THE RIVERSIDE DIARIES SEPTEMBER 2005

"One week you're the best manager in the league and the next week you're the worst"

Well if you beat Arsenal, you probably are the best manager in the league but lose to Sunderland 2-0 at home and you probably are the worst.

Sunderland hadn't won in the Premier League for three years but they had spent two of those in the Championship so it's actually not as bad as it sounds. Ahem.

But there was just no consoling certain sections of the Riverside crowd as the calls for best/worst manager in the league's head grew ever louder.

Sir Steve Gibson even spoke to the press again to defend his beleagured manager. References to Alex Ferguson, Jim Smith and Sven Goran Erikkson didn't do much to sway the detractors, especially coming just two weeks after England had been humiliated by Northern Ireland.

Maybe we expect too much though? Maybe our expectation level is now so high that only further silverware will pacify a restless support that really just want to be entertained?

Salvation was at hand as this season's UEFA Cup kicked into action. Well actually, it kind of limped and spluttered into action as Emerson's Skoda rattled into town and were beaten 2-0 in front of a half full Riverside.

Well it wasn't actually half full to tell the truth. It was 40% full in actual fact. Hey, I could have said 60% empty but I'm trying to put a positive spin on things here.

The club was understandably disappointed with the low turn out but the manager's criticism of the fans didn't help. Neither did Dave Allen's 'he only said it because he cares' stance.

They'll be telling us next that our injury problems are all down to obnoxious fumes being given off by alien spy craft hovering around Rocklife Park next.

Talking about obnoxious fumes, England went and stank Windsor Park out at the beginning of the month. I know I've already mentioned the 1-0 defeat to Northern Ireland but I thought I better say it again in case you didn't believe me the first time.

England manager Steve McClaren muddled his tactics up for that one and became further confused when he turned round to ask Doriva to take off his tracksuit and get on and defend England's 0-0 lead.

Order was restored at Wigan on the 18th though as the pitch battle between Premiership thoroughbreds and out of their depth relegation fodder saw the game end with honours even.

Wigan went above Middlesbrough in the Premier League table, as did one of the other promoted sides, West Ham. On the other hand, we were a meagre four points off a Champion's League position. And three points away from a relegation place

They say that the league table doesn't matter at this time of the season but 'they' don't live near Stamford Bridge or The Valley.

It was not all doom and gloom in September though. Fabio Rochemback, Abel Xavier and Emanuel Pogatetz all made their debuts but for three in, read three out as the injury bug hit home again, this time laying waste to Stewey Downing, Tony McMahon and Mark Viduka.

Viduka's mystery injury was cited as anything from jetlag to bronchial pneumonia and the big Aussie was laid up in his sick bed for weeks, hoping to recover in time to skipper his national side in the World Cup qualifiers.

That paved the way for the returning Massimo Maccarone who shall no longer be known by his pseudonym of Missimo. The hairless Italian busted a gut for the Boro in September and scored the winner and set up the other goal in the Arsenal victory.

Yet for some strange reason, Steve Mc decided to use his back to form striker as a right winger most of the time. Visions of the demise of Szilard Nemeth come to mind here.

Boro saw out the month in Greece with what was described as a thoroughly professional performance that delighted the 100 travelling supporters.

This time Doriva was available to come on and defend the 0-0 lead and he did so in fine style, sending Boro into the group stages in the process.

During October, we can look forward to exciting fixtures in three different competitions with league ties against Portsmouth, Manchester United and West Ham, the UEFA Cup match against the Grasshoppers and an away Carling Cup tie at Everton.

Win the lot and Steve McClaren will be the best manager in the league. Lose them all and he'll be the worst. At the risk of labouring a point...

October's Riverside Diaries appearing here at the end of the month, including...

Boro in Sunday away win shocker, Steve McClaren's England stagger into the World Cup finals and Dave Allen tries to flog the family portraits. Pitiful.

Harry Haverton