Topcat

He is more than that. He sits on the transfer committee with an equal say as the Team Manager and it is his scouts that make the recommendations on the players to be signed. He is also listed as an Executive Director on the Saints website which in business terminology means he sits on the Board of Saints as a Director with Executive responsibilities participating in Board decisions. Unlike the Team Manager.

Why not just read the official statement on the Club's priorities "the Club has decided that, to achieve its well known targets, it is essential to make changes to the First Team management and coaching. These targets for sustained and significant progress embrace both the First Team and the Football Development & Support Centre as integrated, co-operative units." The main priority is to improve co-operation between the First Team and Les Reed's empire. To achieve that goal Pardew + 2 were fired.

Yes but they will have to put up with the Les Reed empire and being over ruled on which players are brought in.

That setup relied on a very able Academy coach. They did not meddle in the first team or transfers etc.

Lambert set up Guly with a measured pass on the edge of their box. Guly then failed to shoot on target and it went over the bar.

Yes I think that ratio is from some junior england sides. We generally pick the big guys who can bully the smaller opponents at that age. He also was the Technical Director at the FA for many years and was responsible for all the fine well coached England players that have been winning all the World Cups and European Cups for us these past 12 years...... (Shurely schome mistake? Ed). He took over from Howard "long ball" Wilkinson...

It is not about hate. It is about ensuring that the new Manager has a fair chance of selecting the players they judge that we need to be successful. Les Reed has become part of the problem. He wants to have a say, so must accept some feedback when things are going wrong.

Is it that time of the month then?

Exit2, Les Reed has clearly acted in ways that undermined Pardew and forced a show down. That was not in the best interests of the Club so Les Reed is part of the problem and has to go to give the new Manager a chance of success. Cortese should have more of the blame for setting up this dysfunctional structure.

Les Reed's win % = 14.28% Almost as bad as the worst Saints mgr since 2000, Steve Wigley.

Can he work for Les Reed?

Yes, very clear that Les REED is the main issue at Saints. Now when did he become a football genius? Was it after he managed Charlton?

Song for the next game? He's bald, he's fat , he is a f*****g prat. Les Reed, Les Reed

Having read Exit2's conclusion, sadly it was what I deduced from the known facts the other day. http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthread.php?24878-Is-Les-Reed-the-cause-of-AP-departure

Yes but Les Reed is deciding what players are scouted and then sits with Cortese on the transfer committee out voting Pardew on who is bought and sold. Nothing wrong with Reed running the Academy but Reed is acting as the DoF.

Yes but there is a logic to what he is saying that the prblem is how Cortese is structuring the Club and undermining the Team manager. It fits very well into the known facts and with the words Cortese used to justify the sackings.

Dave Merrington said on Solent that the main cause of Pardew departing is that the role of Team manager has been undermined by the Les Reed appointment and the Team manager is not having the final say on who is bought and sold. Merrington went on to say that Reed had the ear of Cortese. Now whoever is hired as the Team manager will have to cope with that problem. It will not go away. So we either get a timid Wigley type who fails or a more independent minded Manager who then later has a fall out and departs. The system with Cortese and Reed is inherently unstable. Read what Cortese says is his main priority. Someone who is co-operative with the Les Reed empire.

Well the crowd have now taken notice of Cortese and have let him know how much they appreciate him.

Is Cortese related to Rupert Lowe?

He is allowed to, but it goes down as a mistake. He wasted a chance.

How about shooting over the bar?

Yes but decisions are being taken for the main goal that "the First Team and the Football Development & Support Centre (are) integrated, co-operative units". It is a whole new philosophy to Business Management, lesson 2.1.1 arising from the Swiss School of Peace, Love and Understanding. (Lecturer Nick Lowe)

There are not many left in the ground to boo.

Why the surprise? The priority from Cortese is "the First Team and the Football Development & Support Centre as integrated, co-operative units." That is the justification he gave for firing AP+2. The main priority is co-operation between the First Team and Les Reed's empire, not team performance. Another defeat yes. But at least we can rest assured that there will be peace, harmony and co-operation at the training ground.... and Cortese gets the team performance he deserves.

Yeah what do I know having run a major sponsorship deal worth in today's money £20m pa..... I took the view we needed every piece of coverage we could get right down to the mentions in real cartoons.