lambert and Nick Bailey the suits were fixated on trying to lure a Scoles/Neville dream team here in a bid to relive the Bryan Robson promotion pump priming glory days or hoped for a Merson to do the job single handed when such a player didn't exist.
It is time to change tack completely. If Boro are to become a sustainable team on a lower cost-base then they must become a super-charged Crewe, finding and nurturing raw talent, getting the best from thenm and then selling them on at a profit.
And to do that Boro must seriously invest in a comprehensive scouting network staffed with dedicated specialists who rather than swanning around Holland and France and fumbling in the dark for the next Marvin Emnes know every single squad in the lower leagues backwards and who focus on spotting the prime talent early on.
And they could do worse than starting by looking at exactly who the players down there rate. The PFA League One team of the season includes a couple that would "do us a job" and a few prospects for the future, and arriving from the barren landscape of the lower leagues they would be easily affordable and within the new Boro payscale.
Here's the team:
Kelvin Davis (Southampton)
Frazer Richardson (Charlton)
Patrick Kisnorbo (Leeds United)
Gary Doherty (Norwich)
Ian Harte (Carlisle)
Wes Hoolahan (Norwich)
Jason Puncheon (Southampton)
Robert Snodgrass (Leeds United)
Nicky Bailey (Charlton)
Rickie Lambert (Southampton)
Grant Holt (Norwich)
Yes, there's a few in there too old to be considered (Ian Harte must be 43) and the Norwich players will no doubt be buzzing after the title win and will be hard to lure away. But Aussie "warrior type leader" Snorbo at Leeds, Saints attacking midfielder Puncheon, Charlton linchhpin Bailey (who Boro looked at last summer then got cold feet when the time came to make a bid), flanker Snodgrass and Southampton goal-getter Lambert (who was considered briefly 12 months ago but judged not good enough to justify the ã1m pricetag) must be worth a very close look at.
It would be a nightnare if we didn't consider them then they tortured us en route to next year's Championship team of the season with other clubs
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So AV, you're basically saying that the people responsible for bringing players to Boro are incompetent and clueless who have cost the club millions as well as our PL status - I guess that sounds about right.
**AV writes: It would be very hard to defend a scouting system that has missed so many cut price gems - even when offered them on a plate - and bought the likes of Alves and Shawky.
All season we have been taken apart by solid, athletic and skilful players that have cost the opposition peanuts or been on loan - Mulumbu, Adam, Cleverley, Brunt, Moussi, Burke, Vaughan - and you wonder how come we neglected them in favour of expensive projects like Emnes and Digard.
AV
Agreed - there are some interesting names there.
I guess the likes of Snodgrass from Leeds will also depend on their success or otherwise in the promotion stakes.
From what one hears about their wage structure - and given the size of their crowds - a move from a Championship Leeds to Boro wouldn't seem to be that much of a draw for their players.
But, if they still manage to crash and burn in the play offs there are others at Leeds who could do a job for Boro too. Up front my pick always was Becchio rather than Beckford and it remains so.
There are other midfielders - like Johnny Howson who are worth a look too.
Huddersfield's squad have some interesting prospects - assuming that they don't go up via the play offs and a promoted Leeds don't get there first.
Smithies, the young goalkeeper, is deservedly on many a wish list. Winger, Anthony Pilkington is good - and a big lad for a winger, so a physical presence too.
On the goalie front, I wouldn't go for Davis (despite Strachan's links at The Saints that might help with Lambert) - he has shown himself suspect in the higher echelons before. Despite suffering behind a dreadful defence all season but saving them from worse drubbings time after time, Posh's Joe Lewis is a good prospect with England U21 credentials.
Rumours keep swirling around about Harper at The Barcodes. He may be a little too closely identified with our near naighbours - not the least in his own head and heart - but his deputy, Krul, is a fine prospect who might come for the number one berth.
The Saints' Adam Lallana is a good young player but is more 'one for the future' than we need next term. His pace is a little lacking too for the role he plays.
North of the border, Dundee Utd's Conway (who is already supposed to be a target) looked good last weekend against Celtic. Goodwillie, from the same source, is too but we're likely to have competition there for Scotland's young player of the season.
I'd take a good look at Hibs central defender Sol Bamba too. Strachs can do that at the World Cup, if not before, because he'll be in the Ivory Coast squad.
I still think that a holding/box to box midfield athlete is required to sit alongside Barry Robson in midfield. And not a square pegged defender like Rhys Williams.
If I'm permitted one - relatively - marquee signing so long as it's on a season long loan we could talk to Villa. Not about Osbourne again - not yet 'man' enough for the job; not about Reo-Coker who is more than willing to sit on Villa's bench and pick up his inflated wages and who would never consider stepping down a division; not Delph either - partly for an amalgum of the reasons behind not going for Osbourne and Reo-Coker, partly because I don't think O'Neill would wear it.
No, the one to go for is their forgotten man (and another ginger to keep the boss and Luke Williams company!) Steve Sidwell and give him chance to resurrect his career in a high profile promotion charge (well, that's what we'd sell to him!).
There are some possibilities in Pompey's squad too - the likes of Mullen, Brown and even Papa Bouba Diop who seems to have run up a career cul de sac too, of late.
And, for an outside bet - but not an expensive one - in our neck of the woods, a lot of league clubs have been watching York City's (and the conference's) top scorer, Richard Brodie.
