Professor

Some people would just like anyone other than the current board in charge, but most people favouring a takeover are understandably, desperate to see Saints back in the Prem and can't see that happening without a massive input of money. They may be right, although Hull and WBA could be demonstrating that there are other ways to get back to compete in the top league. If SFC had a foreign manager (which we have already) and a first 11 consisting of 6 South American internationals and 5 African internationals, plus squad players from France, Italy and Germany., etc., who knows, we could be in the top 6 of the Prem in a year or two, but where would Southampton be in that? That would not be The Saints. Is a team wearing our shirts all that matters, regardless of who they are?

According to BBC, Burley has had a vote of confidence from the SFA Chairman - so thats OK then.....

Score predictions can best be classed as (1) guesswork, (2) wishful thinking or (3)fearful pessimism. The uncertainty of football kept the Pools Companies in business for many, many years. It is just sad that so many self-confessed Saints fans, posting on this thread are in the pessimist category. I was almost one myself recently, after the Blackpool and Barnsley games, but I have rediscovered the faith and I predict a WIN.

The above doesn't actually make sense, but never mind. Just wish people who want to insult Lowe would try to find a words that are actually relevant to the issue - "arrogance" doesn't always fit, although neither does it make sense to blame Lowe for everything that is debated on here. As well as omitting Gasmi and Thomas, the injury list on the OS also doesn't mention Svennson, Schneiderlin or Holmes. Is that also Lowe's arrogant scheming or just a failure of editorial control? Ryan Smith is on the OS already, but information on injuries seems to be an area that doesn't get enough attention. The OS has got better since James Morley took over but there are still things that need improving, injury updates and player profiles to name two. PS. Next time I have bad cup of tea in the SMS I must remember its Lowe who arrogantly refuses to allow them to make a better cuppa.

After the Blackpool and Barnsley games, I decided not to go to games until performances improved. Maybe I'm a bit of a fair weather fan, but I do like to feel the day out has been worthwhile. I'll be back for the Watford game, and whilst I'm only one of the missing 5000 or so, there must be a lot of others who are going to do the same.

Obviously Fulthorpe is a very astute businessman if this report is true. Just as he is about to try to buy shares from Lowe, Wilde and any other substantial shareholders who he needs to persuade to sell, Fulthorpe meets a complete stranger at a bookmaker's table, and tells him about his plans to bid for shares in SLH plc. Excellent way of getting the share price up. Or......maybe Long Shot's other assessment waas correct - Walter Mitty attention seeker.

The failing today was Surman taking the second penalty, giving the goalkeeper the advantage of having seen him take the first. You should give no advantages to the opposition, so the kick should not have been taken by the same player. According to Cope and Armstrong on Radio Hampshire, Surman wrested the ball away from DMG to take the kick. This should be decided before the game, or the decision should be made by the captain (who doesn't have much else to do in that role, anyway). In principle, two penalties in the same game should always be taken by different players. It mattered today, as we would be one place higher in the table for scoring one more goal.

One lesson learned - The manager should issue an absolute instruction - If you get two penalties in a game, the second one should ALWAYS be taken by a different player - removes any advantage that the goalkeeper might have from having seen how the player takes his penalties.

Robertson is only on loan! Possibly for just 3 months. Seems harsh that some people want to criticise trying out another striker when it is an area that any team can always try to improve, and needs adequate cover.

Unsubstantiated and very unfair comment. People can disagree with some of JP's decisions, I do, but the two things you do get from him are frankness and honesty.

What happens if we win today, Eh? What then Eh? Eh?

Thats right - the league game is more imporatant and Svensson is not fit enough to play in the important matches. Its better that he contributed to the defence that allowed 3 goals in in the Carling Cup than we lose against Doncaster by putting out a weak defence. Cork and Perry are both better than Svensson, who is now too slow. I hope he can get properly fit, but its not just the knee, he simply is not fast enough to be worth his place in the first choice 11.

