<p>Newcastle and Middlesbrough entered the Championship from the wrong direction yet still boasted two of the most talented squads in the history of the division. With Newcastle’s off-field dramas threatening to do serious damage, many expected Middlesbrough, with their more settled structure, to prosper.</p>
<div id="attachment_616" style="width: 236px" class="wp-caption alignright"><div><figure class="image"></figure></div><p id="caption-attachment-616" class="wp-caption-text">Can Southgate deliver promotion?</p></div>
<p>Newcastle were always likely to lose the likes of Owen and Duff, but with Ameobi hitting the kind of form he hasn’t found for years and the transfer deadline approaching without the departure of Nolan or Taylor, they may have ridden one storm even without a permanent manager. They play Leicester on Monday and few would bet against a home win and a return to the top of the table for the Barcodes.</p>
<p>Things appear pretty rosy for Boro too.</p>
<p>Two away wins, third in the table, Adam Johnson one of the stand-out stars of the league so far and until Nicky Maynard’s double at the weekend, they were yet to concede a league goal.</p>
<p>But watching Gareth Southgate’s flustered post-match interview on the BBC’s refreshingly enjoyable Football League programme, you have to wonder if trouble is lurking around the corner already for the beleagured Boro boss.</p>
<p>This week he lost Tuncay and, perhaps more pertinently, Robert Huth to Stoke. Immediately, Boro’s clean white league sheets were dirtied by Bristol City. Southgate, himself once a first class centre back, must have been fuming with the direct nature of Nicky Maynard’s late winner. Even Maynard himself looked surprised by the freedom the Boro defence offered.</p>
<p>Of course, this may just be a blip and Boro are not the first team and won’t be the last to be undone by the in-form Maynard this season. But let’s take a closer look at Boro’s results so far. Against Sheffield United on the opening evening they were largely lacklustre, although it must be said that the Blades are masters of defending away from home: last season they shipped just 17 in 23. Nevertheless, Boro fans would have been worried by their almost total lack of threat that evening.</p>
<p>Next came two comfortable away wins, the first against a Swansea side struggling to come to terms with the loss of their brilliant manager and a number of key players, and the second against Scunthorpe, a League One side just a few months ago. In short, the results were good, but Boro would have expected to take six points from those games.</p>
<p>A 2-0 home win against Doncaster was also fine but again, with all respect to Donny, the odds on 2-0 would have been rather short and with the quality and resources Boro have, all three of those wins should have been achieved whoever was in charge. Since then, they’ve been knocked out of the Cup by Forest and beaten in their first serious test since their game with Sheffield United.</p>
<p>I’m a big believer that tables mean nothing until at least 10 games in. By that time, all clubs have had a chance to play a variety of teams from up and down the table. Boro’s position bears that belief out. Even though they are third, their only really impressive result was away at Swansea, a team clearly at the start of a major transition.</p>
<p>As Southgate struggled to contain his fury on Saturday he almost looked disturbed by the number of microphones shoved under his chin. He may have the most supportive Chairman in the country in his corner, but he is still under enormous pressure. If he thought the spotlight would be a little dimmer in the Championship, Saturday’s defeat will have set him right.</p>
<p>When the league resumes after the bothersome international break, Boro face a slowly improving Ipswich, the unpredictably dangerous Sheffield Wednesday and the impressive West Brom within a single week. After those three games we should have a clearer picture of Southgate’s ability to keep Boro in that top three – and of the likelihood of him lasting the season at the Riverside.</p>


Will Southgate Last The Season? - World Soccer Talk

Will Southgate Last The Season?

