robbieboro82

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JUST A BOY FROM THE BORO

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Arriving at the Riverside, the Home of my beloved Boro….it’s time to get to work.


So I’ll be Playing with the Jan Update with all the latest transfers.


I made 2 further changes, Harry Chapman to Blackburn for £2m and Grant Leadbitter to Sunderland for £500k, I also transferred Danny Baath to Stoke.


Thinking about Boro in real life, we have much more money available in transfers than the paltry £4m so I decided to up to a more realistic £20m to start off the game.


So I have set myself at Continental C level for Coaching and a Semi Pro Footballer….so not really setting the world on fire and getting the fans excited…..time to prove them wrong.


1 Year Contract at £21.5k……lets see how this year goes…..will I stay for 10 more years or move to pastures new within the year


The Great Boro years were the mid to late 90’s and then some great seasons in the mid 2000’s, a League Cup win and a UEFA Cup Final Appearance before relegation and a huge amount of time out of the top flight……an ill fated promotion 2 years ago which resulted in a speedy return to The Championship.


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The Riverside is a 34,000 seater, which in the scheme of things is standard these days but we do have one of the best Academies in the country, so I will be utilising this and trying to bring in the best young players that I possibly can.


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On arrival the first thing I have done is mutually terminate Sam Ellis’s contract as assistant and brought in Gary Neville to be my assistant for the time being.


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Looking at the squad, it is quite capable, but I do think I will need to strengthen in a few departments:


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1. A decent GK back up to Randolph
2. A RB as Shotton isn't good enough
3. AMR & AML
4. Striker that will hopefully get me 20+


My Top 3 Key Players

1. John Obi Mikel

Awesome signing and so glad to have this guy in my squad now, he will add some class to the DM position and certainly has experience

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2. Daniel Ayala

Been at Boro for a while now, sometimes lacks discipline but comes up with some goals, paired with Aden Flint these two should cause havoc in the box.

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3. Britt Assombalonga

Not so great in real life but hoping he's my 20+ a season man, fingers crossed as don't think Hughill will do the job

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My Top 3 Youth Prospects

1. Dael Fry

Will battle for the 2nd CB Position with Flint but I’m sure he’ll be the first choice CB for years to come, if we can keep hold of him…..I’d want at least £30m for him though.

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2. Marcus Tavernier

Another guy with a great future ahead of him, he will be a regular starter so will improve fast

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3. Lewis Wing

Similar to Tav, hopefully, he will develop fast and we can keep hold of him

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Players to Sell

There are a number of players that simply do not feature in my plans and will be offloaded asap.

Dimi, Gestede, Braithwaite, Fletcher, Johnson should hopefully fetch some decent money that we can put back into the squad.


Players to Buy

I have compiled a small list of players that I am looking at and will be only signing players that can improve the team immediately or have great potential in the future



Expectations

With only having a 1 Year contract and not being sure how the squad will gel, I don't want to risk saying we will get Automatic in my first season, I’m confident….but don't want to lose my job within a few months….decent budget that I’ll try not to waste…..like previous managers before me

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July Fixtures

Preseason fast approaching so its time to assess and bring in the players I think will do a job for me!!

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Just a Boy from the Boro

Pre Season July 2018


Pretty Productive Pre Season in recruitment and results as we managed to strengthen the areas where I felt we needed cover/better options while releasing the players that weren't in my plans at all.


Results wise it was a clean sweep of 5 from 5, though the opposition wasn't exactly high quality I now have a better idea of my best 11 and the backups.


