Korea Opportunites
OUR LADS are playing tonight.... North Korea, the old school Ayresome Heroes who revere Middlesbrough as the scene of their greatest moment of football glory. And tonight the 1-33 outsiders can torpedo big boys Brazil. Possibly. Well, you never know.
Here's a seven inch radio edit of my 'treasonous' column from last week, advocating support for a side of pariahs playing for the greater glory of a paranoid meglomaniac plus a couple of links to get you in the mood.
*******
MIDDLESBROUGH must be unique in once having had the North Korean flag fluttering proudly above the town hall. Not in some Cold War dystopian nightmare: It was an act of friendship and respect and a recognition of the special bond between the town and the international outcasts. A bond forged through football.
Let's not mince words about North Korea. It is a secretive Stalinist state with a slave labour military economy on a permanent combat footing, it is ruled by a rabid and paranoid single party dictatorship who have isolated a starving, subdued population behind a political firewall to prevent contamination by the evils of capitalism, it is an international pariah prone to erratic diplomatic brinkmanship and barely sane nuclear sabre-rattling, and it is technically still at war with Britain.
But I'll be urging them on in South Africa... well, you've got to support your local team.
Middlesbrough has a special sentimental relationship with Pak Doo-Ik's lads, a link born back in 1966 when for a few brief weeks they acted out an unlikely football fairytale at Ayresome Park and generous Boro fans adopted them warmly in an embrace that ignored global power politics and defied cultural barriers. That is the power that football has. That ability to transcend and unite is what makes the World Cup a special event.
And that is what the flag above the town hall was about.
The surviving members of the 1966 team had been invited back for a civic reception to mark the 40th anniversary of their nation's greatest ever sporting triumph and the launch of the excellent "Game Of Their Lives", a compelling culture clash documentary about their incredible achievement.
The players and entourage - complete with sinister 'interpreters' stood menacingly in the background - visited Ayresome Park with a humble Pak Doo-Ik posing happily for pictures crouched above an under-stated bronze footstep in an anonymous front garden, the very spot from which he drilled in the shot that launched a legend.
The historic strike from Pak Doo-Ik was cheered deliriously by the Boro crowd who in a mass demonstration act of conscious thought crime had ignored the propaganda and adopted the team from the hostile military dictatorship.
The North Koreans, virtual unknowns, had arrived in England with no one giving them a chance and embroiled in a tense diplomatic furore. Alright, they hadn't just torpedoed a neighbours warship or threatened to rain down nuclear hell on the running dog imperialist invaders in Washington, but it was at the height of the Cold War and only 13 years before, British soldiers had fought and died - including many Teessiders - in the Korean War against the communist North.
A peace treaty had never been signed and the West refused to recognise the state of North Korea. There were cabinet level discussions about refusing the team visas but that idea was dropped amid fears that FIFA might move the competition somewhere else.
But the frost, fear and suspicion soon melted away and the Koreans quickly became local celebrities. They stayed at the Saint George Hotel at Teesside Airport and trained at Billingham Synthonia and though bemused by the attention were only too happy to sign autographs, pose for pictures and let the local kids join in impromptu kickabouts.
Teessiders, so often underdogs themselves, got behind their guests from the off.
Korea played all three of their Group D games at Middlesbrough, an 3-0 opening defeat to the USSR, one of the big pre-tournament favourites, a 1-1 draw with Chile and then finally the staggering victory over the Azzurri.
Ayresome - chosen ahead of St James' Park - was given a makeover as 3,500 seats were added in the North and South Stand paddocks and the newly roofed East End, hospitality areas were built in the main stand, later to become the fabled 100 Club, and smart new supposedly 'squeeze proof' turnstiles in the Holgate were installed.
And although gates were low - there were just 18,727 for the Italy game - there was a real intensity as the Teesside crowd became increasingly partisan.
The Holgate were reported to be chanting 'C'mon Boro' and 'Haway the lads' through the opening game much to the Koreans bemusement while the chant 'Come On You Reds' may not have been quite the fraternal message of international proletarian solidarity they thought it was.
But as they caught the imagination with a spirited fight back to draw against fancied Chile the chant "Ko-re-a" began to echo around Ayresome in matches, reaching a crescendo in the Italian job.