That's enough to be going on with.
From today's headlines, it seems like Strachs has set the tone and agreed a fee with Livi for 'Johnno-a-like' young winger, Andy Halliday.
Let's hope he's also 'stolen a march' and he's not another one we get to the Rockliffe Hotel and no further!
I know I said 'that was all' above - but I omitted another long time favourite target, Ross Wallace from Preston.
We know the problems at Pompey but see also Hull.
Daily Mirror says that crisis club Hull are going to ask their players to take a 40% pay-cut in a desperate bid to save money and avoid administration.
Also Hull chairman Adam Pearson has revealed to The Sun that the Tiger's goal-shy strikers have cost the club a whopping ã901,875 a goal this season. Pearson admitted the club are spending ã195,000 a week on strikers, which in total this campaign has cost them ã7.215m for a return of eight goals.
How much we paid per a goal scored by Alves? At least we are financially stable now. So well done, Gibbo. Now up the Boro!
AV, I think the manager and perhaps Gibbo and Lambie are making the final decisions. I agree with all you say but at the end of the day it must be the manager who chooses. The scouting people are doing what is told.
So perhaps the cultural change must start now. Buy wise and not always foreign. I think GS2 did reduce the debt burden while winning the first title at Celtic.
Also he is very keen on L Williams for example. So he wants to play some kids, too in the side. As he has done earlier.
After reading your article, AV I think I start to see the big picture Boro are starting to do. Hopefully the 'crazy days' are gone. Up the Boro!
AV - excellent assessment of the mistakes made in the past in transfers, and what we need to do in the future.
The most worrying factor is that "Gibbo and Lamb have assured us that Boro will be big players in the Championship transfer market this summer and that we can compete with anyone at this level".!!
Many fans will no doubt mistrust the assurance, based on assurances made over the past few years which have failed. Sorry to be cynical but is assurance this just another stunt to get Season Cards renewed? If it is, I can only see crowds dwindling even further next year.
**AV writes: Poggi, Aliadiere, Riggott out = ã75k a week to spend on wages. You can get TEN experienced Championship players in for that. With a bit of cash up front and a bit of jiggling Boro SHOULD be able to transform the squad.
I can't fault a word of what you say about our scouting system AV.
Just about the only thing they have got right recently is locally where the list of local youngsters who have escaped our net and been developed successfully elsewhere has reduced markedly over the last decade.
But its not just the scouts that need a total overhaul. Dario Gradi knows a thing or two about spotting youngsters and developing them through to Premiership level and even to the full national side. He described our youth cup winning side as the best collection of young players he ever saw.
Most of those players did supremely well under Dave Parnaby then their careers came to a dead halt when they passed from his control to the reserve and first team coaches. Most of them went out on loan and many were highly successful on loan to clubs at our current level but those still here dont look anywhere near that standard any more. Why is that?
The simple answer is that whilst on loan they came under different coaches who continued to develop them. Then they return here to Cooper and Co and pretty soon stagnate and now look good enough only for Hartlepool or Darlo.
If it happened just once or twice then maybe it would be down to the individual and the temptations that come with their pay packets but its not just a handful. The exceptions aren't the dropouts but the ones who do progress like Downing or Jonno. That is not coincidence.
We need a totally new set of coaches and not in a few more years time. Last chances have long gone - we need a completely new coaching staff right now.
Forgive me if I'm mistaken, but were we not told that the scouting system was to be 'completely revamped' in the not-too-distant past? I'm talking two or three years ago, or has time flown quicker than I thought.
**AV writes: That revamp - "a global network" - was stillborn. Basically Dave Mackay was pedalled and Gordon McQueen was promoted with David Mills coming in and all of the data being processed by Dave Leadbitter. Millsy left fairly quickly. So the personnel changed at the top but the structure wasn't put in place because the financial pressure diverted attention and resources.
It takes years of work and a little investment to develop a good network, especially if you are looking at clubs and players who aren't on telly everyweek. There is no substitute for actually watching games, talking to academy and reserves team bosses in League Two and putting in the leg work. We are years behind now.
A.V
Any weight in the rumour about Andy Halliday from Livingston been shown around the training ground with the prospect of a ã100,000 transfer??
**AV writes: I don't think we have reached the guided tour or spotted with Lambie in the Tontine stage just yet. My understanding is that there is an agreement in principle in place and the clubs have been haggling over recent months about the terms of a summer signing.
AV wrote - Poggi, Aliadiere, Riggott out = ã75k a week to spend on wages.
I could not agree more AV talk of these players getting contract extensions is an absolute disgrace, maybe they give there all when playing ( except ali at times ) but they play no where near the games required for the championship.
Another is Gary O'Neil. Why not cash in on him? Another in my opinion headless chicken who flatters to deceive and would free up much needed income.
Can we keep hold of McManus who has been very solid next to Wheater? Does the fact they are trying to keep Riggott tell us that McManus is on his way back to Celtic?
What about the left and right wingers we are desperatly crying out for? And as for the strikers, well enough said on them.
So all in all an awful lot of work to do before we can even think about promotion next season but I'm quite looking forward to the next month or two, to see how this new look Boro unfold..... .watch this space as they say.
Jiffy... oh, come on, you do Hartlepool an injustice... they are not that far behind the Boro!!
At the time of when a lot of these players were around we were still in the Premier League so aiming for better quality players to keep us up. Shows how far we have now fallen when we see we have missed out on these sort of players. Most of them will struggle in the premier league.
