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No topics, eh? Then allow me to, er, set the ball rolling! When you eventually find your way on here, Helki, very well done to the Tykes! :)

Well I've finally found this place! Can't stop now but will be back sometime soon to carry on the thread. :D

The Tykes were lucky to win I think but who cares. :D If England need some penalty takers they know where to look.

Got to go and make a rhubarb crumble! :eek

Will he, won't he?

Back to the McClaren succession - catching sight of the report on the Beeb's site echoing a NotW story prompted me to check the Gazette site, where I found this encouraging story from yesterday's edition:

O'Neill is a wanted man

May 27 2006

Andrew Wilkinson and Phil Tallentire, Evening Gazette

Boro are ready to install No 1 choice Martin O'Neill as manager - if he is happy to come to Teesside. The Irishman held further talks with Boro supremo Steve Gibson yesterday, but is understood to be wanted by at least one other club and is keeping his options open. As revealed in the Gazette soon after Steve McClaren's departure for the England hot seat, O'Neill was the man that chairman Gibson identified for the role. But it is believed that there was initially a stumbling block over certain conditions that O'Neill insisted on before taking the job. And that may have led to Boro approaching Terry Venables, who has now decided he is not interested in coming to the Riverside.

The former England, Spurs and Barcelona manager is understood to have too many other irons in fire to commit himself to a full-time Premiership role. The odds on O'Neill taking the job have plummeted over the last 24 hours, the money pouring in on him even before Venables' announcement. Paul Jewell and Sam Allardyce remain high up on Gibson's favoured replacements, if O'Neill follows Venables in saying "no". However, Jewell is poised to sign a contract extension at Wigan.

Despite playing a huge part in helping Boro to avoid relegation as caretaker manager back in 2000/01, Gibson's apparent enthusiasm to bring Venables back to Teesside was surprising, though was probably initiated by the original problems with O'Neill. El Tel hasn't managed in the top flight since his sacking at Leeds in March 2004 and his record in club management is patchy to say the least. He's won just one major honour in England - the 1991 FA Cup - and although he did win the Spanish title with Barcelona, that came 21 years ago when he was in his prime.

Ten years ago, Venables guided England to the semi-finals of Euro '96, though his critics will point to the fact that as hosts, his team qualified automatically and in the tournament, England won only two games out of five in open play, despite enjoying home advantage. McClaren's desire to appoint Venables as his chief advisor when he takes over as England manager on August 1 may be the over-riding reason for his turning down Boro, though he's yet to accept the England offer, formally at least.

O'Neill has enjoyed success at Wycombe, Norwich, Leicester and Celtic and has for several years been recognised as one of the best managers on the domestic scene. If his working conditions are ironed out, and if he decides Boro is the club for him, then Gibson will have a man of proven class at the helm.

* I couldn't agree more with that last comment - & I reckon El Tel is better off acting as Mac's adviser. Fingers crossed once again...

As for the Tykes being a touch fortunate, never look a gift horse & all that...! ;)

P.S. Good luck with the rhubarb crumble!

And here we have the latest offering from the DM.

£2m deal with Boro on table

Martin O'Neill has 24 hours to decide whether to accept a staggering £2million-a-year offer to become the next manager of Middlesbrough.

The former Celtic manager, who spent six hours in talks with Boro chiefs at the club's Rockcliffe Park training ground, will become one of the highest-paid managers in the Premiership if he accepts the offer.

O'Neill, who has been out of work since quitting Celtic last summer, became the club's first choice after former England boss Terry Venables turned down the position on Friday.

By then, O'Neill had held lengthy negotiations with Boro and has promised the club a quick decision.

O'Neill returned to London to discuss the offer with his wife, Geraldine, at their Buckinghamshire home. He has been at her side as she battles a serious illness and has been reluctant to take a job in the north while she continues her treatment.

Sources close to the former Wycombe and Leicester boss have disclosed that he is seriously considering the offer, but is under pressure to make a swift decision.

Boro chairman Steve Gibson is keen to make an appointment soon. If he fails to land O'Neill, he will turn his attention to former Charlton boss Alan Curbishley.

* It runs and runs! :huh: It's a lot of money to turn down but I still think he will. Curbishley isn't a bad third choice, if he can be persuaded to return so soon. I expect he'll want a similar remuneration.*


And another thing.

Aston Villa face competition from Middlesbrough to sign £3million-rated stiker James Milner.
Villa boss David O'Leary had Milner on loan last season but is struggling to meet Newcastle's asking price and that has opened the door for the Teesiders.
Boro midfielder Goerge Boateng is ready to end his contract wrangle with the club by signing a new three-year deal. His agent Sigi Lens: 'We will look to conclude talks early this week.'

* Another ex-Leeds player for the Riverside?*

The crumble was perfect by the way. :)
When is the furry assassin due?

You've answered that question in the tennis thread. :cat1

And another thing!

Robert Huth, age 21, Chelsea's German player left the training camp yesterday to talk to Middlesbrough!

Another youngster on the way, perhaps? Asking price---- 5.5million!


I know, I'm a mine of useless information. :)

By the way, my cousin went to Cardiff. It cost her more than £80. Good job they won! :rolleyes:

A few points to answer (not all raised in the post I've chosen to quote), Boro only this time round, England when I can remember exactly what I was going to say on the old board about Stevie G & Frank Lampard...! :huh:

1) Huth (+ the first allusion I've seen to a dark horse, & a non-English one at that, but given the job Martin Jol has done at Spurs, maybe Dutch wouldn't be so bad...):

Boro close in on Huth

Jun 1 2006

Eric Paylor, Evening Gazette

Boro are trying to push through a quick deal to sign Chelsea's young German international Robert Huth. The 21-year-old centre-back, who has linked up with the German squad for the World Cup Finals, has been high on the club's shopping list for some time. Reports today claim that Boro are close to agreeing a fee for Huth with the champions, and are prepared to offer the player a competitive salary.

Huth's agent Manfred Schulte insists that a deal is close with a so-far unnamed English club - and could be completed before the World Cup Finals. It is believed that Chelsea are looking for a fee of around £4m for the player, who is regarded as surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge.

While Boro are believed to be market leaders, Schulte has revealed that several Premiership clubs are involved in the chase. The others who have made inquiries are Everton, Newcastle, Wigan and Aston Villa. Schulte said: "Robert is definitely staying in England and has a number of options. We have had a number of offers come in and I will be going over them with him. The interest has been huge and in some way there have been too many offers."

Schulte denied that Huth had already decided which club he would be joining. He added: "Robert has not made a decision on his future yet. As I said we will go over them soon as we want to try and resolve his future before the World Cup Finals begin. It will be better for Robert if he goes into the finals knowing which club he is with."

