<div id="attachment_647" style="width: 217px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><div><figure class="external-image"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-647" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-647" src="/files/2009/10/3756622801-soccer-barclays-premier-league-middlesbrough-v-portsmouth-riverside-stadium-207x300.jpg" alt="Southgate: Shown The Door" width="207" height="300"></figure></div><p id="caption-attachment-647" class="wp-caption-text">Southgate: Shown The Door</p></div>
<p>After winning 2-0 on Tuesday night, Gareth Southgate was relieved of his duties as manager hours after the game. Despite being quite a popular player for the club, Southgate could never quite get the same level of support in his time as manager; despite a number of hardships being put on him such as the sale of top striker Yakubu. It may come as a slightly surprise that the Boro board decided to sack Southgate moments after a win rather than Saturday where the club, at the time, suffered it’s 3rd straight home defeat at the hands of a Watford side currently struggling for form. It is most likely that Gibson and the Middlesbrough board had only fully committed to a change in leadership on the Monday.</p>
<p>An outsider to the championship may wonder how a manager who’s team sits 4th in the 2nd tier table can be sacked but <a href="http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11680_5642338,00.html">Steve Gibson’s proclamation Wednesday afternoon</a> certainly suggests that it has been building up for some time; and anyone who follows the club can relate to that. One of the most notable things in Gibson’s decision may well be the constant dip in attendance. Even though the club has been relegated and would expect smaller crowds, Boro’s home form has been woeful and left a lot of fans questioning the point in turning up to</p>
<p>You could feel some sympathy however for Southgate. Steve McLaren was a tough act the follow after all of his success. McLaren’s bid to gain success for the club cost the team, and despite selling a number of key players to balance the books on Southgate’s arrival, the club still suffered<a href="http://www.football.co.uk/middlesbrough/southgate_reveals_boro_debt_278124.shtml"> heavily from debt</a>. Southgate, even recently in the championship, has been forced to field a number of players who have came through the clubs academy. Despite Boro having one of the strongest youth teams in the country, it was hardly surprising that they were relegated from the Premiership.</p>
<p>It can’t be denied however that Southgate had no resources. He could be accused of putting all his eggs into one basket when signing Alfonso Alves for what is believed to be almost £13 million. Alves turned out to be a poor piece of business, lacking the finishing touch that the likes of Yakubu and Viduka had brought before him and was largely lethargic in his Boro days. Many questioned the price tag before he had even signed. Alves abandoned ship just before the close of the summer 2009 transfer window; his lacklustre attitude may be better suited to the sweltering heat of the Middle East. He could happily retire early with the amount of money I imagine he is making out there.</p>
<p>After the clubs relegation, they opened the Championship campaign with a 0-0 home draw to Sheffield United and were booed off the pitch by the supporters. Many people criticized the fans for this, but it wasn’t just about the result; fans had already lost confidence in Southgate and a 0-0 draw all but justified this. Southgate never appeared to have a charismatic edge as a manager and sometimes seemed too accepting in defeat. Many within the game saw him as a bit of a push over and someone who could easily cave in.</p>
<p>I myself consider Steve Gibson one of the best Chairmen in the country, a patient man who doesn’t hit the panic button at the first time of asking. He is one of a dying breed in world football; an owner who was brought up in the local environment supporting his club. Boro fans will always have a gratitude of debt towards the man, as Gibson is one of the men that saved the club from Liquidation when they almost folded towards the end of the 20th century. His decision to let Southgate go was the correct call and I believe it has come at the right time. Gibson wants the club to bounce straight back the Premiership at the first time of asking, most likely to help the club balance the finances once again. He gave Southgate every possible opportunity, something most managers don’t get. The club is sitting in a great league position and the right appointment can help give the club an initial boost and help the club realise it’s ambition of promotion at the first time of asking.</p>
<p>The only problem is who will take the job? The objective is clearly to get the club promoted this season as another season in the Championship may result in the club needing to make more cut backs. Gordon Strachan’s name has once again been churned out by the bookies as a favourite – an ideal candidate for the club, but is Boro an ideal opportunity for Strachan? If any manager is tasked with getting promotion they are going to want resources to do so and Boro lack a lot of funding. Their young squad lacks experience and any high profile name manager will want to bring in tried and tested players. If it is to be Strachan then Gibson and the board would have to take a massive gamble, put whatever they’ve got left into the club and pray that he can get the job done.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.skysports.com/video/inline/0,26691,16478_5642286,00.html">Milan Mandaric has ruled out the fantastic Nigel Pearson</a>, but you can never say never in football. I’m a big fan of Pearson and I’m not surprised that the Leicester chairman is so keen to keep hold of him. Kevin Keegan is the bookies 2nd favourite to take the job (maybe becoming a Toon heretic?) as well as Alan Curbishley being up there. However, these are two managers who would demand they’d be given resources; particularly after their most previous employers relieved them of purchasing duties.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t be surprised if Gibson takes his time with this appointment, as mentioned before he is a man with a lot of patience and likes to be 100% sure before his makes a big decision. Middlesbrough’s situation makes their next managerial appointment a difficult one to call, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it ended up being an intriguing appointment. One of the best things about Steve Gibson as a chairman is that he has the right mix of being a fan and an owner, so whoever he and the board decide on is most likely to be someone the fans can put faith in.</p>


The Inevitable Axe Of Gareth Southgate Confirmed: What Now For Middlesbrough F.C?

