John Boy Saint

My point is in 2 posts the same poster has nailed his colours to the mast saying he hopes Selles isn’t in frame to step up here to the top job. Hoping we go for another “Name” rather than just an assistant coach from the backroom, all the names I mentioned were where Ruben Selles is now back then before they were “famous”. They weren’t names in the game previously - in the case of Nigel and Jose they were backroom boys who were given a chance to step up to the top job - The mention of Potter, no he wasn’t promoted from within at Brighton, but as a “no one” he made his name in Scandinavian football management, which then put him on the radar back home. We all know Ralph is hanging up his spurs in a couple of years time - if Sports Republic hierarchy have spotted the potential in Selles to step up after “serving his apprenticeship” under Ralph then that is a tidy bit of thinking. If that happens in a couple of years is the thinking from certain quarters of the fan base going to be “Cheapskate Saints - promoting a member of the backroom team”? When in fact he has been identified as having the right stuff for the job and a better option than all the other names on the manager merry-go-round. If you can recall back to Martin Semmens talking when Sports Republic took over. There was mention that Ralph’s replacement has already been identified, from a newly promoted team, just about everyone looked towards west London and guessed at one man, given SR’s connections, but not someone behind him with the right attributes to be given the chance. Jose Mourhino was just an interpreter who played a long game to get him to where he is now. There are owners of clubs who likely wrote him off because of what he once was - they probably still muse to themselves “look what I let slip through my fingers”.

I’ll take a couple of bags of what your peddling - my Roses will love it. Your analogy is pants - Potter was very successful in Sweden by being different in how he did stuff, he did well at Swansea catching the eye of Brighton when Houghton was stumbling. You mention our Nige, a goal keeper who got crocked, ended up as a physio at Scunthorpe, who ended up as Caretaker when Brian Laws left, then manager got them promoted twice against the budget and odds - when his name was tossed into ring as Saints manager you were likely one of the many who said “who” (and going on the above added he’s a bloody physio) he rightly has Saintly status at Saints - you on the Saints interview panel would have said “no thanks”. = Saints in the Premier league again possibly on target not 2 years before. if Jose Mourhino walked through the door on Monday morning as our new manager, you will have burned through a pallet of Kleenex Man Sized tissues throwing yourself round the room by lunchtime - like all of the above he had a modest footballing career his route into management evolved through being Bobby Robsons interpreter at Sporting and Porto, he only became an assistant manager, when Robson managed Barcelona - yes THE Barcelona. He then made the step up to management at Leira and Benfica , then ultimately Porto where they were a horrible team to play, he won all sorts including the UEFA Cup. Again going on your comment above, sat on the interview board with “the (pre)special one in front of you” - “it’s a no from me, he’s only an interpreter”. Thomas Frank, who you mention, being honest no bugger had heard of him, for a no one who’s stepped up, he’s weaved some magic at little Brentford. You mention a Koeman-esk name for the hot seat - you speak to any knowledgeable Dutch football supporter and they will all say the same thing - Ronald is the big name, glittering career, a figure head. He is technically astute as a whole Edam - his brother Erwin is the tactician. Here you can substitute Ronald Koeman and insert Gerrard and Lampard in your analogy. As you can tell it hacks me off when someone spouts cobblers about a possible name in the management frame, just because they haven’t featured on FIFA whatever year since it first appeared on PlayStation, equals they stand no chance in your interview process.

I commented on it earlier - but Che Adams winner is a thing of beauty ❤️

I guess if you are looking a bit pants - you don’t want to be sitting in Freeman’s Common waiting to get dive out and home to piddle off your Saturday even more. 🤪 I wonder if due to Covid and little air travel the purse strings have been tightened on the Srivaddhanaprabha family and Leicester City is a frippery that will not go down well with the staff in their duty free business if they splurge out on multi million pound player or two - whilst the entities are separate it doesn’t look good for staff moral if they are seeing cuts. If I have read right they have spent no money in the transfer market.

Not seen him today but against Leeds he ran his legs down to stumps - whilst in the past he has scared the hell out of us at times good to see him knuckling down and stepping up to the plate. When Perraud is back be interesting seeing the pair of them interchanging on the left.

Oh that is obscene!

Oh yes

From my seat it looked a very generous penalty - thought she fell over her own feet and the ref bought it. Happy to be corrected One thing of note from my lofty perch in the Itchen the Euros and the hot weather look to have taken its toll on the pitch.

