Club Scouts - Do Your Best
AFTER the opening day shambles at Reading, Gareth Southgate has just ten days to beat the deadline and bring in the two quality defenders Boro need if they are avoid being sucked into an uncomfortable season of struggle.
Don't let the MOTD highlights fool you into thinking it was just a five minute wobble after Arca was injured or that a dodgy offside decision somehow robbed them. Boro were tortured for 40 minutes either side of the break and could easily have leaked three more.
And don't be fooled either into thinking that an ageing defender who has mentally hung up his boots once and for all to concentrate on running the team can come in and save the day. If you believe that then why not go the whole hog and bring back Coops as well as the Gate. No, Boro must buy quickly and with the Huth deal on ice and Distin opting to stay and count his money at City then it is time for the much trumpeted scouting network to justify its existence.
Which is a worry. The spin about go-ahead Boro's world class infrastructure can sometimes be shown to be true. Hurworth is a breath-taking training facility the envy of many of the G14 and the academy has churned out talent of proven ability at this level: at Reading Downing and Davies were among the better Boro players and many in the crowd were wishing Cattermole and Bates were out there playing too.
But in other areas the results of the club structure are less obvious. The scouting network for instance. What has it produced in the last three years of watching top flight football across Europe? Where are the undiscovered gems spotted in Inter or Real's reserves? The cut-price quality that can step straight into the team and take Boro to the next level?
The only products of the systematic scouring of Europe and constant scientific analysis to make sure targets have the qualities neccessary for the hurly burly of the Prem would appear to be Douala, Rochemback and Pogatetz, a trio that could just have easily and far more cheaply have been found by the traditional method of just watching to see who plays well against Boro.
Even those show dubious research. Douala was a flash in the pan and Sporting couldn't believe Boro had bid so much for him. No whe can't mak eth eteam. No wonder they were practically giftwrapping him and driving him to the airport. The background on Rocky was prepared so meticulously the club initially approached Sporting even though he was a Barca player and Pogo was facing a six months world wide ban when Boro made their move.
The only other European import in recent years has been the man with the dual Barnsley/Brazil birth certificate Doriva and he came via a casual recommendation of an agent or after a tip off from Juninho, depending on which story you believe. Still, Herold Goulon may be the one.
Now that the long-term domestic targets have faded Boro need to think fast and act decisively. Initially the criteria drawn up insisted that incoming players should be British, or at least seasoned Premiership pros and they must improve on what we have. To be fair to the club there are not many that are available that will fit the bill without breaking the bank. Olaf Melburg, Zat Knight, Matthew Upson... realistically where do you go after that?
But the bank must be broken because the new TV deal that kicks in next year will give each club £27m. Now more than ever no team can afford to go down and let us be under no illusions that with the defence that started at Reading - or even the best that can be assembled out the club roster - that is perfectly possible.
That means the criteria may have to change. Either the wage ceiling must go to attract the new Southgate and Ehiogu from within the Premiership or Boro must look abroad. The lure of the Prem, a team still in the memory for storming UEFA Cup displays and the prospect of the big bucks are a potent brew.
Czech stopper Tomas Ufalusi of match-fixing relegation favourites Fiorentina has been linked with Boro, a player who has stated he wants to play in England and who, if we move quickly, could possibly be lured to Teesside. Our scouts must have a dossier on him.
If there are no dossiers we can revert back to the traditional method and go for a player who had a blinder against us last year. The outstanding defender of the campaign was shaven skulled Swede/Croat stopper Daniel Majstorovic, the bruising Basel powerhouse who single handedly stopped Boro's all out assault in its tracks. It was only his dismissal that enabled Boro to scramble into the semis.
Whatever the method employed Boro must buy quickly and buy well at the back.
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Anthony Vickers
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Mr Vickers,
you have just summed up very nicely, the summation of my thoughts regarding the infrastructural failings of Boro's current inept transfer target identification and aquisition system.
I agree whole heartedly, that adjustments, and modifications to our transfer policy are neccessary, if we are to re-align ourselves at or above what our main rivals (outside the top four)can offer. And to be able to compete evenly with some modicome of success.
It is blatantly obvious we need urgent defensive re-inforcements if we are to survive this campaign with our premiership status assured.
In Daniel Majstorovic, we witnessed a bull of a defender who single handedly held back the onslaught of boro's UEFA cup fightback until his dismissal allowed the floodgates to open. Why hasn't anyone at boro even considered this fella? He would add a huge amount of steel to a very weak defence, and I for one would be excited about the season ahead with him in our ranks.
If you are reading this Gareth, please sign Majstorovic, please sign Majstorovic, please sign Majstorovic.
Thank-you
I have stated in other posting my feeling on how poor a scout Don MacKay is, how Boro continue to put up with his ineptitude beggars belief.
