dubai_phil

WGS was always "quirky" He had a rough time in his later days at Coventry, came here (with some reservations from the fans) but proved himself. He then went on to manage "a BIG club" with a degree of success. Where does he actually go from there? The PL is a bigger stage than the SPL, but would he settle for mid-table mediocrity in some mid-table English town or City? To manage at the same level as Celtic in the PL he has to look at one of the top 4, or at worst Villa/Man City. Is it feasible any of those would hire him at this point in time? So the sales pitch is there - the unfinished business, the lifestyle of Warsash and not having to commute, all of which in the real world get tempered with "Celtic & CL to L1" - you're having a laugh, never go back type comments. It makes sense, it is do-able, would he work in a DoF continental structure? Could our supposed DoF ever be as experienced as the wee man? Would the wee-man be looked at as DoF acting as mentor for Svennson or another young coach? It works, the timing is right and it really really really could happen

Rugby 7's weekend mate...

Yep - I won't be there - just blagged a Corp Hostility package for the FP final so will be at Lords! Unless it rains of course

Hot News just in The Dubai Saints boys have just completed their official takeover party. We started at 11am your time at Waxy O'Connors with a full Irish Breakfast, 5 Pints each and a roast dinner (10.80 each). We got slightly distracted by the whole dancing drunk chicks thingy but stayed well clear of any beaches down here. We just got home now. We progressed from Waxy's to our Spiritual home Rock Bottom and (wisely) in the spirit of our new owners stayed off the Bullfrogs and can happily report that we met a PL and former Saints Legend - none other than John Burridge, who bought beers and generally entered into the spirirt of things and entered the karaoke competition with us. (Luckily Eric kept running to the bathroom when it was his turn to sing) We had a big lol explaining to Budgie's better half's pals how massive Budgie was in English Football and of course for us and all about the Shearer debut, but when it came down to a real tough one on one physical combat, you will be pleased to know that your correspondent not only beat Budgie into 2nd place but also walloped what appeared to be the Lead singers form Bon Jovi, Metallica and Queen. Yep - The Buggles walked this karaoke league and I'm 60 quid's worth of booze vouchers in profit for the whole day out! More news and a new Budgie the Singer Avatar to follow, Eric will have an on the spot description of his "not ghey honestly" shirt (Unfortunately mine got a bit stained by Jaegerbombs when (amazingly) I managed to miss my mouth). Eric is also looking forward to using his 3 posts explaining how to be a babe magnet Swiss rock and right now so do the Buggles. All I have to do now is wake up in time to get the flight tomorrow for my interview as new manager. Shpeesh of splake

Everybody IS happy. However even our new CEO has expressed concern at the course of events, which could have led to us missing the boat, and certainly seem to have led to us losing two (or possibly 3) players. We can argue whether they would have been any good in L1, we can argue whether replacements would be better, but did Fry get sell-on clauses? Did his actions affect our future? Questions that Cortesa is concerned about and which Fry has stated he will talk about. We damn near lost the lottery ticket, after many years it seems our luck changed which is great, but wow could have been done 6 weeks ago

There is a new dawn. The comparison of NP's results versus Wotte/JP is in reality a hang over from he old days of having nothing but mundaneness to hope for. NP's results ON THEIR own were not great, and, remember it was the last game of the season when we stayed up, we didn't stay up in a blend of miracle football. So, the comparisons are history now, they belong to "The DARK AGES" when any one glimmer of hope was lost into a morass of political infighting. Chris Nicholl was a good manager for us, he left and wasn't a good manager. The world is full of these types of stories. There is now only ONE thing to worry about Will our new man be able to hit the ground running and actually get OUR SQUAD playing WINNING FOOTBALL this season?

An average Management Consultant will charge 1k a day. BT had two senior officers (Fry & Talyor) assigned to this project, others have intimated the fees were around 10k a day. 98 days at 10 per day (5k per officer) is highly likely, which is 980k. Then they are based in a London Office and I believe Fry is located in Southend, so there will have been expenses, hotel stays, meal allowances, travel and mileage costs, mobile phone calls, overtime. The figure GM indicates is very plausible and is one of the key reasons that the entire process is a conflict of interest. Get the best deal for the creditors versus do it quickly and cheaply.

It was coming back from the pub time - we're like you Euro types - eat late go out late!