Boro's move for Huth was officially revealed when England striker Andy Johnson was unveiled as Everton's new £8m signing at Goodison Park yesterday. Media men who inquired about Everton's reported interest in Huth were told that the club was now looking elsewhere for a centre-back because Boro were close to concluding a deal for the German. As a result Everton have already switched their attentions elsewhere and are believed to be ready to offer Wolves £4m for Joleon Lescott. Huth was top of the list of former boss Steve McClaren's summer targets had he stayed at Boro. He had identified a young centre-back as a priority signing, especially as skipper Gareth Southgate will be 36 in September.

It appears that Boro are ready to try to push through a deal for Huth in advance of them appointing a new manager, in order not to miss out on the German star. It means that the incoming Boro boss could inherit the 21-year-old defender, and potentially have £4m less transfer cash to spend.

The rumour mill is moving into top gear over Boro's next managerial target, after the club apparently failed to reach an agreement with Martin O'Neill, who spent the whole of last Friday in talks at Rockliffe Park. AZ Alkmaar coach Louis van Gaal has entered the betting, though Sam Allardyce's odds have significantly dropped to around 12-1 overnight and the Bolton boss still stands out as a logical target. He is well respected by McClaren, has done a great job at Bolton, is a big fan of the statistical ProZone system, and would fit into the way of things at the Boro and be able to work comfortably with the current coaching staff.

* Have to confess, these reports are the first time I've seen the lad's name mentioned. He'd make German-speaking company for "Mad Dog" (Pogi), though...

3) Boateng:



Gibson key to Boateng deal

Jun 1 2006

Eric Paylor, Evening Gazette

George Boateng today praised the role which chairman Steve Gibson had played in his decision to sign a new contract at the Riverside. The gritty Dutch international midfielder, whose current deal was due to run out at the end of this month, has put pen to paper on a three-year extension. It has allayed fears that Boateng might have walked away on a free transfer this summer, and will come as a boost to the rest of the senior squad, who see Boateng as a key member of the team.

Boateng is happy to be staying, too, and believes that popular chairman Gibson is one of the key factors. He said: "From the kit lady to the man himself, Mr Steve Gibson, everyone at Boro has treated me so nicely. That's so important to me. In fact, no matter how happy fans are that I am staying, I know that I am happier than they are than I have been allowed to stay. Obviously you hear a lot of positive things about the chairman. But it really puts a smile on your face when you experience a chairman that is as good as he is. The meeting started by the chairman describing how wonderful it has been since I've been at Middlesbrough, with the club going from one good thing to the next - and that I've been part of that. He made it clear that he wanted me to be at this place. We have no manager at present but the chairman offered me the chance to stay another three years, which I think for any player is the best thing you can have. So a big thank you to Steve Gibson and to Keith Lamb."

Boateng revealed that reports in the national media that he intended to move on this summer were well wide of the mark. He said: "I didn't have to make my mind up because I had already made it up. Steve Gibson didn't need to persuade me. What was more important for me was that he and the club wanted me to stay and that whatever we are going to achieve I am going to be part of it. What the chairman said was news I wanted to hear. What he had to say has given me more confidence in the future about what the club can achieve. He informed me about plans for the future and about the players he would like to come in. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to tell me who the new manager would be but he gave me great confidence.

"If we can fulfil the plans Mr Gibson laid out to me before the start of the season, with the right players and manager being brought in during the summer, I think we are talking about fifth place in the Premiership next season - and possibly even fourth. Qualifying for the UEFA Cup will be the aim but we can do what Tottenham did last year. With a bit of luck perhaps we can qualify for the Champions League."

Boateng added that the chairman's remarks had been exactly what he wanted to hear. He said: "It was music to my ears. I am a very ambitious person and am not someone that is just satisfied with what he has got. I didn't want to be part of something for the sake of it. I wanted to be part of something that wants to achieve something even better than before."

* Gibbo must be a really smooth talker & operator, but I suppose youi don't get where he is in the haulage business without such gifts...! ;)

4) Last, but not least, Milner: not mentioned in the Gazette recently, so had no idea of his Leeds "pedigree" until you brought it up. Could be worse! ;)

Curiouser & curiouser... From today's Standard Lite:

Boro offer El Tel consultancy role

Middlesbrough are preparing to offer Terry Venables their manager's job on a part-time basis. The 63-year-old former England coach was first approached to succeed Steve McClaren last month, but talks with Boro chairman Steve Gibson collapsed. Now, having failed to lure Martin O'Neill or Alan Curbishley, a consultancy role is being mooted which would involve Venables working five or six days a month alongside McClaren's forner No 2, Steve Round, and captain, Gareth Southgate.

* And yet:

Don't rush into management: Boateng

Jun 2 2006

by Evening Gazette

George Boateng has urged Gareth Southgate to put his ambitions to go into management on hold - for the sake of the former England defender's playing career. Dutch midfielder Boateng fears Southgate would suffer if he were to take up a role involving both coaching and managing. The 35-year-old is reportedly among the contenders to become Boro's new manager, but Boateng said: "If Gareth was player-manager his priorities would change - and he might struggle to do both jobs. Either he would do well as a manager and it would be a waste of his talent as a player, or he'd focus on playing and maybe not manage so well."

In the gazettelive online poll this week, 14 per cent of Boro fans believe that a Steve Round-Southgate partnership would best suit the club. Tony Mowbray remains the fans' favourite choice, ahead of Alan Curbishley, Round-Southgate and Sam Allardyce. However, a huge 39 per cent believe that Steve Gibson should go foreign to find a new boss.

* Extract from a Gazette interview with the Chief Exec, Keith Lamb:

[...]The fans have become a little frustrated while they await the appointment of a new boss. [ed. that's the understatement of the week! :rolleyes: ] Terry Venables has turned down a contract offer and Boro have failed to reach an agreement with Martin O'Neill following an initial meeting. It means the Boro are still dragging the net in their battle to bring in the right man at the helm.

However, Lamb stressed that no stone was being left unturned to find a replacement for Steve McClaren. He said: "The lack of comment by the club on the recruitment of a new manager doesn't mean to say that nothing is happening. What we won't be drawn into is the media frenzy that always surrounds the recruitment of a new manager at a Premiership club. When we are ready and have the right man in place, that's when we will make an announcement. Hopefully, that will be sooner rather than later."

* Have lost count of the number of times I've seen that "sooner rather than later" line trotted out now! :rolleyes:

For the second night running I've spent time with my one finger posting on this thread only to have it disappear when I tried to post. SO, I'm taking my ball home and refusing to play!

