um pahars

Keith Granger is now goalkeeping coach. Kim Van Der Waals has still to be oinned down LOL

If the prognosis is that all we need is a bit of luck, something that Wotte goes on and on about in his interview, then IMHO we are doomed. Anyone who has been to St Mary's this season will know that our problems run much deeper than being unlucky!!!! Thinking all we need is a change of luck is head in the sand thinking.

Wigley didn't want the role first time around, but a few months later he was "shoe horned" into the position of Head Coach. Now Wotte didn't want the role 7 months or so ago and now he's been "shoe horned" into it. The thought that we now have a reluctant manager who didn't really want the job is scary (I think we've been there before with Redknapp).

What would you say if they rang you???

I know exactly where you're coming from, but you never know we may have managed to stolen a march on someone here by using our contacts. He could well be the lump who can bring other players into the game. Not saying he's ht or good, but you never know.

Glad we cleared that up;) Well considering that on Friday evening, Wilde said he was hopeful of signing a striker, then unless Wotte moves as quick in the transfer market as Wilde did to his car on Saturday, then I would say this deal was in motion before Jan got the boot (and you'll have to trust me on this one, because I know it was in motion before Wotte took over).

Certainly not advocating a pitch invasion, but I very much doubt we'd get a points deduction (or even a fine). The FA took no action at all when the Leeds fans invaded the pitch for half an hour when their game against Ipswich was coming to a close.

I don't think I've said he was sht as that would be rather presumptious. In fact I think I've said he looks liek the big lump that we need in this division (and I certainly hope and pray he is). I was merely questioning who/how/why we identify and select players, because it has been a major problem for me this season in that what little money we may have has been used poorly. You and others may be OK with the concept that others bring the players in and the Coach merely coaches them but there is another train of thought that says this undermines the manager and has not worked to date.

I'm not sure who is involved in buying the players, hence why I was asking the question. I worry that Lowe has more of an involvement than merely negotiating terms, I worry that Van Der Waals has an input and yet we know nothing about him, I worry about who else is advising who and who has the final decision. Our policy to date this season has been poor, but I don't know who was responsible. I think Poortvliet going is a positive (sadly negated by the appointment of Wotte), but if Poortvliet was not the main mover and shaker with regards transfer targets, then his removal will not solve that particular problem.

Reactionary??? I was questioning Poortvliet's suitability from day one (surekly you remember that;))

And Poortvliet's;)

Personally, given our current predicament, I would rather we had appointed an experienced and qualified coach to be Assistant First Team Coach. This is no time for people learning on the job, we needed someone to come in and hit the ground running. We had enough problems the last time we employed a Jan who was learning as he went along. I would have no problem him coming in on the backroom staff at a less exposed position and lending a hand, providing inspiration, motivation and passing on his experience, but IMHO he's not what we need right at the sharp end as we sit here today.

Good job yout that bloody wink there, or else I was in the car and up the M4!!!!!!!!!!!!! The only problem is that I reckon the clowns in charge do probably believe that, or else like addicts, they're in denial and trying to convince themselves that salvation is just around the corner.

And that's all I was getting at, in that we did have some choices regarding who we brought in. They were not massive choices and they were most definitley limited by finances, but there were choices nonetheless. And it looks as though we both agree that on balance the wrong choices were made. What might be up for grabs though is how responsible Jan was for spending that money, because I fear on too many occasions other peoples choices and input came into play.

15 odd players since June would suggest we have had a degree of latitude regards spending money. It should have been spent much more wisely and it should have been overseen by a competent manager.

We've gone through that before and methinks your being extremely disengenuous with what he said and what Clubs it related to.

Think you're being a bit harsh. I gave you Hockaday being kicked out, gave you Van Der Waals and also alluded to Lowe just shuffling the pack. Others have also given inside tips that have turned out OK. We need our Dutch supporters to be hot off the press!!!!!

But the quality of the incoming talent and how the money has been used is not totally dependent on who has been shipped out. Most of us didn't have problems with the majority of the shipping out (although there were questions regarding strikers), but that does not mean to say that we have been happy with what has comeon the other way!!! For me, our transfers in policy has been a major factor in our poor form this season, with an apparent scattergun approach being undertaiken and too many youngsters hoovered up in the vain hope that they will come good. Players in and players out are not mutually exclusive.

To be fair, Twente aren't that bad a side and are up there pushing for the title this season. He is out of favour though, but I wouldn't write him off just yet!!!!! It is possible to distinguish between the odd ray of sunshine (e.g. Poortvliet going and a burly striker coming in) and the continuing farce that we are (e.g. Wotte stepping up and Totale Voetbal still going strong).

Send them DMG

Even if it undermines the manager??? This bloke looks a bit rough and tumble to me, so there is a possibility he could be just what we need. I would love him to start bullying defenders and creating opportunities for others. Nothing would give me more pleasure than for him to become our Steve Howard. But going on our past track record of signing players this season, which IMHO has been one of our main failings, it doesn't leave me with much confidence. Additionally if we're signing a player a day or so after the departure of a manager, then I think it's fair to ask who is driving the acquisition of players. Is he Jan's man, if so how will he fit in to Wotte's plans? If he's not Jan's man, then just who is making the footballing decisions, because then you might start getting to the bottom of why we have been so poor this season if others are bringing players that the coaches have to then mould into a team. If that is our modus operandi, then it didn't serve us well in the first half of the season.

I think it does matter massively who signed him. If it was Poortvliet who set the ball rolling, then you can assume Wotte will be serving up similar fare. If it's someone else signing the players, then who is it and who are they accountable to? One of our problems this season has been a poor transfer record with a number of players who have been brought in, either under performing or not even contributing. Now if that was down to Poortvliet, then maybe that problem has gone away following his departure, but if it was not his say, then surely nothing has changed, when perhaps it should have. Personally, I think Poortvliet didn't have an awful lot of say in who came in and that had a big impact on our poor record this season, so to me it does matter.

So who has signed him then????? Wotte has only been in the job two days and he's already bagged us a striker. If he's one Jan had lined up then you have to assume it's business as usual with Wotte literally picking up where Poortvliet left off. Unless of course others are involved in the signing of players of course;)

Did I miss anything on the OS about Hockaday getting the boot????? Or are we being kept in the dark about that one as well!!!! Webster Hockaday Van Der Waals

I think that only a fool would not be concerned with the current state of our Club. Wilde may be many things, but I didn't have him down as a fool. However, the longer he supports Lowe on this crazy experiment, the more complicit he becomes in supporting the "Revolutionary Copaching Set Up". I fail to see how any rational fan can look at the current set up and what this "Revolutionary Coaching Set Up" has delivered so far, and be impressed with the returns. You can come up with excuses regarding luck, injuries or whatever, but that does not disguise nor excuse that this season has been a disaster. Wilde still has time to act, it's just whether he has the gumption to come up with an alternative or has the balls to support someone who does. If Wilde sticks by Lowe he will sink with him, but there is a chance he could redeem himself if he acts before it is too late.