**AV writes: The trick is to spot the good ones - the ones that can play in the Premier League - early and to do that you need to build a good scouting system. Four or five years ago we were missing out on Cahill, Jagielka, Lescott, Koumas etc while we squandered cash on players like Parlour and Reizieger and Mendieta who didn't give enough to justify their wages and then left for no return.
The failure to manage resources and invest wisely then came back to bite us on the bum and caused the current financial crisis. We need to repair the damage and start building now for a sustainable future.
Interesting stuff, as we enter the most interesting part of the season (the closed one)
I just hope that this is not another summer of missed opportunities, the list you produced AV has the same ring as it has for many a season. How many times has someone who you know would have done a great job at the Boro but seemingly wasnt even up for sale or linked with us, gone somewhere else to then torture us?
How many times? Then sometimes we get them in their twilight years. I can only think of Merson and Ravenelli as true "bloooody hell" moments, even the little fella was a risk. I was always banging on about "only" Ray Parlour and then we left it too late, I reckon we will get Jimmy Bullard in a few seasons as well!
The sort of players that have always suited the Boro have always gone elsewhere for buttons, then we pay stupid money for "projects"
I find it beyond belief some of the financial blunders this club has made, and by that I mean the way money has been spent on players that no-one had ever heard of then the obvious ones went begging. We know who sanctions those decisions, the one who sets the clubs valuations (an often quoted excuse)
I agree that we are severely lacking in the coaching area, thats for all to see week in week out, the scouting is another issue, as it seems we have looked at players but the interest has gone no further, but where exactly was the interest finished? we need answers to that point.
I have stated this summer to be a watershed and I cannot emphasise it enough, I would like to see the following areas change
*Chief Exec
*first team coaches
*sports psychologist
*Uk based scout team
*medical staff at Rockliffe
*Rockcliffe pitches
*marketting
*PR - transparency
*extractor fans from the death burger grills in the concourse to somewhere other than the turnstiles!
*concessions to encourage kids and not just with paying adults!
*more encouragement for an atmosphere within the ground (your suggestions here)
I feel the fundementals of the club undermine anything on the pitch. A good run can often paper over the cracks, but we havent had that for a good few seasons now and the club reacts like a supertanker desperatley searching for reverse.
Its time for the club to grow up, get rid of the smoggie chip on its shoulder, stop trying to be cool and get in with the big lads. It needs to be a success regardless of its location, in short it needs to stop being bleeeding "Typical Boro"
I am sick of it, sick of the excuses, sick of the area I love being an apathetic easy target for people that are no better than us, if I was god forbid, in Iraq, I would want a bunch of lads from here watching my back, but then I would have to put up with them moaning about the sodding weather, so we need to harness the fight and pride, its there, we just need to excercise the dorman(T) gene!
Bet Tom Craddock got In The Blue Square Premier Squad In the Conference AV
Played 45 scored 24 goals... another one that got away. I bet he would do better than these other players we have brought In! Another upcoming youngster we let go!
It's worth pointing out that these thoughts on squad re-development are those of AV & not the Boro management, as far as we know.
I remember AV writing a remarkably similar blog during last summer, lamenting the money wasted in the past on "superstars" well into their 30's, while imploring the club to invest in proven Championship talent, alongside promising youngsters.
Let's be honest, the club failed miserably to adopt a similar policy during the last close season, so there is historic evidence to suggest that things may not be markedly different this time around. On the day the Championship season started in 2009, we had signed a grand total of TWO players. Coyne was signed on a free, while ã700K was "invested" in Mark Yeates. At the time, negotiations were still continuing to bring Lita to the club on another free transfer.
The club were far too busy looking to shed a further ã100K per week from the wage bill, by offloading Tuncay & Huth. In his address to the nation on Radio Brownlee, our Chairman promised us investment in the squad. Adding experienced players, while shedding some of the high earners to improve the overall depth of the squad. It turned out that only half of that was correct !
I personally believe that GS2 is much more capable of building a strong squad than his predecessor. That said, he cannot complete the task without significant backing from the club executives. By which, I mean more than the paltry ã700K put up front last season, to start the ball rolling.
Some painful decisions need to be taken, but luckily our new manager does not seem the type to shy away from such actions. It may well require the sacrificing of Gary O'Neil (with his PL wages) to raise the revenue needed to kick off the spending. I do not believe the manager's declaration that he wants to keep both Pogatetz & Riggott. At least one of their wage packets will be sacrificed, but more likely both.
The Chief Executive has already said that there is a deal in place for Digard to join Nice, if they so wish. Considering a 16 year old Luke Williams has been preferred on the wing to Marvin Emnes by the new manager, it is safe to assume that he will not be seen in a Boro shirt again. The ã40K per week that Mido currently "earns" is a fee the club can ill afford, while strangely, the man himself could easily do without, considering the personal wealth of his family. No doubt he will be offered a free transfer, to finally rid the club of the only man worthy of competing with Alves for the "Southgate's worst signing award".
With the probable departures following loans of McManus & Naughton (who will never get in Arry's Spurs team this millennium, based on his Boro performances) all of this adds up to major losses, in terms of numbers, for the squad. The question is, can GS2 unearth half a dozen diamonds in the next couple of months to build up his depleted squad ?
