Gordon Strachan has left his position as Middlesbrough manager, the club have confirmed.Strachan took over from Gareth Southgate almost a year ago and despite a radical overhaul of the squad he departs with the side languishing in their lowest league position for 20 years.
"Gordon is a man of great integrity," said the Middlesbrough chairman, Steve Gibson, told the club's website. "He has torn up his contract and walked away without compensation because he felt it was in the best interests of this football club. There are very few managers who have ever done that but that is the mark of the man.
"He feels he has given it everything he has got here but it hasn't worked out and he has taken full responsibility for that. He knew that first-team results weren't anything like as good as we had hoped they would be and he agreed that the change had to be made."
Middlesbrough started the season as favourites for the Championship title but are currently 20th in the table having collected just 11 points from as many games. Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Leeds United also prompted sections of the home crowd to call for Strachan's departure."
People are scared and worried about their club and it's understandable they will voice their opinions," Strachan said in response to the booing. "Whatever adjectives you want to use, you can use it whenever you feel like it. I'm feeling sorry for the players and the fans, because they put so much into the game and got so little out of it."
Tony Mowbray – who spent nine years at Middlesbrough as a player – and Alan Pardew have emerged as the early favourites to succeed Strachan."It is crucial we put the right man in charge so I will not rush into a decision," Gibson said.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/oct/18/middlesbrough-gordon-strachan
Its about time if you ask me.
Last edited by JMB_94 on Tue Oct 19, 2010 4:48 am; edited 1 time in total
