Dusic

He will leave because there is clearly a PL market for him and he has shown that he can play 90mins every week in the PL. Combined with a wage cut there isn't really any benefit to him of a season in the Championship. He seems like a level headed, peofessional lad and is probably grateful to Saints for giving him a PL platform, so not suprised he acts like a pro in an interview, but it is fairly meaningless - especially when talking to club media.

THB will definitely go unless his injury puts him out for months. Saw in The Athletic he ranked 2nd for CBs in line breaking passes. A solid PL club will look past the shambolic setup we had this season and see a decent PL player with good on the ball attributes who qualifies as homegrown and has a good attitude. At £25m or so he is a decent buy in todays market. We will likely have Wood, Quarshie, Stephens and Edwards who would all expect to be starting in the Championship - will be interesting to see if perhaps one of the others goes too?

Is Kamaladen related our own Kamaldeen Sulemana?

Intwresting to sign another young CB seeing as we already have Wood, Edwards and Kayi-Sanda. The latter likely to be out on loan I guess. Stephens, Wood, Edwards and Quarshie as CB options? Bit of a gamble. Might we cash in on Edwards if he perhaps doesnt fit the style?

The idea that he would be "effectively on strike" seems quite ludicrous. On strike from/to force what?

There are much bigger issues for Spors this summer than trying to get rid of Jack Stephens. That is just a fact.

Perhaps some question marks over THB sale if his injury is a bit more serious than is being made out? Awful timing from his perspective with missing the U21 Euros too. Re the likes of Stephens, Manning, I don't really get the hate. Perfectly fine players for a Championship squad, who have experience of being promoted from it. We will need to keep some players...

Obvious point being that you cannot always see the influence because it occurs within the dressing room but certainly Dibling, Robinson, THB, Fernandes have all separately stated how much he has helped them.

Just think its clear he has an influence and is respected by players. Klopp and De Zerbi absolutely raved about those traits, as did RM and he has also worked with Eng U21s. He is hugely experienced and has played in successful high intensity teams so think he can bring something that could be of use. Personally don't see why anything this year really impacts on the above.

Make up of his coaching team will be interesting, especially as Lens have confirmed his borthers have left too. Wonder if Saints would like someone with a bit of experience in there too, and would personally be looking to keep Lallana at the club. Thornton presumably expected to join up with RM at Leicester, so will need a GK coach too. Spors seems pretty decisive so far so imagine it won't be too long til its all confirmed.

Might be the translation but hints his brothers aren't joining him, to start with at least?

Who would not be an experiment in your opinion? Genuinely interested.

Its the longest run without losing in the long history of the club. Like in 139 years we hadn't done it before, so yeah "nothing special".

Some of the stuff on this thread is ridiculous. Simply put - he inherited a shambles, a pissed off, fractured squad and a demoralised fanbase. He coached the specific styoenof play he was recruited for and following mostly wins (and a few draws and losses) and a club record unbeaten run, ended up in the playoffs. He then made changes which saw us unbeaten and winning a Wembley final. Understand some elements not to everyone's taste but he did the job he was recruited for, a good job which ended in a successful season with a massive high - surely nobody can decry that?! PL season has been a disaster for various reasons, some of which he is directly accountable for and some for which he isn't. From a Leicester perspective if they were a PL side it would be an awful appointment. But they aren't. They are in the league that he has very recent experience of being promoted from (which many said should be a criteria for our appointment), will be experiencing similar conditions which he has experience of when he took over Saints (something that has been questioned of Still), and plays a style that they thrived on under Maresca last time in this league. I am pretty sure he will get them promoted which ia presumably the goal and then its up to them and him what they do.

Pretty sure none of Pilchards' ITK posts have ever been accurate. Quite a big sample size over a number of years too.

*Whispering Dave*: "What we don't want to do now Adam...is go on a club record unbeaten run."

Seeing the Spurs celebrations reminded me of Wembley and how great that day was. Those one off games/moments of success are what it is all about as a football fan. For that reason - I personally find the level of dislike for Russell Martin to be quite bizarre. He had one full season here, inherited a shitshow and gave pretty much every Saints fan one of their best days supporting the club winning a playoff final at Wembley. Those moments will be remembered by those who were there forever.

Think its a decent move by Leicester in that they were very successful under Maresca in a not dissimilar style and may well have the strongest squad once again and he will get them playing his way very quickly. Fully expect him to get them promoted and then its a question of whether he has learned from last year. Certainly don't see this as being a benefit to us.

Good point on the Manager thread that strategically the less reliance on loan players this season means more ability to spend if we did go up. Last summer we obviously spent a lot on Downes and THB just to stand still - will be interesting if we use domestic loans any less this time, especially given the European nature of the recruitment team Spors is building.

Posting correct link after MLG messed his up. Laurens definitely positive on him and addresses most of the concerns raised on here. Certainly worth a listen from someone who knows a bit more about Still.

In the sense that he has set the U21s up for a good season (his actual job) and then become involved in a thankless task in senior capacity due to failings elsewhere then yes he is still a viable person to keep at the club IMO. He wasn't hired to do what he is doing now, thats for sure so I'm not going to hold him accountable for a shitshow of a season and not bothered if he were to stay or go.

Interesting to see what happens with the existing coaching staff assuming he brings his brothers along. Rusk has done a decent job and clearly competent but has been replaced in his U21 role but Calum McFarlane who is doing really well. Assume Rusk will leave and pursue a manager job lower down in the EFL. Lallana I would keep around and players and staff seem to highly value his input and experience and he has played in a high intensity style under Pochettino and Klopp so sure he would be of benefit to Still if there is space in the setup for him. If not he could be used within the Academy surely? Carl Martin has been the continuity man for ages, will he remain? Dean Thornton is part of RM's crew but has stuck around since he left. Would imagine someone with proven experience of EFL football will either remain or be brought in.

The concept of hiring a "risk free manager" is absolute nonsense. The last time Saints did this it was probably George Burley. The only recent(ish) PL ones I can consider that might meet this category are Moyes at Everton (although they always say don't go back), Potter at West Ham (going well...), maybe Mourinho and Conte at Spurs (didn't work) and possibly Hodgson back to Palace? Run through the current PL top 10 and only Pep could have been considered a pretty safe bet when he was appointed, there are some big, big risks in there. I assume the name people refer to his someone like Cooper. He has probably peaked in what he did with Forest and regardless - if we want a high intensity style then it was never going to be him.

1. He is openly saying he is leaving because he knows what is happening and where he is going so its pretty relevant. Also suggests Lens know too as have been talking to other managers so its likely quite far advanced 2. Club telling Blackmore that Still is a "strong candidate" is about as much an indication they can give until everything is agreed. 3. All of Rohl's behaviour since the last day of the Championship season has pointed towards him being pretty uninterested in our job and clesrly thinking/knowing there is something better out there for him.

Yes, I understand that senior officials at Southampton pleaded with Will Still to announce in his post match press conference that he is leaving Lens at the end of the season to move home. Still kindly agreed. At the same time they told various national journalists to mention that Still was likely joining Southampton. They agreed. The purpose? Not because its true, but rather to hurry up another guy who clearly isn't interested in the job anymore and has likely already told them that hence why they have moved for Still. Fine to keep wondering but pretty sure Rohl to Saints is dead and has been for a while given his beggy interviews for a PL, Bundesliga job which clearly showed nothing had been agreed with us. In fact - quite telling the different approaches and levels of respect that both have shown whilst announcing they are leaving their current clubs.