Professor

Worried by the OS today (Wed) - they haven't been able to quote another player saying how great things are. Maybe the whole first team is locked in a room with Les Reed - "You will all stay here until one of you makes a positive statement.." Who will be the first to break...?

The OS editor - presumably on Cortese's instructions, wasn't even allowed to announce Pardew's sacking properly, instead it was headlined 'new coaches to be appointed'. It was an insult to fans intelligence and since a week later no new coaches have been appointed it wasn't entirely accurate. Pardew dismissed and search for new coach would have been more honest.

Not 'End of' since doddisalegend has no more insight into Cortese's thinking than anyone else on here. Anyone is entitled to speculate but not state speculation as fact. A review of the management structure would have taken place in the close season, not 3 weeks into the season, and had we won the first 3 games it is inconceivable that the manager could have been dismissed. Only two things have happened that we know of - ML's death giving more control to Cortese, and two poor home results. Those don't seem good enough reasons for the sacking of Pardew and Downes and Murdoch at that point in time, so it is understandable that people are scratching around to find some other reason. Until we know, there will be a bitter taste, regardless of who is appointed, and only a Wow name will take the edge off that.

European - Leonardo - although Brazilian, he has Italian citizenship, so he and Cortese could talk the same language Wow - MON, and if he came its inconceivable that he would agree to play second fiddle to Les Reed, so would be a fantastic step forward. English up and coming - not what I fancy, although it is what I most expect, but like Pardew it could just as easily turn out to be a down and going. Almost doesn't matter who, as this option would just be another gamble.

I don't believe the official statement so I can only speculate about Cortese's motives but it seems to me that he needs to make clear what are his priorities. Does he want a team that will get promoted this year and go on the challenge in the Champ without a huge makeover next year, or is it to bring on quality players from the Academy that will save on transfer fees in 4 or 5 years time? It might be possible to have both but only if the new manager has full control of the first team, while Reed does his job without interfereing in first team affairs, and that includes which players to bring in.

If it's true that the job has been downgraded to someone working alongside the Football Development & Support Centre, first team management will no longer have the same priority. This is a recipe for internal conflict and not likely to attract some experienced managers. Hard to see any top manager willing to work alongside, with equal status to, the youth team manager, because that is what Reed's position effectively is. Someone out of work and desperate for a job looks the most likely outcome and if he did well, he'd soon be off to a club where he could have full control. My faith in Cortese was already falling over the various other issues, including the stupid photo policy. Its now close to zero. I'm just pleased I don't have a season ticket, as I can choose whether to go to games or not.

Astute comment. It does seem likely that if the players did know, so would their WAGS and their WAGS' best friends, and so the rest of us by now. If we assume that the players don't know, and if all they got was something similar to the oficial statement that didn't make sense either in content or timing, its easy to see why they might be as pee'd off asa the rest of us. As Cortese didn't have a replacement lined up, or so it seems, maybe he is hoping to pinch someone who is currently working for another club, but if so its a gamble.

I do agree with those comments, and wondered why either Wilkins or Downes didn't encourage him to be more adventurous. Maybe Wilkins approach over the last week provides some answer to that. What saved Pardew for me was that he constructed a good squad last season that performed well. Well, but not good enough because of poor results at low-placed teams, such as Wycombe and Tranmere. We then had the close season which was largely, although not completely, wasted and the poor pre-season. How much of this was entirely Pardew's fault, I can't say, since the effect of Cortese and Reed is an unknown. The sacking still looks a mystery, and until we hear Pardew's side of the story it will probably remain so.

Unlike past dimissals of managers, this appears to have been done for no good reason and with no regard to timing. The published reason is entirely illogical as a structural change should have been made in the close season, not in September, so frankly that doesn't wash as a reason. This has all the hallmarks of a stamping foot, something that we haven't seen with past chairmen. Like them or not, past decisions were taken calmly, whereas this looks more like tremper tantrum. It bodes very ill for the club that I love, and shows why personal ownership of football clubs can look fine to fans while an owner is pumping in money, but things can also go disasterously wrong. This minus 15 points could look like minus 20 in a couple of weeks.

Didn't think it was utter crap, not the first 10 minutes or so. For 10 minutes I was expecting us to score, but as the game went on it became apparant that players who knew where the net was last week had short memories because this week they didn't have a clue. As for the second half it was dire, and made worse by incomprehensible subbing of the only two players who looked a real threat. I noticed on the OS that the price Cortese paid to keep Wilkins on board was to promise him a job, otherwise he'd have had no interim manager, but on this basis Wilko should check that he knows where the boot cleaning kit is, 'cos he doesn't seem to have much future in the dugout.

Did I imagine it? Did this man ever work for Southampton FC? Did he play any part in the last 12 months? I only ask because this name seems to have been erradicated from the Club's memory. Not a mention on the OS. Not a word in today's programme. Did Cortese do his training in Communist China?

For those who wanted the link, its here:- http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/saints/news/8372214.Saints_looking_for_loan_deal_striker/ The relevant text is:- "Caretaker manager Dean Wilkins revealed the club had tried to bring in some new faces on Tuesday ahead of the transfer deadline. But, despite their efforts, Saints were unable to secure any signings. “We’ve tried, we have tried, but it hasn’t worked out,” said Wilkins. The man who has stepped into Alan Pardew’s shoes has admitted the squad does need strengthening, and it is no secret the club has been looking to add players up front and out wide. "

Think Phil Brown is looking too desparate for a job - any job. Wasn't he making a play on TV - was it MoD2 - for some other vacancy - Villa maybe? Serious candidates usually keep their comments for the people who are making the decision, rather than bidding for the job in the media or to the public.

