What Promotion Challenge?

After having been promised the world through seven figure signings and big name arrivals under Gordon Strachan, Middlesbrough Football Club is beginning to see the after affects of a ghost promotion campaign.

Steve Gibson entrusted Strachan with his cheque book but unfortunately for him and all those optimistic Teessiders, the squad massively failed to live up to expectations.

But what long term effects have Gibson’s debatable naivety and Boro’s downfall under Gareth Southgate and Strachan had on the club’s long term future?

Thankfully, and many would say rightly, Strachan left without a big pay-off after ripping up the remainder of his contract that was believed to have been worth around £3million in total.

So it seemed only right that one of Boro’s heroes of 1986 would prove the Scot’s natural successor to breathe life back into the club.

But even Mogga was quoted this week as saying that he wrote off around £350,000 of money owed by his former club Celtic to come to back to Teesside.

So thankfully the club’s managerial switch-up didn’t cause anywhere near the financial damage that relegation did although it seems that the effects of the drop felt nearby could have been catastrophic.

Newcastle have reported losses of £17.1million as a result of their relegation from the Premier League alongside Middlesbrough and West Brom in 2009.

Thankfully for them, the Magpies managed to bounce back to the Premier League at the first attempt and have since seen big name arrivals and departures as well as bringing in Premier League TV money.

European names like Hatem Ben Arfa have arrived at St. James’, while assets like Andy Carroll have been sold for unbelievable prices (although promotion and the Carroll sale aren’t reflected in the figures).

Newcastle’s gamble with their finances paid off, in keeping many top flight players with the aim of achieving immediate promotion back to the Premier League. In contrast Boro’s more conservative gamble backfired.

Seeing such losses at close quarters doesn’t bode well for the Reds, who in comparison delayed that relegation push a season before splashing out on talent that has again knocked back Boro’s ambitions.

Having had the luxury of top flight parachute payments following relegation, Boro’s fortunes have repeatedly failed to improve and now a final reduction in such payments means that finances will become even more stretched if changes aren’t implemented.

It could be argued that the window to a Premier League return has passed as the club relies on ever reducing turnover that isn’t helped by this season’s record low Riverside attendances.

Now it seems that the club will have to cut costs in order to mount any sort of serious Championship campaign next season as the club’s finances continually come under scrutiny.

Some rumours have even gone as far as suggesting that the club may have to go into administration in the near future.

Scott Wilson, chief sports writer for the Northern Echo, said via his Twitter account: “Wage bill is currently about £20m and total turnover next year will be about £14m. Desire is for wages to drop to £6m.”

This quite sobering yet somewhat unsurprising idea that cutting the wage bill is the way to ensure the club’s future certainly casts doubt on whether Boro’s Premier League ambitions are at all realistic.

Despite this TEAMtalk.com estimate that Strachan’s marquee signing, Kris Boyd, for example is earning around £1.5million a year, which makes reductions in costs sound not all that damaging.

Especially when you consider that the likes of Justin Hoyte and Didier Digard, who are also believed to be on big money, could be out of the door as well without causing too much of a loss to Mowbray’s current favoured squad.

Julio Arca is one player with a thickset pay packet that Mowbray has taken a liking to however, but whether pay cuts can appease every wage-related headache before next season is extremely questionable.

It seems that for Boro to mount any sort of challenge for next season’s Championship crown, given that the Reds avoid the drop to League One this season of course, drastic changes will need to be made.

Mowbray himself has pledged his belief in the young players that have made a name for themselves since his arrival, such as Joe Bennett, Jason Steele and Cameron Park, although they continue to be leered at by top flight hawks.

Another evident pattern in Mowbray’s more recent transfer activity is his reliance on foreign and lower league players, which again may yield more Zemmama-style bargains but whether they can replace the Teesside club’s current big earners remains to be seen.

Also published on www.oneboro.co.uk

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Bennett's Breakthrough

EVERY year there seems to be a bright new prospect that suddenly emerges from Dave Parnaby’s famed Middlesbrough youth academy that captures the imagination of the fans and is inevitably linked to a big move away.

There’s been Stewart Downing, Adam Johnson, Nathan Porritt and Cameron Park to name but a few. Some have made it, some haven’t but it seems that Parnaby’s Midas touch is continuing to make itself known.

All of this of course is despite the club’s dwindling resources and recent tumble down the league standings yet the time has come for the club’s latest academy breakthrough performer, Joe Bennett, to be linked to a big move away from the Riverside.

Rochdale born Bennett was actually handed his debut way back in 2009 under Gareth Southgate for the last few minutes of Boro’s doomed relegation campaign in the match against West Ham United.

