Fitzhugh Fella

Because they didn't have the disaster of the relegation season we have had

You won't. Everyone knows we have to "regroup or reset". Some of us appreaciate that's not going to happen overnight. Tbh - I have learned one lesson from this season's shambles and that is there's no point going up to the PL until you are really ready. We certainly weren't a year ago and got found out from Day 1. Next time we need to do it with a much clearer vision, a settled Board who carry the support of the fanbase and back room staff who know their onions. Right now none of those criteria are in place - hence my attempts to add a bit of common sense to the debate.

I'm not saying we will do a Luton but I do think the fallout from the damage inflicted by this season's debacle is much more serious than it was two years ago. Also the mentality of those players that remain will take a fair bit of mending. Not being a drama queen at all - how about my £50 against your £50 that we will still be in the same division this time in 12 months?

I think Saints are so badly damaged at present we can write off next season's promotion challenge which means If Still comes I think he will have a year's grace while he finds his feet in the Championship/attends to personal issues and eases into the job. Both his brothers are his coaches at Lens so presumably he would have their support too. He is one for the future and as long as he is loyal to us, this could well work out in the long term, but its going to be a long way back from the horror that has been 2024-25.

Most of what was said is now out there. AA agent/family were making ridiculous demands. They were/are interested in Rohl but at the time the compo was at least 10m which was prohibitive. PP did not rule him out in the future (this was pre Spors mind) but they also were concerned Rohl's eventual sightsmay might be more in the direction of Germany or Austria.

I am going to get a bit of grief from this post but here goes anyway. I have met PP twice. Once a year ago and once about two months ago at Staplewood. The meeting was convened after I asked the club to support and possibly finance the new history myself, Gary Chalk and Keith Fray are putting together. Prior to the meeting I was told that PP had read some of my critical tweets based on what was happening at the club and also wanted to discuss them with me so I went with a little trepidation. I can only speak as I find. I was at Staplewood all morning and shown around all its nooks and crannies. I hadn't been since the days of David Jones so it was obviously an eye opener. I also was introduced to RA who was intently watching the training that was going on under Juric. I found him friendly, approachable and interested in the book. Throughout the "tour" PP came across as very enthusiastic and keen to promote and grow the club. He told me a lot about the off field plans which are certainly ambitious (stadium expansion and buying up land). He had noted all the criticism I had levelled and took time to explain each instance whether it was the transfer of Amo-Ameyaw or the feasible apppointment of Rohl. Nothing was off limits. He was very candid and admitted mistakes had been made but emphasised the strong desire to put things right that emanated from DS right the way down. I did tell him that if every fan was lucky enough to be granted what he had taken the time to give me, there would be a lot more readiness to accept that SR were still capable of being a positive ownership for the club. A lot of the angst is around communication (or lack off) which I think he accepted. I was also impressed how he seemed to know virtually every person on the campus and had time for everyone we encountered, even injured youth players who he made sure he chatted to and asked how they were getting on etc. He has relocated into the area with his wife and young family and from what I saw that morning is very committed to the task in hand. Yes he lacks a "background" in football (although I do believe he was on the books of Woking as a youth player when Glen Cockerill was their manager) but he is very hands on and knows how to generate the commercial aspect of the club which is so vital. I came away reassured that everyone's heart was still in it and because of the disaster of this season very very keen to put it right. They know they "owe" the fanbase and for that reason I want to give them time to put things right starting with the appointment of the right manager. What's happened has happened. As long as mistakes has been learned the ownership of SR can still be a good thing for Southampton FC especially in the light that the next owner could turn out to be a darn sight worse. I know I could be accused of selling my soul to the Devil so as to get the book published but I would like to point out the club and we have agreed that all profit from this book will go to the Saints Foundation so I have no real vested interest in promotion PP or SR. I've not been asked to post this message, I've not been told to be more positive about the club but I feel seeing I have been privileged to have met "the horse's mouth" as it were then some on this forum might see my post as being relevant to the debate. PS. The book is going to be an update and amalgamation of every publication that's gone before. The last publication that covered the whole of the club's history (going back to 1885) was published nearly 40 years ago (The Complete Record) so there's a lot to update and correct. Its going to be a huge piece of work (to say the least) and almost certainly the last any of us from Hagiology will be involved in. I have been working on it for nearly 2 years and have just reached 1977-78 so that will give you some idea of time scales. Hoping for a 2027 publishing.

When Still's name came into the frame I was initially very concerned but after watching him on the Monday night Sky programme I could see what the fuss was all about. Because our next appointment is crucial for the owners his being made our manager is one helluva gamble - a sort of 'shit or bust' decision. I don't know why but I think I would prefer him to Rohl who I think still would prefer a job nearer to his home in Germany. We need to tie a manager down to being with us quite a few seasons, someone who can take an interest in the wider aspects such as the Academy, not someone using us as a stepping stone. But of course that's not to say if Still does well he won't be poached such is the capricious nature of football these days.