Rose-tinted glasses. Pearson motivated the team to bottom place in the table, motivated them to lose a crucial home game against Burnley and watched other team's results save us on the last afternoonh. Not that good a record, really, and no evidence about JP's motivational skill's - afterall he may be trying to motivate a team that has too many players who are just not good enough.

I'm not convinced Svensson is worth his place as he has slowed down so much. Sad to say it, but feeling very pessimistic about him, and concerned that if he is played on his reputation, the defence will continue to leak goals.

The man who blames Lowe for everything because of appointing too many managers wants to another change of manager. Then he can blame Lowe again. And the height of some people's managerial ambition for Saints is to wish we still had the guy who nearly took us down last season. What we need is for THIS manager to change his youth policy, within the resources he's got in the squad, and to play more of the more experienced players. Either that or we should bid for the whole Rotherham team in January - as they are better than the 11 we put out for the cup game.

Me too. JP's failure to make proper use of Stern John - the one proven goal scorer at this level, has eroded my faith in JP's judgement. I will not return to the SMS until the team are winning games - so I could be away for a very long time.

Lowe out is pointless because there is no one to 'come in'. The Rotherham result is just about the bottom of the barrell, but it doesn't mean changing the management, it means the managment have got to change the team. This team is not good enough, and apart from emergencies or out of contract players, we can't bring anyone else in, even if the club could afford it. Lowe and Poortvleit need to tell us what they intend to do about it. They will know how the fans feel, and they will see the empty spaces in the stadium, so demonstrations won't add anything. But they do need to ACT.

Saints to win by at least 2 clear goals, probably with a clean sheet.

With the Prem League arguing about their '39th game' I'd be very happy to see the foreign-owned clubs playing all their games overseas. Fixture list of Lagos Toon v Stateside Scousers; USAMU v Arabic Arsenal; Ukrain Chelsea v Dubai ManCity, and only a handful of home country players, doesn't really have a place in the UK now, let alone in the future, so it would be great to see them pack their bags and we could get back to having an English Football League, with a few overseas or European players for sure, but a core of players qualified to play for England. It won't happen, but its nice to have a vision.

Does anyone believe that if the team was in the top four and had won the four home games, that gates would be significantly below 25,000? If you think that, there are 10,000 people missing who would turn up if the results suggested they would see a winning side.

Poorvleit has only been in football for 30+ years and has played at the highest international level, as well as being a qualified coach, but perhaps Weston is better qualified. The comment about lack of experience is mind-numbing. By all means, disagree with JPs plan to adapt the system to the players available, if you like, but not by trying to rubbish JP's knowledge of the game which is considerably higher than almost every poster on here, if not every poster.

Have you seen Skacel in training? Or at a reserve game? Just wondered, as the coach who picks the team has, but obviously you know better. If Skacel is performing he'll get in the side. PS. The coach picks the team, the board does not, but spreading totally false rumours is always a good way to rubbish the club you appear to follow - but don't actually support.

Brilliant suggestion. And who does that leave to handle the finances, run the club, train the players. Infantile posts are not the answer to Saints problems and neither is kicking the people running the club every time we fail to win a game. Supporting Saints is becoming less fun, not because of the Chairman or the coach but because of the constant bickering amongst the so-called supporters. Yes, I know, thats what fans do, but maybe its the fans who need to change.

The murky pompy ownership, arabs buying Man C, squabbling Yanks at Liverpuddle, a russian spiv at Chelski, Newcastle, West Ham.... What a mess, and people still call it 'English Football'. Saints fans desparately wanting a 100% buyout because in the end all people care about is their team getting results and if that means turning out a field full of foreign stars, so be it. I want Saints winning matches like anyone else, but I can see apoint at which I just won't bother to turn up any more if there is no player on the field that I can relate to the City, Hampshire, or the club. The pompy experience suggests that having a so-called billionaire owner is still no guarantee of staying in the Prem indefinitely, in fact 3 teams will come down this year, however rich the owners are.