LONDON (AFP) - Former Celtic boss Gordon Strachan was named on Monday as the new manager of English Championship side Middlesbrough taking over from Gareth Southgate who was sacked last week.
The 52-year-old Scot, a former player at Aberdeen, Manchester United and Leeds United, has been linked with various jobs since he stood down at Celtic Park at the end of last season.
"Gordon Strachan will be unveiled as Boro's new manager at a press conference at the Riverside at 2.30pm this afternoon," the club announced on its website.
The move will see Strachan return to English football having opened his managerial career at Coventry before moving on to Southampton, who he led to the FA Cup final in 2003.
He became Celtic's manager in 2005 and led the Glasgow giants to three consecutive Premier League titles before being pipped by arch-rivals Rangers last year after which he stepped down.
Southgate's dismissal came as a shock to those outside the club, with Boro chairman Steve Gibson renowned for giving his managers time to get things right.
The former England defender could not prevent the club sliding out of the Premier League last season, and Gibson revealed it was his fear that Boro would not bounce back at the first attempt which led him to sack Southgate.
Gibson last week told Middlesbrough's website: "When I sat down and considered our start to the season, I felt that the league table was actually more favourable than some of our performances.
"Then I looked at the important games against the teams immediately around us, and took those results into account.
"In general the results and the performances have not been to the level I would have hoped for."
The team were led on a temporary basis by Colin Cooper at the weekend and drew 2-2 at Preston. They are now three points behind Championship leaders and north-east rivals Newcastle.
Comment 1 - 5 of 5
Sorry but he was rubbish. He fell into it during a period the hun were on their worst run in three years. Shocking in Europe, loosing Old Firm Record and during his final few months their didn't seem to be much tactics beside "keep it out of the net and boot it up the pitch"
Now I'm not saying that he didn't serve well, nor are we any better off now that he's gone, but the writing was on the wall well before he left.
frankiethebear2002 I thought he left because he hadn't a clue.
at least the boro fans will treat strachan with respect unlike the tims who turned on him just because he didnt know the words to the soldiers song and didnt go to chapel every sunday at least he is out of that bigoted cesspit glasgow/ENGLISH SAM
Sorry, borough fans. Ignore that previous comment. He is one of the reasons strachan left in the first place.
This is the manager who won us 3 league titles out of four and got us to the last 16 of the champions league on two occassions. God, how I wish he was back at Celtic park. Look at the waste of time that we replaced him with.
Good luck Strachan. With this boss you'll be back in the EPL in no time. The bloke is a winner.
strachan is a step backwards for you's , watch who he brings in proberly and the shyte he put in our team then left the new manager to sort it out all i'll say is beware lol and good luck you'll need it.
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