Red

the wars :-)

Umm not sure - he can leave for tribunal (close to nothing) at the end of the season if he does not renew his contract. We must surely have offered him a new one - so by no means certain he will sign a new one. In that case (i.e. if he refuses to sign a new contract) 3M from anyone would not be sniffed at?

..... and NC is not such a "see you next Tuesday" then ?

Amen !! At last the light is dawning :-)

Who cares - he's gone, let's move on now please ! We need to deal with life as it is NOT as we would like it to be. Whatever any one says or does AP is not coming back, and we have a simple choice either support Saints or AP. I was initially disappointed when AP was sacked, but for whatever reason there was always a festering sore whilst he was here, so whilst we may face a temporary setback, the future is RED (good). Even from AL's latest interview on the official website, something was not right - he hasn't trained all season / was unfit at the start of the season / needed the op and much better for it ???? AP - did you not know / care? Season starts now - let's get behind the mighty Saints !!!!!

TS maybe you should apply for the vacant (apparently if you believe leftback:-)) analyst job! That is a great summary of 4.5 min interview - captured all the revelant points - well done sir :-)

Agree 100% SC! So maybe NC is not quite the **** that many others think??? Oh and BTW strange to see no suicidal rants on here tonight - quelle surprise

You are so wrong here - have you seen what even the half decent bankers are earning in bonuses again???? NC could earn a shed laod more in his previous role, and without all this crap to go with it !!!!!! I know - let's go back to the old leadership team and be happy watching a great team in the BSL - except we would still be struggling because there would be no money at all !

Or perphaps LeftBack is the analyst in question, who got sacked for being crap at his job and now has an axe to grind??? Can't imagine NC would be sacking a young and by implication junior employee of the club - after all he is too much of a megalomaniac to bother with such low creatures :-)

Just watched the recorded BBC football league show from Sat eve - good profile for Saints, but I have to say having watched L1 part twice, I am at a complete loss as to why we are in the position we currrently find ourselves???? Most of the L1 teams are utter garbage (bar SW who are not doing so well either, and possibly Udders - not totally convinced about them). On paper our squad is miles better, and the level and skill of the other teams is dire (maybe L1 level I guess?). So why are we struggling? Even allowing for the recent issues, we weren't dominant last year or even in the games with AP in charge this season (Brizzle was probably a fluke). Maybe teams raise their game against us as we are the "big boys", but that does not work for me - Norwich, Leeds, even us had the same issue last year and yet all coped (also happens in all other leagues). No, I think there is some other issue - is our team too good for L1? We all know that top European players sometimes struggle with the PL due to a different style of play etc. (Robino for example - yes I know he is not European but the example is valid). Could it be that we need L1 bruisers and thugs, rather than the silky skills??

bit like you then?

Are you ITK, or is this just more speculation? :-)

Scene at NC’s office Monday 8am : NC: Miss Money Pound do you like my new large Italian flag? MP: Yes Nicky it looks just great on the wall above you – no one could possibly miss it! NC: And Money, please show that idiot ..... I mean Wilkins in, grazie. NC: Ah Simplekins, mattina. How was your weekend? DW: Very good thank you God Father, I mean Mr. Cortese Sir, I mean Sir Cortese, no no I mean Lord Cortese ... I think? NC: buono, buono. Actually mine was merda, grande merda!!! DW: Oh really what happened? NC: Never mind that I have MON waiting in reception, so I will get to the point – YOU ARE FIRED!!! DW: But but but, sorry I don’t mean your backside – but I did everything you asked of me?? NC: che cosa (what the ****)? DW: Well you asked me to keep a clean sheet and show some goals, and I did that in all three games. NC: stupido!!!! Even a football virgin like me knows you have to keep a clean sheet for your team and score against the other team ! DW: Well for a Swiss you certainly weren’t precision enough in your instructions! I think I have a good case for unfair dismissal NC: Buono, sue me in the Swiss courts, now vaffanculo ciao !

Scene at NC’s office Monday 8am : NC: Miss Money Pound do you like my new large Italian flag? MP: Yes Nicky it looks just great on the wall above you – no one could possibly miss it! NC: And Money, please show that idiot ..... I mean Wilkins in, grazie. NC: Ah Simplekins, mattina. How was your weekend? DW: Very good thank you God Father, I mean Mr. Cortese Sir, I mean Sir Cortese, no no I mean Lord Cortese ... I think? NC: buono, buono. Actually mine was merda, grande merda!!! DW: Oh really what happened? NC: Never mind that I have MON waiting in reception, so I will get to the point – YOU ARE FIRED!!! DW: But but but, sorry I don’t mean your backside – but I did everything you asked of me?? NC: che cosa (what the ****)? DW: Well you asked me to keep a clean sheet and show some goals, and I did that in all three games. NC: stupido!!!! Even a football virgin like me knows you have to keep a clean sheet for your team and score against the other team ! DW: Well for a Swiss you certainly weren’t precision enough in your instructions! I think I have a good case for unfair dismissal NC: Buono, sue me in the Swiss courts, now vaffanculo ciao !