Jesus

Yes I agree. First half was the best we've played at home this season and like you said Stewart led the line adequately. Our forward options are dire. Archer is dreadful. Sulemana is a one trick pony and I never want to see Arma or Brereton-Diaz again. We are going to be stuck with them next season because we are not going to be able to give them away.

Saints fan sees one swallow and announces the arrival of summer. 😀

I love that phrase "kick out the dead wood". If a player has a contract he cannot be kicked out, as you put it, unless he agrees to having his contract paid up. Getting rid of unwanted players is not a question of putting them in your boot and driving to the tip.

Strange that Cooper's name doesn't even make the gossip "know nothings" columns.

Having met the man and heard some of his/the club's plans I still have confidence the club are in the right hands. Yes huge mistakes have been made, they know that and there is a determination to get things right in the future. Parsons may not have "a football background" (although I believe he was on Woking's books when Cockerill was their manager), but he's commercially savvy, very hands on and committed to the cause.

But we are relegated so what's the point or are yousaying in the context of beating Derby's total?

Tend to agree with this. I thought the same. We were like a lower league team in the FA Cup. It was utterly futile and painful to watch. We had one decent player on the pitch - Fernandes, the rest were awful (although Captain Jack put a shift in and looked like he cared) and I thought Rusk was adapting some of Russell Martin's tactics. In the first half Ramsdale takes a goal kick sideways to Bednarek who then over hit a long ball towards the touchline about 10 yards over the head of Walker-Peters to give them a throw-in and possesion. Utterly stupid. A long kick into their half would have been preferable.

Thank you for taking the trouble to type all this. Although I accept my view is irrational I have to say Martin is my least favourite manager of all time. I did not enjoy his football in the Championship despite the reasonable results and eventual outcome. I think he was far too stubborn and was immature in his philosophy. There was something of the snake oil salesman about him. Towards the end the football under him was horrendous, how he can think he was on the verge of getting it right is beyond me. His pleasure at Pep being nice to him is also a little ridiculous.

Cooper ticks the most boxes for me. He's experienced, successful and available.

I actually posted the paperwork on here at the time and got a call from MLT threatening me with the police unless I removed it. He also told me I was going to cause the collapse of the takeover if I didn't immediately take it down. I then got a call from Lynham threatening me with the police as I wouldn't tell him who gave me the paperwork. Needless to say I never heard from the police but I did get a call from Leon about a week later asking me for all the "consortium members" contact details because he was trying to get some of his money back. I guess its all funny now but at the time Liebherr came close to walking away because of Pinacle - I wonder what would have happened next and where we would be today?

Cambridge not giving him much game time at the moment

I got the impression that HK was the man who has been blamed although I wasn't told that in as many words. I think there is a belief that there had been too many "differing opinions".

I'm not here to defend Rasmus. Undoubtedly he has made mistakes (and then some). But I was at Staplewood a couple of weeks ago and was introduced to him. He was very polite and friendly. Means nothing I hear you say and fair enough. Later when I was watching the first team train he was there also watching intently. It was pointed out to me that - percentage wise - he has invested more of his personal wealth than anyone else in SR. Again so what. But its worth considering that while his errors have led to us all feeling anger and pain he has a lot of his personal wealth wrapped up in our future and when it goes pear shaped - as it is currently doing - then he is not exactly popping champagne corks. I've given all this some thought and I still think as investors or owners go, SR are on the face of it genuine and committed. They have certainly screwed up big time by their contorted philosophy, but that has hurt them financially and reputation-wise as well. They are not going anywhere so, like it or not, its still in our interest to back them, even though they have no right to request our loyalty. We have no other choice at the end off the day, they are our club's owners. I wish they would communicate more frequently and more openly (and while I was there I did say that to them). Their heart is still in it, there's a lot of work going on off the field to increase our revenue which is getting unfair criticism owing to the poor showing on the pitch. But it is bringing in revenue and no one else has done it. I think they will bring a lot of positive things to the city in general, fingers crossed. This season is undoubtedly the worst in our history (albeit in the top flight) but their desire to right things is genuine and they are still highly motivated. I think they should be given the chance to make amends. Probably going to be shot down in flames for this post and be asked how much I have been paid but in my opinion its time for us all to take a deep breath and keep the faith for a while longer. Thanks for reading this.

It's certainly not worth paying his £10m release cause.

And the Marcus Liebherr pavillion has yet to be paid for. I believe that debt rests with his daughter.

The Spurs fiasco has obviously slipped from your mind. One of the reasons we have been so bad recently is Martin's appalling legacy. I'm not saying Juric is the answer but he couldn't have inherited a bigger shit show.

I sense weariness?