east-stand-nic

With West Ham safe and on the beach before their Euro final, and Sam in the Leeds dugout, you have to hope Leeds can get a win there. Not that i care so much but it would be cool to see Everton drop as they say that may scupper the takeover they have going on.

No, not with the 3 managers we had. Steve Cooper is better than the three we had combined, that is why some of his players have performed and none of ours have. There is something dreadfully wrong behind the scenes at SFC and some of it coming out now. New team, manager, DOF need to get in there and stop the negativity and losing ways before any player can have a good season for us.

Jury out for me on this one. I can see the positives as aforementioned, but also the aforementioned negatives. However, he will be looking for a way back to make his name again, and I wonder if he is friends with Kompany and can get advice off him as and when needed. Being really negative, I hope this isn't out owners trying to be clever and thinking, well Burnley did well with a top ex player, so maybe we should do the same, assuming it will be OK.

Alcaraz for captain. Great player, seems to want to stay, so this might seal the deal for him. Plus he is South American and they are very passionate. Next season, build the team around him.

I suspect many Burnley fans said that at the end of last season. No reason to think we cannot bounce straight back up if we can keep some of these players and get a decent real football manager. For me, one of the biggest issues is that all our squad have had their abilities coached out of them. If we can get a positive manager and positive attitude back, confidence will grow and we can be great next season. AA scored pot loads in the championship and he can again, IF he is coached properly and can thus regain his confidence.

For starters he would not want to be here. He is a big time Charlie or so he thinks. He is not the sort of character that would do well at a club like this. I just cannot explain, but I know what I am trying to say. Mark my words, if he gets the job, he will fail here. Some times managers are suited to clubs. Sometimes they just aren't. I just hope it isn't going to be him. It won't work.

Brendan Rogers is not a Southampton Manager and I hope to hell we do not get him as he will not fit. Potter is much better for the long term goals and would be interested if we give him what he wants (not just money).

Massive game for Forest, not for us. Win and we are still down. The ship has long since sailed. Let's get ready for a promotion push and winning some games next season.

Pretty sure I read a few days ago that the club has already confirmed Selles will not be retained for next season. Can't find the article now, but certain I saw it.

I know, but as I said, in my lifetime supporting Saints. I was born after 1966.

I don't like to get involved in conversations about this sort of thing or politics as there are already too many people in the world with polarised and myopic views, incapable of even considering a different view. However, in Matt's case, I feel he makes a lot of valid points and cases. If you truly believe governments care and act in our best interests, you need to really open your eyes a little more. Remember, 99% of the media is controlled by the elite like the much hated Murdoch. People hate him, but they seem to believe everything his media channels spew out. Odd.

I know there are many nay-Sayers when it comes to our chances in the Championship, but with a decent, dare I say NORMAL manager who plays to squad strengths and plays attacking football, we already have a proven top drawer goal scorer at that level in Che Adams. All he needs is a good boss to get his confidence back and a playing style that suits him and he will bang in the goals. But here is my main positive slant on it all....A chance for us to actually win something! In my years supporting Saints we have been promoted from the second tier twice. Both times we were runners up when we should have damned well won the league. Time to put that right!! Let's come up as champions. Yes, I know it won't be easy....maybe it takes 2 or 3 years. But it is something tangible to aim for, whereas in the PL tangible is 14th. The top section of the table (top 6) is just impossible pretty much. I for one am really looking forward to a revisit to the second tier.

JWP is very divisive, but I genuinely believe we would be better off without him for many reasons.

Genuine questions. 1. For how many of you on this forum will this be your first relegation from the top flight? (Last time 2005) 2. How many of those of you over 50 knew we were down a few weeks/month or so back? It's quite interesting to know who are those that still believe; the oldies or the newerbies?

Saints, Forest & Leeds to go down.

Got to be honest, totally missed that. Who have we left for the CB partnership for this game? Salisu, I read is dropped with an attitude issue.