Keith Lamb must also be held culpable, it seems that transfer window after transfer window goes by with the same excuses given for missing possible targets.
Boro over the last two seasons were on the verge of what seemed unprecedented success for our club, then due to poor managerial decisions both on and off the pitch we now seem to be back to square one.
The elation of Cardiff followed by the UEFA Cup glory nights should have set Boro on the road to being a top six PL side.
However MaClarens abysmal team selection and tactics against West Ham and Seville, along with a lack of investment in new players may have set Boro on the slippery slope to the Championship.
I support Southgates appointment but many I know do not. The next 10 days may make or break Boro’s season, lack of new faces will not only put massive pressure on our paper thin squad but will also affect crowd sizes.
Dwindling crowds, a struggling team and come January we will have the ghost of transfer windows past (Lamb) bleating about the town getting the team it deserves.
If by this time we are embroiled in a relegation battle the only players we may be able to sign will be foreign mercenaries trying to make a quick buck or Championship players.
Like many who post to the MB, I think the Championship is the place to go with the likes of Gera and Nugent being prime targets. Get Huth back and check on his progress, surely even our medical staff will be able to ascertain when he will be fit (broken bone in the foot 3 weeks for Arca, so Huth can not be far away from training).
It could be that Southgate has a similar start results wise to MaClaren, however for whatever reason he does not appear to be getting the same financial backing, without it, it may be a long and hard season.
Vic
In a recent posting I stated that we should be able to get out a decent team from the resources available, the caveat being that if we cant why are we paying these players and if that is the case we have been sold a bum steer.
I was at Reading and there were some positives the main one being we started on the front foot before capitulating rather than trying to get to half time at 0-0 before capitulating.
I believe we could put out better back four than we saw but I am not privvy to the goings on at Hurworth. We all know we need another centre half and right sided midfield player but it wont deflect from the fact the main cause of the problem was poor distribution through complacency, arrogance or plain incompetence.
You can buy all the defenders you want but if you allow the other team unlimited access at the back four then you are inviting trouble.
Still doesnt explain why we havent got any new blood, the situation is not serious yet but by the time I come back from Cornwallnext week it may be.
Easy Tiger - Don't Panic! Loosing to Reading was not the end of the world and it does not mean we are going to be relegated. We played them at the worst possible time of the season - newly promoted full of passion and raring to go. Liverpool nearly lost to Sheffield Utd. All is not lost.
Having lost Southgate as a player does not turn us from a mid-table team into relegation fodder. The team played badly against Reading after being in total control that is the issue that needs to be addressed before Wednesday not who plays centre back.
The trick is for the team to get stuck in against Chelsea and get a positive result. That way Reading is history, confidence begins to grow.
Then we can look to strengthening the squad with a defender or two and hopefully a right midfield player. I agree with what seems to be a consensus that the scouting network seems to be the weak link, but that is not going to be adressed in the near future, the manager has more immediate issues to address.
We have some tough fixtures to start off our season, Arsenal are up soon I think, so to make the point again the team needs to show determination and self belief.
The other Boro exiles here in the office in Aberdeen are sick of me bleating on about Majstorovic ever since the Basel game.
I agree with your comments entirely, the man was a real powerhouse himself and he marshalled his fellow defenders in a way that suggested they didn't dare get on his bad side by not giving as much as he did.
At the time no-one realised that the Gate would be hanging up his boots so early and I believed that Majstorovic should have been bought then to take over the role gradually.
Now it is even more imperative he comes NOW, be given the captain's armband and instructions to EAT any player who fails to deliver to his standards (or any opposition player who comes anywhere near the penalty area!)
Let us be under no misapprehensions, the present defence set-up looks set to leak goals like an old sieve and relegation could turn into a real threat. We have some good young lads coming up through the ranks who could do a good job when called on, but we need hardened, seasoned defenders to do it week in week out, preferably commanded by Majstorovic.
It appears as though boro could be looking at giving abel xavier a fresh go at the riverside. Is this really the best that Gareth and Co. can conjur up?
We really must be struggling if this is the case.Chelsea result aside, what is going on at the club? I am not against anyone being given a second chance, and he has paid his dues in terms of serving out his ban, but come on, surely the club is looking to recruit players that are ready to slot into the team and improve it,for the long term also.
Does the management at boro honestly think that the fans will be appeased at such little offering? I think its time they stepped outside and smelt the coffee.
In my opinion, if this goes through as the only transfer before the window closes, the fans have been well and truly sold short. Roll up, Roll up, buy yor season tickets over here, we will invest in the best talent available out there. Yeah right.
I wish Mr Xavier all the best in the future, but i dont honestly think it should be at the boro. Over and out till the next installment of this sorry transfer dabacle.
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