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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