To just finish on a positive note. It is pretty obvious that both Portsmouth & Hull will not be serious promotion contenders next term. Both will be lucky to avoid extinction completely, looking at their alleged debts. A couple of fire sales will almost certainly leave them with major problems squad wise, with relegation a more likely outcome than promotion.
While a nightmare for the fans of both clubs, it is a lucky break for those clubs with their eyes on the Championship trophy next season, of which I sincerely hope we are one !!
**AV writes: I have written similar things in the past, repeatedly, mainly because I genuinely believe it is the only sustainable model for Boro. In fact the first time I wrote (four years ago just after Eindhoven) I got in trouble with the club for unsubstantiated knocking and erronously suggesting they could no longer financially compete with the big boys.... oh well, it is good to know I was wrong.
Will Pogy or Riggs go? Do you think that there is a Stoke or Wigan who is going to pay them PL money, now? I doubt it. Hence they minght be taking a pay cut and stay there.
I trust what GS2 is saying: he want's to keep these players. Has there been anybody in for these two players - or Ali - since they are able to sign a pre-agreement ever since Xmas?
Interesting times coming up!
**AV writes: Even if they take a pay-cut of two thirds they will still be very highly paid players in the Championship. It may be worth a risk if you had confidence they would play 40 games next year. Do you have that confidence?
Boro are not the only club who need rethinking. See my previous post about Pompey and Hull. I think nearly every football club should think about their past spending. A lot of money has been carried out of football. The salaries at PL level are just crazy!
Up the Boro!
AV just to pose another question on the scounting front. Ron Bone - wasnt he some FA scounting wiz? Where is his input in the scounting system? I thought he was supposed to revitalise our networks.
Also I have listed my questions sent to the club to "Ask Gordon" (story on mfc.co.uk). They are very similar to a lot of points raised here.
a) Injuries have been a big problem for the team this year. What problems have you identified as the cause of them, what can be done to reduce the chance of it happening again next season?
b) Every preseason they players talk of âÂÂour hardest work out yet, this year we are fitter than everâÂÂâÂÅ what do you think about the overall level of fitness in the team and will we hear the same old quotes this preseason about it being the hardest ever and the players are fitter than they ever have been? (personally I think they may mean it this year if it is said!)
c) When you came into the club what were the key changes you made in training? How did this sit with the coaches? Why wasnâÂÂt it done previously when the club professes to have more coaching licenses than a UEFA sponsored pub crawl?
d) There still needs to be significant changes in the playing staff at the club. When are these actually likely to be in place, the start of preseason as normally promised or the standard flurry, bang on deadline, of an assorted pick and mix, as normally delivered?
e) When do you hope the team will consistently be playing football the way you want it to be played? What is required to do this?
f) Do you think we can push to win the league and automatic promotion or we will realistically only be pushing for playoffs?
g) Do you think the league will be easier this year with the teams dropping down not being as strong as the guys who went up (plus two are in series financial trouble already)?
h) How many players would you want to join the team over the summer? How many roughly will leave?
i) YouâÂÂve stated you want Chris Riggott to stay at the club â surely this can only be on a pay as you play type deal else he gets paid to keep the physioâÂÂs busy â not a solid investment.
j) You seem genuinely quite angry about some of the teams performances? What reaction do the team give â why does it take you to get angry for them to respond?
k) Are you hoping Blackpool fail in the playoffs (should they make it) so you can sign Charlie Adams in the summer?
**AV writes: Good questions. Let us know if, when and how he answers.
I suspect that Middlesborough is really a rugby town so why dont the Borough pack fooball in and change to playing rugger instead. That way the club wouldn't have to spend hardly any money.
I'm sure that a successful rugby club on Teesside would pull in more punters than what soccer does.
**AV writes: You should team up with Timmy Fortescue and his rugger mates. I'm sure you'll have a lot in common.
AV -
Were we not discussing the need to get big earners out of the club and rebuild around the time of the 4-0 Villa drubbing and Season Ticket Gate? That McClaren going or staying would make no difference because the club needed to reduce the age and wage bill. That we had problems in the league because the high rollers only seemed to play well in the cups, Tuesday in February at Blakcburn didnt seem to motivate them.
I think I likened Parlour, Mendi and Ugo to the three characters from last of the summer wine. Wandering about with nothing to do.
The squandering of resources has been a recurring theme of many a posting as we slithered relentlessly to relegation.
Matt -
Dont forget Eueuelluseless and Dong Goal Less were also bought by Southgate.
But there are not many managers who havent bought some donkeys including the very best (managers not donkeys). Taibo at ManU, most of the Liverpool squad under the Spanish Waiter.
AV - I have only just got to your reply at 11.26am above, and will go back to read the later posts after this. ã75K a week being enough for 10 Championship players? A mere ã7.5K a week each?
Have you been to the shops recently? ã7.5K a week soon goes. You couldn't really live on it. Not if you want to buy your clothes at the North East's premier fashion emporium and enjoy exotic foreign holidays at the world's hot-spots.
Have you seen the price of Krug Champagne and Maine Lobsters? You can't expect the players to exist on Coca Cola and Big Macs alone - let alone buy the sort of cars that earn street cred (and frighten their grannies, who are unaccustomed to such quickly acquired wealth, when they are told "It was only ã65K"). After all if you play for a club like the Boro you must almost be shoulder to shoulder with the galacticos at Real Madrid and Barcelona in the world pecking-order, to say nothing of Chelsea and Man City.
