But as a tactician and man-manager he is as big an asset as England have Tim de Lisle is

But as a tactician and man-manager, he is as big an asset as England have Tim de Lisle is the editor of Wisden Online. Middlesbrough are hoping to announce Steve McClaren as their new manager by the weekend, after Bryan Robson yesterday confirmed his seven-year tenure at the club was over. Middlesbrough are hoping to announce Steve McClaren as their new manager by the weekend, after Bryan Robson yesterday confirmed his seven-year tenure at the club was over.
“I have spoken to Steve McClaren quite frequently in the last week or so,” the Boro chairman, Steve Gibson, said at a news conference at the Riverside Stadium, where it was confirmed that Robson’s assistant, Viv Anderson, would also be leaving by mutual consent “The matter isn’t concluded, but we hope to have some news. Steve is presently on holiday in the States and we hope to be able to offer some news at the weekend.”Gibson insisted Robson had been heavily involved in the discussions on the way forward and knew that his position would become increasingly untenable as talks with McClaren progressed.

“Bryan brought his own personality and charisma into the club and he has been a giant figure who has left his imprint,” Gibson said. “The last seven years have been unprecedented in the club’s history and the contribution he and Viv have made will not be allowed to be forgotten.”Robson, who joined the club as manager in May 1994, said an adverse reaction from supporters following the last game of the season, a home win over West Ham United, had finally convinced him to leave. “I have had a terrific seven years here, but I just felt at the last game of the season the fans made my mind up,” Robson said. “The reception I received at the end of that game meant it was time for me and the club to both move on.”For the first few years I had a great rapport with the fans, but when you lose that I think that’s the time to move on.”The former Manchester United and England captain, who twice guided Middlesbrough to promotion and guided the club to the 1997 FA Cup final and the 1997 and 1998 Worthington Cup finals, said his one regret was that he had not brought a major honour to the club.

“Things have happened very quickly since we first gained promotion to the Premiership in 1995,” Robson said. “My aim was to break the history books of Middlesbrough Football Club and win something and unfortunately I haven’t been able to do that.”The Chelsea striker Mikael Forssell is a £3m target for the Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart after he scored twice for Finland in their World Cup qualifier against Germany at the weekend. Stuttgart’s general manager, Rolf Russman said: “Forssell fits in well with our plans. He is young and he can also speak German as he was brought up in the region.”The Bolton manager, Sam Allardyce, is close to signing the French centre-half Djibril Diawara from Torino in a £2m deal. Diawara made his name in France with Monaco but also had a wild-man reputation after some off-the-field incidents.Parma last night confirmed that Manchester United, among other clubs, have contacted them about the availability of Lilian Thuram. However, the Italian club’s £24m valuation of the 29-year-old French international defender would appear to preclude him from a move to Old Trafford at present.. With the Olympics looming Athens is scattered with the evidence of a city frantically upgrading itself to the modern age.

Sven Goran Eriksson, invited on to the hotel roof for the obligatory picture with the Acropolis, must have looked at the builders’ cranes spoiling the skyline and sympathised. With the Olympics looming Athens is scattered with the evidence of a city frantically upgrading itself to the modern age. Sven Goran Eriksson, invited on to the hotel roof for the obligatory picture with the Acropolis, must have looked at the builders’ cranes spoiling the skyline and sympathised.
So far his equally urgent modernisation of the England team has progressed far better than anyone dared anticipate. Four matches have produced four wins and some increasing stylish football. New players, like Ashley Cole, have been discovered, old ones, like Andy Cole, rejuvenated. The only blemish on the horizon is Germany’s continuing presence at the top of Group Nine.Tonight this promising scenario faces its most testing examination. Greece may be more famous for ruined monuments than ruining reputations but Eriksson fears they will not be such easy opponents as many anticipate The Greeks will certainly not lack incentive.

Victory would lift them into second place in Group Nine and raise hopes of a second World Cup finals appearance in three tournaments. They ought, however, to lack the basic quality required to defeat an England side brimming more justified confidence than has always been the case.With Steven Gerrard passed fit England are expected to start with 10 of the XI who dissected Mexico in Derby 12 days ago. Steve McManaman is the anticipated change with Emile Heskey, who appears one of the few players here whose season has gone on too long, dropping out. McManaman, like Paul Scholes, would be suspended from the potentially decisive tie against Germany in September should he be booked tonight but Eriksson cautioned: “The most important thing is to win tomorrow, we must concentrate on that first. We should not be talking about Germany now.”This is the most difficult match since I became England manager. Spain [Eriksson's first opponents] are a very good team but that was a friendly In my experiences it is very difficult to play in Greece Greek players are very good at home. They have the chance to go second and will have been eating raw meat to prepare.”That was an unusually evocative turn of speech from Eriksson who expects his players to prepare not with steak tartare but by consuming large quantities of water and isotonic sports drinks.