VectisSaint

We have 5 players now who did not play under Ralph, that's half a team.

1 down to Leeds after 4 minutes.

Is he the son of Jay?

Remember this is Division 2

Jason Dodd also had 69 appearances in the First Division (pre Premier League). MLT has the most top flight appearances, 443. Mick Channon has more Southampton top flight apps than JWP (346) and Terry Paine has 320.

True, but if Martin was to be Assistant then who does what Martin did before. We are currently 3 bodies down on where we were.

I think the search now should be for a good assistant. Selles can't do it all.

Given JWP was booked for time wasting during the time added on it would have been strange if the ref had not added on some time to the 12 minutes.

Or was there no available alternative, you would have squeezed if he had picked Lyanco, DCC and Salisu not available/out of favour, even Bree who can allegedly play centre not in squad. If he still picks Janny B when these players are available then you have a point. Don't understand AMN over KWP, or why Walcott, Moi are in the squad but not Edozie or Aribo or Orsic. Think there is more going on behind the scenes which we are not party too.

However good he is, he needs help, a good assistant. We are currently 3 staff down on where we were, may be we don't need 3, but there has to be some assistance for a rookie manager. If assistance doesn't come in then it is likely SR are still looking for a new manager.

It was suggested by Le Tissier. I think that's why it has arisen. I don't think anyone seriously thinks he would be a good manager (for Saints) but maybe he could add something to the coaching team, Selles certainly needs some assistance, since Jones sacking we have gone from 7 coaching staff to 4 (I assume Carl Martin, Andrew Sparkes and Alex Gross are still on board). Have to assume that at least 2 of those 3 carried out worthwhile (if unsuccessful) duties.

What is Garry Monk doing these days? I know he wasn't too successful in his latter stints but hell he has some experience and Saints connection, he could also bring Beattie with him as he was often part of his backup team. Monk, Selles and Beattie might not be such a bad shout, nothing really to lose.

I doubt any of this, why wouldn't his severance terms have been explicitly defined in his contract? No one would enter into a contract without terms and conditions being set out (neither side). Doubt he would be entitled to full amount of his contract either.

Really don't understand much of this. First point though is Crocker has not gone, he is still here until the end of the season. Second, he didn't come from an Amateur set up, he joined from England having previously been at Saints. I don't believe there is a club problem with Academies, it is a problem throughout English professional football, especially at the Premier League level. There is very little prospect of an Academy player getting into a PL team nowadays. Only the very very best make it. The best young players (the one likely to make it) are hoovered up by Chelsea, Man City, Arsenal etc, regardless of their original club. Then when they find they are not getting a pathway at an elite club they are farmed out to lesser clubs, then blocking the pathway for the best of those at the lesser club academies. Those young players that don't make it all too often are then lost to football, because they have lead a pandered existence and don't see that a career at a lower league/conference club is still a worthwhile course to follow. I don't know the answer, but do think there is some merit in introducing B teams into the main league structure in this country (I know its unpopular), as they do in Spain and Germany. There are far too many decent footballers kicking around, wasting their time and careers in Academy football.

I can't see how anyone can judge Sellers as a manager after 6 months as a coach to Ralph and Tom Jones. I don:y think he is the right man to manage is this season but I don't think he should be thrown on the scrap heap based on what has happened this term. I think the way forward is to bring James Beattie and Marianne Spacey in as a triumvirate with Ruben.

Selles joined last Summer, 7 months.

Jones sacked. Brief enough. Not much else to add really.

Perhaps we should promote from within, Marianne Spacey seems to know how to grind out results, at least in the Championship. Other thought was perhaps we should go for Lampard, Uncle 'Arry could come and help him out and bring the boy Jamie along too. Poch would never come back, and certainly not while KL is still around (she is still around isn't she?). Gerrard is off to Leeds, and would jump ship the minute Klopp leaves Liverpool. I honestly have no clue who we could get, but it is worrying that the same people and process who recruited Jones will be looking for his replacement. Did they have other names lower on their list than Jones? Who says they can't do any worse. The bloke from Havant & Waterlooville might be worth a shout.

Mr O G Bednarek. I understand that was his 5th OG.

But Jesus was our full back, so not really expected.

6 blocked shots, which are really shots on target, except they're cleared by defender rather than keeper See Forster is doing his best at Spurs, bet they wish they could have Gazza back.

Drew 2-2 with lowly Sunderland this afternoon. Still top, but now only 2 points above Leeds who have a game in hand. Seems to me they would have done well to have had a few first team players in the team today 😉

It would obviously have been far better to have come out and say exactly what the team is going to do to counter Wolves this week, that would have been really cool. Then we would all have been absolutely clear (if we aren't already) that he is a knob.

I thought one of the most interesting points that came out of this was that they are alleged to have downplayed the amount paid to their manager by using their multi-club structure to effectively employ him at another club. I hope SR take note and don't try any underhand means like this. SR do seem to see Man City as a role model and a source of good staff. Whilst it would be nice if Jones was actually employed by Goztepe, it might not do us any good in the long run.

We didn't. You cannot recall from a season long loan without the agreement of the loanee club and the player. From what I understand neither Burnley or Tella wanted him to leave Burnley, so nothing we could do. Tella would have been a mug to come back, playing in a successful team, doing well with a manager and club that appreciates him. I seriously doubt we will ever see him in a Saints shirt again.