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THE YEAR OF OUR NORD 10-8-06
James Bassett
Steve McClaren's final season as Boro manager ultimately ended unhappily in the Philips Stadion on 10th May 2006, but the truth is the club had been meandering for weeks. Two magical nights at The Riverside against FC Basel and Steaua Bucharest aside, Boro had all but given up playing competitive football as soon as relegation had been avoided by defeating West Brom and Birmingham in March.
Having agreed terms with The FA to take over as England manager, McClaren based his final weeks as Boro boss entirely around a Uefa Cup final performance that he hoped would crown his five years on Teesside, cement his position in Boro folklore and, perhaps more importantly to him, help excite a general public who didn't really want him as England manager.
Of course, four unanswered goals from Sevilla put pay to such notions and like all rollercoasters, Middlesbrough's season jolted to a sudden and quite painful end. That Boro and its fans have still not been able to shake off the disappointment, in spite of all the upheaval at the club, speaks volumes about how much the defeat hurt.
Rumours that Martin O'Neill, Terry Venables, Iain Dowie, Steve Round and Alan Curbishly had all been contacted about the managerial vacancy were met with a degree of nonchalance by a Teesside public still utterly demoralised by the result in Eindhoven. Strangely, given the selection of candidates, there was no unanimous favourite amongst the supporters.
Even O'Neill, currently championed as a miracle-worker by all-and-sundry in the West Midlands, was met with a degree of suspicion; how would the Irishman's enormous ego have allowed him to play second-fiddle to Steve Gibson in the hearts and minds of every Boro fan? Most likely it's a fact that weighed heavy on O'Neill's mind too.
The mention of Steve Round's name gave an early indication that Gibson was prepared to keep things in-house, but news that Gareth Southgate was to be the new Boro manager still came as a complete surprise. Of course, Bryan Robson and Steve McClaren had both been untested as managers. But while Robson's profile enabled him to bring in players like Fabrizio Ravanelli, Alen Boksic, Emerson and Juninho, and McClaren had forged a career as a highly respected coach, Southgate's appointment has disappointed and excited in equal measure.
While many - this writer included - are enthusiastic about the prospect of a well-respected, well-liked, articulate, confident and honourable man in charge at the club, Southgate has not been able to shake the lethargy currently enveloping the Riverside.
The departure of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Doriva and Franck Queudrue has left Boro with a weaker looking squad than last season, but while Hasselbaink's goals and Queudrue's passion are a sad loss, the dressing room will probably not miss their destabilising influence. And, of course, a defence that creaked and bowed last season is further depleted by the semi-retirement of Southgate himself. Julio Arca may prove to be ample replacement for Queudrue, but the failure to so far bring in a new centre-back has been the summer's biggest disappointment.
The transfer of Robert Huth, which had been agreed before the World Cup, was indication that Southgate had - unlike the previous administration - intended to get new signings in well before the start of the season. The transfer has since collapsed, but Blackburn's interest in Huth indicates that the failure to complete the deal might have had more to do with Boro trying to renegotiate the fee than any ankle injury the German may have been harbouring.
While a lack of new faces is a frustration to disheartened fans, it may suggest that Southgate places more faith in the academy players than McClaren ever did. Gaizka Mendieta, whose shirt will be adorned with the number 6 which brought his best performances at Valencia, will find it increasingly difficult to keep James Morrison out of the team. Stewart Downing, so fitful at times last season, now has Adam Johnson breathing down his neck for a berth on left-wing. New captain George Boateng remains undroppable, but Fabio Rochemback will hopefully heed Lee Cattermole's superb performances from last season as a warning that too many more inadequate displays will not be tolerated.
Conversely, Yakubu will relish the return to his role as Boro's premier centre-forward. The Nigerian was on course to score twenty-five goals last season, until Steve McClaren cut the legs out from under him midway through February. Some players respond well to having their position challenged, but his time spent as the number one striker at Maccabi Haifa, Portsmouth and Boro would suggest that Yakubu isn't one of them.
While the results from pre-season games have generally been poor, attending fans have noted a distinct attempt at playing possession football, something that must be applauded, and a playing style that, if successful, will come as nice contrast to the occasional kick-and-chase that had long been a staple of Steve McClaren's coaching manual.
With seasoned players like George Boateng and Mark Schwarzer telling fans to expect "a very difficult year" and "a season of consolidation", it's not hard to see why fans are disillusioned. Expectations are lower than at any point during the last five years. However, this might just be the year when the joie de vivre of Boro's academy players carries the club to unexpected highs.
Despite a leaden pre-season, we'll be far more informed once ninety minutes have been played at the Madejski Stadium. Whatever happens, Southgate's peerless playing career at The Riverside demands that the fans give him a chance to succeed.
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