Can't say as I blame you. I've just lost an entire post on the tennis thread because of high activity or some such crap! :angry: Too late to try & reconstitute it now, so may try again tomorrow evening - if I can be bothered. I'll also explain how to post a link to an other site.

Well, finally it's Gareth Southgate! Can't help thinking that Steve Gibson has been backed into a corner over this. He's not exactly a tried and tested manager. Okay, he knows the club and it's players probably better than many others, but I can't believe that a more experienced person wouldn't have been preferable.

I don't know why so many candidates finally turned down the job? It's a well run club with a fine chairman and a good youth policy. Perhaps the North East is the drawback?

Look forward to reading your thoughts on this outcome. :D

You beat me to it! I'd have posted earlier myself, but my computer (a laptop these days) lives on the bed in my bedroom & since last Wednesday, my first day back at work after a slightly extended Spring Bank Holiday weekend, I've tended to catch an earlier train home from work & when I get back here, head for the lounge, which is where I invariably find the cat (parked on the windowsill, watching the world go by!), to spend a bit more time getting to know her! Later in the evening, when I gravitate back to computer & try to post, I've generally been thwarted by all that "heavy demand" crap! :rolleyes:

I fear my answer is going to disappoint you, because I honestly don't know what to make of the appointment. And while he appears to be talking the talk:

Southgate appointed as Boro boss

Middlesbrough have appointed Gareth Southgate as their new manager. Southgate, who won 57 caps for England, joined Boro from Aston Villa in a £6.5m deal in summer 2001, and has made more than 200 appearances for the club. The 35-year-old defender has been given the job despite not possessing the relevant Uefa coaching qualifications. Southgate said: "I've enjoyed my playing career, now it's time to take the club forward to the next stage. It's a challenge I'm relishing." Southgate also confirmed that he will not continue as a player, saying: "I don't think it's feasible to go in as a player-manager."

Southgate's appointment has been overshadowed by a row over his apparent lack of qualifications for the job. Premiership managers are expected to possess the Uefa Pro Licence for coaching - the qualification above the Uefa 'A' Licence - before taking charge of a club. And the BBC understands that Boro have until 12 weeks after the league season kicks off on 19 August to explain why Southgate should be permitted to manage without the required certificates. If they are unable to make a case that is satisfactory to the Premier League, the Football Association and the League Managers' Association, action could be taken against them.

The Premier League said in a statement: "As our rules stand it is a necessity to have the Uefa Pro License or equivalent to manage in the Premier League. As Middlesbrough have stated, they are seeking discussions with the Premier League, FA and LMA to discuss this situation. We will, of course, take a full part in those discussions during the close season." LMA chief John Barnwell recently said: "They can't do it - it's as simple as that."

However, if Boro could persuade 75% of Premier League chairmen to agree to Southgate's appointment, they could get dispensation. And Boro chief executive Keith Lamb was confident a resolution could be reached. We've been in discussions with the Premier League, the FA and the LMA and they're all very supportive of Gareth's appointment and the issues that need to be addressed," said Lamb. "We've all agreed we're going to work towards a satisfactory solution for all parties involved and I'm sure that will happen over the next few weeks."

Meanwhile, chairman Steve Gibson is confident that a precedent was set when Glenn Roeder took over at Newcastle even though he did not have a Uefa Pro Licence. On that occasion, the top flight's club chairmen voted to allow Roeder to take charge because illness had prevented him from completing his coaching courses.

"The rules are not clear but there is no risk to Gareth's appointment," said Gibson. "Any rule that could prevent it would be absolutely wrong. The burden of responsibility falls on me and if I make a list of values I'm looking for in a manager, a certificate doesn't come into it. What I'm looking for is judgement in players, tactics and man-management. Gareth also has experience, intellect, character and determination and I'm happy with my decision."

* we shan't know if can he walk the walk until maybe too late next season! :huh: Untried & untested... He's been widely credited with quelling the rumbling revolt in the dressing room after the 4-0 home defeat by a weak Villa team, but does that constitute a truly solid foundation on which to build a successful career in management? All credit to Gibbo for showing such unswerving loyalty to the manager of his choice & he will, of course (I assume), have the support of the other two Steves, Round & Harrison, but it seems to me a lot to ask/expect of such a novice. I must confess, I was still harbouring hopes that Martin O'Neill would see sense, or if not him, "Curbs" or Big Sam, but Gibbo clearly had other ideas. We'll just have to wait & see now... That said, I may come back with a few more thoughts tomorrow! ;)

Another quote from Southgate: 'The ideal scenario would be to have a couple more years working towards the licence but chances like this don't come up too often.
It's a fantastic opportunity. If I am still here in five years I will be delighted.The chairman knows how committed I am. That's why I have got the job.'

* I'm not sure about that last sentence.*

Steve Gibson also said:' We spoke to Martin, Terry and Alan Curbishley. Beyond that you have to entice another manager to break his contract, which I don't think is right.'

* He's in a minority there, I think!*

O'Neill has also admitted that he would have accepted the England job if it had been offered to him.
'It's one of the great jobs in world football. If Brian Clough, who had an ego the size of 15 houses, had the humility to go for an interview for the England job, then the rest of us mortals should be able to subject ourselves to that.
'Had the job been offered, then I would have been absolutely foolish to turn it down.'

*Can't help but think that TPTB missed a golden opportunity there. But McClaren has it now so we should be supportive. *

A few thoughts on yesterday's game!

In the first half I thought we played with skill, flair and determination. The pressure produced an own goal and that should have been the signal for a good performance. The team looked a well-balanced and co-ordinated unit. The defence was solid, well Cole looked a bit iffy. The midfield were dominant and Crouch and Owen linked up well. We could have, should have had more to show for the dominance. :D
Paraguay must have gained heart and confidence at half-time to be only a goal down. This, I think helped them to begin the second half in a more positive and fluent mood. :o
A different England team turned out for the second half. How often have we seen this? Are they incapable of a full ninety minutes of play at a high standard?Okay it was hot! Then keep the ball and pass it around well! :)
Why take off Owen? He wasn't injured, he needs matches to get fully match fit and it left Crouch isolated without a player to feed off him.The team were pressed further and futher back into their own half and with the introduction of Hargreaves became more negative and defensive. Paraguay gained in confidence and belief and could easily have snatched an equalizer. :huh:
Lucky England, even luckier when T&T and Sweden drew later! T&T from the amount I saw did really well especially playing with ten men for virtually the whole of the second half.
I can't help but think we are a forward short and a defender too many. I'd have been inclined to favour keeping Defoe and sending Campbell home. Carragher could fill in anywhere along the back line.
Perhaps I'm being pessimistic and the fact that the next game is later will not be so draining on stamina, 5pm our time will be 6pm in Germany. I certainly hope a better longer-time performance will be forthcoming. :rolleyes:

Phew! :devil That was just a bit too close for comfort.