Yes he was on the VAR that night and rubber stamped Berties early shower

In others news Mike Dean has said his VAR decision was wrong for the hair pull. Bet we have him on VAR v Man Utd

I wonder how many Millwall fans said - “come on let’s go, it’s a long way home” from around 80 minutes?

Sorry folks even with the additional 1hr 56mins - I’m still no closer to getting it 😢😁

Well that’s my day buggered - because I still don’t get it, and I have 4 hours in the car today to mull it over and likely get home tonight still none the wiser. Still I guess it will pass the time when the novelty of seeing windscreen wipers sloshing back and forth wears off.

Apparently Coady doesn’t like playing in a back 5 - which is the way of Wolves, hence why he wanted to look elsewhere.

Give a couple of players that for time wasting in quick succession and we might get to see more than 45 minutes of actual football. Always makes me laugh when the ref has had enough of the goalie swinging the lead as he has been for the last 20 - 30 minutes, and decides to book him in added time.

If you were at the game on Saturday getting a full view of the pitch JWP was quietly. sliding in to right back while KWP was given more freedom to run the right wing.

With 2 at CB your responsibilities are more defined “that’s your side - this is mine” stick a third person between them and unless you are perfectly drilled there is a chance of uncertainty. Sadly Jan is that uncertainty, I can’t say he has presence back there. Kotchup and Salisu are a pair of big lads, both are mobile and in a 2 the concentration they will both have to apply will add to the solidity. After the changes looking down the pitch the pair of them seemed to have more purpose. Anyone able to think back to the Che Adams City game - Bednarek and Stephens were the back 2 - their roles were defined, their concentration was running at maximum, they were repelling wave after wave of attack from probably the most lethal attack in the league. Yet as the game was getting to its conclusion and another attempt was snuffed out - the pair of them were smiling at each other because they knew what the other was doing and they were comfortable. Like as has been said already let’s see what happens on Saturday.

Going on the post match Solent interview Ralph seemed very much under pressure from the player mistrust story in the press last week, on top of that the section of the home crowd singing “sacked in the morning” at 0-2. Ralph always looks stern when listening, probably a language thing and concentration, plus not being use to getting useful information in the “heat of battle” when it’s all going wrong.

Given the powwow that occurred in the dugout with the new backroom team, that seemed to trigger a turning point - you would hope that sort of nonsense is confined to the bin.

He should not be anywhere near VAR he has retired as each week goes by he gets further and further away from being able to make the right decision through not being on the whistle “on the battlefield” PGMOL continue to make shit up as they go along knowing they are untouchable.

Lots been said already - I thought all the new lads looked good (Bollocks is Lavia 18 - he played beyond his tender years) Once they were all on the pitch, and the random variable had been relieved of duty in defence, we looked like we had purpose and even some steel. I mentioned in the Adam Armstrong thread that when he came on he had an abundance of options to work with. We might actually be alright lads. Couple of little things - when JWP had that nicely positioned free kick in the latter stages Meslier looked decidedly uncomfortable behind the wall he was bobbing about hoping he might have a change to get whatever suddenly zipped over the wall. A very sweet moment in the Chapel, a Dad and his little lad looking very smart in his new 3rd shirt, very likely at his first game. He was taking it all in no need for a bribing iPad. At half time they came back to their seats with a tray of Nachos, As extra time was being played out the Dad made a move to leave no doubt to beat the rush at full time with the little man, as Dad set off he stopped, normally a cause for grumbling at blocking the view (Dad was very apologetic) but his little lad had turned round and picked up the half eaten tray of Nachos left as rubbish under their seat to put in the bin - everyone around us noted this and commented to the Dad what a great lad he had.

Thought he looked good yesterday when he came on probably helped that there were options everywhere for a change, Mara, Aribo, Lavia, Adams, even a switched on Djenepo (who to my mind ran himself into the ground). Whereas previously help has been lacking around him.

No need to rush him in from the start just yet - keep him hungry, he has enough about him to bring on and scare the life out of the opposition especially when they are flagging.

Just an aside - given the heat today Listening to Solent driving home they interviewed a new lad from p*mpey. The interviewer asked “what were the conditions like out there this afternoon” his reply could not be doubted. ”Disgusting!”

McGuire in the refs ear once more - Attwells reaction hands on his head looked “oh do stop whining on”. 😁