All summer a lot of fans have been concerned and surprised at the limited signings, especially as the need was even greater with the loss of the fast, wide players. Interesting to see Dean Wilkins saying they tried to bring more than one player in before the window closed, although a lot of people would say it was all left far too late. The line taken by some, that the club were just waiting to get better players at the last minute now looks mistaken, but was the lack of signings down to Pardew, or was it other factors, including willingness to spend? Whether or not the transfer policy was a factor in the Pardew sacking maybe we will learn at some point, but if the failure to bring players in is down to management, then surely Cortese shares in that failure?

Just back from a week's holiday to this. Unbelieveable, and that's from someone who has been ready to criticise Pardew, but the chairman should manage the manager, and sacking him is just a sign of failure by the chairman. If Cortese wanted things done differently, in his position he should have been able to ensure that. You can't help wondering if Markus was the obstacle to Cortese's desire to get rid, but to do it now, and apparantly without a replacement lined up, is pure madness. If we miss promotion this year, Cortese has lined himself up to take the blame, so he'd better hope this works out or Saints fans will simply vote with their feet.

Unlucky is never an excuse in football. Clearly the decision was taken after the the first two games and may have taken account of the poor pre-season and transfer non-activity. Pardew thought the squad was good enough but it looks like Cortese doesn't agree. It has happened early enough for the new man to get in and get going. Better than a change at Christmas. Good luck to NC and to whoever we are having.

You'd have to give chapter and verse on this one, because its an old trick to claim people are saying something they are not, and then to rubbish what is NOT being said. It may well be that Markus' illness was an obstacle to signing for a time, but it is still the case that our close season and transfer window signings of 3 FBs, plus Do Prado's loan, is less than most fans expected given the players who left. There is a stated intention to bring in at least one more permanent signing if the deal can be done and that does make discussion about the Tuesday deadline entirely rational as we all know its usual for there to be a glut of moves on the last day. We can put out a good team, Saturday's result showed that but Pardew has indicated that he wants to fill the role(s) covered last year by Papa and Antonio. That is not 'chucking money about', it is prudent team management. Injuries have also shown we can be vulnerable to losing key players, which is probably where a loan after Tuesday is more likely. Isn't that what Pardew has implied by what he has said?

Getting only one point from the first two home games was not good enough, and even the rose tinted glasses that a few people seem to use all the time wouldn't change that fact. It certainly had been worrying Pardew, because he said as much in the interview, that if the side had not won at Bristol Rovers the team would have been under considerable pressure. The manager can't afford to forget about previous perfomances because they provide the information he needs to try to get the best possible performance in the next game. Its all very well for loyalist fans to make excuses when opposition teams score, or when our team can't produce enough chances, or when players fail to take chances that they should. Thats what fans do, and there are plenty of examples in the posts on here, but managers have to be more professional than that and Pardew was. He obviously is doing just that, because that also came across in what he said, but was it a 'great interview'? No, it was largely reactive, and when the answer to 'who did your side play last week Alan?' was, 'Sorry, I can't remember' ( I paraphrase), whilst that wasn't too big a deal, it was a surprise that he couldn't remember. I suggest that Alec Ferguson could tell you who his side have played.

No Deppo, he doesn't, and he doesn't count to Pardew either. Possibly you didn't read the item on the OS properly, but Harlee has been signed to join the development squad, not the first team. I don't think you'll find he's the replacement for Papa Waigo.

Interesting that Faz, because when I was acting as coach for an amateur side I always found it hard to drop a player who was playing well on Saturdays, even if others were looking good in training. True it was just one training night a week and a totally different level of football. Martin and Fonte will both make mistakes in games but performance does have to be judged over 90 minutes under real pressure and my feeling is that Martin will keep the place if he does well enough in the league matches, because training sessions really aren't at the same level of commitment.

Refreshing the previous 'one more by Saturday' thread, as Saturday passed without one more. No mention of signings in Pardew's post-match interview, which was fair enough as he was being asked about the great performance at Bristol Rovers. From his earlier statements about signings before the transfer window closed, it sounded as if they were looking at a player or two on permanent deals, not just loans. With the transfer window closing on Tuesday will we be in the last day rush? Lallana and Lambert are already showing that injured players can't come straight back into the side and perform at top ability for 90 minutes, and with Richardson's injury making him the forgotten player at the moment, the need for genuine cover and for the wide MF that Pardew knows he needs, is becoming even more important. A loan or two might handle some of this, but at least one more addition to the permanent squad would increase confidence that injuries will not undermine us.

Are you sure you were listening to the same interview as on the Solent link? Apart from the thanks to the travelling fans, which was appropriate, he simply answered the questions put to him. Very much a run-of-the mill, interviewer led session, whereas from the thread title I was expecting something exceptional. It was a bit worrying that Pardew couldn't actually remember which team Saints played and dropped 2 points to at home last week (Orient). Very surprised that the result was not more impressed on his memory. I was glad he responded to the question about Aaron Martin by confirming that the CB position is now Martin's for the time being. Pardew did say its up to Jaidi to earn the shirt back, but if it's true that the position is now Martin's its hard to see what Jaidi can do to get it back except wait to see if Martin makes any mistakes.

Brilliant result, fabulous performance, could not have asked for more. Lallana's injury only downer, except - - we're still below Rochdale (Rochdale!) How did that happen??

do Prado on and immediately dispossed! Maybe L1 is a bit quicker than Serie B?

Listening on Saints Player - why do they tell us that Saints are playing Left to Right, because they are also playing Right to Left? It all depends which side of the pitch you are on, and it makes no difference to the commentary which it is. A team's Right side is its Right side, and its Left is its Left, regardless of which end they are attacking! In fairness to Laurence Herman and Dave Merrington, many radio commentators seem to fall into the same trap of providing pointless information, apparantly unaware that since radio listeners can't see what the commentators can see, the direction they are watching is immaterial.