Short-term pain for long-term targets
By Ross • Nov 30th, 2008 • Category: Boro NewsShort term pain for long term targets. That's Southgate's vision at the moment as he attempts to build a young, vibrant squad capable of challenging for honours on a regular basis.
Far be it for me to question the decisions of Boro managers past and present, many won't agree and even more might question the club... A run of poor results and a couple more years finishing the season in lower mid-table doesn't sound too appealing, but i believe Southgate is on to something here and the sacrifice might be that we don't make it to Europe this year of even the next.
Credit where credit is due though, we wouldn't be in the position we are today if it wasn't for the Bryan Robsons; Juninhos, Ravanellis and the Steve McClarens; Hasselbainks and Zendens, but at the end of the era's each squad needed mothballing and rebuilding from scratch and to expel the old, dead wood that was left over costs money and leaves the squad depleted. Not only that, but the rebuilding process can often be long and arduous if you don't replace them with another group of aging stars.
Southgate's aim however is to build a team for the future. Young blooded, skillful players that are in the prime of their careers are now the club's targets in an aim to add a period of stability to the playing squad but also make Boro eventual challengers of honours not now, but in the future.
Gareth's words are simple; “If we have to suffer a bit in the short-term then we will." Straight to the point and hiding no secrets.
"I’m fortunate that the relationship and the plan for this club is to look a bit longer-term. Ideally we want to build the club and take it back into Europe."
While this will upset Boro fans who are wanting instant success, let's not get carried away and call for the head of the manager? Those who plan to stick by the club and, of course, Gareth during the times of difficulty that may or may not come upon us in the next one to two, or even three years will hopefully all agree that it was worth it in the long-term.
“So it’s understandable that people want to go straight in with experienced players, and you know you’ve got more guarantee of performance." Added Southgate.
“But my plan, and the club’s plan, is different. We want to build something not just for today and tomorrow but beyond that.”
Ross is A Redcar born Boro fan who enjoys writing about every aspect of the club and football as a whole. Favourite players are Alves, Juninho and Hignett.
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I agree, i think Southgate and Gibson are looking long term. We are still capable of making big signings, Alves for instance, but I think Southgate would much rather build a young, vibrant squad than try to buy instant success with aging superstars and I applaud him for it.
Gareth has made mistakes this year, decisions that i haven’t agreed with but I feel he is taking us in the right direction and i hope fans give him time to build his Boro.
Totally agree with you Ross, Southgate’s long-term vision is exciting. A word for Robbo - he may have been a useless tactician but he set up the academy Southgate is now reaping the rewards of.
Steve Mac had our best spell but he had the best opportunity, and he left us close to ruin with the wages he paid.
I wouldn’t swap GS for the world.
Yeah, granted we got our first major cup win with Stevie Mac, but the wages as you say were horrendous and the scout team was virtually non-existent. We had zero presence in europe apart from the rep we gained from our UEFA cup runs.
The difference between Southgate and Mac is that the latter only cared about his own career at the expense of this football club. He took Gibbo for a mug in my oppinion and being the good guy that he is, he backed him even if he did put the club in danger.
Southgate has the good of the club at heart and he can guarantee that Gibbo will back him, but atleast he’s going to use what he’s given with a air of caution rather than just fork out a fortune for a short term stop gap.
He’ll go down as a Boro legend for sure.
McLaren won us our only piece of silverware and for that i’ll be eternally grateful but you can never say he was looking to far ahead in Boro’s future. A lot of his signings were players on the wane, like Mendieta or Parlour and they would have cost the club a fortune.
The right way to go in the current financial climate is to be always putting the health of the club financially before anything else. None of us wants the club to go into financial difficulties