Few appearances followed before Gordon Strachan’s awkward tenure yielded little more playing time for the England youth player other than cup outings, pushing him to request a loan move which the manager declined.

Earlier this season under Strachan, Bennett was even overlooked in that troublesome left-back spot which the manager decimated by loaning out left footed defenders like Jonathan Grounds and Andrew Taylor.

Somehow the Scot decided that playing other players out of position would fill that void better and as a result brought in centre-back Matt Kilgallon on loan and asked him and right-back Justin Hoyte to fill in at left back.

It really wasn’t until Tony Mowbray took the helm that Bennett got his chance as a first team starter mainly due to injuries and the fact that he was the only natural left-back in the squad at that point.

But Bennett proved all of his doubters wrong and stepped up to become a first team regular with some sparkling displays that have since kept both the returning Taylor and Grounds from taking his place.

In January 2011 the promising 20-year-old was rewarded for his fine form by Mowbray with a four-and-a-half-year contract. The forward thinking defender’s performances have also been backed up by his emergence into the England Under 21 setup.

And Bennett’s success has not gone unnoticed elsewhere with the likes of Sunderland, Manchester City and Liverpool all being linked with moves for the youngster but Bennett seems more than keen to continue his footballing education on Teesside.

On his Twitter account Bennett posted a pledge to stay at the club although it has since been taken off his page. It read: “I don't know where the sunderland, city, liverpool talks come from tweeps!.... I aint going nowhere!”

And having signed such a long term deal so recently, Boro fans can at least rest assured that the defender will either stay or go for a good price. But surely as the club looks to next season, keeping the best of its young talent should be at the top of the agenda.

Another player who has also been linked with a big move is 18-year-old Cameron Park, who also was awarded a four-and-a-half-year contract in January this year.

Described by Mowbray as being in the mould of Boro success stories Adam Johnson and Stewart Downing, the left winger was linked with a surprise move to Liverpool despite only making Boro’s match day squad a handful of times.

All fans can hope for from these youngsters however is that they remain grounded, keep working hard for the cause and grow with the club rather than abandoning what has been a sinking ship in recent years.

The likes of the once highly-rated Porritt for instance failed to live up to expectations.

He found himself in the public eye after BBC Panorama secretly filmed him being presented to Chelsea officials without Boro’s consent.

Since then the now 21-year-old’s career has dwindled into obscurity as after the youngster was sent back to Boro following a loan spell at neighbouring Darlington in 2009 his contract was terminated by mutual consent.

He then went on trial at Portuguese club Belenenses and was widely reported to have signed for them although this reportedly turned out to be untrue.

Porritt is believed to now play his football in Belgium’s third tier at R.O.C de Charleroi-Marchienne although rumours have been circulating around the forums that he is back in England without a club at all.

The youngster was continually linked with having a poor attitude while on Teesside and it is this kind of story that Boro fans are desperate not to be repeated by the club’s current crop of hopefuls.

With guidance and commitment players like Bennett and Park could well become the club’s next success stories and hopefully their growth can continue to form part of Boro line-ups for years to come.

Also published on www.oneboro.co.uk

http://oneboro.co.uk/bennett-s-breakthrough-23-03-2011-358.html

A Striking Dilemma

AFTER it emerged that Middlesbrough’s leading goalscorer Leroy Lita had picked up a severe hamstring tear during the side’s goalless draw with Portsmouth, Tony Mowbray has found himself with a dilemma on his hands.

Having already reduced his options up top by letting Old Firm flop Kris Boyd go out on loan to Nottingham Forest as part of the deal to bring goalkeeper Paul Smith in the other direction, the manager has a limited choice of forwards.

Mowbray also limited his options further by letting Strachan signing Lee Miller go out on loan to Scunthorpe earlier in the campaign. The £500,000 signing, who has only made a handful of Boro appearances, has hardly been value for money.

Lita’s most regular strike partner in recent weeks has been Aussie front man Scott McDonald, who’s place in the team is all but assured after some encouraging performances alongside 10 goal man Lita.

By any standards it must be said however that the front line as a whole has failed to live up to expectations this season as aside from Lita, McDonald only has eight goals this term, Boyd pitched in with six and the rest barely have that between them.

Hard working Dutchman Marvin Emnes has looked a more mature player following his return from a successful loan spell at Swansea but his performances have yet to yield the goals that they deserve, although Mowbray seems keen to use him more as an impact substitute recently.

The former sprinter has however been a willing runner and has contributed a number of assists although many of them came alongside Lita but then again Emnes still has to convince many that he has that killer instinct in front of goal.

Another possible strike partner for McDonald, should Mowbray continue to employ a 4-4-2 formation, is Moroccan international attacker Merouane Zemmama who can play in midfield or up top.