Sven had to resort to Roon in the end. Thank goodness no-one gave him a good clattering. :D We'll need the boy wonder again if we are to get anywhere near the final. I have my pessimistic hat on as usual. :hat A much improved performance will be needed to get anywhere close.

Had Lampard left his shooting boots at Chelsea? I was beginning to despair but the substitutions appeared to instil a sense of urgency into the players and we started driving forward more, thank goodness! Crouch finally got his head to connect with the ball, instead of trying to be too fancy. Then! Super Steve, my Man of the Match, shot a Stevie Special. Well done all and that includes Trinidad and Tobago.

I finally watched this game (England vs T&T--I know, I know, I'm really behind, and I'm only following 2 groups, so I have no excuse!), and I have to say, I couldn't agree more with the above. Didn't he ever have a coach who told him to keep it simple? A bicycle kick when he could have just settled the ball with his other foot and taken a shot directly? I mean, seriously! Great game overall, though. I was at the edge of my seat in the second half. And in the end both goals were beautiful....

Would the other group be the one in which the USA are playing? :rolleyes:

Can we count on your support on Tuesday? If we carry on playing like we have done in the last two games we will struggle in the next phase of the competition.

I was kinda hoping they'll have got the crap out of their system with those first two games & that the two goals in the T&T game have gone some way towards settling some very obvious jangling nerves... :eek All things considered, though, we're a lot better off than France & no worse placed than Brazil at the moment! ;) Have been a bit distracted in the last couple of days, but hope to return properly to the footie theme ter-morrer...

When, oh when, are we going to stop playing like a bunch of 11 individuals & start playing like a proper TEAM? :huh: :rolleyes:

P.S. Well done, Stevie G (who, IMHO, should've been in the starting line-up) & J Cole... ;)

When hell freezes over I expect! :o

Oh! 'ecky thump. Another less than convincing display.

First half okay, good passing and movement and a brilliant goal from Joe Cole.

Second half, the outfield play had its moments but some members of the team began to fly the missing man formation........ again. Did Beckham turn up at all? Most of our attacking options came down the left.

What has Walcott gone for? To look pretty on the bench? Why is Sven soooooo in love with Lampard, who still has to put his boots on the proper feet? Hargreaves played his role well. It may shut up the Boo Boys! Nah! Thank goodness for saviour Steve who came up trumps at both ends. :) I didn't mind Sven leaving Gerrad out, he was on a yellow card, as was Lampard, but rather Steve be in the next round out of the two. :D

Overpaid, overrated and if they're not careful back over 'ere.It's hard to keep the faith sometimes. Perhaps they have had ALL their bad games?

Come on guys, let's start :guns :guns on all cylinders.

1) I'd like to think so, but I fear you may be right...! :cry1

2) You can say that again - on all three counts! :eek And no, I don't think Beckham did turn up. The man's over the hill - & has never, IMHO, been a genuine captain. It's just not in his nature...! :rolleyes: John Terry would do a better job; he's a better motivator, if you ask me...

3) That's what we've been talking about in the office! If Sven hasn't the guts to play him, why the bloody hell did he take him & deny, say, Jermain Defoe, a place in the team? :ph43r: Whatever, looks as though Sven is set to name both Stevie G and "Lamps" tomorrow, with Michael Carrick in the holding role, in the five-man midfield the football journos have been clamouring for. I confess I have more faith in Steve's ability to keep the England show on the road ATM than I have in Lamps'... Here's hoping it's not too little too late from the man who appears to have no gambling instinct whatsoever, even when the chips are plainly down...! :rolleyes:

You're right about Hargreaves & there's absolutely no excuse for all that loutish booing - but that's certain England fans for you! :rolleyes: I know he's versatile, but will he acquit himself quite so well in the right back position where the rumours say he'll play? He played well enough in his preferred position on Tuesday to merit keeping his place in the team, but if Eriksson is going to give Carrick a run-out, maybe he should have had the guts to drop him & play Carragher there...

4) That's more or less it in a nutshell! I fear that the game against Ecuador is going to find Sven's team wanting because he simply hasn't the tactical nous, but I find myself hoping the footballing gods will have other ideas, so... fingers crossed for the Three Lions & here's hoping that they have had all their bad games & that it's (relatively) plain sailing from here on in...! ;)

P.S. Was pleased the Aussies went through to the knock-out phase on Thursday - in spite of their ridiculous nickname. The fact that there are two Boro players in the squad has absolutely nowt to do wi'it, of course...! ;)

Have I said this before? Another less than convincing display. :o


The first half was particularly frustrating with the team trying to come to terms with the heat and the formation. I felt quite sorry for Roon who ploughed a valiant furrow up front on his own. Give the boy his due, he never stopped fighting for the cause and eventually played himself into some sort of form. It's a thankless task however, especially as Lamps still hasn't connected with the net. He's supposed to have had most shots in the whole tournament! Get one in the goal, please. :huh:

The second half they appeared to have become accustomed to the method of play. Some pleasing passing movements were produced but still the final ball was lacking. DB might not be having a good tournament, but thank goodness he was there to put that free kick away. It was a beauty. :D

What is it with the defence? They are usually so reliable and secure, yet they seem to be dithering and misjudging the flight of the ball? The further they progress the more teams will capitalize on this defect, unless the problem can be sorted.

Have heard today a return to 4 4 2 might be on the cards against Portugal and that Neville may be fit? I'm not his biggest fan but I haven't seen anything from the others who have played at RB to make me feel he should not be included if he is okay. I'd be inclined to leave out Lampard and play Hargreaves, although I thought Carrick had an excellent game in the holding position. I assume Crouch would play in this formation. I also have gleaned from the Beeb that Scolari may be trying to persuade TPTB to let Deco play?

I wasn't too impressed with the Portugal v Holland game. Nothing wrong with the goal, but the play acting of the players and the card waving that ensued from the referee did the game no favours.

I didn't see all of the Italy v Aussie match. If that was a penalty I'm a monkey's uncle. Still it must have been 'cos Luis Medina Cantalejo gave it. I really would like somebody to stick-it to the Italians, don't know why-- it's just a thing I have about their teams. :rolleyes:

I'm off to see how the Swiss are doing against Ukraine, somehow neither of these two inspire me to watch. May have to read a book. :D

Helki, great rundown of that match. England does seem to have gotten lucky this tournament, although that's the thing with soccer--you don't always have to play the best to pull out the win, and they have definitely put the ball in the net when it counts, which is more than I can say for my country's team. I was frustrated by the outcome of the Switzerland-Ukraine match--I just loathe penalty kicks. But the fact is, if you're a professional and you can't put it in the back of the net on a penalty kick, then maybe you deserve to lose. Of course, perhaps I'm upset because had Switzerland won I would have been tied for first place in my office world cup pool. Now I'm still stuck in second, although only one point out of first (assuming Spain beats France).