Gemmel - shame on you. You come onto a takeover thread and say THAT..... Wasn't that the whole POINT:)

I did the respect bit earlier. I just get annoyed at the wishy washy ness. Life is about choices. If you are HAPPY in your job, you feel you are achieving and have a work/life balance, then any WISE person also fully understand the old adage about people being promoted to one level above that of their maximum incompetence. So the WISE person says, I am happy, my life is good, no boss I understand you need help and I will give as much as I can but I cannot do that new job. That isn't egotism, it's realism as a wise person understands they are likely to fail. Some "Go For It", a few succeed, but most fail. Wotte told us he was reluctant to take the job. Ergo he should have stayed where he was happy and competent AND secure. He didn't, he's gone and NO amount of niceness or professionalism wil hide the fact that he failed. He talks the tak, I have no concerns about him, he will find work. But what about the other nice guys and gals out there getting canned for the failures of others in the banks etc... Don't see any threads in the Lounge about them He didn't stay in the comfort zone. he went for it. We got relegated. Simply put - he showed a lack of wisdom and he got fired. As for wisdom on here, dream on, we have schoolkids through to OAP's. Taxi drivers and comedians through to CEO's. There will never be balance, that is why it is so much fun and why I always defend anyone's ability to say what they want, hell even our resident grumpies/mind changers and trolls.

Swiss takeover in boost to local business shocker. The Echo understands that the recent takeover of Southampton has seen a boom in businesses related to the football club. The Echo tried to contact the founders of The Saints Web for a comment but were advised that they were currently attending their monthly Board Meeting which this month was being unexpectedly held in Antigua. The Echo also understands that there are rumours that senior executives from Facebook and Twitter are seeking urgent meetings with TSW executives in order to assess the viability of purchasing licencing agreements in order to ride the wave of business expansion that has seen rumours of Vol-au Vent shortages in the Southampton area.

1978-84?

Anyone else suffer post traumatic thread symptoms today? My day was completely back to front. Instead of coming upstairs to read this and saying Oh FFS, I kept popping downstairs to the telly with the Ashes on and going Oh FFS.............

I once sent my dream business plan to a mate in Bahrain who knew a zillionaire. How the hell did it end up in Switzerland? I mean I gave Wotte at least two days in my plan!

Don't worry St Marco, it's football. You know what that always does to you. But GOD isn't it great right now!

I'm sorry. I just do NOT buy this nice bloke sympathy stuff. Name me ONE football team that has EVER won anything by being NICE Oh, let's all get in touch with the metro man and commune with our feminine selves and be nice to each other. Wow, that will work in this league. Wotte came into the club as part of an overall desperate deluded EXPERIMENT. That almost KILLED this football club. Sorry, I am not getting at Wotte, but he wasn't up to the JOB. Hundreds of thousands of NICE people all around this world are losing their jobs in this recession. It is always the achieveres OR the complete b*stards who keep theirs. Save the sympathy for others, it is NO way to appoint a Football Club's team Manager. Wotte was not good enough to keep us up. He didn't HAVE to accept the job, in fact if he was such a NICE GUY he should have told Rupert - no and saved us a hell of a lot of pain from relegation. But he DID accept the job, he DID step up to the plate - there is NO WAY he can no go back into the "backroom staff" - HE IS A FAILURE - We are in League ONE Sure he inherited a lost cause, but at the end of the day, the team he MANAGED was RELEGATED. Goodbye to the failures of the past, the hangers on and the politics, Hello new era. He was NEVER going to be kept

Maybe you answered your own question. Taxi for a few more yet I would expect

Dear Swiss people England has a unique product called REAL Ale. It is very different from the fizzy stuff that pretends to be English Beer that you can get in the Sports Bar (Pickwicks) in Baden or in Bottles. Unfortunately it is tempermental and does need special care and attention (much like football fans) but if this really IS the new dawn then you know it makes sense. The Pouring Rights contract should be part of the Admin process and you should get some independent experts in to help you. The Campaign for Real Ale should be able to help you. Failing that, that absolutely wonderful Swiss Dunkel Bier that you can get in the few remainining Halles in Zurich would work, not as well, but would work