Scene at NC’s office Monday 8am : NC: Miss Money Pound do you like my new large Italian flag? MP: Yes Nicky it looks just great on the wall above you – no one could possibly miss it! NC: And Money, please show that idiot ..... I mean Wilkins in, grazie. NC: Ah Simplekins, mattina. How was your weekend? DW: Very good thank you God Father, I mean Mr. Cortese Sir, I mean Sir Cortese, no no I mean Lord Cortese ... I think? NC: buono, buono. Actually mine was merda, grande merda!!! DW: Oh really what happened? NC: Never mind that I have MON waiting in reception, so I will get to the point – YOU ARE FIRED!!! DW: But but but, sorry I don’t mean your backside – but I did everything you asked of me?? NC: che cosa (what the ****)? DW: Well you asked me to keep a clean sheet and show some goals, and I did that in all three games. NC: stupido!!!! Even a football virgin like me knows you have to keep a clean sheet for your team and score against the other team ! DW: Well for a Swiss you certainly weren’t precision enough in your instructions! I think I have a good case for unfair dismissal NC: Buono, sue me in the Swiss courts, now vaffanculo ciao !

Love it !!!! Completely agree :-)

You do realise what a complete prat you have made of yourself don't you?

Actions speak louder than words! And why does it take until now and the current circumstances for our "top professional" to realise he is unfit and not pulling his weight??? Lot's of answers to this, but for now RL just prove it on the pitch as the new manager may not think you are the god that AP thought you were and hence the automatic selection - then again I guess you figured that out, hence the "opening your sole" moment. For any one worried about our prima dona's not accepting the new manager (regardless of their status), this is a perfect example of why that is a non issue - RL knows only too well that despite being our best player last year, two years ago he was a nobody, and there were NO offers for him during the summer break

Good God how many times???? Read the official announcement - AP was not on board with the long term plan that NC/SFC have, and the overall development (youth delopment etc.). Reason for exact timing is not known, but then you cannot expect every minute detail - anyway it maybe subject to confidentiality and leagal issues on both sides (don't see Ap spilling the beans if he was so hard done by?). Whether one chooses to believe SFC official versions is up to them - not sure where it gets them however? But reasons have been given.

Some people and comments on this site leave me completely at a loss ! Unless I am living in a parallel universe, the situation as I see it, and the so called facts are: 1. AP is sacked. Very clear in the official statement as to why if people what to look for it and believe it. Simply, in my view did not get on message with the NC/Saints long term plan. Timing might be questionable, but I think something happened on the Saturday night to spark the final straw for NC (probably over transfer targets). 2. NC (and ML prior to his passing) have invested massively, not only in buying the club, but also in the infrastructure (new training facilities, youth development, new teams for youth development inc. Les Reed etc. to implement a European type of model based on Barcelona / Ajax. 3. All of this was made perfectly clear to AP, no doubt the new manager and the fans. 4. We are a league 1 club (mid table at that). 5. Despite no.4, we still attracted 30 to 50 applicants for the manager’s job – can’t be that much of a laughing stock then? 6. Media speculation (again despite what they say publically clearly do not think we are a laughing stock) and some folks on here suggest high profile names, and some fell for it ! 7. Maybe we did approach and interview high profile names but they could not accept the set up NC wants. 8. We approach a young, highly qualified, proven (at this level and one above) manager, who buys in to the plan, is ambitious and wants to grow with us – and for this he drops a division and security of probably a life time job. 9. NA has been approached by bigger clubs a few times during his career (Swansea etc. – and before anyone comments, YES Swansea are a bigger club than us at the moment). 10. We are lucky to have NA, not the other way around. Yet, people have written off NA before he is even officially announced – if I were him I would seriously reconsider on the fan reaction. We are always crying out for young English managers to be given a chance, and when we look like we might .........  BTW, since when did AP become a GOD – certainly not when he came here first / failed to get us in the play off’s last year / earlier this year / tactically during games ....... oh I know when he was sacked  In which case may be NA also has a chance to become a Saints god, I hope not, and so welcome NA and good luck !!!!

He is a clear improvement over AP in that they will get on and work together! No matter how good / high profile a manager, if he does not get on with the Chairman then it will never work in the long run (as the Saggy chops and RL example perfectly illustrates). Let's give the new man a chance before we write him off - he might just be exactly what we need?

Just a thought, could it be Nigel Pearson? Fits in with some of the rumours - young up and coming English manager, proven at this level, a familiar face, would be a possible WOW factor with a lot of the fans (judging by what was said when he left). Just can't fit in the MON bit, and then can't win them all. Hasn't made a great start at Hull. Not ITK, just a thought?

We need the White Witch back to clear the evil spirits :-) Remember we had to dot his when we couldn't win many games after first moving to St. Mary's, and indeed our form picked up as a result! May be the effect has worn off ??????

Bray Wonders (in Ireland) who once played Saints in pre season and won :-) Also follow Woking, as I saw them a few times when I lived there.

Wasn't aimed at you SB - at least you said what you knew/heard/suspect etc. (whether it's true or not is not my issue - we can decide to believe what we read as you say), what gets me is tossers who say they know something but won't what that is - what is the point of even bothering to type something like that???? If you have nothing to say don't say it - simples :-)