Monday 15 November 2010

Deja vu?

Selling our proven Premier League players in a bid to gain promotion - this sounds familiar...

When others have kept the majority of their squads and gained promotion, at Boro we seem to like to buck the trend and sell. Huth and Tuncay were two players that were moved on as Boro cut the cloth to adjust for Championship life, players that we could ill afford to lose and for some reason it seems to be happening again as the January transfer window looms.

I'm sure most fans would be looking for Boro to strengthen the squad in the window, but paper reports this morning indicate that two of our most experienced players, David Wheater and Gary O'Neil, will be sold if a suitable offer comes in. I'm fully aware that if a sizeable offer for any of our players came in we would consider them, but for it to be all over the media surely can't be a good thing when Tony Mowbray is trying to turn our fortunes around.

I just hope these reports are false, as in the past we have sold and not replaced. If that was to happen this time round and the money just banked I fear all hope of promotion, either this season or next, will be gone. The Championship will be our home and our youth team making up the majority of the side. To be honest, I wouldn't mind that in itself, but with the lack of ambition shown in the past few months would it end there?

What do you think? Sell our Captain and the Redcar Rock or not?

5 comments:

  1. I totally 100% agree with you here as we do tend to and i quote "buck the trend and sell" and as for selling them i hope to god this is false as im sick of seeing the same clubs come in for our players ie Stoke who want Wheater they tried getting him when we let Huth & Tuncay join them, and then we had a bid from Villa when O'Neil was in charge, and as for Gary going to Blackburn, im unsure if he would even get 1st team football so i couldnt see him going there, i mean look at the Downing/Johnson situation we had, Johnson was at the club for many years (im not too sure how many years) and he was always second best to Downing, when we sold Downing he got 1st team football every game and he did incredable for us they we go and sell him, why still confuses me!

    But i do disagree with one part of your story were you said "When others have kept the majority of their squads and gained promotion" Look at Newcastle they sold over 10 of thier first team players when they got relegated and they didnt bring in many to cover that and they tore the league apart and clinched promotion first time round and now again they havent really added much to there squad, theyve took a few from their youth system and brought in 4 players 2 of which were on free and they are sitting in 8th position!

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  2. Don't sell heart and soul players that are the passion in the side.

    The local lads just want the opportunity that Downing, Cattermole, Wheater etc have had and that is to play for their team in the Premiership.

    Promotion this year based on recent performances is more likely than it was 2 months ago but it still seems unlikely so lets mix the experience with the passion and watch Premier football at the Riverside again in the 12/13 season.

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  3. let me add to that..............

    I was a ball boy a Ayresome Park and a Junior for the 82/83 season and also saw the us locked out of the ground.

    It was local talent that got the club through those difficult times.

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  4. Michael - I know what you are saying with regards to Newcastle, but they kept key first team players... WBA don't start flogging their best players when they are relegated either. It just seems to me that our answer to any financial problem is sell sell sell... Surely there is another way?

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  5. I tend to agree with most of the above but sm slightly confused by the "only answer to financial problems is to sell". I might be being slightly flippant and for that I apologise but surely that is obvious as the club as a business entity surely cannot proceed to survive on dwindling attendances. Don't think for one minute that I condone a selling policy as I certainly am as frustrated as anyone it just seems that Steve Gibson has something of a double edged sword when it comes to how best to take the club forward

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