WGS ticks all the boxes. Lives in Southampton, unfinished business combined with a motivation to live somewhere nice and gets the fans united. If it is him I'll be stunned and over the moon, but gutted it wasn't the Dream (on) team of me & Nickh I'd also love to know where the Swiss guys got their business plan as they would show they are REALLY on the ball and have a real feel for what is needed. Strachan now in close season - gets the squad fit for L1, may have to fly back just to be able to put 50 quid on us at least getting into the playoffs

Part of the old association of hangers on. We should move on and now look to celebrate our history through Excellence on the football pitch, not in old failed associations, would be politicians or egotistical local businessmen. Appoint an ex player with the role to build a new fans association from scratch, with a mandate to use new communications techniques, media and processes to provide a worthwhile, realistic and effective voice for the fans. Former occupants of boardrooms or nearly self appointed committees need not apply

Interestingly. Marcus admitted to reading the fans forum comments on the Echo site which helped to "motivate him to succeed" Perhaps his team of secret agents have been scouring this site for the real ideas and feelings. Wotte unexpectedly goes, Nickh & DP on the shortlist due to public demand I vote for GET DECENT EFFING BEER IN PLEASE GUYS and have a REAL ALE FESTIVAL and MONTHLY Live Gigs in association with Saints Aid Oh and drop the stupid dated Mascots. Just appoint Lucy Pinder as official club mascot HTH - should keep it going another hour or so

New posters OUT. You think you can suddenly pop up on here and open HUNDREDS of DIFFERENT threads about DIFFERENT topics. THIS IS NOT WHAT TSW IS ALL ABOUT. have you NO respect for the old, the sick and the mentally impaired? This is no FANS FORUM, this is an NHS clinical trial funded by major drugs companies/ The regular posters are all stakeholders in an attempt to build the world's first fully on-line counselling service. We stand to lose BILLIONS if we have to share it with a few sensible, motivated and BALANCED people. Clear off back to the Pub, the lot of you, don't you know they'll go bust without you lot in there sorting it all out every day! (ok I'm being ironic, it sometimes passes for humour on here - welcome one and all)

Oh keep up, no time for something so trivial. We are well down the road on our REAL masterplan to takeover the Sk8tes. Everything so far has been a smokescreen you fools! We have a proper and professional 5 year plan so that it looks just like systemic bad luck whilst causing them the most pain imaginable. Why else would I have got my old mate Sultan bin Trump to lead it.. After all - they started the war with that whole shirt buried at SMS story, been planning this revenge for 7 years, ever since the White Witch thing went wrong Although, To be fair I think both Nickh & I showed a little bit of creativity with our tactical changes - after all according to nickh mine were so far advanced as to be hardly legal, so maybe you are right, Liebe Markus, Ich bin ein Englander und ich bin ein fantastiche fussball manager mein mate> Ich hoffe zum Engerland gekoomen fur die cricketish inz Julio auf die Uberluete platz ins Londonium. (Of and yes I managed to print my UEFA Pro certificate out of a fake old copy of CM03 I bought in a market in Thailand for 2 quid)

A wise long term decision for the club taken at exactly the right time. Wotte was not the right man for the job, yes he acted with dignity and professionalism, but he was only appointed in the first place as their was no ther choice financially or personnel wise due to the mess the previous regime got us into. He was not universally backed by the fans for "Footballing Reasons" so well done to the transition team. Many appoinments need to be made with a long term view, we have had too many bandages and sticking plaster remedies. this shows somebody is thinking and planning. Their trainset, their plans, their money. First call is spot on, makes me even happier than I was before this news. From a human perspective, football managers come and go, yes it is sad, no he did nothing wrong, and conducted himself well. Mind you, Nickh or myself could have done that as could many on here. Bon Voyage Mr Wotte.

new era move on goodbye to anyone associated with the collective failures of the past. Oldnow involvement -w ell fine of course somebody had to help the acquisition team, and needs to know what is going on. He was an officer not someone who made critical errors Oh and anyone who thinks Crouch didn't have a few clauses attached to his loan does a "respected businessman" a major disservice Anyone associated with our past should be offered a spot in an ex-Directors box, let them all come and pay for their tickets, Leon & Lawrie probably happiest in their box, Rupert, Andrew, Hone, Dullbloke, Corbett, Richards, Askham etc in an ex directors box (pref in the Northam). This is a NEW era - our past should be about people who EXCELLED on the FOOTBALL PITCH. End of