CB Fry

Yakin has that special extra something. Now what is it? Oh yeah. He's not bloody Christian Gross.

I apologise for being the only person in the history of the forum for having an instinctive gut reaction response to a potential recruit to Southampton Football Club. Luckily there are lots of other scholars here prepared to discuss the intricacies of rhe Swiss League with you. Have fun.

I honestly don't care. I don't want Christian Gross.

Yep. If our crack team of 17 scouts between them can't work out that appointing Christian Gross would create a monumental sh it storm amongst Saints fans (and much hilarity elsewhere) then god help us. Please god not him.

Like who? Just interested.

Not sure anyone said the transfer rumours were from Cortese "and nothing more", Delldays. I have given my thoughts on the Lambert transfer - it is a monumental clusterfu ck of timing, and we should not be selling him now, not before the world cup, and not the day after Ralph did his charm offensive with the media. Let him go to Liverpool, sure, but absolutely no need to complete the deal now, as it is not like he is rocking up for pre-season training any time soon. And the price is too low, I would have taken six mil with no add ons whatsoever because he is 32 FFS. The stories that we seem to be talking Shaw with Man U right now is dopey too. I do not want to watch the world cup listening to Clive Tyldesley continually referring to those players as Liverpool and Man U players. So let's not try and put me in as some blind supporter of the new regime. When they fu ck up - like right now, I am happy to call it. However. I do not think this is a fire sale. Or a asset strip. I don't think this is some con trick by KL to sell the club. I believe, right now, that RK and the board will try to deliver a comparative performance to this season, next season. We will get a manager of decent standing, and we will invest some money in replacing those we lose. With the funds we get in, that could be another thirty odd mil I guess. And the vision RK articulates in his funny corporate-speak way I am happy with. We're not going to be in the Champions League, barring a ridiculous miracle. I think we have the best owners we could possibly wish for, and we need them to stay. Lastly, if KL doesn't invest another penny in the club then that is absolutely fine with me. We have taken plenty from that family to get us to the PL, and now we are here, and we are getting eighty odd million a year (or whatever the number is) just for being here. We need to use that money, plus any other income we can generate, to self-sustain as a successful Premier League club run in the right way. At this point I am still happy to let the current management team do that. But they need to get the managerial appointment right - I will say if I hate it, don't worry - and we need to at least be seen to be trying to hold on to players. Two days ago they had a lot of my confidence. Right now, they have considerably less, but with room and time to turn it round.

That's Frank waking up in the kitchen in a puddle of his own p iss again tomorrow morning. Know your limits, son.

Quote the same quote as many times as you like lads.

The question was "did he actually say that no-one would leave before the new manager is appointed?" And the answer is no, he didn't.

No.

Well, I've completed my bingo card. What do I win?

How on gods earth is he a "fan on the board" type?

Correct.

No. But we fans might have had a trip to Wembley. It was the "League is best" people that said a higher place finish was a better foundation than a cup run.

Anyone think now we should have possibly gone for it in the cups rather than pursue a "well, the higher up you finish the stronger you are to build for next season" approach? Just a thought.

"delighted to announce", surely?

I have a theory that I have just made up that Reed and the scouts have lined up four or five exciting young stars, and convinced he is the new Arsene Wenger Reed is being all "decisive" and "bold" and wants to make some statement decisions. "This is exactly what Sir Alex used to do" says our Les to poor old Ralph. "Get rid of players just after they pass their prime. And don't worry our team of 17 scouts have lined up 4 mega stars of the future. We'll be far stronger for it". I still refuse to believe it is a fire sale or anything like that, but it might be a case of "the bold, forward thinking revolutionary Southampton way" starting to believe it's own hype. It is a f uck up, no question. After the WC, maybe fine. After the manager appointment, maybe fine. But not fu cking now you fu cking bellend.

What are you on about? We haven't got a "fan on the board".

Okay, so this is a cluster f uck. I'm not "embracing" this "process" now, Ralph.

Sky Sports News suggesting something coming up shortly.....

There was stuff about "the southampton way" back during the Branfoot era (as in "this is not..." ) so it's not a new thing, despite Delldays pretending Nicola Cortese ìnvented it earlier today.

Jesus Christ. I would suggest that what he was trying to say was that the club might make the fact they have a shortlist public, just to indicate that they are close to an appointment. Obviously they aren't going to make the list public like in the old days when fans voted on kit design. Personally I don't really care about a shortlist, as long as we get someone of decent standing in by this time next week, if not earlier. And I think we will.

There is some absolute gold on the forum at present.

We're only about three posts away from someone bringing up the Steven Gerrard thing, aren't we? The Charlton Athletic bulls hit bingo button has already been pressed.

Correct. Garcia would be an appalling appointment after what was said yesterday, his only achievement has been to scrape ahead of our own dear old Nige on the last day of the season. I expect all the media Garcia hype about him coming here or going to Celtic is entirely from a bulls hitting agent. He won't stand a chance of getting either job.