Abzug - many thanks for saying so. I do my best. :D

A few thoughts on a 4 4 2 system.

Would Sven be bold enough to play Walcott up front à la Owen, feeding off Roon, who is much happier collecting the ball and making telling passes ( as well as scoring himself)? Walcott is supposed to be the new Henry for Arse---nal isn't he? Would he dare drop Becks for Lennon and replace Lamps with Hargreaves? Probably not. If it doesn't work he could always revert to the tried and tested.

So, how about the following?

Robinson ('cos there's nobody else)

Neville, Ferdinand , Terry, Cole (A)

Lennon, Gerrard, Hargreaves, Cole (J)

Roon, Walcott.

No far too controversial.

I see the referees are coming in for some stick from Blatter and his little ruling body! They were the ones who said shirt pulling and throwing away the ball were yellow card offences. The players know this ----- stop doing it. And while I'm at it stop rolling around and diving, trying to get other players sent off or booked. :guns

A comment I found on the Holland- Portugal match, ' It was a travesty of sneaking violence and red and yellow cards' Just about sums it up.

BTW Stiry, if you're around. :o I have spoken to my cousin and could well be going to see your boys get a thrashing at Oakwell. :lol:
Also I read today and okay it was in The Sun ( I was at the hairdressers) that Southgate was looking to offload Viduka. True?

1) I very much doubt it! :(

2) Not immediately, I don't think, as Henry is staying there next season, but eventually - maybe... :rolleyes:

3) Don't think he has them things wot are round & bounce, so no & no... :rolleyes: Personally, I think he should, but as Andy Hunter remarked at the end of an article in yesterday's Indy entitled "England's underperforming stars: the weakest links", which inevitably included Becks & which I think is worth quoting in full,

"David Beckham

The real conundrum in the England set-up. Without him England would not be in the position they are today - of the six goals they have scored in Germany, four have originated from the captain's blessed right foot, supporting Eriksson's stance that he is the finest distributor of a dead ball in the game. Without him, however, it is reasonable to hypothesise that England would not have played quite so badly. Beckham's dead-ball deliveries have, by his own admission, not been up to standard in Germany (with the honourable exceptions of the 60th minute in Stuttgart on Sunday, and the Paraguay own goal) and the pace, adventure and balance that Aaron Lennon has brought to the right flank warrants further inclusion. But at the expense of the set-piece specialist? Not over Sven's dead body." :rolleyes:

You may find this article on Lennon, again from yesterday's Indy, interesting:

http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/in...icle1099157.ece

4) Seems a reasonable selection to me, but you're right, too controversial - & as I remarked earlier, he's no gambler, so he ain't got the balls... :angry:

You don't rate Carrick, then? Bit difficult to accommodate both him & Hargreaves, though...

5) You may find yourself agreeing with the sentiments expressed in James Lawton's article entitled "Spoiling the feast - Cheating and cynical intimidation by players threatens the World Cup's banquet of attacking football - but referees are hindered, not helped, by Fifa in tackling it":

http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/in...icle1099157.ece

and you must know your exhortations are going to fall on deaf ears! :angry:

6) I could've sworn I saw an article somewhere with a heading based on a quote from the ref in the Portugal-Netherlands enquiry saying that he expected dirty play from the Portu-gooses, but not the Dutch, but I'm damned if I can find it now! :o

7) We'll see...! ;)

8) First I'd heard of it, so I toddled off to the Gazette site & found these two snippets in today's edition:

"There are no suggestions that Southgate is looking to reduce the size of his current squad, other than by players leaving naturally if their contracts are not renewed. So stories which have surfaced claiming that the Boro boss is looking to unload Mark Viduka can be taken with a pinch of salt at the moment. The big striker is off on holiday following Australia's KO from the World Cup, and will return to Teesside along with Socceroo team-mate, Mark Schwarzer, for pre-season training some time towards the end of July." (from an article about Gareth S's plans to strengthen thne squad in advance of the start of the new season)

&

"But Southgate should be able to cope by playing Yakubu and Mark Viduka on a regular basis, provided both men stay fit." (from an article reporting resignation to JFH's departure to pastures new - or whichever team will offer him a two-year contract. In view of his age Boro are prepared to offer only one...)

BTW, sorry for being conspicuous by my absence in the last couple of days. Am finding it hard to cope with the twin distractions of Wimbledon & the footie. Talking of the latter, great match by the Wee One to beat Massu - & it seems that Sarah Borwell, the girl who beat the Pole ranked 183 places above her & of whom I confesss I've never heard, was actually born in Middlesbrough...! :)

Long article on cheating in football in particular (taking Thierry Henry's dive in the match against Spain as his starting point) & sport in general by James Lawton in yesterday's Indy - makes interesting reading :huh: :

http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/in...icle1145886.ece

Likely England line-up for the Portugal match, as forecast by yesterday's Indy:

Robinson

Neville A Cole
Ferdinand Terry

Hargreaves

Beckham Gerrard Lampard J Cole

Rooney

I see, however, that there's some sort of injury scare involving Lamps (ankle) - had to have intensive treatment after limping off the training pitch!

http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/in...icle1147048.ece

P.S. Apologies for the lack of format. Couldn't seem to space out the names, no matter how hard I tried...! :(

I'm having a break from football, tennis, most of which I've missed today, and hospital visiting! A few comments your posts have thrown up.

I couldn't find the James Lawton 'Spoiling the feast' article, was it hidden away on the link somewhere? Could be me, if it gets late the old brain don't work so well. :rolleyes:

I do rate Carrick, but couldn't find a place for him in a 4 4 2 system. I'd play him in a 4 1 4 1 set-up but I thought Hargreaves might add the bite to allow Gerrard a freer role and more shooting possibilties. However we all know Sven is Lamps biggest fan so he's never going to drop him. The Indy team looks the most likely one to start. Lampard has been passed fit to play, so he's in. :huh: I'm possibly going to miss seeing some of the game anyway :angry:

A good article from Lawton re Henry. Wonder what he will have to say about the scenes after the final whistle today in the 'Hand of God team' v The Hosts, should make veeeery interesting reading tomorrow. :) Who would have thought that Argentina would be going home so early? Poor substitutions on the part of their manager must be partly to blame.

I also had a laugh at the article by Michael Coveney and his theatrical awards. :D

You can space the names out when you write your post but when you send it the names get put closer together. If you look back the quote names are spaced but on the post they have been squashed up. I think it must be something to do with the board set up, have no idea really. :rolleyes:

Another thought has occurred to me, with Neville playing Becks might have a better game, he may feel more confident with his best buddie by his side. We can but hope.