With Italy down to 10 men after an injury Pak-Doo-Ik scored just before the break then in the second half they mounted a spirited defence against incessant pressure.
On the whistle the Ayresome crowd raised the new roof in celebration of the staggering coupon-busting giant-killing. The roar of the crowd, stamping and cheering and applauding was said to have smashed the lights in the press office.
Almost 3,000 enthralled Teessiders followed them to Goodison Park to watch them storm into a three goal lead against Portugal and within touching distance of glory before stuttering and fading as Eusebio's lads fought back furiously to win 5-3.
That team passed into folk legend on Teesside and that was apparent when so many older fans turned out to greet them so warmly on their return - and the players were genuinely enthused about Middlesbrough and its people in return.
That for me is as good a reason as any to get behind them.
******
NORTH Korea's first World Cup outing since 1966 is as good an excuse as any to revisit the excellent "The Game of Their Lives" documentary.
Dan Gordon's engaging documentary about a football fairytale was a long and arduous project (imagine the red tape in filming inside a deeply suspicious and secretive state) and was rightly critically acclaimed.
It is a fascinating piece of social history with a special significance for Teesside. It harks back to a time when international football still had an air of exotic mystery with the power to surprise and was not burdened by cynicism, hype and rampant commercialisation.
It also has some brilliant evocative colour footage of old Ayresome Park and the town and quaintly dated retro-Teessiders that may well include our own now elderly or deceased relatives. So here's the YouTube links to the entire documentary in eight bite sized chunks for you to enjoy, either as a trivial World Cup oddity, a window on an aggressive reclusive culture or as a link to valuable part of our own collective past.
Here's the first episode. You can link to the rest from there.
********
REAL FOOTBALL starts again tomorrow. The League Cup draw is made and Boro go in at the first round stage for the first time since 1990, which is football pre-history. And then on Thursday the fixtures are out (9am, exclusively in print in the Gazette).
After that we can move straight into wild speculation about fixtures. By noon on Thursday the foam finger/rusty bedspring divide will be firmly entrenched again as algebraic arguments prove that we will be in an automatic promotion/relegation spot by October.
I make no bones about the fact I want Accrington away in the League Cup. It will be a new ground for me. I'm up to about 70 now. Eric wants Macclesfield for the same reason (given new grounds and the league churn he is close to his century) but I've been there with Billingham Synthonia in the FA Trophy (mighty minnows Synners won a bad-tempered game 1-0 against the reigning Conference champions and there was hell on in the tunnel after the whistle as a graceless Sammy McIlroy led a bunch of mean spirited whingers in not shaking hands... but that's another story).
Boro are seed in the Northern pot and will play one of this lot: Carlisle, Oldham, Tranmere, Hartlepool, Rochdale, Stockport, Morecambe, Rotherham, Chesterfield, Bury, Bradford, Accrington, Crewe, Macclesfield and Lincoln.
Take your pick. It looks like a list of clubs we may buy players from.
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Anthony Vickers
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AV
If I can leave 'No names - no Pak Do Ik drill' for just a moment.
Talking of Rochdale (which you were in your last two paragraphs) I see that it is rumoured that young Dawson from there has/is about to put in a written transfer request. Are we in for this one? Or was he 'never a target'?
Back to the Dear Leader's boys - C'Mon Ko-re-a!!
**AV writes: We are interested at our price but not at their's. Unless he goes elsewhere in which case we were never interested and it is 'no loss'. You know how it works by now.
**AV writes: 'We are interested at our price but not at their's. Unless he goes elsewhere in which case we were never interested and it is 'no loss'. You know how it works by now.'
Oh yes in-ironic-deedy!
It's like 'He was such a big figure in the dressing room and we really, really wanted him to be part of the future - so we made him a very fair offer to renew......'
You know the rest.
My Dad who is now 85 went to the North Korea games, I'll be supporting them today, why not? They may come from one of the 'axis of evil' states. But the 11 players on the pitch are no different from you or me.
As for the League cup, I want Morecambe away, my wife is from Lancaster and it would be great to take my son up there to see the match, proper football.
