Where to start? A lot has happened, so I'm going to skip all the important stuff and go to
something meaningless. Something that I have wondered for ages came to the fore this week: Nani's
shin. I haven't wondered about his shin for ages, more the protection he applies – and every
other pro player as far as I can see – to their legs.
At the start of the summer there was frenzied speculation (often on this site) about the players
that Spurs were to imminently sign. However, we're now a just week away from the end of June and
there is no sign of a Dzeko or a Turan.
No one else is signing anyone either and it very much looks like it could stay that way until
the end of the World Cup, or at least until some major talent begins to get knocked out.
Middlesbrough have lived a charmed life over the last few years and are overdue a spell in the
lower leagues.
Gareth Southgate's controversial appointment as manager in lieu of formal UEFA accreditation has
backfired and the twelve people who regularly attend the Riverside have recently roused sufficient
consciousness to vent their disapproval.
The 2006 list has already been done, so we move to 2007, where everyone's seemingly still quite
young. Welcome to the era of superstardom by 17, or you're a nobody.
Most have panned out, or are panning out (which is why 2008 may be early times for a ‘where
are they now?
Ricky van Wolfswinkel better be careful. The Dutchman with a name you couldn't make up
currently sits atop the Eredivisie scoring charts. Although the Dutch league has a
reputation for producing some of the most exciting talents in world football, recent golden boot
winners who've ventured beyond Holland's borders have found success hard to come by.
It's (arguably) Google's 10th birthday today. Obviously a lot of readers find The Offside via
Google, and most of the search terms that land people here are obvious and enough. Things like team
names and player names. But not all of them. Here's a selection of some of the more interesting
search terms that have bought people [.
February 7th 2009, and "moneybags" Manchester City play a televised match against Gareth
Southgates Middlesborough. City needed to bounce back after a 1-0 loss to stoke, and they very
nearly lost it had it not been for one of Mark Hughes' shrewdest of signings.
Irish international Shay Given was making his first appearance for the Blues.
Southgate confident deal for Alves will remain despite AZ Alkmaar dispute
Gareth Southgate is confident there is no case to answer despite AZ Alkmaar's claims of a
pre-contract agreement with Alfonso Alves, the Heerenveen player, who signed a four and a half year
deal with Middlesbrough on Thursday.
It was with some sadness I heard that Gareth Southgate had been sacked yesterday. I always felt
he had the making of a decent manager. I suppose in these days of quick fix changes and changing
managers when a few results go wrong, none of us should be surprised.
OK, Boro were relegated last season but I felt he was working with his hands tied a little.
Name: Andy Kelly Date of Birth: 9th January 1984 Place of Birth: Stockton-on-Tees Position: Central
defender or midfielder Previous clubs: Middlesbrough, Vasteras SK, Landskrona Present club:
Unattached It has been a tumultuous few months for Andy Kelly, once of Middlesbrough and Landskrona
in Sweden.
Gareth Southgate's Middlesbrough look al but destined for the drop after a 1-1 draw against
Aston Villa on Saturday afternoon. Sanli Tuncay scored their only goal, which was a sublime
overhead kick. But the impotence of the Boro' attack was apparent as they failed to convert one of
the many chances they fashioned.
Middlesbrough v Aston Villa Live Streaming & Match Preview
Watch Middlesbrough vs Aston Villa Live Online - Click Here
Middlesbrough vs Aston Villa : Live Premiership Football
Saturday, 16 May 2009
Kick Off : 15:00 GMT
Venue : Riverside Stadium
Middlesbrough could be relegated before the end of this weekend, if they fail to get any points
from this match and Newcastle win or draw, then Middlesbrough will definitely be playing
Championship football next season.
It's taken me a little while to catch up on the goings on this week as I was away over the weekend.
My wife and I took a camping trip and got away from the hustle and bustle of the city for a while.
We ended up with some rainy weather but made the best [...]
Two goals in the span of fifteen minutes saw Middlesbrough kickoff the new campaign with a 2-1
win.
Interesting game from my point of view. There's a reason why Justin Hoyte's moving to Boro. They
need a reliable left back. David Wheater on the day was a bit on the poor side leaving Brad Jones
out to dry on a couple of occasions and looking very shaky on a couple more.
Middlesbrough manager cannot stop singing praises of his January signing Alfonso Alves. The
Brazilian international striker was signed from the Dutch side Heerenveen during the January
transfer period and made his full debut against Sheffield United in the FA Cup fifth round replay
in midweek and Southgate has already become a Alves fan.
Middlesbrough paid Heerenven around £12million to sign Brazilian international striker Alfonso
Alves on Thursday just hours before the January transfer shut up and Boro manager Gareth Southgate
is visibly delighted with the club record signing. Sky Sports quotes Southgate as saying: I think
it's very satisfying when so much effort has been put in, and I've got [.
Alfonso Alves might have brought with him loads of quality and a formidable goal scoring track
record but the Brazilian international striker has also imported a whole heap of controversies and
legal battles. Sky Sports reports that Dutch club AZ Alkmaar is all set to go to football's world
governing body FIFA in order to [.
Not if AZ Alkmaar have their way he won't! South African newspaper The Citizen report that
Middlesbrough may have landed their man from Heerenveen after paying an undisclosed fee, yet the
striker might be banned from playing in the Premier League this season after Alkmaar's claim that
they have a pre-contract agreement with the striker.
Middlesbrough appear to be making some long awaited headway in signing the Brazilian international
striker Alfonso Alves from Dutch first division club Heerenveen. Football-Corner Blogspot has
reported that the deal will be completed in the next 24 hours but the amount of transfer fee has
not been verified.
An accusation one could not level at the NPower Championship, is that it is predictable.
Whilst last season's top two, in Newcastle and West Brom, were streets ahead of the field, the
reminder of the division was a topsy-turvy mix of teams doing the opposite of what was expected of
them.
The pair had entered once the strains of Any Old Iron, Run Rabbit Run and Âvarious other cockney
melodies had faded. Yet after a rousing reception for what was billed as "Home At Last" by the West
Ham programme, an afternoon of rheumy-eyed sentimentality for the two Davids slowly dissolved into
the foreboding reality that their acquisition is in a more perilous state than they possibly dared
imagine.
First of all, I need to apologize. I interviewed Tim back at the end of August and am just now
getting this out. I feel I did a disservice to the time he was so kind to give me. But, better late
than never, so I have transcribed our talk about new South Americans in the Bundesliga.
Calculators and collection buckets look to be the order of the day this summer as at least three
football league clubs - Southampton, Stockport and Darlington - fight for their very existence. If
rumours are to be believed, these aren't the only clubs from Championship downwards who are sailing
close to administration.
According to several Dutch media outlets, Manchester City
owner and chairman Thaksin Shinawatra traveled to Amsterdam on Wednesday to meet
with Heerenveen representatives with a view to signing Afonso Alves.
The
Frisian side, visiting the capital in preparation for meeting Ajax in the Dutch
Cup, were receptive to hearing an offer for the 26 year old Brazilian
striker.