Two things off topic.

1) What has possessed the Beeb to put the tennis hightlights on at 8pm? They're still playing at that time, as we saw yesterday. It was much better IMO when it was on later.

2) It looks as though Vaughany will not be fit for the Ashes tour. :eek

Sorry this has been so disjointed, I'm tired, need a shower and a sustaining drink.

1) How odd! Tried the link myself & got something totally different! Sorry about that. Have no idea what happened. :err Try this:

http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/in...icle1111556.ece

2) Haven't seen that much of either myself: saw odd bits of the Blake/Mirnyi encounter & of normal time in the Germany/Argentina match on the office TV, but because the former went to five sets, as I fully expected it to do, the fourth & final set of McBrat's unnecessarily tricky battle with Benneteau clashed with the start of the latter & the men & boys among my colleagues were more interested in that, so I was reduced to following progress via the live scoreboard, which is infuratingly slow to be updated! :angry:

Met a friend for a drink after work, but knew the results in both matches before I came home, whereupon the first thing I had to do was feed a cat whose stomach thought her throat had been cut (she's now lying quite contentedly on the bed beside me! :rolleyes: ). Now too hot & bothered to comment on your other points, but I do have a footie-related question, namely what happened to the golden goal for settling a match which finishes on level terms in the knock-out rounds? Been watching the highlights of the games on ITV & thought, not for the first time, how cruel a penalty shoot-out is - great fun to watch if it's not your team that's involved, but definitely not a very satisfactory way to end an important game...! :o

Still couldn't get it, but ne'er mind! :) I think I need to be a Portfolio subscriber to access the article.

Not much to say about the match, only saw the second half, extra time and the penalty shoot-out. Why is it we are at our most positive and determined when we have been reduced to ten men? So much for Roon's promise to keep his cool! Pity the fouls against him weren't picked up earlier, but no excuse for such stupid behaviour. I thought Ronaldo was a little naughty as well, he knew what he was doing. I am also inclined to put a bit more blame on Sven's shoulders. :lol: Rooney should never have been playing as a lone striker; it's not his natural game and you could see he was getting more and more frustrated.

We made our usual gallant effort at the penalty shoot-out. Lampard looked scared to death when he had to take the first one and that didn't help those who followed. Hargreaves ------ man of the match for us.

So another torturous, disappointing World Cup passes us by for another 4 years and I can shut up for a month or so before the footie season kicks off again. Think I might be rooting for 'The Host Nation' now. :party

Helki, seem to remember your referring in a (relatively) recent post to a link between Boro & a member of the now departed Brazilian World Cup squad, Ricardinho, but damned if I can find the original! :angry: Anyway, thought of it when I read this on one of my regular visits to the Gazette site at the weekend:

[...]Juninho [also] slammed former Boro boss Steve McClaren for overlooking compatriot Ricardinho during his time on Teesside. Ricardinho is enjoying a productive World Cup with Brazil - setting up their third goal against Ghana - but only played two Boro reserve games after signing in January 2004. At the time the Brazilian looked well short of match fitness.

"He didn't do well for Middlesbrough, but that's because Steve McClaren didn't give him the attention he deserved," added Juninho. "No one in Brazil could understand it. But he is a very good player and I am happy he is in the national squad now."

The above comments were made after a quote to the effect that Juninho thought Gareth S would be a good manager (hence the "also" at the beginning!):

[...]Meanwhile, Boro legend Juninho is backing Southgate to develop swiftly into a top manager - despite his lack of experience. The Brazilian, now with struggling Palmeiras in his homeland, said: "Gareth hasn't got experience as a manager, but I think he will learn very quickly. He was a good leader when I was with Middlesbrough. I think he will be the same as manager."... ;)

Good riddance to bad rubbish: goodbye Sven, hello Steve ("McDonkey", as I think Í saw him described in one of the tabloids [over someone's shoulder, I hasten to add...! ;) ] yesterday: start as you mean to go on (from today's Times)?

McClaren plan for middle England upset by threat to elbow Greece

By Matt Dickinson, Chief Football Correspondent

STEVE McCLAREN’S first job as head coach may be to find a team to play against after Greece, the opponents lined up for August 16, were suspended yesterday from international football. With Michael Owen sidelined until 2007 and Wayne Rooney facing a ban, McClaren has had an early reminder that life is rarely simple for the England manager. The FA will have to speak to its Greek counterparts and Fifa to find out if the friendly can go ahead next month. The world governing body has suspended the European champions and its member clubs from international competition because of government interference in the sport. The Hellenic Football Federation had been ordered to guarantee, by a July 15 deadline, that the running of football in the country would be free from political movement but, with no co-operation forthcoming, a ban on international contact has been imposed “with immediate effect and until further notice”.

The FA will be anxious to have opponents for what will be McClaren’s first match in charge. Although the timing of the game three days before the start of the Barclays Premiership season has upset the clubs, it is the only chance for preparation before the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign starts against Andorra at Old Trafford on September 2. McClaren will want to settle in with his new coaching staff, with the FA likely to make formal approaches to Terry Venables and Alan Shearer now that England have been knocked out of the World Cup finals. Both are understood to be keen to work alongside McClaren, but precise roles, and personal terms, need to be discussed.

McClaren will want to use the first friendly to stamp his own mark on the team and more tactical variation can be expected than under Sven-Göran Eriksson. At Middlesbrough, he showed that he was ready to use different systems. He would almost certainly have experimented with 3-5-2 had he been running the England team for the past 5½ years rather than acting as Eriksson’s coach, although there are significant reservations. The players are used to playing in a back four for their clubs and, while Ashley Cole could be a mobile wing back on the left, there are no obvious contenders on the other side except for Steven Gerrard, who may be too valuable in the middle.

There is a strong argument to say that, when McClaren sits down on holiday to start composing his ideas, he should use a permanent pen and put Gerrard and Wayne Rooney in their best positions. They are England’s two undoubted world-class talents. Coax the best from that pair by playing them as attacking midfield player and second striker, respectively — close to each other, which they enjoy — and all that matters is having players capable of making the system work around them.

There are many lessons from the Eriksson regime, but perhaps the most pertinent, at least as far as McClaren is concerned, is that picking the best players is no guarantee of the best team. It was understandable that the Swede should want to try to accommodate the most gifted individuals, but, after years of wrestling with the Gerrard-Lampard axis, he was still no closer to finding a balanced midfield. With Gerrard requiring a holding player behind him, that would mean selecting Owen Hargreaves, England’s player of the tournament, with no place for Frank Lampard. The Chelsea man is far too good a player not to bounce back, but he could hardly object to being left out in the short term on the back of a poor summer.