Impossible to call as we never know which Saints team will turn up. I cannot for the life of me understand why Selles is not giving McCarthy a run. Firstly, he has a lot more experience in big six pointers. Secondly, Bazunu probably need to be taken out of the firing line. I have a feeling even if we win we are still going down to be honest. But knowing Saints and this season it will be a draw. Why? Because Bournemouth know we need the points more than them and will come to park the bus and we all know we cannot break teams down. It's got 0-0 written all over it. So likely it will be 3-3 or similar. Just so unpredictable. McCarthy KWP Bednarek ABK Perraud S.Armstrong Lavia Djneppo Suleman Acaraz Adams To hell with defence.

I think I said it before on another thread, that if we get a decent proper football manager, we do have some very good championship level players. Both Che and Armstrong are proven at this level and I think their confidence would soon come back if they had a decent manager playing proper attacking football and they started banging in early goals. For defence and GK it really depends who leaves. I suspect Salisu and ABK would be gone, so yes, we would need better than the rest we have left. Would Banzunu be OK in the Champsionship? Not for me as it is a lot tougher with more direct styles of play. He would be flapping himself into orbit. All in all, I think with a a load of sales, some clear out and some decent defenders and GK we would be top 10 material, probably better. But the crucial part without doubt is manager and getting shot of the awful management in the club.

Honestly, does anyone on this forum still believe we WILL stay up? I appreciate mathematically we CAN. But does anyone believe we WILL? For me, not a chance in hell and has been that way for a few games now. It's not the points difference or the GD, it is the performances and the fact that I just know they will not improve enough in every game for us to win 4 games. No way.

I am not one for ever claiming to be in the know, but in this case I have news for you. I have a very good friend who is a Brighton fan and knew Potter well. He said he would love to manage Saints as he loves the south coast and still has a home down here or very close by. I am not saying he will come, but my mate says he likes us, likes the area and the set up. Let's wait and see.

We nee to act decisively and quickly and get Potter before Leicester do.

Down with us will be Forest and Bournemouth. I wish it to be Everton and Leicester, but they would probably out muscle us to come straight back up. So better we have clubs similar to us going down so there are no giants in the league so to speak.

I was at the semi final at WHL where we lost to Liverpool in extra time and Mark Wright broke his leg. Unlike the 1984 semi, we always new we were likely to lose this one, but still very disappointed on the day. Anyone else there?

Personally I expect Dragan will come over and shake the hell out of the place. He will not be happy that he is losing tens of millions in income streams next season. With any luck he will listen to sage advice and look to hire proper football people at the higher levels in the club. I have no idea who we could attract as we will not be such an attractive prospect for the big hitters. But it cannot be worse than what we have endured this season in terms of decision making. Personally, I still think we would have stayed up had we hired a proper football manager with experience and not messed around with NJ and Selles. For me though there is clearly something wrong within the club. The players moods and efforts are up and down like a yo-yo. This is not just managerial. I think there are some kind of issues in the club behind the scenes. Perhaps those at the top are thoroughly dis-likable? Perhaps they have just had the skills coached out of them and are downbeat. No question almost every player should leave as they have had enough of SFC. Sometimes you just have to move on for the sake of your mental health in life and i feel a lot of our squad have that kind of issue. Even without some of our so called big names, we have a good team for the championship and proven players at that level. With a broom to get rid of the crap and a decent manager in place, I for one am looking forward to nest season, though i will reserve judgement on that until i see what takes places in the summer.

I kind of admire those who still believe we can stay up. But is it just positive thinking for the sake of it or a fashion thing to support till you die sort of thing as there is no doubt whatsoever we will go down this season now. I felt we were down a few games ago, but a couple of false dawn draws and people get excited again, naturally. West Ham loss sealed our fate and personally I am glad. I truly believe we will have an interesting season in the championship as we have proven strikers from that level and some great youth team players we can blood in the league. Roll on next season, but then up pops the issue of promotion. Do we really want to straight back up and be fodder again?