'foam hander/rusty bedspring divide' - I know words are your profession AV but 'rusty bedspringer' sounds just great!
**AV writes: Rusty Bedspringer sounds like a bruising redneck linebacker from Bison Breathe, Arizona.
Ian -
Regarding the last blog...I agree with your comments about English players being made to look better for their club teams than they really are by the foreign talent around them.
I think Lampard is the one that sticks out for me. He looks positively ordinary whenever I see him for England, but is always impressive for Chelsea...but I think Essien / Mikel et al do a lot of the donkey work for him with Chelsea while he grabs the impressive number of goals from midfield.
**AV writes: Ditto Gerrard/Mascherano
...the ones that never knock...Korea! Korea! Korea! And they're never gonna knock!
Neil (USA) and AV
True about Lampard but I also think he is a better footballer than Gerrard. He is better on the ball when short passes are involved whereas Gerrard is very much a power player with many of his goals coming from larups outside the box.
Gerrard got star ratings from the USA match but Lampard had to stay at home to allow him to roam.
Either would be welcome at the Riverside.
On to our adopted team and 0-0 at half time. The match may well not be seen in North Korea for a couple of days. That is yet another clue that AV was not in Rome but with our secretive friends and could not post until cleared by the Supreme Leader.
**AV writes: Well, "we" lost 2-1 but it was a spirited show, an excellent first half defensive display and despite tiring and eventually being worn down it was a deserved consolation goal. There's no shame in making Brazil work so hard. It's not over. Revenge against Portugal?
Do you wanna make tea at the BBC?
Great performance from the boys tonight. Tactically and technically sound, a real hunger from the players with the odd dash of flair. They even play in red. Could this be wee gordons 'red' print for success?
**AV writes: I won't open letter bombs for you....
**AV writes: Ditto Gerrard/Mascherano
Don't agree with that - LFC won the champions league without Mascherano in 2005 he joined them in 2007 and their team has got worse, obviously not just because of him. Gerrard is a class act in a poor team (both England & Liverpool), I hope he gets a move to Real Madrid in the summer.
You'll be telling me that Jamie Pollock and Robbie Mustoe made Juniniho shine next..........
Good article, great title Vic, been going through your big brothers record collection? Three thousand away to Goodison, that's more than we're taking away now.
Yup - the lads were more than 'plucky'! They were only undone for the goals by moves and finishes that would have got to any team in the competition and the move and the finish for 'our' goal was class too.
As Smog says, you can see Strachs playing the DVD when the squad re-assembles as an illustration of what you can get with a modicum of fitness and discipline within a well organised and drilled set up - which doesn't need to be as 'rearguard' as yesterdays.
And if you can add a little inspiration to the ordered perspiration too.....
And, since we're on the lookout, a couple of very decent holding midfielders too.
AV - do you think that the news about 'no sale' coming out of Rangers this morning means a deal for Thompson, at least, and possibly Boyd has moved a little closer?
**AV writes: Presumably. With no takeover and no new money coming in, the club now need to somehow deal with their £31m debt and impending £24m back tax bill. I can only sell that being dealt with by borrowing and gambling on Champions League progress - risky - or selling a couple of players.
Perhaps Boro should adopt the North Korea strip for next season and exploit the untapped marketing opportunities in the said country. OK I doubt the cult of personality would allow such an enterprise, but enough of Steve Gibson.
Just over a week ago I recently joined BoroPhil in becoming a father for the first time so no doubt spare time is now going to be a premium (BoroPhil are you still out there?) - It's so busy that I've barely had time to watch three world cup games a day!
Anyway, the little boy is doing fine and arrived a day early (thus avoiding being born rather insensitively on D-Day) - though it's too early to say whether he will be opting to play for England or Germany - though perhaps England's need is greater judging by the opening games!
**AV writes: Congratulations. Our brave Boro new order breeding programme is coming along nicely.
Chesterfield away in the League Cup by the way.
Sorry to be a tad pedantic but the lads were actually 3-0 UP against Eusabio's Portugal!
**AV writes: Indeed they were. Good spot.
John and AV
Murray holdings is also in debt to the tune of over £800m as well so pressure may well be on to sell players. Hopefully Martinez and Whelan are away on holiday.