Having stood down as captain, David Beckham must also fear that he is no longer an automatic choice on the flank. Aaron Lennon’s pace lifted England above the mundane in Germany. The alternative is to play Lampard in the middle and put Gerrard out on the right, where he often plays for Liverpool. Either way, McClaren may have to upset players used to taking their place for granted under Eriksson.

While he has options in midfield, his most pressing concern when he formally starts work on August 1, will be to put together a decent strike force given that Owen is a long-term absentee with his cruciate ligament injury while Rooney may be suspended for as many as three qualifiers after his red card against Portugal for violent conduct. Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe would regard themselves as next in line on the old pecking order, but McClaren is sure to have his own ideas. If he listens to his backroom staff, Shearer is known to be an admirer of Dean Ashton, of West Ham United.

'Twas on a tennis post, so that's probably why you couldn't find it. :rolleyes:

Have you seen any report of Boro being interested in signing Barton from Manchester City? Apparently Boro wanted to sign him in January when McClaren offered £3.5m but had the offer rejected. City are more inclined to listen to offers now they have signed Dabo from Lazio and Hamman ( I think) from Liverpool.

Also noticed this.

MAC'S BIG ISSUES

Major coaching staff reshuffle with Venables and Shearer and one other expected to join the FA. Stuart Pearce has been considered.

New goalkeeper a definite possibility. Paul Robinson under huge pressure from Chris Kirkland and Scott Carson, ( the latter being outstanding in training apparently).

Likely recall for Jermain Defoe.

More pace in attack. Expect to see Aaron Lennon, and possibly even Theo Walcott, but where does that leave David Beckham? ( on the bench I think, or in Madrid.)

* Most reports I've seen seem to mirror the one you have posted from The Times, with the odd exception in personnel or position. We'll see! and most appear to favour Terry as captain. Wonder how long a ban Roon will get?*

1) I hadn't seen any recent ones until I paid one of my periodic visits to the Gazette site this morning - meant to last night, but forgot! - & lo & behold! What should I find but this from Wednesday's edition:

Barton's back on wish list

Boro are again being linked with strong interest in Manchester City midfielder Joe Barton. Chairman Steve Gibson and chief executive Keith Lamb initially made a bold bid to sign the 23-year-old in the January transfer window. They failed to agree a deal with City for the England Under-21 international, but now reports are rife that Boro will make a renewed bid. Barton still has another year left on his City contract and is steadfastly refusing to sign an extension.

It is believed that City are ready to cash in for a fee of about £3m, rather than wait for Barton to become a free agent in 12 months. City boss Stuart Pearce has edged ahead of Bolton in the battle for Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann, whose signing would make it easier for them to allow Barton to leave. City are said to be preparing for a bid from Boro for Barton, but insist they have had no contact yet.

Gareth Southgate's No.1 target remains Fulham midfielder, Steed Malbranque, and this is where he has been concentrating his efforts. In any case, Malbranque would fill a potential problem area on the right, whereas Southgate is already well off for central midfielders. Emerging teenage star Lee Cattermole is ready to battle with George Boateng and Fabio Rochemback for his place. That's in addition to Gaizka Mendieta, once the Spaniard is fully fit again.

2) Don't care whether it's on the bench or back in Madrid as long as it's not in Mac's England team! He's over the hill & past his international sell-by date. People have been making an awful lot about his matchless skill in set pieces, but has it ever occurred to them that England might have been less dependent on it if they'd had the likes of young Aaron Lennon running at or zipping past defenders & scoring from open play? :rolleyes: Maybe he should consider dropping Lamps for a while while he's at it! After all, he could hardly complain after his failure to score even one goal from a couple of dozen opportunities, some of 'em gilt-edged...

And having had the experience, however shambolic and/or demeaning, distressing even, of the 2006 WC, Walcott should at least now be given a chance to show what he's made of, I reckon - & I sincerely hope he has the mental strength & resilience, even at his tender age, to shrug it off, put it all behind him, look forward to (it is to be hoped) a golden future & not back at what might have been... ;)

3) Yeah, Terry does seem to be the front-runner in that particular race, although the Indy on Monday had this to say about Stevie G & him:

"[...]Gerrard is certainly the more comfortable of the two men in dealing with the media, an element of the job that has become increasingly important during Beckham's years as captain. He will have just turned 30 at the next World Cup. However, the knotted brow and tendency towards introspection may count against the Liverpool captain when he is compared with Terry.

At 25, and only six months younger than Gerrard, Terry has certainly proved himself an indomitable leader at Chelsea in a club environment where he feels comfortable and secure. His challenge would be to impose that same authority upon the England team and after he experienced a shaky World Cup, there are doubts as to whether he is capable of it.[...]"

Also seen Rio Ferdinand's name mentioned in this connection...

4) Shouldn't be that much longer before we know: yesterday was the deadline for the submission of any kind of representations to FIFA!

Rooney's refusal to admit guilt backed by FA

by Sam Wallace

The Football Association has backed Wayne Rooney's refusal to apologise for his stamp on Ricardo Carvalho which resulted in a red card against Portugal and the striker will now have to take his chances with the world governing body, Fifa, who will decide the length of his ban next month. The 20-year-old was told he could reduce a potential five-match ban by one match if he apologised. Instead he will write to the governing body with his own version of events. On Monday, Rooney issued a statement in which he said that he "absolutely categorically" denied that he had intentionally stamped on Carvalho.

As well as a fine, Rooney faces missing out on the start of England's Euro 2008 qualification campaign under Steve McClaren - if he is banned for five matches then he will not return until the game away to Israel on 24 March. The FA's director of communications, Adrian Bevington, said: "I can confirm the FA will be submitting a response to Fifa within the next 36 hours with regard to Wayne Rooney's sending off. "Wayne has already made clear publicly he did not have any intention of making contact with Ricardo Carvalho. It is also worth noting that we believe there were one or two potential fouls against Wayne during the same move."

While Rooney has expressed his surprise at the decision, the Argentinian referee Horacio Elizondo has not officially made clear whether he gave the red card for the stamp on Carvalho or the subsequent push in the chest that the 20-year-old gave to Cristiano Ronaldo as he came over to remonstrate. The official verdict is that Rooney was dismissed for "violent conduct".

The FA hopes that the letter will be enough to keep the ban down to two matches although it will count against Rooney that he has not apologised. Fifa reduced the sentence handed to Italy's Daniele de Rossi for his elbow on Brian McBride earlier in the World Cup from five matches to four after he apologised.

