Gordon Strachan perplexed by Middlesbrough's lack of married men

[Edmund]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/foo...icle6906531.ece

Riverside Stadium regulars will be hoping that Gordon Strachan and Middlesbrough will prove a marriage made in heaven, but as the manager gets acquainted with his new surroundings, bells are consuming his thinking as much as balls.

Strachan, who has a rich and colourful history of quirky comments, is perplexed by the shortage of married men within his team. While that may be a by-product of the youthful nature of his first-team squad - which is populated with graduates from Middlesbrough’s respected academy - he believes it raises important issues regarding personal responsibility.

“[Emmanuel] Pogatetz is one of only three players in the squad that are married, which is quite unbelievable in a world that should be for men,” Strachan, whose Coca-Cola Championship side play at Crystal Palace today, said. “I have never come across that in my life. That's how young we are, but it's a big miss.

"I'm not saying you have to be married to be a good footballer. I'm just saying it felt strange to come to a club where there are only three members of the first-team squad that are married. You need responsibility in life.”

Strachan is no Cilla Black, however, and he does not intend to seek out eligible partners for Middlesbrough’s bachelors. “I'm not going about finding wives for them, it was just a shock to me,” he said.

For Strachan and Middlesbrough, whose home form is undermining their promotion campaign, it is the details that matter. “It's like golf,” the Scot said. “You can drive the ball well, you can approach and hit the green, but if you three-putt then that's not a great round of golf. Small things are the things that count.” A case of wedding ringing the changes, perhaps?

Bit random

[Fosse Boy]

[dandannieldanok]

Very weird.

Boro should have kept Southgate, I hope for his sake that Gibson fails miserably now.

[Finnegan]

I love Gordon Strachan. Nothing will ever beat blaming the ball-boys, though.

Very weird.

Boro should have kept Southgate, I hope for his sake that Gibson fails miserably now.

Why should they have? He was consistently poor. Gibson's one of the fairest, most decent men left in a sport dominated by greed and money-fuelled expectations. He gave Southgate longer than anyone else would and even let him stay through relegation.

But they haven't been as good as they should have been in this division and Gibson's apparently spent weeks planning ahead for the long term and considering Southgate's replacement. A replacement that wasn't random at all, it had been planned long before Southgate's final couple of games and I think that's fair enough.

Strachan's experienced, hardy and probably exactly what Boro need to shake things up and get them moving again. Southgate was out of his depth from the very first time he took over and set an ill precident for Prem footballers wanting to just walk straight into top level management. I hope it doesn't ruin Southgate's career, he's a really honest bloke and I do sort of like him but he should drop a few leagues and go and actually earn his stripes as a gaffer, imo.

[dandannieldanok]

Why should they have? He was consistently poor. Gibson's one of the fairest, most decent men left in a sport dominated by greed and money-fuelled expectations. He gave Southgate longer than anyone else would and even let him stay through relegation.

But they haven't been as good as they should have been in this division and Gibson's apparently spent weeks planning ahead for the long term and considering Southgate's replacement. A replacement that wasn't random at all, it had been planned long before Southgate's final couple of games and I think that's fair enough.

Southgate had them 3 points off the top of the table, if that deserves the sack then I wouldn't be surprised if Southgate felt like just giving in.

Yeah Gibson spent plotting weeks behind Southgate's back, so he most definitely isn't one of the fairest, most decent men left in the sport. I actually found the whole charade disgraceful.

Strachan's experienced, hardy and probably exactly what Boro need to shake things up and get them moving again. Southgate was out of his depth from the very first time he took over and set an ill precident for Prem footballers wanting to just walk straight into top level management. I hope it doesn't ruin Southgate's career, he's a really honest bloke and I do sort of like him but he should drop a few leagues and go and actually earn his stripes as a gaffer, imo.

Of course Strachan needs a lot longer but the first two results show that Boro are no better, probably worse actually, under Strachan compared to Southgate.

[Finnegan]

Southgate had them 3 points off the top of the table, if that deserves the sack then I wouldn't be surprised if Southgate felt like just giving in.

They weren't playing especially well, they looked second best compared to Newcastle and West Brom and they largely looked like the same side that came down just drifting through at a lower level. They'd also put in a run of fairly average-to-poor results before the night Southgate got sacked (when, admittedly, they won - all too late.) You don't know how long Gibson and the board had been considering his replacement or how patiently they'd decided to handle the process.

Yeah Gibson spent plotting weeks behind Southgate's back, so he most definitely isn't one of the fairest, most decent men left in the sport. I actually found the whole charade disgraceful.

Now you're just looking for drama. I don't think it played out like that at all and I wouldn't be surprised if Southgate was kept fairly in the loop the whole time. If you honestly thing Southgate is a good enough manager for the Premier League (which is ultimately what Boro are looking for) then I think you're an immensely forgiving individual. His time was up, is all.

Of course Strachan needs a lot longer but the first two results show that Boro are no better, probably worse actually, under Strachan compared to Southgate.

Eh, give it time. It's a teething period. Strachan's only been in the job five minutes, he's barely had many games let alone a transfer window.

[dandannieldanok]

They weren't playing especially well, they looked second best compared to Newcastle and West Brom and they largely looked like the same side that came down just drifting through at a lower level. They'd also put in a run of fairly average-to-poor results before the night Southgate got sacked (when, admittedly, they won - all too late.) You don't know how long Gibson and the board had been considering his replacement or how patiently they'd decided to handle the process.

Apart from QPR game we're looking quite poor but Pearson's still in a job, if the results are there I don't understand why a manager would be sacked. Gibson said the only objective was to get promoted, 3 points off the top of the table in my eyes was the objective well on target.

Now you're just looking for drama. I don't think it played out like that at all and I wouldn't be surprised if Southgate was kept fairly in the loop the whole time. If you honestly thing Southgate is a good enough manager for the Premier League (which is ultimately what Boro are looking for) then I think you're an immensely forgiving individual. His time was up, is all.

Southgate said it was all kept behind closed doors and he had no idea, and unlike most managers I trust what he says. Fortunately for Gibson, Southgate didn't kick up a fuss about it because he isn't like that. Yeah he sold his story to the papers but I'm glad he did, exposes how Gibson and Lamb mugged him over. If I was in a job, I'd be pretty hacked off if there was a lot of boardroom sniping about me and them covering up the fact they were going to sack me.

Eh, give it time. It's a teething period. Strachan's only been in the job five minutes, he's barely had many games let alone a transfer window.

Southgate could have been given time too though. Yes he's had time already but this season they've given him and his squad nowhere near long enough to adjust, yet they're still well in the promotion mix.

I never minded Boro up until now, for me Gibson's just come across as a snide twat, especially considering he did it all against Southgate, probably one of the most decent blokes in football.