Our boys did well last night going down to a plucky defeat. We must remember that they lost 3-0 at Ayresome park against Russia in the first group match in 66 so all is not lost. I cant see Ronaldoveragain enjoying the close attentions of our glorious brothers in arms. Fingers crossed.
I note that FIFA have acted after a group of 'fans' tried some ambush marketing. For those who missed the story a group of ladies all dressed in bright orange were together in a block of seats, they were apparently representing a Bavarian brewery. This contravenes FIFA's exclusivity rules so they were evicted from the stadium, tickets were traced back to Robbie Earle. ITV dismissed the player. Tickets are only for friends and family.
That begs the question of how many of the tickets go to the hangers on? It also shows why sell outs are not sell outs. Clearly FIFA took the lead from our head counting procedures.
As I drove to work a thought struck me. I could just envisage the group of kids being ushered to their seats in the East Stand lower for the first match of the coming season only for the stewards to march them out for ambush marketing.
Welcome back AV
Not so sunny SA at the moment it snowed in the Eastern Cape yesterday and rained very heavy in PE where we are next Wednesday.
Remember as a youngster Korea at Teeside Airport my Dad worked there in those days got all their autos as you can imagine haven't a clue what they mean.
Unfortunatly dont want Korea to do too well as we may end up with a Gook Lee or a Who Flung Dung in our ranks.
Things very quiet with regards Mick and I cant help but feel this is holding up any other dealings. Hope thats not the case.
A first for me watched both French national sides in Cape Town at the weekend wonder how often that happens in sport.
Next to Port Elizabeth for England v Slovenia.
**AV writes: Wrap up warm.
Congrats Werdermouth. Whilst being a father is tiring the ultimate reward is that when the Boro get beat it is no longer the end of the world. It still smarts for a bit but there is more fun to be had with the little one.
So much so, and I think AV is ‘pumping’ out subliminal messages in his blogs, that Mrs Smog is expecting again. In twenty years time we will be watching a back four of:
Phil Jnr; Smog Jnr; Smog Jnr Jnr (the little one); Werder Jnr
Of course by then we will be managed by Barry Robson and have won the Champions league.
As for Chesterfield I was having a ‘discussion’ with a Toon workmate yesterday who was still banging on about how Chesterfield had a good goal not given in that cup semi. Did I dream this or did the ref say that he had already blown for a free kick so the did it, didn’t discussion is immaterial?
Anyway a good game for our East Midland contingent to get to. How considerate.
And as for everybody else, pull your finger out and start producing the Boro players/fans of the future. It’s your duty!
Smogonthetyne now in Nunthorpe -
Sorry I am too old now (49 yrs). But I have an adult Boro supporting son, though. Unfortunately my two daughters have no interest in football. But I have tried my best!
AV, when do you think we will have our next signing sealed? Any hope soon? Also do you think we can afford Thompson and Boyd from Rangers as well as McManus? Can we get any fees for Mido (remember how much we paid for him?), Digard or Emnes?
Up the Boro!
**AV writes: Boyd should be a free but may want (relatively) big wages. Thompson may be £3-4m. Hopefully McManus will say he wants a move and we can get him (relatively) cheaply. I doubt we'll get a fee for Mido, in fact, we'll probably have to pay him to go away. Digard and Emnes will be sold/loaned out but that may not be until well into August so it could hold things up.
Shame on Eric for nto having been to Macclesfield. Why was he absent for Ricard's hat-trick not too many years back? Macclesfield beneath him then was it? Typical big-time Charlie cum fair weather reporter!
On a diferent note:
Had the outcome of the Korean war been like that of the Vietnam war with a unified country emerging from the hostilities how good might a combined Korean side be now? Both North and South have some decent players amongst them. (With one exception of course!)
Nice work by our adopted team yesterday.
FYI, Robert Martinez IS on holiday...he is one of many analysts on ESPN with links to the EPL. Let's hope Wigan don't pop up at the 11th hour again...
Steve McManaman and Ruud Gullit (all the Yanks say the "G") argued over whether Maicon meant his goal or not. McManaman put the goal down to a gk error. Gullit felt the keeper was just trying to anticipate the cross and Maicon intentionally hit the ball with the outside of his foot to catch the keeper off guard.