The Fifa president, Sepp Blatter, yesterday gave his support to referee Elizondo. He said: "The referee was touching distance from the players and he took the decision according to what he witnessed. I can only say that the referee's decision is final and I have not seen any protest from fans or even team-mates on the field of play."

Peter Crouch has blamed the exhaustion caused by Rooney's sending-off for England's dismal performance in the penalty shoot-out with Portugal. "I honestly felt exhaustion set in at the end against Portugal," the Liverpool striker said. "We'd played quite a lot of the game with 10 men and I think we took the penalties in a tired way. "Everyone worked so hard and I genuinely feel everyone had given everything by the time we had to take the penalties. That definitely showed in the penalties we had to take." He added: "We have come in for criticism in the past for not practising but I can assure you, we had been practising them all the time after going to Germany in early June - and before that. They had been going well in practice - but we were fresh then."

The FA has spoken to Fifa and is awaiting further guidance about whether England's friendly against Greece is likely to go ahead. Greece were suspended from all football by Fifa on Monday because of government interference in the national association. The ban has thrown England's game against the European champions, at Old Trafford on 16 August, into doubt.

Blatter said he is hopeful the dispute will be resolved before the new season kicks off. "This is an alarm call for the Greek government and I am sure it will be listened to because this is more about a clash of personalities than anything else," he said. The clash of personalities is between the Greek sports minister and the head of the Greek FA.

At the moment, Greek law states that the sports minister has the power to over-rule the FA on football matters but Fifa wants this changed so the Greek FA can work independently. Fifa's deadline for compliance is 18 July, but Blatter has raised the issue now in a bid to force it onto the agenda in the Greek parliament. The FA has no choice but to investigate other options for 16 August in case the dispute is not settled. Many countries who want to play on that international date have already fixed matches but the FA has received some encouragement from other teams.

* "Exhaustion caused by Rooney's sending-off"?!!! As an excuse for failure to perform to expectations that one just about takes the biscuit! :huh:

Just heard it's for two matches, which means he'll miss the Euro 2008 qualification games against Andorra & Macedonia! Reckon England can live with that; could've been a lot, lot worse... ;)

Well done, the Azzurri! The Frogs would've been insufferable if they'd won...! :rolleyes:

Sorry not to have been around lately. Family stuff, football and tennis got in the way. :D

Surely could! :)

Let's hope that something will register in Roon's brain. It's not a good idea to lose your rag at crucial times. We can but hope. Will be intriguing to see what happens between him and Ronaldo, if the latter cannot get away from Old Trafford.

Makes for an interesting team selection for the friendly against Greece. Is it going ahead? And for the games against Andorra and Macedonia as you say.

Some rumour in the papers that TV may not be interested in the job with McClaren. Have you seen owt? :huh: He has reservations about rejoining his old employers. Can't think why!

And the Italians won't be? :rolleyes:

As I didn't care who won it was a pleasure to watch without those butterflies that normally take up residence in my stomach.Mind you I missed the 'penalty' but did think the Italians began much better than the French. Infact the first half belonged totally to them.
From the second half onwards, I felt the French slightly took the honours. What ZZ was thinking of I don't know, he at least should be more mature than Rooney. He has apparently been sent-off more times than Roy Keane, hard to believe I know.

Out of the last four I still would have preferred a German victory. The only consolation I have is that the winners were not a team from Portugal. :D

* I forgot to mention, my cousin cannot find any news on the 'friendly' fixture between Boro and Barnsley. The Barnsley Chronicle, the fount of all things, has not mentioned it in its pre-season ramblings. Did you get us mixed up with t'other team a tad further north who play in white? :rolleyes: *

1) OK, point taken, but the Frogs would've been even more insufferable...

2) Agree. Didn't want the Germans to win, either (in the absence of an England victory I'd've preferred Brazil or Spain), but a Portu-goose victory was a definite no-no! :eek

3) Not if the official MFC site is anything to go by: couldn't find the Gazette article that listed all the pre-season fixtures, so decided to go & jump through the registration hoops required of anyone wanting to get past the home page & the pre-season fixtures section definitely says "Tuesday, 25th July: Barnsley (a) ("Boro representative side", whatever that is when it's all at home!)", so definitely not getting you mixed up with the other buggers further up the A1/A19! ;)

Okay, problem solved. :D

The Barnsley Chronicle had it listed this week. So I shall be there, scarf, rattle, bare beer-belly :eek, no delete that last remark!

I expect the 'Boro representative side' will be without all the players involved in the World Cup, and Robert Huth? Still it will be a chance for Southgate to see the youngsters play and possibly some of the players not involved in the WC. Should be an interesting experience to see his thoughts taking shape on the pitch. All the players will have something to play for. Though I assume he knows most of them pretty well as so far he hasn't made any new signings.

I will report back to you with my thoughts; if I have any! :rofl

Makes sense. Southgate said he'd give Stewie a bit longer than the rest of the squad & I'm not sure whether the two Aussie internationals are even back on Teesside yet!

Look forward to hearing them - if you have any! ;)



:eek

Four

Jul 22 2006

Philip Tallentire, Evening Gazette

New skipper George Boateng believes Gareth Southgate needs to sign four experienced players before next month's big kick-off. The dynamic Dutchman wasted no time in advising his manager in his first major interview since taking the captain's armband. Boateng believes Boro have an outstanding crop of young players but insists the team needs an injection of experience after the departure of veterans like Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Doriva, and Southgate's decision to retire from on-field duties. He insists the club can thrive in the coming campaign and doesn't foresee a repeat of the battle against relegation that marked Steve McClaren's first season.

"I remember when Steve McClaren came here, he managed just to survive in the Premiership, but then five years later, he played a UEFA Cup final," said Boateng. "The foundation of the team now is too good to be playing for relegation. I would only name a few players - we still have Stewart Downing, Mark Viduka, Aiyegbeni Yakubu, we have Mark Schwarzer - in my eyes, one of the best goalkeepers in the country - we have Chris Riggott, a very young, bright English centre-half, we have Gaizka Mendieta, James Morrison, myself, Lee Cattermole, we have Fabio Rochemback. Those players are all very, very good Premiership players and they can win matches anywhere. All we need is about four senior players to come in and take some of the pressure off the young guys the Premier League brings. That's all this team needs. But when I say transition, we have a new manager, there's a new skipper, there will be new faces coming in. Those players need to settle, gel in, and it might take time."

Unfortunately, most of the transfer activity has seen players departing, with Franck Queudrue expected to wrap up a move to Fulham inside 48 hours. If, as expected, that deal goes through, Sunderland's Julio Arca will be targeted as a left-sided replacement. The Steed Malbranque bid is dead in the water, while Robert Huth has gone on the back burner.


* Not a lot to ask, then!!! :rolleyes: