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TOBY HIGGINS - THE ROCKLIFFE FILES
WE SHALL OVERCOME 2-5-06
Maybe this long, hard and tiring season is beginning started to take its toll, not only on the players, but also on us fans. I say this because at 0-3 down on aggregate to Steaua Bucharest last Thursday evening, I had finally given up. I'd written the season off and accepted that small towns in Europe just weren't meant to play in major Cup finals.
After all, strictly speaking we should be long gone from this competition. How many clubs can claim to have played four UEFA cup games in a row, lost three of them, and still be in it? Well, probably only us, and this feat was somehow achieved when we lost at home to Stuttgart 0-1, beat Roma at home 1-0, and then lost in Rome 1-2 and lost away to Basel 0-2. Unbelievable really.
Not as unbelievable what we did in two of the three games after that run. Basel was a night that will never be forgotten and one that we all had down in the, 'will never be equalled' category. I certainly did. In the build up to the Steau game though, everyone was aware that we would have to defend better away from home, we would have to get that priceless away goal, and that we couldn't afford to concede at the Riverside. There wouldn't be another Basel. We wouldn't be so fortunate again.
But we didn't do any of those things mentioned above. We didn't defend well in Romania but had Mark Schwarzer, a hero if ever there was one for what he has done, not only to get us into this competition at Manchester City last May, but also to keep us in it this season. We didn't get the priceless away goal and after half an hour at the Riverside we had conceded not one, but two. Yet again we needed to score four, and unlike Basel, I didn't think it was going to happen. I thought our time was up.
But the bald headed Italian was having none of it. The injury to Gareth Southgate proved a blessing in disguise, as within minutes of his arrival, Massimo had pulled one back. Panic set in and Steau were starting to wobble.
The half time talk has been well documented in the national press, but what a lesson it was to the youngsters in that dressing room. When you see players like Mark Viduka standing up and rallying his players, and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink doing the same, you can't help but be inspired. It shows that they care, and that even when most people in the stadium had given up hope, the players were still determined to make a game of it. For that, we are truly thankful.
Steve McClaren, who could very well now have been in charge for his last game at the Riverside following Saturday's defeat to Everton, also deserves a fair amount of credit. He can't be held responsible if players make errors, like they did for the two goals Bucharest scored, but he can be held responsible for the players he chooses and the tactics he chooses to employ. Maybe he got it wrong at Villa Park with the 5-3-2, and maybe he was on his way to getting it wrong last Thursday with the same system, but at least he recognised when it wasn't working and when he needed to go for it. Just like Basel, he got it right, with just a minute to spare.
Still, even Viduka's header for 2-2 didn't have me convinced, nor did Chris Riggott's finish to make the 3-2. In fact, not until the ball reached Downing on the left hand side with one minute to go, did I think that we could do it again. As the ball sailed into the box, I knew that was it, the moment I never thought I'd ever see again was about to reoccur just three short weeks after happening the first time. There was never any doubt that it would land on the head of a Boro player, and to go one further, there was never any doubt it would land on the head of Massimo Maccarone. A hero, forever more.
It was the kind of performance that back in February wouldn't have been possible. The spirit in the side is as high as it's ever been, and despite the pressure being on to reach the final following the F.A. Cup exit, the performance after the first half an hour matched the occasion. It was the performance of a side fit to be crowned Champions of Europe 2006.
Each player out there on Thursday deserves to play in the final based on that performance, none other than last week's villain and this week's hero, Stewart Downing. Those who read this column last week will no that this writer questioned Downing's commitment and attitude. Clearly, Stewy got the message. On Thursday, despite defenders doubling up on him, he showed no fear in taking them on and getting crosses in. He was rewarded with three assists, and a place in the UEFA Cup final.
He's not the only young man who has redeemed himself in the last week. Brad Jones, the keeper who didn't hold the shots that lead to Steau scoring on Thursday, and who came storming out of his goal only to see James McFadden lift the ball over his head and into the net on Saturday saved Ruud Van Nistelrooy's penalty last night to seal an away draw at Manchester United. It just goes to show that the beauty of playing so many games in quick succession is that you can atone for any errors almost instantly.
Just like our weakened team should be known as our weekend team, those players age 23 or under should lose the tag of youngsters, and don the title 'young stars'. Every one one of them could go on to have a long successful career in football, maybe not with us, maybe not even in the top flight, but names like Bates, Taylor, Cattermole and the rest won't fade away from the game like Ormerod, Summerbell and Baker have done in the past. It will take something horrific to prevent such undeniable talent from reaching its potential.
So on we go. To Bolton on Wednesday, Fulham on Sunday and then Eindhoven after that. One final European haul, one last push, one small town in Europe. More on that next week, but I'll use this opportunity to bid good luck to everyone hoping to get tickets, and everyone going without a ticket.
It's looking more and more likely that Friday will be the day that we lose our manager to England, and as mentioned, that would mean Steve McClaren has been in charge as Boro boss at the Riverside for the final time. If indeed McClaren does get offered the England job and leaves Middlesbrough Football Club, expect a lot to be written about him, what he has achieved and what he is leaving behind. Whether you love him or loathe him, we owe a lot to Steve McClaren.
Forgive me father, for I have sinned. Last Thursday sat in the Riverside, I felt as low as could be. I thought that after the time, effort and money put into following the Boro this season, it had all fallen away into nothing. I had given up. To be honest, I'd lost the faith.
But I learned my lesson that night. Write off the Boro at your peril. Whatever crisis we get ourselves into, no matter how tough the situation appears, we are Boro, a small town in Europe, and we shall overcome.
Same time next week.UP THE BORO!!!
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