I'm sorry but ã7.5K a week comes in at just shy of ã400,000 a year, and how many 19-26 year old professionals (if you could gain entry to the profession in question at those ages) could countenance such poverty?
For the avoidance of doubt, I accept there are beacons of decency and generosity in football, who are far from greedy - Ulysses de la Cruz who played for Villa, Birmingham and Hibs for example, who received a relatively modest salary but sent 10% back to Ecuador to fund charitable works in the area of his poor village, set up a charity in the UK and is now a Unicef ambassador.
If he had played for us, and accepting it appears our club and players do more work for the community than most others, he would have been a good bet as Community Champion of the Year, or somesuch.
**AV writes: It sounds like a good way to at least get raw information flowing inwards but there is an institutional resistance within the closed village of football to opinions from outside, a culture that has been articulated for instance by our manager on more than one occasion.
And don't we know it!!
But - as ever - some businesses and organisations learn faster than others.
Those in the political bubble - including the institutional media - thought that they could ignore the punters as per usual and have the election to themselves again, for example.
That was until the new media and, particularly the posters on social networking sites got to work. I've never known the denizens of the national printed press back off an attempt at 'go negative' quicker and not even try to go back there in any strength.
And look how 'the worm' got the 'anecdote' style so beloved of politicos and spin doctors dumped after the first live debate.
Strachan's argument is about valuing the opinions of professionals - so he wants to be interviewed by 'proper' footy journos who've been trained, served their time and know what they're doing, for example.
But, no-one's talking about taking the professional judgement out of the equation - far from it. As you say, though - the professionals can't be everywhere and this is a way of widening the top of the funnel from which the choices to watch and pursue get made by those who Strachan puts his faith in to advise him.
Maybe Strachan can be a big enough iconoclast to value breaking the mould over his desire to cling on to an outmoded way of operating and create a new model of operating for changed times.
The worst that can happen is that someone ends up with a lot of redundant information to sift - but, as I said, there will be pretty swift ways of winnowing that down.
Goodness knows that there's enough evidence that what MFC has been doing over the last few years hasn't been working with its scouting and player selection or with its customers, so what's to lose?
**AV writes: We need an army of 12-year-olds simulating Football Manager models trying prospective targets in different combinations and formations. We'd only need to stump up for the odd pizza and bag of Doritos to fund it.
I would have thought Gary O'Neil would have made the list, maybe he is on the bench with Nicky Maynard.
Championship quote of the season has to go to Maynard when an interviewer asked him if he gets mistaken for anybody when hes out and he replied , yes, Leona Lewis! Sign him up.
'AV wrote: The club's big wigs have been locked into a template of looking for a bums on seats quick-fix and short-cuts and the elusive Juninho factor (that is what the Alves deal was about, chasing a mirage)...'
Chairman: Sorry mate, but I'm finally going to have to let you go.
Chief Executive: You can't do that, where else am I going to get another job?
Chairman: Good point, ok, you can stay.
John Powls ... re your 'tip hotline'... in January 2003 I took an Easyjet winter break to Madrid. It was freezing but I was determined to take in a game. Unfortunately Real were away so I dragged my partner screamin and shoutin to see Atletico v Deportivo.
A young lad took my eye and I came home telling all and sundry how fantastic he was. E-mailed Newcastle, even Hartlepool... alas no response. The kid was 18, had only played a few games and he was brilliant.... Fernando Torres no less.
Summing up... your tip hotline would be a waste of time because they all think they know better... they are quite capable, on their own, of paying huge sums for dross.... we are just the mugs who pay for season tickets.
I've heard enough of this, 'only people in the game can give an articulate opinion on the worth of a player'. If 25,000 plus spectators say a player is rubbish, then you can probably take it as a given that he is!
Yes, Jeremie Aliadiere, Lee Miller, Leroy Lita, Willo Flood, Chris Killen, Justin Hoyte, Andrew Taylor, Isiaih Osbourne, Marcus Bent, Julio Arca. I'm referring to you.
BBC reports that Livingston left winger Andrew Halliday has agreed to join English Championship outfit Middlesbrough.
The 18-year-old is poised to join Gordon Strachan's club on 1 July in a deal that could be worth up to ã200,000 for the Third Division outfit.
I hope we get another winger and a couple of other midfielders to bolster our side. And a goal taker - a real striker. Then we just need a summer's training and a settled side in August (the latter being more important). The squad must be bigger to last some injuries.
Up the Boro!
I've got more questions than answers - It's difficult to know where we are regarding recruitment policy - but if our scouting network is poor maybe we should start hoovering up what young decent prospects we know of in the hope that a fair percentage of them will mature into top players?
OK, this policy wouldn't cost too much for players that failed to make the grade but how would this tie in with Strachan's dogmatic approach of wanting a team of men?
Also, Boro may well need to bring in around eight players in every area of the team and we have few assets left to sell that could raise cash. I'm not sure if we can accurately estimate what Boro's transfer budget will be this summer - though I'm sure the trimming the wage bill will be more significant - but is there enough in the kitty to build a promotion winning team?
Finally, we probably don't have the coaches at the club who can take both new young recruits and academy graduates forward - so until that changes perhaps bringing in the finished article on loan is the only way ahead.
**AV writes: I don't think it is so much identifying players (the scouting people at the club know all about the players we have listed and many more we haven't) as making a cultural shift to seeing them as "the sort of players we sign."
