Should Southgate be allowed to continue as Boro manager?

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22nd, November 2006

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Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate has admitted that he will be a relieved  man when his
future is decided at a Premier League board meeting on Wednesday.
This meeting will decide whether to extend his three-month
dispensation to manage the side without the required qualifications.
Southgate told Boro’s website that "I think we’re close to having the situation
resolved. I don’t know what we’ll talk about after that, it seems I’ve been
speaking about this for months."

The amended rules state that a manager can retain their position as
long as they have enrolled on the Pro Licence course.
However, Southgate has been unable to enrol on the Pro Licence course as he
lacks the Uefa A and B badges. He is now in the process of acquiring his B badge (they make it sound like the badges you get for swimming) and will begin
his A qualification in the new year with a view to taking the Pro
Licence in the summer. It would seem some Boro fans are hoping that the rules won’t be amended further, and that Southgate will have to stand aside for the good of the club.

Southgate added further that "It will mean a bit more work in the Southgate household but it will nice to have a clear picture of what lies ahead and which courses need to be done and on what timescale. I am commtted to continuing taking these course and whatever happens, I need to be enrolled on the Pro Licence by the end of the season, I would think, to be able to continue. So it’s whether we get the dispensation to manage for this year and at the same time finish my A and B licences." He continued: "I cannot complain because I am being allowed the opportunity to do something that might not have been possible. The job is hard enough and it’s just one more challenge for me, but I like a challenge."

With Boro currently 14th in the table, some fans are hoping for someone else with a bit more experience to take them higher. It is worth remembering that our current England boss didn’t fare much better last season. The fans are right to be concerned, even though I think all would agree that he’s a nice enough bloke, niceness doesn’t always win you games. It would seem that the Boro board are hoping that the Premiership bosses will go soft on ‘lovely nice man’ Gareth. Southgate has repeatedly stated his lust to get his coaching
badges but has not had the opportunity to do so since taking charge
and is hopeful of being able to continue at the Riverside.
Boro chief executive Keith Lamb said: "We hope our application will
receive sympathetic support."

A Premier League spokesman said: "Boro have put forward their case as to why he should be allowed to continue without the relevant qualifications. That application will go before the Premier League board at the monthly meeting on Wednesday." [Mof Gimmers]

Posted in Transfers & Rumours

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2 Comments

  1. billyo says:

    As a supporter of a struggling premiership club I whole-heartedly support Southgate’s position, and think he should be allowed to continue with no qualifications at all!

  2. Allen says:

    The real question is, how much longer will Steve Gibson be allowed to carry on at his job?