Posted October 21, 200915 yr Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate has been sacked - despite the Championship club being fourth in the table and bidding for promotion. His dismissal came in the early hours of Wednesday, shortly after a 2-0 home win over Derby. The 39-year-old was appointed in June 2006 but last season Boro were relegated from the Premier League. Chairman Steve Gibson said: "This has been the most difficult decision I've ever had to make in football." BBC Sport understands Gordon Strachan and Nigel Pearson are among the front-runners to take over at the Riverside, and an appointment could be made as soon as Thursday. Shortly before being fired, Southgate stated: "The margins are fine. We are a point off the top but it would have been very different if we had not won against Derby. "You wonder about the consequences of defeat. You know four home defeats on the bounce would have been difficult for everyone involved with the club to accept." Former Crystal Palace boss Alan Smith, described by Boro as a football consultant, has also left the club. Southgate, who won 57 caps for England, joined Boro as a player from Aston Villa in a £6.5m deal in the summer of 2001. He made more than 200 appearances for the club before he succeeded Steve McClaren as manager. "Gareth has given Boro magnificent service as a skipper and, in very difficult circumstances, as manager," added Gibson. "I appointed Gareth in a situation that was greatly unfavourable to him. He is a good man and has all the qualities and integrity that we wanted in a manager. "However, the time is right for change and that change has had to be made. Gareth will always be welcome at our football club. English football needs people of his stature and we feel certain that this experience will serve him well. "Gareth deserves another opportunity once he has had the chance to rest and refresh himself." Prior to Tuesday's win, Boro had lost three successive home games but their victory over Derby left them only one point behind leaders West Brom. from: bbc sport Does this seem like the most obsucre sacking of the season so far?
October 21, 200915 yr One would have thought that the opportune moment to dispatch him was after the relegation.
October 21, 200915 yr Yeah gotta admit this is a bit weird. If they wanted rid of him, why now? I think there's more than meets the eye. It's probably likely that they had already made the decision to sack him before the Derby game, but announcing it straight after a good victory was the wrong call imo. I can see that Steve Gibson definitely 100% wants the club to get promoted automatically though as opposed to the pot luck of the play-offs.
October 21, 200915 yr It is very strange indeed. I seem to recall another club sacking the manager after a win. There was also Carlisle United sacking the manager who had taken them to the dizzy heights of the top eight in League One after just one game of the following season. I still can't understand it at all. :wacko:
October 21, 200915 yr Not surprised by the sacking, very surprised by the timing. I thought if they were going to sack him at all it would have been at the end of last season or perhaps if they were struggling this campaign. I reckon Gibson has someone else who he's ready to bring in.
October 21, 200915 yr I bet Gordon Strachan or Grahame Souness is sorting out arrangements as I type.
October 21, 200915 yr I thought if they were going to sack him at all it would have been at the end of last season or perhaps if they were struggling this campaign. I reckon Gibson has someone else who he's ready to bring in. The thing with sacking him two weeks ago when they'd been on a bad run or whatever is that they would of had to have a rush to find a new manager which would of made things even worse. I think it's pretty clever work from Gibson - he wants the best for his football club and he's probably done it in the best possible way regarding exactly that.
October 21, 200915 yr The thing with sacking him two weeks ago when they'd been on a bad run or whatever is that they would of had to have a rush to find a new manager which would of made things even worse. I think it's pretty clever work from Gibson - he wants the best for his football club and he's probably done it in the best possible way regarding exactly that. Where did I say they should have sacked him two weeks ago? :lol: I still think they sacked him too late on, was surprised to see him last until the start of this campaign. Gibson clearly has someone else lined up, will be interesting to see who comes in.
October 22, 200915 yr I bet Gordon Strachan or Grahame Souness is sorting out arrangements as I type. Apparently Gordon Strachan might be appointed within a couple of days!
October 22, 200915 yr A great guy, but about 9 months too late :lol: :( Under Southgate we've gone from UEFA Cup finalists to losing 5-0 at home in the Championship all in a few years, and fans nearly being outnumbered by empty seats. The alarm bells should have been ringing in the New Year, but no :( To be hinest Strachan scares me :lol: Anyone can manage Celtic, but this is completely different.
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