And I think that applies to fans as much as club officials. Imagine the phone-in screams about 'lacking ambition' and the message board meltdown if we had pulled out of the chase for Europe's hottest striking prospect Afonso Alves and instead spent a combined ã2m on Lambert and Maynard.
I dont think this summer is going to be much different to last as we will be looking to sell before we buy.
We break the bank going for somebody like Adam asuming Blackpool dont go up and Micky goes back to Celtic having told Riggott and Pogi they can go.
Just an example but I cant see much going on until much later in the summer.
Help I need a club? Can I come and play for you?
**AV writes: Will you take a big cut in wages, work very hard and change your name to McKoumas? Then you're in!
In response... no, possibly and yes.
There was a Viduka esque big wave from Big Mick at the end of the game on saturday. I think he was the last player off the pitch. I don't think he will be signing on. Big pity as he is good enough from the Premier league it woyld have been a great bit of business.
What about my mate Andy Reid? Flair in abundance for the Chimpship. Not sure about his work rate meeting Gordon's standards though? Darren Pratley at Swansea? His ball retention stats must be the best in the league.
**AV writes: That first 'no' probably rules you out Jase. I like Pratley though.
Tony Pulis is supposedly disposing of several players including Beattie and Tuncay.
One suspects they will be a little too exspensive for our new wage structure. And Tuncay will probably return home after the world cup.
As an intermittent contributor to the blog over the season I cannot help but wallow in my own self-righteousness and say - "I told you so!"
Another one of your more perceptive articles AV, a terrific read and so eloquently put, as ever.
Lessons learned for next season, I hope!
Av, Do you get a vote in the football writers award thingymabob?
Also who would be in your Chimpship team of the year?
What was your favourite ground this year? Worst ground? Worst refereeing decision? (not getting a penalty at London Rd, when SSL was cut in half will be tough to beat). Most attractive player?
**AV writes: No we provincial plebs don't get a say. There's a North-east one run by the local lads from the nationals but I don't have a lot to do with that. A bit too much establishment and mutual back-slapping for a maverick like me.
I'll come back to these questions next week after it is all over. If anyone wants to suggest a few categories of make a few nominations maybe we can draw up a poll to keep us busy.
AV. Your response to Werdermouth regarding making a cultural shift eg Maynard and Lambert hits the mark exactly.
Earlier in the season you discussed the type of players needed at this time by Boro and I for one was critical of suggestions for signing players like Brown and Morgan. How right you were though(sorry, sorry, licks boot).
With this in mind I'd like to throw a name into the ring. Lee Carsley, who states he will have to leave Brum for first team football. He seems to have been around since the second world war, but always does a job in central midfield. In fact, I think from memory that GS may have had him (not in the biblical sense) at Coventry. Perhaps Mr Powls would offer an observation.
**AV writes: Second World War? Crimean War more like!
**AV writes: "We need an army of 12-year-olds simulating Football Manager models trying prospective targets in different combinations and formations. We'd only need to stump up for the odd pizza and bag of Doritos to fund it."
This is presumably the 'Wired' age version of the infinite number of monkeys with a typewriter each and one produces the Complete Works of Shakespeare.
Somewhere in the bowels of Crockliffe (what a horrible image!) sits an almost infinitely fewer group of monkeys - well, one (can't afford the bananas, yer know) - with a typewriter and a pile of blank Boro teamsheets......
**AV writes: The Quality Of Mercy Is Not Strnen... (one for the old punks there.)
AV wrote: "Gibbo and Lamb have assured us that Boro will be big players in the Championship transfer market this summer and that we can compete with anyone at this level."
AV, didn't Gibson and Lamb say exactly the same thing after we went down last year?
**AV writes: Shhhhhhh. Trouble causer.
to the tune of Summer Holiday...
.
We all love, Andy Halliday
Skinning full backs for an hour or two
He gets to the Byline,
Then he floats one over ,
To be nodded in by Sidney Govou
He scores for me and you
Hindsight is a nice thing just remember that. We all make mistakes but according to you, you dont .
Invest in a season ticket and not get freebie and support the Boro my friend.
**AV writes: If I make a mistake there is no shortage of people who point it out, and that's fair enough as it is part of the unfolding debate. As for hindsight, if you are talking about this particular point, feel free to trawl through the achives and see where I have stood for a lot of years now.
And as for investing... I think it is fair to say the club have had plenty of dosh out me and my family over the years but I don't feel the need to produce my old Red Books for inspection.
Potential categories for the 2009-10 Untypical Boro Bloggy Awards:
Best live blog?
Best off-colour ethnic joke struck down by Vic during live blogs? (early shout for the classic Eskimo/seal yarn)
Vic's favourite away drive whilst sequestered w/ EP and/or Phil T?
Rewarding indiscipline - most carded live blogger? And is a suspension or transfer to Wigan imminent?
The Grove Hill wallah Profiles In Poachers Courage award winner?
Favourite Untypical Boro International Blogger? (Jarkko is a dead cinch...other nominees won't even show up to the ceremony)
Chuffed that the Halliday kid is on board. Despite Lamb spewing the same bombastic nonsense on the radio last week, this is a very positive and proactive step. Dorrans, Snodgrass from Leeds, and McPake from Coventry we're all unearthed at Livi. Hope the trend continues...
AV
Totally agree with your comment about hindsight.