The commentators are a mixed bunch. My favorite pairing are Martin Tyler and Ally McCoist. Ian Darke and Efan Ekoku are tougher to listen to. Ekoku is pretty good, but Ian Darke is embarrassing when he patrionisingly discusses each side as though the Queen Victoria is still proudly ruling over an empire upon which the sun never sets.
Robbie Mustoe is also a commentator. As in his playing days, he is quietly effective, doing a nice job of breaking down tactics and the flow of games. Bring on Algeria!
AV
£3-4m for Thompson with only a year left on his contract? If that's a good estimate, then no thanks!
Congrats Werdermouth!
**AV writes: We understand there are "three or four" clubs interested in Thompson so it could come down to how much we want him in an auction.
Smog
These are the early days. As they grow up the dreaded Boro virus takes hold.
At first it is just excitement because they are going to football with Dad, often with mum's blessing to get them out of the house.
As they start nearing adulthood the full horror of what we have inflicted upon them takes over. There is no no known cure.
Boro til I die.
I am now plotting to get my son to go to Chesterfield. He went to the old ground when he was young and couldnt believe it having been to the Riverside, the place by the Trent and even the Baseball Ground. The problem is he hasnt forgiven me for Barnsley away and a number of grim matches over the years. And he has an hour plus commute back to Derby from Wolverhampton every night.
He keeps vowing never to go again but I keep tempting him along - it is a long way to drive all on my own, etc. I must admit it is a tough call, driving down the A19 by myself shouting at the radio in frustration or having a stony silence from the other seat having wasted another precious Saturday.
Former Scotland boss Burley has held talks with Crystal Palace and is vying with Chris Coleman and Dougie Freedman for the role at Selhurst Park.
Gareth Southgate for Crystal Palace? Anyone?
AV
If it's an auction then we're heading for 'no loss' territory.
On to the next one.
I thought North Korea were good last night, they scored a very good goal too and if they were playing a lesser team would have got something from the match.
I am very concerned about the start of the season. This morning I was trying to work out what a good formation and starting line up would be given what we have at the club now - the alarm bells are ringing for me.
Oddly, Gibson spoke out about Britton I don't remember him ever doing this before. Would it be that he is concerned that if the fans saw us 'losing' out on another target that they may continue to abstain?
**AV writes: I think the club are aware that they need to bring in signings quickly and cleanly to echo the idea that Strachan has a concrete vision of who and what he wants. Any appearance of stumbles along the way may detract from that.
A.V get on the phone to Pak Doo Ik,
see if you can get their centre forward in, he looks half decent.
Congrats Werder! I'm still here, I haven't really been following things too closely, I think I needed a break from all things Boro. and waiting for us to sign someone! Looks like, as per usual, that we will be waiting until the last minute. Again.
When Forlan went to ManU I commented that it probably wasnt the best move for him because he would get get bits of games here and there. His career development would have been better at the Riverside (or similar)
And so it has proved, he had a poor time at ManU (unless you count his goals against the Scousers) but since he moved on he has scored regularly and I must give due credit he is looking a top player at the moment. He also works very hard.
Who knows what would have happened if he had come to us. It may be he is far better suited to continental football so the question is irrelevant.
You so funny AV - looking forward to South Korea vs North Korea in the Asian Cup - what a blast that could be!
**AV writes: A real derby atmosphere.
Thanks for the congrats.
Smog, if Kleinermouth takes after his father then he'll be unlikely to make it into the Boro defence in the future - though maybe GK is possible?
Also, good to see BoroPhil still has time to check out the blog - though i can't blame you for wanting a break from all things Boro as it's been mainly negatives for quite some time now.
Gee North Korea at Ayresome Park.... I remember it well!!
As a teenager I decided at the last moment to go to the game. Travelling from Hartlepool I arrived 10 minutes after kick-off.... at the ground I was met by a hoard of ticket touts with fistfuls of ... yes... tickets! Nowt new there then!! Can't quite remember how much I paid but it was a good seat/wooden bench... adjacent to the BBC commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme... remember him?