The Inevitable Axe Of Gareth Southgate Confirmed: What Now For Middlesbrough F.C? - World Soccer Talk

<p><div><figure class="external-image"><img src="/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/middlesbrough_crest.png" alt="middlesbrough_crest.png" align="right" hspace="10"></figure></div>It’s taken me a little while to catch up on the goings on this week as I was away over the weekend. My wife and I took a camping trip and got away from the hustle and bustle of the city for a while. We ended up with some rainy weather but made the best of it, very similar to the Boro game this past Saturday.</p>
<p>I had thought the match againt Stoke City would be a comfortable three points considering the way the lads had performed against Tottenham and Liverpool. The effort still needed to be there but talent-wise I thought the Boro were just better. It was a little disappointing to see us struggle along to a 2-1 win. The obvious turning point in this one was Amdy Faye’s reckless, two-footed challenge on Shawky, for which he was sent off. Stoke lost any momentum that they had developed during that opening 30+ minutes and as one would expect Middlesbrough were dominant from that point on. One has to wonder how the game would have gone had Faye not gotten himself sent off.  (Picture courtesy of the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1050907/Turkish-delight-Tuncay-strike-sees-gritty-10-man-Stoke-The-Riverside.html">Daily Mail match report</a>)</p>
<p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8nsBBoPxONQ/SMFjqadxhlI/AAAAAAAAAHw/I5GtK8c53M8/s1600-h/shawky-faye"><div><figure class="external-image"><img src="http://epltalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2.bp.blogspot.com/_8nsBBoPxONQ/SMFjqadxhlI/AAAAAAAAAHw/I5GtK8c53M8/s400/shawky-faye" style="margin: 0px auto 10px;text-align: center;cursor: pointer" border="0"></figure></div></a>There was yet another own goal in this game — that’s now three in three league matches. A very worrying trend and one that I hope will end soon. Downing’s penalty miss was another lowlight but it’s far from doom and gloom at the Riverside. The three points on Saturday made it Middlesbrough’s best start for nine years and Alves’ goal was pure class. Great to see him get off the mark after looking so clueless in front of goal up to that point.</p>
<p>A few other notes from the week to pass on.</p>
<p>I had been scouring eBay for a Boro jersey and I kept noticing listings for XXL or XXXL Viduka and Yakubu shirts and was wondering……….Nah, you know what I’m not going to go there, it’s too easy! 🙂</p>
<p>I was glad to see that unlike other EPL clubs, Boro did not panic buy at the deadline. We’ve got a decent squad, a bit small but at least there should not be too many complaints about not starting or being in the squad. Also glad to see that Mido was not sold as we’re not too deep up front and he’ll be needed over the course of the season. As it turns out Southgate spent his “summer money” in January. The club record fee of £12.7m for Afonso Alves apparently came from the summer budget and it looks like it will be money well spent.</p>
<p>It was good to see a number of the squad involved in internationals this weekend. Downing has gotten another call up for England while Egyptian duo Mido and Shawky, Austrian defender Emanuel Pogatetz and Turkish striker Tuncay will all be in their national team squads. A special mention for defender prospect Rhys Williams, who has got his first senior Welsh squad callup.</p>
<p>I had mixed feelings about the Carling Cup draw. It’ll be fun to have my new team pitted against my old team but it would have been nicer had that happened later in the competition — like the final ! I think we have a good chance to go through if United choose to blood some youngsters in the match and we go in with a strong squad. Southgate has made mention of taking the Cups seriously this season and this will be a test of that conviction.</p>
<p>Until next time, COME ON BORO !</p>


Middlesbrough Musings: Week Three &#8211; Own Goals and Oversize Shirts

Middlesbrough Musings: Week Three - Own Goals and Oversize Shirts - World Soccer Talk

Middlesbrough Musings: Week Three – Own Goals and Oversize Shirts

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The Inevitable Axe Of Gareth Southgate Confirmed: What Now For Middlesbrough F.C?

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Middlesbrough Musings: Week Three – Own Goals and Oversize Shirts