MATCHWATCH : Middlesbrough (a) sponsored by a Paul Holsgrove winner

[Maneki Neko]

Sassy: "Hi Brian, I'm afraid I've got some bad news, I'm going to have to let you go"
Brian: "What? But I've not had a chance to remove the deadwood and build my own team!"
Sassy: "I don't care. Some blokes on HNA are absolutely livid that we lost to the champions elect last night"
Brian: "But I've only lost 4 league games in 12, and we're 12th in the form table"
Sassy: "Don't care m8, laters"

but when you agreed to take the job on Brisey you said you were pleased with the squad, a squad that trounced boro earlier this season ? On your way pal ...

Do you think Brian would come out and undermine a struggling squad by criticising them? What kind of manager would that make him?

the HNA? moron school of man management is a strange old place

[Maneki Neko]

he had two strikers that could score

So you blame the board for selling SA and Blackman to absolve BM of any responsibility ?

I blame th eboard to an extent for allowing blackmans contract to run out.
but once its run out and an offer comes in I have no issues with selling him.
once Sa demands a move, I have no issue with selling him

what I can do though, is look at the situation, and realise how that has damaged the team, while at the same time accepting there was no real choice in the matter.

im certainly not going to blame brian for their sale though, no.
because that is moronic

[Longhorn1970]

If things hadn't deteriorated to such a degree then why would the club want to lose Clarke? If he was capable of taking us up as you assert why would they simply want to cash in on a minimal compensation package rather than the cash cow that is the Premiership?

Because they got cold feet ?

I suggest the fact you've answered a question with a question demonstrates you're not entirely convinced of your own theory mate.

Clarke's team was shot, it was obvious in my opinion but hey if you want to believe it was all a calculated plan by the Thai's to save money then fair enough.

Sounds like your brainwashed by past glory, most sides have had a flat spot this season, changing the manager has not improved our season or short term prospects imo

[Maneki Neko]

it wont, because the players are all the same(minus two top goal scorers)
hes been brought in for stability, and because of the financial constraints of next season, and his record of building teams on the cheap and bringing through yoof.

[Longhorn1970]

he had two strikers that could score

So you blame the board for selling SA and Blackman to absolve BM of any responsibility ?

I blame th eboard to an extent for allowing blackmans contract to run out.
but once its run out and an offer comes in I have no issues with selling him.
once Sa demands a move, I have no issue with selling him

what I can do though, is look at the situation, and realise how that has damaged the team, while at the same time accepting there was no real choice in the matter.

im certainly not going to blame brian for their sale though, no.
because that is moronic

Why did SA demand a move, because he wanted to play every week and BM benched him ? He had two replacements who have failed to deliver, is BM responsible for managing the team or just paid to make sure we have XI on the field ?

[Longhorn1970]

it wont, because the players are all the same(minus two top goal scorers)
hes been brought in for stability, and because of the financial constraints of next season, and his record of building teams on the cheap and bringing through yoof.

Why don't they just give him a wizards hat ! So plan to progress has been scrapped then according to your source ...

[Maneki Neko]

So you blame the board for selling SA and Blackman to absolve BM of any responsibility ?

I blame th eboard to an extent for allowing blackmans contract to run out.
but once its run out and an offer comes in I have no issues with selling him.
once Sa demands a move, I have no issue with selling him

what I can do though, is look at the situation, and realise how that has damaged the team, while at the same time accepting there was no real choice in the matter.

im certainly not going to blame brian for their sale though, no.
because that is moronic

Why did SA demand a move, because he wanted to play every week and BM benched him ? He had two replacements who have failed to deliver, is BM responsible for managing the team or just paid to make sure we have XI on the field ?

nope. sa asked for a move- due to not settling (his wife) so brian decided it was pointless playing him.

[Maneki Neko]

it wont, because the players are all the same(minus two top goal scorers)
hes been brought in for stability, and because of the financial constraints of next season, and his record of building teams on the cheap and bringing through yoof.

Why don't they just give him a wizards hat ! So plan to progress has been scrapped then according to your source ...

big gamble this year while finances allowed. huge influx of new players, a lot of money spent on wages etc
didn't pay off. now resigned to going back and living within our means, building a new team based on a sustainable reading way.
if that means no progress to you, then fair enough, its up to you

[Maneki Neko]

He had two replacements who have failed

two last minute- get anything you can- replacements. one of whom wasn't his choice.,

[Longhorn1970]

I blame th eboard to an extent for allowing blackmans contract to run out.
but once its run out and an offer comes in I have no issues with selling him.
once Sa demands a move, I have no issue with selling him

what I can do though, is look at the situation, and realise how that has damaged the team, while at the same time accepting there was no real choice in the matter.

im certainly not going to blame brian for their sale though, no.
because that is moronic

Why did SA demand a move, because he wanted to play every week and BM benched him ? He had two replacements who have failed to deliver, is BM responsible for managing the team or just paid to make sure we have XI on the field ?

nope. sa asked for a move- due to not settling (his wife) so brian decided it was pointless playing him.

Who told you that lol

[Longhorn1970]

He had two replacements who have failed

two last minute- get anything you can- replacements. one of whom wasn't his choice.,

Stop making excuses, BM knew this when he agreed to the job ...

[Silver Fox]

Is Longhorn Steve clarke?

[Longhorn1970]

Is Longhorn Steve clarke?

If only ...

[Vision]

Because they got cold feet ?

I suggest the fact you've answered a question with a question demonstrates you're not entirely convinced of your own theory mate.

Clarke's team was shot, it was obvious in my opinion but hey if you want to believe it was all a calculated plan by the Thai's to save money then fair enough.

