Middlesbrough Must be Patient with Gareth Southgate

expectant of success and demand to be entertained week-in week-out. Some would argue that it is in this expectation where the club falls down but I believe it is more to do with the infrastructure within the club. Something, for me, does not seem quite right at Newcastle. The decision to appoint Dennis Wise as Director of Football was perhaps a little premature, in terms of both his suitability for the role and in light of his experience in the game, even in management. To suddenly change from being a manager to director seems a little strange and I really feel Chris Mort needed to think about that decision more than perhaps he did. The lack of real stability at higher levels in the club reflects in the team's performance and the lack of confidence amongst the players really shows in the team's poor performances. The question is; how long before the fans start questioning Kevin Keegan's ability to turn it around?

The fans have to give Gareth Southgate the time to mould a team that will see us competing with the Premier League top teams. Gareth is an intelligent man, who knows the game very well indeed and has been through it all as a player. He has mentioned several times in his programme notes this season that he needs this time I have spoken about above and I know that, given the right financial backing from both Steve Gibson and the fans of the club, there is no reason why he cannot achieve big things with the club. The club have taken a huge risk in reducing ticket prices for children to £9 in all areas of the ground and have effectively handed the club to the fans. There is no reason why attendances cannot regularly reach over thirty thousand at home games now, with the team playing or at least trying to, entertain the Boro faithful. Players like Sanli Tuncay, Julio Arca and Afonso Alves all have the flair and the pace to exite the fans and you can see the potential the team has on paper, with the pace of Stewart Downing and the sharpness of Alves in the area, it makes for a perfect combination. A manager who can, I believe, teach them how to play the game, in time, the fans have a lot to look forward to.

Give Gareth the time, give the team the support and watch the club grow.

Time and faith are crucial, in any industry. Even more so in football.

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