Fitzhugh Fella

Got the Cortese bit spot on though didn’t I?

No need for the patronising reply. Yes my comment about working it out for yourself was a little unnecessary, I apologise for that it wasn’t meant to be sarcastic but it did sound it.

He means it is terrible the result could possibly mean a stay of execution for the manager. I am surprised you couldn’t work that out for yourself. Yes the 3 points will undoubtedly come in handy but when the bigger picture is taken into consideration the an ugly win could distort or cover up a deep seated problem.

“ Clutching at Straws” new single by the Ralph Cult Band”

Absolutely amazing how an ugly win can change perspectives. The manager has to be judged not on his last game but over a period of time. For me 2022 is a good benchmark to gauge him on and our appalling home record in that period. Yes we are all thankful we added 3 valuable points to our haul because we all know we are going to need them but the fact remains we are playing dreary negative football, we lose more than we win and aren’t really showing signs of an upturn anytime soon. A defeat in our next two matches will have all those making positive noises this morning gnashing their teeth again. We are going around in ever diminishing circles with this manager and the odd good result should not be allowed to camouflage the fact.

How can anyone think that after 13/66 home points? Or just 3 wins from 22 home games? It’s utterly indefensible and worse than anything Hughes and Pellegrino produced. People who want him to stay must be utterly delusional or dangerous cultists.

It’s getting tedious now. We all know (like Truss) he will go soon but the powers to be are clueless as to the how and when. Bit of leadership called for and every day Ralph stays my opinion of SD diminishes a tad. I am hoping they have a cunning plan.

Not sure this is particularly relevant or significant but I gather none of the new owners were in the Directors Box yesterday (or that’s what I’ve been told)! Perhaps there just as fed up as the rest of us? 3 home wins in 22 home games hardly gets the blood running.

Brilliant post. Thanks for being so articulate

Religion and football don’t mix so no thanks, the last thing we need is a bible thumping manager. Listening to some of the “Ralph must stay” cultists I am intrigued their main and pathetic thrust is ….we might get “Big Sam” or “Southgate” or someone else equally repulsive. FFS have a little faith and assume our new owners are a little less Luddite. You can improve your team by sacking your manager without a replacement lined up. Just look along the road to Dean Court as an example. Staggering along with a lame duck in charge (as we are at the moment) is the worst of our options. We need some positive leadership from SL. Are they up to it? I fervently hope so.

Nothing we can do about stepping stones but the fact he was here such a short period of time does perhaps suggest something is not quite right. Fans aren’t being “entitled” by asking pertinent questions. 2022 has been a poor year, we are slipping down the table, we made a big blunder in the window and the manager is growing unpopular with a large swathe of the fan base. And when we speak up the local journalist calls us arrogant. I would argue we are perfectly entitled to query the way our club is being run. It will be a bit late if we all kick off next May.

You really are a believer in the earth is flat

Very good post. Apathy has set in without a doubt plus a lowering of standards. There are still fans out there who are full of praise for Ralph and his achievements.

Going to be hard to sign a decent forward in January with a lead weight around our neck and relegation beckoning.

Oh yes I can bellyache along with the best and often use this forum to let off steam as a form of therapy (don’t we all?). But this is the first time I’ve been critical of SD. I think shutting a section of the ground because someone threw a paper cup or whatever to be an overreaction when better stewarding is surely the answer. I have wanted RH gone since last season and I am critical of the drip drip in the media. I feel for everyone’s sake the plug should be pulled now. And following on from what Andy said I would happily have a beer with you as I would love to know what makes you tick and often agree with you views (even occasionally smiling at your posts). This feud you have towards me is a bit baffling, but if that’s what you want there’s not much I can do except use my two posts a day to have my say. Luckily that means I can only get up your nose twice a day I guess.

Well if what you say is true (which it’s not) it shows me to be a lot brighter than you. And please point me to the article you’ve mentioned. Your are a very obsessed person methinks

Been a bad week really. All this “Ralph on the brink” in the press is unhelpful. Either get rid or don’t. Now this ridiculous decision to penalise home fans in the Itchen tells me the leadership of the club are clueless when it comes to understanding or backing home supporters. Going to St Mary’s in the last couple of years has been fairly depressing but we keep going. The club are treating their fans with disdain. They can afford that while Sky bankroll them but my advice is never forget the hand that will always feed you through rain and shine.

Absolutely brilliant and well thought out post. Thanks.

I have been in the Ralph out camp since last season and remain so but I will say the Board not delivering a striker must have been a kick in the nuts especially when Ralph said we would be signing one. Notwithstanding that however he has been largely responsible for digging his own grave and must face the consequences. He should go now. Put Selles in temporary charge and then break the bank (you’d probably have to) for Thomas Frank. No thanks Rafa, he would be a stepping stone and off to a bigger club soon enough. Poch was loved by the players when he was here but I doubt he’d fancy taking on the big boys with our budget. I hope this does not become dragged out. Dead men walking is not a good look.

When Trousers gets off the fence and pronounces then the game is well and truly up.

This and this again. This year has been utterly miserable at St Mary's. Going up there for home games has been an ordeal with no pleasure or pride. That says it all to me. I don't mind losing if we play with heart or even cohesion, but most of the last 9 months has been simply ghastly. To keep Ralph any longer is just prolonging the agony which we all know has to come.

Another of the coaches recruited in the summer (Alex Clapham) has now departed. Something not right or just bad luck?

Can we have a poll to decide who is the biggest pedant on this forum now MLG has gone underground please?

Take your point but that performance plumbed new depths.

Good post. Ralph just drives me nuts with his idiosyncratic decisions.