Why Middlesbrough sacked Gareth Southgate, by Simon Bird

Published 11:29 21/10/09

Sacked Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate

The timing of Gareth Southgate’s sacking last night - announced by the club at 11.55pm two hours after a good 2-0 win - was baffling.

The fact he was axed was not entirely a shock.

The atmosphere at the Riverside Stadium during Boro’s recent home games has veered from poisonous against Southgate to, crucially last night, one of apathy. And most damaging of all the Riverside became a haunted stadium full of empty seats.

The Boro faithful hadn’t even turned up to boo, jeer and have a go. They’d just stayed at home.

Chairman Steve Gibson may have a reputation as a loyal, patient chairman, but when the turnstiles are not ticking, and the cash is not coming in, even in an economically challenged area like Teesside, something has to give.

So Southgate lost his job because he couldn’t inspire enough enthusiasm in the local community for his efforts.

That is ironic given that Southgate made a huge and commendable effort to engage and support that same community, and believed in Boro’s power to do good for it’s people.

He had become a divisive figure, the subject of debate and abuse on many a phone in or internet chat room. And hardly anyone, sadly, had much positive to say about him, even though there was plenty. Hardly any fans wanted him to stay on.

Gibson realised this as he scanned around the Riverside last night at the red seats and a record low crowd for a league match of 17,459.

I would take issue with the timing of Southgate’s sacking. He was allowed to go through his usual pre-match range of interviews before being hauled in and given the boot.

Why not just do it straight after the match, rather than let him humiliate himself, and dish out positive quotes while Gibson and chief executive Keith Lamb planned their execution?

In Southgate’s mitigation he presided over harsh regime of cost cutting ordered from above. He had to cut the average age of the squad, move dozens of Steve McClaren’s aging stars on. He never got huge resources to reinvest, although spending £12million on Afonso Alves, his one big splurge, proved a disastrous decision.

He was also thrown into the role straight from being the Mr Nice guy club skipper who everyone turned to for advice. It is a tough job to suddenly become the boss who makes ruthless decisions and upsets people.

Gibson will have asked himself: is Southgate really an inspirational figure to lead the club. Is he a winner?

He has clearly concluded not. Southgate always kept his emotions in control in public. There were times when we wanted him to blow up and show the passion he genuinely felt.

Instead he was measured and intelligent and did not play the usual managerial games of wind ups and soundbites - which might not have helped his relationship with the fans.

It is a sad that Southgate has been ditched. Especially with a young team he was nurturing (rather than dashing to sign old experienced heads) just a point from the top. How many bosses get sacked while in fourth place?!

It would have been Gibson’s greatest achievement to stay patient and gamble on Southgate finishing the job.

But attendances showed the faith has ebbed to a dangerously low level and a change was needed to spark some life and optimism in the club’s fortunes.

Boro now need a bit of star dust, an experienced boss to gee up the town, restore belief and most importantly, unite the club.

Was Steve Gibson right to sack Gareth Southgate? Leave your comments below...

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