Sounds like your brainwashed by past glory, most sides have had a flat spot this season, changing the manager has not improved our season or short term prospects imo

I'd rather be influenced by a 2 and a half year successful period in this Division only a few years ago as opposed to an early season 6 week period where we scored early and hung on in games. Once those quick starts got sussed and snuffed out we were finished.

The only people "brainwashed" are those who took that period to mean we were automatically going up.

I agree actually that short term McD's appointment wasn't going to give us any better a shot at promotion this season but I'd back him over the long term over Clarke. Especially given the circumstances he's going to have to work with.

Clarke's "flat spot" as you put it, was the norm in his time here . It's the 6-7 game purple patch (mainly down to Blackman's goals) that was the anomaly. Once that was over it was becoming worse than last season.

[Dixeyroyal]

he had two strikers that could score

So you blame the board for selling SA and Blackman to absolve BM of any responsibility ?

I blame th eboard to an extent for allowing blackmans contract to run out.
but once its run out and an offer comes in I have no issues with selling him.
once Sa demands a move, I have no issue with selling him

what I can do though, is look at the situation, and realise how that has damaged the team, while at the same time accepting there was no real choice in the matter.

im certainly not going to blame brian for their sale though, no.
because that is moronic

Are you Brian's lovechild by any chance?

[Longhorn1970]

I suggest the fact you've answered a question with a question demonstrates you're not entirely convinced of your own theory mate.

Clarke's team was shot, it was obvious in my opinion but hey if you want to believe it was all a calculated plan by the Thai's to save money then fair enough.

Sounds like your brainwashed by past glory, most sides have had a flat spot this season, changing the manager has not improved our season or short term prospects imo

I'd rather be influenced by a 2 and a half year successful period in this Division only a few years ago as opposed to an early season 6 week period where we scored early and hung on in games. Once those quick starts got sussed and snuffed out we were finished.

The only people "brainwashed" are those who took that period to mean we were automatically going up.

I agree actually that short term McD's appointment wasn't going to give us any better a shot at promotion this season but I'd back him over the long term over Clarke. Especially given the circumstances he's going to have to work with.

Clarke's "flat spot" as you put it, was the norm in his time here . It's the 6-7 game purple patch (mainly down to Blackman's goals) that was the anomaly. Once that was over it was becoming worse than last season.

Where as BM has flat spotted since he arrived ? He does the same thing every week, its become very predictable, hence we are getting picked off by average sides. You can make it what you want, we are no further forward ...

[Silver Fox]

Is Longhorn Steve clarke?

If only ...

'greed, we'd be rid of you then

[Vision]

Sounds like your brainwashed by past glory, most sides have had a flat spot this season, changing the manager has not improved our season or short term prospects imo

I'd rather be influenced by a 2 and a half year successful period in this Division only a few years ago as opposed to an early season 6 week period where we scored early and hung on in games. Once those quick starts got sussed and snuffed out we were finished.

The only people "brainwashed" are those who took that period to mean we were automatically going up.

I agree actually that short term McD's appointment wasn't going to give us any better a shot at promotion this season but I'd back him over the long term over Clarke. Especially given the circumstances he's going to have to work with.

Clarke's "flat spot" as you put it, was the norm in his time here . It's the 6-7 game purple patch (mainly down to Blackman's goals) that was the anomaly. Once that was over it was becoming worse than last season.

Where as BM Has flat spotted since he arrived ? He does the same thing every week, its become very predictable, hence we are getting picked off by average sides. You can make it what you want, we are no further forward ...

And where do you think Clarke would have been minus Blackman and Sa? The indicators were already there.

McD doesn't "do the same thing every week" though. That's simply not true and if you genuinely believe it is, then you're just not paying attention or as I suspect you made up your mind about McDermott before a ball was kicked under him. Formations and personnel have changed frequently which actually might be part of the current problem.

[Longhorn1970]

it wont, because the players are all the same(minus two top goal scorers)
hes been brought in for stability, and because of the financial constraints of next season, and his record of building teams on the cheap and bringing through yoof.

Why don't they just give him a wizards hat ! So plan to progress has been scrapped then according to your source ...

big gamble this year while finances allowed. huge influx of new players, a lot of money spent on wages etc
didn't pay off. now resigned to going back and living within our means, building a new team based on a sustainable reading way.
if that means no progress to you, then fair enough, its up to you

You numpty we've been reducing the wage bill hence clear out last year and getting players in for next to nothing, there's no major investment from the owners I'm aware of ...

[Longhorn1970]

I'd rather be influenced by a 2 and a half year successful period in this Division only a few years ago as opposed to an early season 6 week period where we scored early and hung on in games. Once those quick starts got sussed and snuffed out we were finished.

The only people "brainwashed" are those who took that period to mean we were automatically going up.

I agree actually that short term McD's appointment wasn't going to give us any better a shot at promotion this season but I'd back him over the long term over Clarke. Especially given the circumstances he's going to have to work with.

Clarke's "flat spot" as you put it, was the norm in his time here . It's the 6-7 game purple patch (mainly down to Blackman's goals) that was the anomaly. Once that was over it was becoming worse than last season.

Where as BM Has flat spotted since he arrived ? He does the same thing every week, its become very predictable, hence we are getting picked off by average sides. You can make it what you want, we are no further forward ...

And where do you think Clarke would have been minus Blackman and Sa? The indicators were already there.

McD doesn't "do the same thing every week" though. That's simply not true and if you genuinely believe it is, then you're just not paying attention or as I suspect you made up your mind about McDermott before a ball was kicked under him. Formations and personnel have changed frequently which actually might be part of the current problem.

We agree to disagree ...