Again Zemmama has been described by Mowbray as an ‘impact substitute’, which in fairness has worked more recently as the diminutive attacker earned Boro a vital last gasp winner against fellow strugglers Derby County two games ago.

Other than that few other names have been mentioned as in the running to partner McDonald although one man who has found himself out in the cold could have an outside chance of making the line up.

Estonian winger Tarmo Kink, who won fans over earlier this season with two fantastic late strikes to sink Burnley at the Riverside, is yet another to be tagged with that ‘impact substitute’ label even though the 25-year-old hasn’t featured at all in recent weeks.

After being dubbed ‘the Tallinn Torpedo’ following his Burnley crackers, Kink has only been a bit part player for the Reds despite Mowbray conceding that he has undoubted talent that is not always directed in the right way.

He told the club’s official website: “He (Kink) has a very obvious talent but he has to learn and understand the mentality that's needed to be a success in the Championship.

“To be fair, he wants to prove he can be a success here and I'm happy to give him that opportunity.”

Saturday’s game against Watford at the Riverside will be a real test for Mowbray’s men particularly as that leaky defence will have to face off against Championship top scorer and former Boro player, Danny Graham.

The promotion contenders have defied their small budget all season through their league exploits and Mowbray’s attacking decisions against them could well be a sign of things to come if Lita fails to return before the end of the campaign.

At this vital point in the season Boro certainly need someone to step up and fulfil Lita’s goal getting attitude and hopefully whoever comes in from the cold to get that chance will snap it up and grab a goal or two.

Also published on www.oneboro.co.uk

http://oneboro.co.uk/a-striking-dilemma-18-03-2011-357.html

Bye Bye Boyd

A MAN who scored more goals in the Scottish Premier League than anyone else in history, beating off names like the great Henrik Larsson and Boro’s very own Scott McDonald, Kris Boyd has sneaked out of the Riverside after just six months.

The beefy striker, who managed 164 goals in nine years that were split between Glasgow Rangers and Kilmarnock, has opted for a loan move to reignite his faltering move to England.

Having scored only six goals in 29 league and cup appearances, Boyd’s loan move to Nottingham Forest hasn’t exactly been frowned upon by fans despite the big man’s fantastic SPL record.

But in all truth Boyd’s poor work rate and less than endearing style made him unpopular at Boro from day one.

The fact that one of the major factors in Boyd’s move was money and his reported £25,000-a-week wages did nothing to turn what eventually became frustrated jeers into supportive cheers either.

Although still under contract with Middlesbrough until the summer of 2012, his latest move and blatant failure to persuade Tony Mowbray of his usefulness to the team makes a summer departure for the 27-year-old forward look ever more likely.

But Mowbray himself has praised Boyd’s effort in training, while at one point Gordon Strachan claimed that Boyd was trying too hard, quoted by BBC Sport as saying: “I can’t ask anymore from his training.”

He added: “He was actually trying too hard and I said, 'Listen, you don't need to do that', because sometimes when players try too hard, they can get frustrated.”

Scott McDonald in truth hasn’t lived up to his goal scoring billing either but his all round effort, quality on the ball and commitment to the cause won the Boro faithful over practically after his first game. Goals aren’t always everything.

But in Boyd’s case his clumsy touch, lack of involvement in interplay and general demeanour meant that his contribution to any side would seemingly only be goals but then again he hasn’t been helped.

Boro haven’t been as free scoring as the fans would have liked this season, having only scored 44 goals in 35 league games this term and until recently the midfield’s lack of creativity has often left the club’s forwards dropping back to get the ball or becoming isolated up top.

Known primarily as a poacher, Boyd never really ventured much further than the six yard box in Scotland and considering the dominance that the Old Firm clubs have in the SPL, chances were always in the offing.

The forward has shown glimpses of his finishing ability though, his goal against Sheffield United in August, which saw a rare win under Strachan, was a predatory run and shot that raised hopes early on for instance.

In the right side, with the right formation where he is not required to get too involved in interplay Boyd might hit it off, but for the cost to Boro to be both financially and strategically worthwhile he’d have to score much more regularly than he has.

The club’s quite perilous present position in the league and monetary constraints however mean that Boyd’s status as a bit part player was simply not viable considering his wages.

Mowbray has managed to bring in experienced Forest goalkeeper Paul Smith in as competition and cover for Jason Steele and Danny Coyne, while he has also hinted at bringing in a midfielder on loan as a result of Boyd’s departure.

Given that Mowbray has hinted that the deal for the Scot is beneficial to Boro financially because of a ‘discrepancy’ between Boyd and Smith’s wages certainly makes it sound like each club is paying most if not all of their respective signing’s wages which can only be a positive.

