Thank God I’m a Boro fan. A chairman whose first love is the club itself and who backs his managers to the hilt and sometimes beyond.

It could be worse - a lot worse. I could support Newcastle, or West Ham, or Manchester City. There is no offence intended to fans of those clubs. I’d never insult anyone who potentially has so much to worry about.

The happenings at those three clubs this week represent a trend in recent times that has been on the increase. One upon a time, the manager decided who was bought and who was sold - well, most of the time anyway. This week has seen James Milner, Anton Ferdinand, and Robinho make high profile moves. It would appear at first glance that in all cases, the manager may have been the last to know. Milner’s departure from St James Park looks like having been the straw that broke the camel’s back for King Kev. At the time of writing, the Geordies were still doing a passable impression of the current incumbent in number 10, that of not being able to organise a friendly gathering in a place where malt is fermented. Alan Curbishley, whilst never having been my favourite person in football, looks like he’s paid the price for wanting the impossible - to run the team his way. As for Mark Hughes. Well, it appears that he was busy improving his handicap when the biggest transfer in British football history was taking place.

Chelsea succeeded but only after a few stutters along the way. Yet the dream has apparently started to fall apart since the departure of The Chosen One. Blackburn bought themselves the title under Jack Walker and then got relegated. If the Blues benefactor finds alternative investments in these uncertain economic times, what then for Big Phil’s men?

Money is now, unfortunately, the biggest influence on our game. Agents, sponsors, owners, television - all play an ever-increasing role whilst lining their pockets and caring less and less about the basic concept of the game that has given them so much - but only because they’ve taken it.

Sparky should watch his back at the newly-crowned Middle Eastlands. It is only September and that means that all trophies are still up for grabs. By the sounds of it, his new bosses fancy a decent crack at them all. The moment one falls out of reach, they will, like any concerned investor, want to move their interests to a different fund manager.

Manager of Abu Dhabi United he may be at present. But as the Arabian nights turn darker, will the former Blackburn boss fall off the back of City’s flying carpet ride?

Yodasmog