I have an awful feeling that the Smoggies will be the NE's most successful team next term. This is a repulsive idea - they have about as much history as a new born goldfish.

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2001

Answers

I think boro will do a lot better than last year. Mclauren seems to be dismantling Robson's team. i.e high paid mercanaries (can't spell) and installing a good defense (Ugo and Southgate)quite a good pairing. Still think we will finish as the top NE side as we'll win the championship ;-)

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2001

McLaren is a good coach but an unproven manager. They do have a decent defence and a decent forward line (Boksic) but who is there midfield? And Ehiogu and Southgate weren't exactly World Class at Villa.

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2001

opposite thinking Dougal. I think Mclaren will be found out. Just because you have stood in Fergusons shadow doesn't mean that you can stand in his light. I think they will be mid table or lower.

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2001

They're running to stand still them lot.

And not so much new born goldfish more Blinky from the Simpsons :-)

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2001

(Awaymag's last sentence suggests that the Tesco Internet Cafe is still in use -Ed)

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2001

Sorry, but Ekioghu and Southgate were formidable at Villa. Look at Villa's defensive record while they were together - brilliant, one of the best in the PL. Swifty, I don't think McClaren is another Brian Kidd somehow.

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2001

what kind of person makes a great manager?

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2001

Great management is down to 95% inspiration and 7% arithmetic. :-)

Seriously I reckon it's about motivation but you cannot specify an "ideal type" of great manager. Motivation comes from the carrot and stick. Cloughie and Ferguson I suspect used the stick more than the carrot. Keegan would be more inclined to use the carrot I guess. All great managers probably need some comination of these two approaches and know when to use the one and not the other. I remember Mike Brearley captaining England at cricket and he was something of a genius as a captain, selected often purely on his captaincy when there were better batsmen available. He was a psychologist I think and could really tap into every player's strong and weak points, and know how to maximise the one and minimise the other. (Cue risque responses here).

Judging by the agony aunt thread I reckon Galaxy has the potentail to become one of the most feared managers ever!

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2001

Apart from Southgate (and any Manure rejects) I can't imagine McClaren has the pulling power of B.Robson or T.Venables in the attracting player stakes - so no matter how good a coach he is, he's not going to make the shite world beaters (unlike Bryan's ability to turn the world beaters into shite).

Although saying that, McClaren will probably have a great start and then bugger off full time with England leaving the only available Boro man left to take over - step forward Paul Daniels into the Riveride Bunkem Booth.

Apart from the two defenders mentioned, and Boksic, who else have they got, and are they any better than our relegation candidates*?






* as mentioned by some on here.

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2001