Opening the door to yet more reinforcements during Boro’s hugely important run towards the end of the season is a massive plus point and something that might help to add more of that attacking creativity that Mowbray appears to crave.

And at this point in the season when it seems like safety is the main objective as results have not yet mirrored the change in style that Mowbray has brought with him, Boyd’s departure could well be the master stroke that saves the club from a relegation dog fight.

A few goals at Forest combined with a rise in his value and an improvement in Boro’s league form could mean either the return of Boyd to a rejuvenated team or a big earner off the wage books and some money for Mowbray to spend come June.

Either way if Boyd bangs in the goals at Forest and Boro stay up no one will be complaining.

Also published on www.oneboro.co.uk

http://oneboro.co.uk/bye-bye-boyd-10-03-2011-355.html

Same Old Story or Step Forward?

AFTER yet another disappointing goal conceded by Middlesbrough at the death, this time against Nottingham Forest on Tuesday, you begin to wonder whether Tony Mowbray’s men are making that much needed progress.

The 92^nd minute Dele Adebola goal made it 14 points dropped by Boro after 84 minutes this season, which would have put the club in eighth place, three points outside of the play offs, and possibly in the FA Cup for at least another round.

Swansea, Preston, Burton Albion, Leeds, Doncaster and Portsmouth have all broken the team’s backline in the final minutes of games and with the club still just six points outside the relegation zone, it’s getting beyond a joke.

Boos rang out around the Riverside following Adebola’s smash and grab, and with dwindling attendances and lessening finances those Premiership giant killings are more than ever becoming a distant memory.

But should we be so downhearted after what was essentially a very good performance?

Mowbray’s men dominated possession, the shot count and looked by far the more enterprising side on a night when the defence had been decimated by injury and the midfield was not at full strength.

If anything, from a spectators point of view, Mowbray was a little naive in leaving the line-up, formation and general approach as it was for the final 20 minutes as Forest began to pile forward in numbers.

In fact it was only as the free kick that Adebola scored from was being taken, that Marvin Emnes and Maximilian Haas stripped off in preparation to come on and seal the victory.

The Boro backline has more recently been the focus of fan’s frustrations, with Seb Hines and Jonathan Grounds getting more stick than most, particularly after their last pairing in a back four when Boro let a 3-1 lead slip to go down 4-3 to Swansea City.

For the most part however, the pair dealt with seasoned Championship strikers, in David McGoldrick and Robbie Earnshaw, well although somehow the latter did win a few headers against Grounds.

This dominance was threatened by the aerial threat of Adebola however, who at 6ft 3in tall highlighted a lack of strength at centre back and to be fair to Mowbray, Haas doesn’t exactly look like the Terminator.

With options limited in defence, few could argue with the effort that was put in although this part of the pitch is clearly something in need of work.

Yet when Stephen McManus, Matthew Bates and Andrew Davies return, Hines and Grounds might be fortunate to feature on the bench.

Maxi Haas is continually being mooted as the perfect man to fit that centre back mould in recent weeks although his deal is understood only to run until the end of the season according to BBC Tees, with Boro having an option of a one year extension on that.

As a result Mowbray’s opinion of him at this point may well be an implication of whether he is likely to take up that option as Haas continues to look on from the bench.

However the front men, although hard working, could have been more clinical and killed the game off long before Forest equalised, with Scott McDonald and Leroy Lita among others failing to convert.

In all Boro scored just one of their 11 shots on target, as opposed to Forest’s three on target, which I suppose you could either put down to good goalkeeping or poor finishing on Boro’s part.

Despite this both McDonald and Lita’s work rates were fantastic although Lita’s at times frustrating approach of not playing to the whistle annoyed the home support, despite his uncharacteristic role as a header winning target man.

The 15,341 fans in attendance also gave a relatively good account of themselves, particularly during Boro’s more dominant stages towards the end of the first half and start of the second.

But understandably during the tenser moments, particularly during the first 15 minutes or so, the atmosphere resembled that of a reserve team match despite two staunch sections of diehards singing throughout at either end.

It is during these periods in games that Boro seem most vulnerable however, whether it be through conceding early, which the players seem to have a distinct lack of confidence in dealing with, or conceding late on when the opposition fans are willing their side on.

Whether it was the fault of Mowbray’s naivety, defensive frailty, poor finishing, good goalkeeping or wavering support, something that must be stressed is that this season’s objectives are now set.

Instead of there being a cheeky play off push in the making, Boro are all but certain to be in the Championship for a third season come May.