This blog has long focussed upon the problems within the club. People have either ignored or commented upon it.
Our current situation is nothing to do with bad luck or the viscitudes of the financial situatiun, it is all about wasting what was available.
On to another topic. Watching the Barca v Inter game and I am totally neutral. The quality of commentary is poor.
In the first half Ibrahimovich got clear on the right and crossed. It was an appalling piece of football and sails out of the box on the far of the pitch. Pedro of Barca manages to keep it in and the commentator said 'Ibramivovich seeks out Pedro'
Utter nonsense but come on Barca at 1-0.
Mr Gee ~ Was that all necessary? Sheesh.
Great Blog as usual, AV!
Hindsight? Foresight? Shoot the messenger. Mr Gee sounds like K Lamb... don't criticise Boro and give us your money.
AV pointing out the stupidity of the way Boro have wasted money for years isn't rocket science. It has been obvious for years that what Boro was doing wasn't sustainable and many fans were saying exactly the same things.
The last people to tumble that it was madness were Gibson and Lamb and now they are lecturing us all on prudence and blaming supporters for not turning up.
It wasn't fans who wasted millions on fees and wages for Maccarone, Alves, Mido, Digard and Emnes. How anyone can have a pop at fans (or AV) for a lack of hindsight or making mistakes is unbelieveable.
I'm still waiting for someone to admit they got it disastrously wrong over the string of disasters since Eindhoven... Southgate, Alves, relegation, Mackemgate, asset-stripping. Clue: it wasn't AV.
Hi All - I'm back from my self-imposed exile , once Boro is in the blood you just can't fight it.. :)
So here are my nomination categories..
Most entertaining Live blog game?
Best Untypical article of the season?
Best/Most controversial individual post?
Happy Father award - (one for BoroPhil)
The I saw it coming award for who shouted loudest? (pre GS2)
The GHW award for most century posts
The "We belong in the Boro" award for overseas regions with the most posts? (should include Stockton!)
Just a few to keep going from someone who is totally non-plussed by the "MFC" experience
Happy days are round the corner all
C'Mon Boro
borobythesea -
Lee Carsley? I can see the attraction. Experienced bloke and in the holding role I think we need. The downside is that he's 36 and suffering with a dodgy ankle. Our record for buying and/or creating crocks who don't play isn't good and we certainly can't afford passengers in any sense going forward.
I think we need a younger athlete as first choice in the role who can both hold and break forward, box to box, when needed - which is why I suggested a loaner of Sidwell above.
What I think could work, though, is that if we (and we should) have a clear out in the coaching department Carsley might be the sort of 'man' that Strachs might chose to take on as a coach/player (that way round, deliberately).
He could keep his player registration and do an onfield job for you to fill in when others are out, in certain games or parts of games but would primarily be using his experience on the training pitches.
I'm presuming that, having got to the age of 36 and the latter years of his career being in The Prem or helping sides get promoted to The Prem and in a demanding position, he has the sort of professional disciplines in managing his fitness that Strachs, righly, subscribes to.
It would also presume that he's interested in a role like that and willing to move onto a rather reduced wage structure - I would guess that's probably OK, given his circumstances now. He's beig released by Brum - so no fee involved.
The likes of Nicky Butt who's being released by The Barcodes might also do the same sort of job.
Sheffield Wednesday chairman Lee Strafford says: "The feeling is that next season's Championship will be the biggest opportunity in years, given the quality of the clubs coming down and the financial restructuring."
Hope this is true and Boro are up there about to get promoted. Up the Boro!
Look Low, Aim High.
Personally another season in the Championship doesn't bother me nor will another one or another one after that. The Championship is a super league that is far tougher than the Premiership - it is stronger, fairer and a more balanced league in which clubs compete on a more level plane.
Organisers of the Premiership have plenty to learn from how the Championship operates financially and how it compares to many other sporting leagues which operate wage capping and foreign signing policies.
Satellite TV has made top level English football into a joke â a circus that has a detrimental effect not only at club level but on a national too.
England to do a 1966 in 2010?
AV, itâÂÂs very quiet the last couple of days, I just thought IâÂÂd drop you a note to see if you are still awake?
GS is stating how hard he is working the players and that heâÂÂll be putting them through a tough pre season. Can you get any facts on how far and quickly they have to run? What standard are they expected to achieve. As I veg out in front of the TV and put on 2-3 stone this summer watching the world cup, I would like to know that someone is doing some physical work.
Anyway here are some anagrams of fellow posters
Homeys Ten Tong
Hacks Inventory
A Gin ill
Sacred Row
A Beery Booth
Rehab bin slip
Colonial rely wino
Barn don
Murder he wot
Doom ref rover
**AV writes: I'm still awake. I thought it was you lot who had dozed off. I'm doing a blog on Boro's Neitzchean Uber-Coach
Whoops mistake number 1
a beery boothS.... I missed the 'S' out first time round. Might be important when doing an anagram
Any more incoming player rumours AV? I'll Get Derek McChanty warmed up and he may break into song again
AV, tips for the summer. Who is Garry Pendrey? I have never seen a story about him or an interview. He seems to follow GS2 to everywhere but what is his job? Paperwork and GS2 is coaching or what? MFC dont' t tell much either at
www.mfc.co.uk/articles/20030228/garry-pendrey-assistant-manager_70640_1840090
Just curious. Up the Boro!
