Source: Telegraph
Middlesbrough's Gordon Strachan aims to replicate Leeds glory days at Riverside
Boro's manager skippered the Yorkshire club to the summit of English football in 1992, after leading his side out of the old second division, but, as he prepares to pit his wits against Leeds counterpart Simon Grayson, the prospects of him emulating Howard Wilkinson's Elland Road exploits and securing promotion seem remote. [LNB]Despite being backed by Boro chairman Steve Gibson to make wholesale changes over the summer, the Teesside club are hovering just above the Championship relegation zone, with just three home wins from 10 fixtures in their second season outside the Premier League. [LNB] Related ArticlesBig crowd expected for Leeds visitThomson hoping to face LeedsThomson backs StrachHines back in actionBoro Ladies in North KoreaWilliams speaks of World Cup heartbreakAttendances are also slipping, with an average crowd of 16,091 heading to the 35,000-capacity Riverside these days as, amid economic hardship, more and more fans turn their backs on Strachan's side who have so far failed to live up to their billing as pre-season promotion favourites. [LNB]"If you are looking for an emotion from me right now it is disappointment that you can't make people happy," Strachan said. "Our job is to try and make them feel a bit better because they've had a rough time here and we are trying our best to give them football that will make them happier over the weekend. [LNB]"If you look at crowds, a lot of places are down this year as well and we have been hit badly in this area, and the workforce in this area has been hit badly as well, so we understand that. [LNB]"We thank the fans for sticking with us and hopefully soon we can give them a good run. It's time for us now to stick some wins together and get away from the bottom and near the top." [LNB]Few will begrudge Strachan feeling a touch sentimental when 4,000 Leeds fans head up the A19 on Saturday. [LNB]"It was a special time in my life when I was there," Strachan said. "The family enjoyed it, I enjoyed it and I keep speaking to Leeds fans who I seem to bump into all over the world who seemed to enjoy it. [LNB]"It's great when you can meet people from your past who remind you of good times. Whether they will be so nice on Saturday, I don't know. [LNB]"But they will also understand Middlesbrough fans have also been smashing over the year to me and my wife so I'm hoping to repay them for their faith. We've just lost one home game all year so it is just a matter of getting the away form right and we'll be fine." [LNB]Strachan brushes off suggestions he might be feeling under pressure. [LNB]"Christ, it is not pressure," he said. "There is excitement and there is disappointment usually in football so you have to deal with both. It is disappointing that we are not winning many games but the players and everyone around the place keep you upbeat. [LNB]"Apart from a couple of results I am in a good place. It's great fun to be in football. Ask everybody that is out of football how much they would like to be in it. I am enjoying every day so it is great. There are difficult periods in life whether as a football manager, coach, player or chairman and you deal with it and these things make you stronger." [LNB]He also took a swipe at those who took offence at a post-match quip. [LNB]"I was kidding around about drugs, smoking, drinking and everyone knows I don't do any of them," he said. "I am kind of agnostic. There's either nothing there or there could be. [LNB]"If I go and meet my maker and I'm asked 'what have you done wrong Gordon?' I have upset a few people on Radio Five for being sarcastic. If I'm told I can't be let in to heaven, then that's a bit unfair. I do think that the more games you win, the less people pick up on on small things like that."[LNB]