So first the Incomings


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Divock Origi (Loan)
Awesome piece of business and has been tipped by the media to be top scorer and the top player this season, this probably pushes Assombalonga to 2nd Choice, though they may play well together if the time comes.
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Baba Rahman (Loan)
Strengthening the Left Full Back Position was a priority, though Friend is capable, just felt I needed someone slightly better.
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Tyrone Mings (£3.6m)
Solid Player who can cover at Left Back or play central, but will more than likely be second choice, hopefully he’ll develop and become useful when (if) we are promoted
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Ezequiel Schelotto (£5.5m)
Shotton wasn't good enough so when Schelotto popped up I snapped him up, price is a bit risky but its all about strengthening with quality this season.
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Antonio Marin (£2.5m)
Croatian with some huge potential, players like this use clubs like this as a stepping stone so I’m thinking this guy will seek a bigger move in the future, hopefully I can cash in when he does, but while he’s at Boro I’m hoping for big things.
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Luca Romano (£1.3m)
First regen in, looks like a quality signing and similar to Marin, possible will move on soon if his performances are good enough once he breaks into the squad. He signed to replace the terrible Rudy Gestede.
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Ollie Watkins (£6.5m)
Never actually heard of him but he was the best Inside Forward/Winger available and we badly needed someone in that area, he's English and Young so hopefully would have a good return if sold….but hopefully he will develop into a regular.
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Joel Pereira (Loan)
Dimi was getting on a bit and didn't have the quality so brought in Pereira from Man Utd on loan for cover…simply cant afford to buy a 2nd choice keeper right now.
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…..and the Outgoings


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Chapman and Leadbitter were real life moves, Gestede was sold to Stoke (had their eyes out) and Fletcher is on loan at Livingstone with a view to a £500k move


Released a few players on a free and sent McQueen back to Southampton….and I’ll be culling the youth squads in due course.




Pre Season Results


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Kicked off my career with a win over Bradford, Saville playing a blinder in the centre of the pitch.


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Pretty simple game, dominated without really breaking into a sweat.


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Origi destroyed them, 4 goals, lets see if he can do it when it matters


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Another simple result, but more important the players are getting fitter and I’m starting to see the way I want to shape this team.


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Brunt testimonial and pretty much dominated the game, Origi playing well yet again


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Was expecting for the game to be the first we lose, but quite the opposite, we dominated the Italians and Origi again netting 2 goals, easily the player of Pre Season.




Player of the Month


Divok Origi


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9 Goals in 5 games, yes slightly **** opposition, but so is most of the Championship when you are this good




Up Next in August


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The season kicks off with a trip to Dirty Leeds, who are also one of the favourites to go up this season.
 
August 2018

AUGUST 2018


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TRANSFERS IN
2 loan signings made during August, one towards the start and another on Deadline day.


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Markovic came in to add some more strength to the Right hand side as I’m a little worried that Ollie Watkins may not cut it.


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Lanzini comes in to strengthen the Left side as Downing is getting on a bit and I wanted more pace.


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So there is a lot of loan players, which isn't ideal, but hoping if we go up then there will be more money to spend to bring in permanent signings.




TRANSFERS OUT


None worthy of mentioning here




RESULTS


CHAMPIONSHIP - LEEDS: 0 - BORO: 0
Well, how boring was this game to start the season…..next
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CHAMPIONSHIP - BORO: 2 - FOREST: 1
Pretty much dominated and were cruising at 2-0 before we started to slip, allowing Forest back into the game, holding on towards the end but still got that first win
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EFL CUP 1st ROUND - STANLEY: 3 - BORO: 0
Simply awful here, awful, getting honked by a League 2 team is embarrassing!!
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CHAMPIONSHIP - SHEFF WED: 1 - BORO: 3
Good way to bounce back from that **** result, dominated the game from start to finish so need more of this.
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CHAMPIONSHIP - BORO: 1 - WEST BROM: 0
Great result against our title rivals, another goal for Origi who is proving to be a shrewd signing.
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CHAMPIONSHIP - BLACKBURN: 0 - BORO: 1
That man Origi again ends the month on a high for us, unbeaten in the league for August is a great way to start the season
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TABLE
Great start, just sitting behind the Swans who we play in September
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SQUAD AND NEWS
Not much going on really, Clayton had a injury and was out for a few weeks but nothing else worth noting.
Just happy Origi has started well with 5 goals from 5 games.
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PLAYER OF THE MONTH
Hands down Origi gets player of the month, hope this form continues, but poor Assombalonga isn’t gonna get a look in….or Jordan Hughill, considering sending him back to his parent clubView attachment 21113
 
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