Duvel

I think Warnocks straight talking and working class background will be popular with a lot of fans. It was the same with Pulis for a while, the interesting thing will be when the fans come back. If we are grinding out 1-0 wins in a promotion push then I think the majority will accept that. If we are stinking the place out and outside the playoff places next season then fans will voice they displeasure. I don't think a lot of fans get wrapped up in the 'longterm vision' of the club they just want to see wins on a Saturday. Thats probably why this forum seems more negative because the conversation gets quite in depth at times. Back to the Pulis comparison... I've seen a few bad games under Warnock but its still not in the same league as Pulis' negativity or at least the way it ended under Pulis. At least under Warnock you see 3 or 4 attack minded players rather than 5 centre backs and 4 central midfielders.

I think on the whole the majority of fans seem to be happy with it. I think if people can see progress in our league position thats enough to buy a manager time. It wouldn't surprise me if Warnock got us up next season as well, he knows how to get teams promoted and if he gets a good striker we might not be far away. The other side of it is what happens after that and is there a long term plan or vision. Maybe Gibson will see one year in the Premier league as enough of a plan and then we go from there.

What can we do though apart from not buying tickets? I didn't renew my season tickets when Woodgate was appointed but I doubt it made any difference. I've gone from being someone who lived and breathed the Boro to being completely apathetic within the space of a couple of years. The run of Agnew, Monk, Pulis and Woodgate destroyed any belief I had in Gibson getting things right.

I've disagreed with the majority of Gibsons appointments since McLaren but despite that, I could still see why he made them. Even now, if I imagine I was the chairman and it was my money I was putting in I can see the logic with appointing a safe pair of hands with the likes of Strachan/ Pulis /Warnock. Where he's gone wrong is between those pragmatic managers he's appointed various other styles. This has meant we've had no long term vision and managers are left with players they don't want. The thing that surprises me is that someone so successful in business can keep making the same mistakes over and over again in football. I would imagine that in business he has to recruit experts from different fields to carry out roles he's not an expert in himself. Why hasn't he done that at the Boro, call it a director of football or sporting director whatever.... he must be able to find some football experts who know how to run a football club. We talked on here about Heine Otto and Michael Reiziger the summer that Woodgate was appointed, people who have been immersed in the Ajax culture. Why not look at people like that. I mentioned Bergkamp before, even if we had to pay him a top salary to be a DOF wouldn't it be money well spent if it stopped us wasting money on poor players and he could set up a long term vision for the next decade. Unfortunately I don't think Gibson has the fire in his belly that he had in the 90s. I think he knows that we can't compete at the top level and is happy to keep the club afloat in the Championship with the hope of maybe doing a Norwich.

I think since Woodgate was sacked the plan was to stabilise and then progress in this division. I'm not sure our ambition extended much further than that.

I'd love what you are proposing to actually happen but I'm just resigned to the current situation. The Warnock extension is uninspiring, cautious and I can see why some people aren't happy with it. But in the current climate and with whats happened in the last 12 months I can understand Gibsons caution. I might be wrong but I get the impression that Gibson might be doubting himself as well. When he's used his initiative we've ended up with bad appointments in people like Southgate, Agnew, Monk and Woodgate. I think he feels safer with an appointment like Warnock. I've been banging the drum for going down the foreign route since Karanka left but that seems another route we are unwilling to go down. I just think this is what we are as a club, the only alternative would be for a new owner and thats not happening either.

Not at all but let's stop talking about Europe when we've spent 1 season in the top flight since 2009. Right now its not realistic.

I think you misread my post or maybe I didnt explain what I meant very well. My point is that the best we could probably do would be to appoint someone like Eddie Howe. He'd play brilliant football but we'd still get battered on a regular basis in the top flight and battle every season to stay up. The days of European football are pretty unlikely in my opinion. Look at the players we bought in that era, the best 3 players that Villa had for a start. Southgate, Ugo and Boateng would cost more than 100m nowadays and we bought them before we added the flair players. Fair enough if you want a fresh start, let's try and find a manager who will play good football. But in terms of league positions the best we can hope for is what Bournemouth did or Brighton are doing in my opinion, unless we get more investment. The days of spending our way to Europe are long gone.

Whats the end goal with an Eddie Howe type manager? Alright it would be better football but Bournemouth just existed in the Premier league and never competed in the cups. I'm not saying Warnock is the best we can do but what's the best we can achieve now as a club? Probably survive by the skin of our teeth for a few years before we get relegated again. Thats the depressing reality of football I'm afraid.

What will be the 'icing on the cake' then? A new striker? New keeper? The loan players back for next season?

I think Howe will have Premier league offers when he's ready to make a comeback.

Who for?

No chance of Eddie Howe.

No the criteria is unqualified and inexperienced!

One of the following: George Friend - player manager, Howson - player manager, Downing, Cattermole, Andy Preston, Bob Mortimer, Chubby Brown, Yusuf.