This period between now and then is vital in persuading the fans and players that next season will finally be Boro’s fight back year.

Time is running out on the club in terms of its fans’ patience, its ability to attract high quality players and quite possibly those underlying finances that the club are continue to be worryingly vague about.

One thing is for sure now however. That step forward will only come if Middlesbrough as a footballing town gets behind the Reds for the remainder of the campaign.

By next season, a stable line-up of committed and proud Boro players can hopefully turn that same old story into a different one entirely.

Also published on www.oneboro.co.uk

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Was Davies a Missed Opportunity?

AFTER an impressive second debut for Stockton-born Andrew Davies against Millwall last week, it does make you wonder where that dominance at centre-half was during his first spell on Teeside.

To be fair it’s probably too early to judge Davies’ ability since his return to the club where he started his career, but the defender’s mature performance at The Den makes you question whether letting him leave in the first place was the right decision.

Several home grown Middlesbrough players have reportedly not made the standard at the club before going on to prove former Boro bosses Gareth Southgate and Steve McClaren in particular wrong.

Youngsters including James Morrison, Chris Brunt and Danny Graham have been shipped out after not impressing Boro gaffers before going on to make serious names for themselves at other clubs.

Morrison, who left for West Bromwich Albion in 2007 for an initial £1.5million, has gone from strength to strength since Southgate let him go, becoming a regular in the Scottish national team and playing week in, week out in the Premier League.

His West Brom teammate, Chris Brunt, never made a first team appearance for Boro but after dropping down to League One with Sheffield Wednesday in 2004, he has since lit up the Premier League.

Watford’s Danny Graham also failed to make the grade, leaving for Carlisle United in 2007 after a series of lower league loan spells from Boro, but the forward has since silenced the doubters as the current top scorer in the Championship.

Bringing any of those three in particular back to the Riverside would put a smile on even the most disillusioned Reds fan’s face but unfortunately their success elsewhere, combined with Boro’s poor financial state, renders it all but impossible.

In a strange turn it could be argued that those players, once deemed not good enough for Middlesbrough, are at present out of their financial league.

Obviously there have been tens of local youngsters who have gone and proved the Boro hierarchy right in letting them go but still it seems that more and more players are slipping through the net, something the club can ill afford to do at present.

The loan signing of Davies however could be one that rejuvenates both the fortunes of the club and those of the player, who has seen his stock decrease massively during a three year career nose dive of loan moves and reserve team football.

Having spent the most successful years of his career at Boro, Davies managed to win his only England U21 cap in 2007 but within a year his move to Stoke City from Southampton had turned sour.

The 26-year-old, who spent ten years with the club before his 2008 transfer to Southampton, wasn’t even included in Tony Pulis’ 25 man squad in January, making him ineligible to play for the club for the rest of the season.

So the strong centre-back’s return could well be his chance to prove to the Boro faithful that Southgate’s decision to let him leave was the wrong one and that he can be one of the few exiled youth players to come good back at Boro.

Aged just 23 at the time, Davies had arguably not reached his full potential by the time of his departure whereas Graham was 21, Morrison was only 20 and Brunt was just 19 when he left the Riverside.

Despite this, Southgate and McClaren were managing Premier League teams when they let these players go and as much as fans have welcomed Davies’ return, not many were bemoaning selling him in 2008.

More patience in these cases where relatively unproven youngsters, who had not yet hit the heights as first team starters, could well have sprung more Adam Johnson-style success stories.

And if anything these past examples, whether Davies proves a success or not, should mean that judging players who are given those first team opportunities early on should be done with caution.

However for Davies at least a string of positive results, continuing against QPR on Saturday, could well start to bring around those who supported his departure.

And a more understanding view on the Boro youth should make that list of missed opportunities in the future a non-issue.

Also published on www.oneboro.co.uk

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There Haas to be Changes

AFTER last week's toe curling 4-3 defeat to Swansea at the Riverside Stadium and what can only be summed up as a shambolic defensive performance, Middlesbrough FC fans are again feeling the breath of relegation on the back of their necks.

From a commanding 3-1 lead with less than half of the match to go, Boro capitulated after mistakes from Julio Arca, Jason Steele and the majority of the defence made it two losses in a row for the Reds.

Now then, it seems quite evident that the Boro backline is well under strength, which is obvious given the absence of defensive duo Matthew Bates and Stephen McManus, while Boro’s reserves are being raided for cover.

Seb Hines and Jonathan Grounds were largely frozen out under Gordon Strachan, in part due to two woeful displays against the attacking might of Jack Lester and the cauldron that is the B2Net Stadium.

Grounds in particular was guilty of underperforming that night against Chesterfield and was subsequently shipped out on loan to Hibernian where he proved a valuable asset, making 15 appearances for the club.

