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MIDDLESBROUGH FC - A MOCKERY?
Let's Start Being Taken Seriously 9-8-07
Karl Watson
I, for one, have had enough of the garbage that comes out of many people's mouths. As I read through every season preview I can get hold of, the only thing pundits and neutral fans alike have to say is that Middlesbrough are destined for yet another tough season which could end in relegation.
This, despite success in the 2004 Carling Cup and reaching the 2006 UEFA Cup Final. Let's be honest, pundits were devastated that Bolton failed to win at the Millennium Stadium on that memorable day in February 2004, and I know many were pleased Sevilla held aloft the prized possession that is the UEFA Cup. After our brilliant cup runs, many mediocre teams such as Newcastle and Blackburn felt they had the given right of reaching finals, simply because Middlesbrough have done so.
My primary qualm is why do Middlesbrough get little credit for achievements that any team south of Lancashire would? This is the time. This should be the season that Middlesbrough finally shut up those annoying voices we have to listen to every week on Match of the Day. In my opinion, we are still unfairly considered a laughing stock in the Premiership and many pundits would be glad to see the back of us.
Let's start being taken seriously for once. As we enter our tenth successive season in the Premiership only Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool, Manchester United, Newcastle and Tottenham can boast better records. That means there are eleven other clubs who have not been able to sustain this record. However do pundits place Middlesbrough as the ninth best team in England? Of course not.
The teams that are mentioned above are 'big clubs' but because Middlesbrough cannot fill their stadium every week (like most of the teams above) we are deemed a little club who will get relegated. However if you take a look at our cup runs and our success in recent years it more than matches, and at times beats, over half of the teams in the Premiership and even some the teams mentioned above.
I understand our performances in the league have not been spectacular, but then again neither have those of the likes of Blackburn Rovers, Portsmouth, Everton or Aston Villa, yet they are credited as being clubs with major European ambitions. This should be the season that our label as a 'small club destined for relegation' should be placed firmly in the litter bin and the pundits force fed some humble pie courtesy of 'Sir' Steve Gibson.
Perhaps we are giving the doubters a helping hand in underestimating Middlesbrough. The Riverside hardly has an atmosphere to match that of our north-east counterparts and the mockery of clapping happily to Pigbag must come to an end.
Football is not a disco. Disco's are for celebrating and if anything our applause should not be introduced by a cheesy, poorly composed mid-nineties song that should have been demolished seasons ago. We are making it easy for others to mock us, so let's drown out the mockery with songs about the Boro that will give us a better name.
I firmly believe we have loyal fans, just simply not enough of them. From what I understand our season ticket sales have dropped from 24,000 to a disappointing 17,000. Our north-east rivals can boast double this and perhaps this is the reason why they are considered greater than us, despite being the most successful side in the north-east in the last ten years.
Sunderland have made some bizarre signings in pre season. The squad that was the worst ever Premiership side returns however with a new manager. Yes Roy Keane seems good but he's no Harry Potter, and if he was I'm sure he would prefer to change new nine million goalkeeper Craig Gordon into a striker that will score goals to keep them in the division.
They have no one that can score them goals. Jeremie Aliadiere has been branded rubbish by many, however he is cheaper and, let's be honest, better than Geordie reject Michael Chopra who cost nearly six million. So why on earth are Sunderland branded better than Middlesbrough?
Newcastle have signed a completely new back four. All foreign and non who can speak English. A recipe for disaster in my book. However many pundits will believe Newcastle have a defence that is considered better than Middlesbrough's.
Our signings have been branded very poor by many but I firmly believe they can spring a big surprise and turn up to be good signings. Signings that have more to play for than just money.
Perhaps it is because we have lost one Australian striker that many believe we will go down but Middlesbrough are more than just Yakubu and Viduka. This season we have pace and quality throughout the squad, something we have not had for years. Arca will have a splendid season I believe and our defence is brilliant. If Downing can find the form he had a couple of seasons ago we could be in for a great season at the Riverside.
It appears we are using poor PR schemes instead of concentrating on what really matters, the football. As soon as I saw the new badge I loved it but now I am beginning to dislike it. It looks poor on the shirt (not half as good as what is now called the 'old' one) and I do not understand the motives behind it. Surely if we wanted to go back to our roots we should have re-introduced the badge which boasted three ships?
I still do not believe we have two of the promised spectacular signings and maybe we should be reminding fans, players available, and pundits and neutrals that we were the winners of the Carling Cup and we did reach the 2006 UEFA Cup Final. We should be reminded these that we are fully capable of winning things and beating many sides.
We, yet again, have used poor advertisements to entice people into buying season tickets. However if we had been more active in the transfer market then perhaps we could have got even more than 24,000.
Now onto the actual football. Saturday is a day that I have feared for a while, looked forward to for a while, and now can't decide either way.
When the fixtures first came out, I was glad we drew Blackburn Rover's first game but now I know it will be a very tricky game. Without Woodgate, Pogatetz, Huth, and Bates it will be extremely difficult. I expect Riggott to start with probably Andrew Davies or even Seb Hines.
Blackburn are a good side. McCarthy is more than capable of getting goals and Bentley and Gamst Pedersen are players I rate highly and on their day will rip any side apart. Blackburn will be heading to the Riverside with a view to three points and we have to make sure we start on the front foot, something we rarely do.
Middlesbrough have never been able to start games well. It seems as though we never start on the front foot and it always takes a boot in the backside by the gaffer to get our players into life. Our defence is strong this season and if we can score the first goal, and score it early we should take a few points this season. Our major drawback last year was not scoring early or getting that vital first goal.
Both sides will look at this fixture and believe they can win. But how can we win? Ryan Nelson is a very good defender, quite underrated in my opinion and if we play the long ball looking for a Yakubu flick on we will get nowhere near Brad Friedel's goal. Nelson will cut these out all day and we will struggle to win.
We need to get at Blackburn's full backs and play football using the playing surface. Using quick passing and blistering crosses into the box will undo Rover's and I don't feel they will be able to handle the pace of Tuncay, Downing and Aliadiere.
I feel the game could go either way but no matter what the result we need to keep our feet on the ground. The fixtures we have coming up are relatively good and this is the time to capitalise on it. If we fail to win the forthcoming games we have we will struggle because our fixtures only get harder.
I will leave you with the team I feel should start against Blackburn.
GK - Schwarzer
RB - Young
LB - Taylor
CB - Riggott
CB - Davies
RW - Tuncay
LW - Downing
CM - Arca
CM - Boateng
FW - Yakubu
FW - Aliadiere
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