<div style="width: 470px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><div><figure class="image"></figure></div><p class="wp-caption-text">Adams bids farewell</p></div>
<p>Poor Tony Adams, he can’t even win the headlines on the day he loses his job. Why have Portsmouth taken the decision to sack Tony Adams after the Liverpool game? It is an ludicrous decision to sack a manager after losing to Liverpool at home and especially a week after the transfer window closed for the remainder of the season. I could have understood the decision 10 days ago, but what changed in&nbsp;that period. As poorly as Liverpool are currently playing, a win would have been a massive coup for Adams and his beleaguered team but to be sacked after losing to the team currently sitting in second in the table&nbsp;makes no sense. It’s pointless and makes you wonder how long this decision had been brewing, though I thought this time last week that Tony Adams was a dead man walking. The comments coming out of the club were the sort that for anyone who’s followed football for a while that&nbsp;the warning signs were clear to all that could read them. The dreaded vote of confidence had been issued, the experienced player had made comments on the fact he thought they were going down. Adams stoically stated that he had the full support of Portsmouth’s board and fans.</p>
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<p>Why didn’t they sack him after the F.A. Cup defeat at home to Swansea or the 4-1 home defeat to West Ham? Then I could have understood it more, but 3 of their last 5 defeats in the League have come against Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal.&nbsp; What did the board expect him to do in those games against top quality opposition, they also garnered a point at Tottenham despite being on the back foot for most of the game. What would have most clubs taken from those 4 matches outside the top 6?</p>
<p>There’s no doubting Adams’ reputation as one of the nicest men in football. A renaissance man in every sense, after much publicised battles with alcoholism, Adams threw himself into education, becoming a varocious reader of classics&nbsp;and under Wenger, had an indian summer as a player finding a new panache and ability in a side of sensuous footballing talent. He’s work in setting up the Sporting Chance Clinic in Hampshire needs no introduction or defence and he has worked tirelessly to assist countless sports men &amp; women to try and beat their demons. Yet, I don’t think he’s ready to be a manager yet, he’s still a little rough around the edges and needs to hone his abilities more. Great players do not make great managers but time and again English clubs do not learn. Bryan Robson, Roy Keane, Alan Ball and Bobby Charlton all showed that an illustrious playing career does not guarantee you’re able to step up to become a good manager.</p>
<p>The only defence I can find for the Portsmouth board is that perhaps they liked Tony too much to sack him sooner but even so, they should have acted sooner or let him run until the team end of the season. It was clear to me that Pompey were in free fall but Adams had taken steps to steel up his team with the signings of Hayden Mullins, Angelos Bassinas, Jermaine Pennant and Theofanis Gekas and to be removed after only one game with the new signings is daft.&nbsp; That smacks of boardroom panic and the typical decisions of people who know nothing of football. To sack him after the run of games they’ve had would see 16 managers a year lose their jobs in the Premiership.</p>
<div style="width: 426px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><div><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" src="https:\/\/ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https:\/\/images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/WST_20090209_WST_4322__45455777_kuyttorrescrouch_getty416.webp&amp;width=416&amp;height=300" alt="5 minutes from salvation" width="416" height="300"></figure></div><p class="wp-caption-text">5 minutes from salvation</p></div>
<p>Their next fixture is a winnable one against Manchester City, who are dreadful away from home and would have given the club and Adams clarification on how poor they actually were. Yet the situation in the Premiership, with everyone outside the top 7 within 11 points of each other should have allowed Adams more time than he actually had.&nbsp; No-one is cut adrift yet by a long way and that could have been crucial but ultimately, it’s looks like an act to preserve Portsmouth’s sell on price, the Chairman&nbsp;Alexandre Gayamak is looking at recouping the £60 million he’s poured in to Pompey, they need a new ground and the team needs strengthening too. That’s easier to do as a Premiership club and now they need to find a replacement. Avram Grant anyone? The board in their statement today claim to have given Adams their full backing financially. I hardly see giving a manager a sixth of the transfer funds raised in January&nbsp;as fully backing him financially. If only he worked for Steve Gibson, he’d still have a job.</p>
<p>So where does Adams go now? Perhaps Tony needs a break from football and throw himself into charity work, giving him time to recharge his batteries. He’ll be gutted that he feels he let&nbsp;Portsmouth and their fans down, if nothing else Adams is a proud man and one&nbsp;who never shirks from a challenge.&nbsp; After the failure at Wycombe prior to his moving into Assistant Management, could he step back on the second or third&nbsp;rung of the management&nbsp;ladder and find time to get a club that will allow him the time to hone his managerial skills. If nothing else, I wish Tony Adams the best of luck whatever he decides to do.</p>

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Will Southgate Last The Season?

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Portsmouth Sacking Adams Now Makes No Sense