But recent poor defensive performances have put the pair back under the spotlight, with many of the diminishing Riverside regulars questioning their roles at the centre of defence.

As a result murmurs of a change of defensive tact are being discussed in detail by fans, particularly as recent defensive signing Maximilian Haas is yet to play for the first team.

However Haas, like Merouane Zemmama, is another player that seems to have high expectations weighing on his shoulders but again Boro fans should remain realistic as to his talents.

The very fact that he is German appears to have many convinced that Haas is the next Robert Huth despite the fact that he never made a first team appearance for Bayern Munich.

Huth is a German international former Chelsea player who cost the club around £6million while Haas only signed an 18 month contract, arguably as a get out clause if he turns out not to make the required standard.

In addition, the fact that Haas has never played at a higher standard than the third tier in German football, as German second teams aren’t allowed to play in the top two divisions, doesn’t bode well for the Huth comparison.

Thankfully Tony Mowbray has brought in reinforcements of a known quantity in Andrew Davies from Stoke City on a loan deal until the end of the season.

Davies wasn’t even registered in Stoke manager Tony Pulis’ 25 man squad and although his return will be largely welcomed, if fans were told that Andrew Davies would return to save the club from relegation two years ago they may well have laughed.

The 26-year-old centre-back, who can also play at right-back could however prove to be an important signing in the absence of experienced defenders.

Some welcome good news that may strengthen both the defence and midfield is the news that Rhys Williams and Willo Flood both played 45 minutes for the reserves against Sheffield United’s second string in midweek although they still aren’t in first team contention.

Whatever happens, it does seem that Mowbray will make changes to the Boro defence for Saturday’s away game at Millwall but throwing Haas or Davies in at the Lions’ Den may be a gamble itself.

Is Merouane Zemmama the new Juninho?

OSVALDO Giroldo Junior grew up on the mean streets of Sao Paulo, Brazil, during the 1970s and 80s as a diminutive youngster with a passion for all things football.

From this little boy emerged arguably the greatest player ever to play for Middlesbrough Football Club. The 5ft 5in creator, playmaker and fan’s favourite, Juninho Paulista.

After lighting up The Riverside Stadium with his jinking runs and Brazilian flair, the infectious South American reinvigorated Middlesbrough during three spells at the club, the last of which yielding Boro’s first major trophy.

Since his departure in 2004, Juninho has been celebrated as a Boro legend and will always hold a place in the hearts of the club’s fans, but can anyone ever live up to his heroic reputation?

Every forward-thinking midfielder – and there haven’t been many – that has been brought to the club, since his final spell on Teeside, has always had the Brazilian’s shadow cast over them.

The likes of Fabio Rochemback, Gary O’Neil and Jason Euell have come and gone with mixed amounts of success, or none at all in the case of Euell, but can the latest arrival finally take hold of that attacking central midfield mantel.

Merouane Zemmama, who was recently signed for a nominal fee from Tony Mowbray’s former club Hibernian, has been mooted by at least one over-excited journalist as the next Juninho, the next Boro hero.

But in truth a reality check might be in order.

Juninho, when he was first signed by Boro, was a 22-year-old wonder kid who was attracting huge European interest whereas Zemmama is a 27-year-old playmaker who was signed for next to nothing from Scotland.

Their creative streak may well be a comparison worth making but Juninho went on to win nearly half a century of caps and a world cup with Brazil while Zemmama hasn’t even been a regular in the Moroccan side, making only a handful of appearances.

Without trying to crush Teesiders’ daydream fantasies of the African leading us back to the promised land, fans should not be overcome by suggestions of a quick fix, not least until he’s played a few games.

Mowbray himself has played down the signing to some extent. In talking to www.mfc.co.uk, he said: “Juninho was a superstar who came from Brazil - Merouane is from Hibs in Scotland.

"He's coming here not for a king's ransom, he's not a major signing, but it was too good an opportunity to turn down for very little money at a time when the club can't really afford to spend money.”

Despite all this Zemmama is certainly the type of player that has desperately been needed to revitalise the club’s fortunes over recent seasons as he’s a player to excite the fans and create chances.

As much as he has his own place in Boro folklore, Gareth Southgate made only futile attempts to fulfil his promise of bringing exciting, attacking football back to The Riverside with no exciting midfielders in sight by the time he had left.

As for Gordon Strachan, his frankly misguided attitude to what was needed to succeed at Boro and in the Championship itself left the club with few forward thinking players to speak of.

Even at present it seems Julio Arca, a former left-back, is our most creative midfield player, a far cry from the days when Juninho and Paul Gascoigne collectively ruled the roost for example.