**AV writes: He is sounding board, coach and shouter. He "doesn't do the press" and that seems to include the club's own publications and website.
Leicester have nothing to gain but everything to lose on Sunday. They canâÂÂt be caught by Blackpool or Swansea, need a goal difference bonanza to catch Cardiff who might easily get a point.
All they can do is pick up injuries or suspensions. Are they going to try? If Matty Fryatt is back then he may be looking to re-gain match sharpness.
As for us, if we have been doing the hard miles in training again this week we might be even more leggy than last Saturday! This could be the most lethargic apathetic 90 mins seen sinceâÂÅ well since we last played.
Depending on goal difference we could finish anywhere from our current position of 8th all the way down to 12th. Although looking at the fixtures I only expect Reading (we are 3 points ahead) to get any points and our goal difference is better.
Possibly the 28th Best Team in England
AV can the gazette have the chimpship table on the website? or do you need a licence?
**AV writes: Oh, I don't know aboutt hat. I can't imagine it is a licence issue. More likely the need to constantly update a template manually. I'll ask.
**AV writes: Oh, I don't know aboutt hat.
So you don't know about hats - most probably you are wearing caps. Have you got England caps collection at home? From reporter internationals? Should have me thinks.
**Av writes: yes, and after big games in Europe we used to gesture to our opposite numbers and swap laptop cases.
Smogs at 12.30pm - I spotted myself in the anagram stakes.
I've been talking to the lads at the "Sweaty Stoat". Surprisingly all three of us with season ticket/cards, who sit in the same row at the Riverside, will be back next season as the other two have sent off their renewals. And the bloke at work who moans and moans about the rubbish we have seen this season, has also sent off his!
That's 100% of the small sample of 4! Might be too small for MORI or YouGov, but it's a start. We have decided the Boro must be like heroin - very difficult to break the habit, even if all reason and common sense dictates that nothing good can come of it.
But the bloke at work was still right about seeing rubbish at home this season.
One f in fulham there's only one f in fulham.
Even if the commentator did go slightly ott, who cares. This is why we love football and I still can't believe we had our moment in the sun too
Hi,
We could do worse than putting a modest amount into trying striker Richard Brodie from York FC. A North East lad, 23 years old , England C cap, 6ft 2", 33 goals in 48 appearnces this season.
Chris
....but Liverpool were (we'll no doubt hear) unustly deprived of their ordained place at a major European football final at the hands of Atletico Madrid. We WOULD have had a few weeks of full-on Scouse love-in from most media outlets, and a load of lads in red shirts announcing to the world in general that their team is still at the heart of the footballing elite.
So sad, therefore, that the winning goal came from ex-Man Utd's Forlan. We'll quickly pass over our brief part in his footballing journey. Such a pity the Merseyside team (I remember when it announced itself as being in Lancashire) proved unable to emulate our recent Riverside heroes.
If I had a choice I would have wished that Fulham, of the two English teams, would get to the final. At the start of the season how many would have guessed the last English team in Europe would be Fulham and that not even one of our "Big Four" would get to the semi-finals of the Champions League?
Heartwarming, isn't it, when the game turns up a surprise?
Forever Dormo
It is a shame about the scousers not getting to the Hamburg final but rest assured they will probably turn up without tickets, force their way into the ground and blame UEFA for denying them their inalienable right to be in the final because the golden goal rules were not being used.
Just a shame Everton wont catch them in the league because I would have loved watching Benitez trying to tell us that entering the Intertoto cup was a succesful season.
Taxi for the fat Spanish Waiter!
Is this FulhamâÂÂs first European cup final? My memoryâÂÂs not what it used to be but didnâÂÂt they once reach the final of the Anglo-Scottish cup? Now what Giant of the game did they face?
Fulham are only going to receive 12,600 tickets, with a capacity of the final stadium over 50,000. Cue Mass supporter unrest, calls for the Chief exec to resign, manager to defect to England after poor world cup and to be in the Chimpship in three years after promoting Mark Schwarzer as manager and replacing the high earners with Mark De Man and Waldo Ponce.
It could happen.
For those of you desperate to know the results of the anagrams they are as follows.
Homeys Ten Tong ..... Smog on the Tyne, sans Nunthorpe malheureusement
Hacks Inventory .... the man himself, AV
A Gin ill .... tricky one this, Ian Gill
Sacred Row .... My hero, Scoredraw
A Beery Booths.... Boro By The Sea
Rehab bin slip .... Brisbane Phil
Colonial rely wino ... neil the wily ol racoon
Barn don .... very tricky, did you get it, Brandon
Murder he wot .... Werder mouth
Doom ref rover ... rumbled by the big man himself, Dormo!
**AV writes: Rehab Bin Slip sounds like a tabloid headline about Gazza and a freak midnight snack injury in the Priory kitchen.
Dormo,
Fulham are making a 'Boro'. I just wonder if they lose their manager, too. I think Hodgson would make a great England manager. And he has international experience as he has managed our Finnish national team as well as Swiss.
In fact he was very popular and successful over here before taking over at Fulham.
Nice to that a dream is still possible in football. Boro in an European final in ten year's time - anyone? Up the Boro!
Just adding my voice to others in welcoming Fulham 'doing a Boro' last night.
Brought back good memories.
I hope Hamburg doesn't turn out to be their Eindhoven - on the night and beyond!
Are Fulham playing against a Spanish team in the final???