By Darren Beattie
August 15 2006

Alright fellow Boro fans! I've supported the Boro for almost sixteen years now, am from Northern Ireland and you don't get many Middlesbrough fans around this end. My first article will be about our new boss' chances of being a successful manager.


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What is it with Steve Gibson that he loves to hire inexperienced managers? Yet so far, they have all paid off. Bryan Robson brought us Premiership football and he was the one to take us into the Riverside era. Steve McClaren won us our first ever trophy and gave us European football. And now there's our old captain, Gareth Southgate.

Gareth has a big job on his hands to bring more success to this brilliant football club. He's throwing his armband away to take over the hot seat. He has the decisions to make. From making a tactical substitution to offering a player a new contract. But has he got what it takes?

Gareth knows this club inside out. He has been here since 2001 and was McClaren's first ever signing for the Boro. The staff around him will help him greatly and give him the help and support that he'll need as he gets used to the ropes and the whole management experience. Not only that but he has the youth academy too.

We have a lot of very exciting prospects in our club. Matthew Bates, Tony McMahon, Andrew Taylor, Lee Cattermole, Tom Craddock, Seb Hines, David Knight and James Morrison to name a few. That's not forgetting full England international Stewart Downing. If these youngsters develop like they should, then what a force Boro will be in a few years time.

As for making the big decisions that every manager has to make and get right, Southgate has already made two. He decided against offering Jimmy a new contract which I would have agreed with. He would be asking for big money and at the age of 34, he just isn't getting any younger.

And what about giving George Boateng the captains armband? George definitely has the right attributes needed to captain the side. He has already showed his loyalty by agreeing a new contract and he has consistently shown that he has the fight in him that all captains need. I'm sure all fans would have welcomed Boateng as captain.

This season will be one for Southgate to find his feet, as Mark Schwarzer has already stated. It might not work out this season but the new boss has a long contract on his hands and Steve Gibson will not pressure him into making the club successful straight away.

He also has the money to make this club something great. So far he has only bought one established player, Julio Arca. What I think we need is a new striker and a new centre-back and if Southgate can make another two big signings, I think we could have a very good season indeed.

Stewart Downing has already said he wants to stay at Boro, Viduka looks set to be staying and if we keep the rest of our big players and our youth then Middlesbrough have a bright future with Southgate in charge. The changing room has respect for Southgate, the fans and chairman are willing to give him time so it's all down to Gareth.

So all I can say is bring on Reading! Bring on the new season and let's get the new era started.

My final prediction for this season is a good run in the F.A Cup and we could possibly sneak a Carling Cup title for the second time. As for the League, I will go for eighth position and a European place for the 2007-2008 season.

Give Southgate time, don't expect instant success. He has had an incredible playing career. From missing penalties for England to lifting the Carling Cup with Middlesbrough, he's had his ups and he's had his downs. Those ups and downs will also be there in his management career, let's just hope we see a lot of ups and very few downs.

C'MON THE BORO!

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