Then again the unclear financial situation at Middlesbrough means that major signings aren’t going to be presented in front of the Boro faithful anytime soon, so expectations must remain realistic.

Remember ‘Brazilian Goal Machine’ Afonso Alves? He was the prime example of a player who was so overcome by expectation that he never came close to making a positive impact in a Boro shirt.

As a result Zemmama, who coincidentally would engulf Juninho in height, at a comparatively massive 5ft 7in, has quite sensibly disregarded such comparisons as he tries to establish himself at the club.

In spite of this, Zemmama’s capture could well be the catalyst for a push up the table before the end of the season and more importantly a rise in attendances at The Riverside that could form the basis of future success.

Also published at www.oneboro.co.uk

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Two in Two Out

AFTER months of speculation and weeks of tense negotiations Middlesbrough FC fans finally got to see new faces arrive at the Riverside despite disheartening financial whispers emerging from Teeside rumour mills.

Merouane Zemmama and Maximilian Haas became Tony Mowbray’s first permanent signings as Middlesbrough manager after his promises to look at foreign and lower league players rang true.

Zemmama, a Moroccan international attacking midfielder, who was first signed by Mowbray at Hibernian in 2006, definitely sounds like an exciting prospect who will add some much needed creativity to the Boro side.

One slightly worrying fact to come out of the deal however is the player’s recent recovery from a knee ligament injury that has seen him start just four games this season after ten months out injured.

Haas, a 25-year-old German centre half, is somewhat unproven having never made a competitive first team appearance for Bayern Munich since signing in 2007.

In fact Haas was the captain of Bayern’s second string, who play their football in the German third division, although he was included in Louis Van Gaal’s first team squad in 2010.

The recently closed window also saw the farewell of local boy and former club captain, David Wheater, who in all truth was destined to leave if the club didn’t reach promotion almost immediately after relegation.

The other departure was one that has been mooted almost ever since his arrival at the club in 2007 and with a salary believed to be hitting £40,000 per week, saying goodbye to Gary O’Neil was never going to be difficult.

As a result an estimated £55,000 has been shaved off the weekly wage bill, which equates to over £2.8million annually. And no doubt Haas and Zemmama will be on nothing like that.

And despite pre-window expectations of a Gordon Strachan and Gareth Southgate inspired fire sale, with players like Kris Boyd, Julio Arca, Leroy Lita and Tarmo Kink linked with exits, this never came to fruition.

In fact at one point it seemed like quite the opposite as a Southgate reunion party took hold of Rockcliffe Park as Mido, Andrew Davies and Jeremie Aliadiere all trained with the squad in January.

Aliadiere may well have been welcomed and Davies could have been a good addition but instead the former Boro players have left to pursue their careers elsewhere.

In Mido’s case a return never seemed like more than speculation, particularly after he caused nothing but trouble since his extortionate £6million arrival in 2007.

His return to Egypt with Zamalek couldn’t have been more timely than if it had happened three years ago.

Previously I’ve spoken about Boro fans needing signs of encouragement, not only to bring the fans back through the turnstiles but also to make them feel like the club was still aiming for the Premier League promised land.

Now it seems with the addition of a couple of fresh faces and the prospect of a new midfield maestro in Zemmama, fans can begin to get excited about a team which has long since been something to smile about.

Haas’ addition also brings some welcome defensive cover and competition with Seb Hines and Stephen McManus for that central defensive berth alongside Matthew Bates.

However one area that was anticipated to see some changes was in the forward line, but with Boyd rejecting moves to Turkey and Russia, Lita staying put and flop Lee Miller being shipped out to Scunthorpe on loan, not much has changed.

In spite of this, the squad will be boosted by the return of Scott McDonald from the Asia Cup and of Marvin Emnes from injury.

And as Mowbray continues to put more and more faith into Boyd, having started the last three games, hopefully the big striker can start to repay the fans who pay his wages.

Yet Mowbray could arguably be credited with more than two signings since his return. The re-emergence of Dutch forward, Emnes, and long-serving left back, Andrew Taylor, after successful loan spells have been particular highlights.

After being labelled as relegation candidates and with Mowbray even being talked about as under pressure only a few weeks into his tenure, the legendary former player has silenced the doubters.

A slow transition from what Strachan saw as a hard working squad, who in all honesty didn’t look like they could string two passes together earlier in the season, has seen a side emerge that are finally bringing home results and starting to play good football.

Coming into an immensely important run of fixtures that have seen Boro play league strugglers like Preston, Scunthorpe and Bristol City as well as high flying Leeds and Norwich, Mowbray’s men have impressed after going six matches unbeaten.

Boro’s first game since the window came to close was also a hopeful sign of things to come, as the club continued its impressive start to 2011 with a 2-0 home win over struggling Scunthorpe.

Despite all this two foreign signings aren’t going to solve all of Boro’s problems but making the most of what was already a decent set of players, with these additions and a passionate manager with the right mentality, will hopefully go some way to doing that.

Also published on www.oneboro.co.uk

http://oneboro.co.uk/two-in-two-out-03-02-2011-348.html

Boro's Transfer Woes

TONY Mowbray’s Teeside revolution promised much after he took over from Gordon Strachan’s fateful tenure just a few months ago but as his first transfer window in charge begins to creak to a close, it’s not the transfers on the lips of Middlesbrough FC fans.

Instead, it seems as though there are more rumours circulating about the club’s financial plight than big name incomings especially after the St Tropez clad Phil Brown accused the club of not paying its players on time.

Whether it was a ploy to unsettle the squad or a leak from within the club, Brown’s comments certainly paid dividends as Billy Jones tarnished the Reds’ Saturday game with a familiarly disheartening late leveller.

But is there any substance in Brown’s now retracted quotes?

Well rumours have been rife ever since the club dropped out of the top flight under Gareth Southgate, with small sections even suggesting the club were relegated on purpose, which sounds a little far fetched.

More recently it has been mooted that Boro could be in up to £90million worth of debt and that the club are considering the possibility of entering administration before the end of the season, so not to incur the 10 point penalty next year.

Of course all of this is pure speculation at present but after Benidorm Brown’s comments sparked fury within the Boro support, why hasn’t Steve Gibson, or Tony Mowbray for that matter, come out and quashed these worrying rumours?

Even one of Boro’s own midfielders, Kevin Thomson, refused to respond on his Twitter page recently, he said: “I can’t comment on his comments. Soz.”

So it seems that this is something that isn’t going to go away in a hurry and up until now Mowbray’s transfer inactivity has hardly put to bed suggestions relating to the club’s bank statements.

This contrasts greatly with Mowbray’s track record of completely overhauling the likes of Celtic and West Brom, in fact at the latter he made no fewer than 14 permanent and loan signings during his first year at the club.

But granted that we are seemingly in a much worse financial position than first anticipated, Mowbray had to lower the wage bill and the likes of Wheater and O’Neil earning their sizeable pay cheques elsewhere was inevitable as much as it was necessary.

In particular the departure of O’Neil’s reported £40,000-a-week salary is a huge burden that has been lifted but the expected influx of players simply hasn’t materialised. Then again it wouldn’t if we were in such dire straits.

But surely more players would be getting ushered out of the Riverside if that was the case and the reported £850,000 offer for Andrew Taylor that came in from Watford would surely be a no-brainer rather than being left up to the player to decide whether to make the move.

Mowbray said himself that the club wouldn’t be looking at Premier League players as transfer targets but more at the foreign and lower leagues for talent which is cheaper in terms of both transfer fees and wages.

The latest to be linked are Bayern Munich’s 25-year-old potential Wheater replacement, Maximilian Haas, and 22-year-old Hamburg midfielder, Anis Ben-Hatira, both of which have limited Bundesliga experience.

One glimmer of encouragement that has come through in January is the news that former Boro players Andrew Davies, Jeremie Aliadiere and Mido have trained with the club.

Mido’s controversial minor comeback didn’t last long however, after he recently resigned for Zamalek and Aliadiere has been strongly linked with a return to action with Blackpool but Davies would be a welcome boost in terms of strength in depth at least.

Even former Boro player Jonathan Greening has been linked with a return but again, with just a few days left in the transfer window, any signings will have to made quickly.

With that in mind, let’s hope that nothing is rushed through that is reminiscent of the Michael Ricketts' eleventh hour transfer under Steve McLaren, which will go down in Boro folklore for being one of the worst big money signings ever made at the club.

The days of multi-million pound signings seem to have long gone however and if the rumours are to be believed, Gibson’s ultimately ill-fated strong support of Gordon Strachan could have been a desperate push for promotion that has landed the club in further trouble.

As a collective the Boro support can only get behind the team and hope that the Reds’ finances aren’t as bad as is being suggested and personally, a couple of good value signings would go a long way to giving that assurance.

By no means would fans be expecting tens of players through the door, especially as the likes of Rhys Williams and Willo Flood are nearing returns.

But a signal of intent that we aren’t going to settle for safety and try to push on could be just the kind of encouragement that is needed to boost both the fans and players alike.

Also published on www.oneboro.co.uk

http://oneboro.co.uk/boro-8217-s-transfer-woes-26-01-2011-347.html