Whitey Grandad

Rod Liddle in The Sunday Times today demonstrates his complete lack of understanding about the game: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ive-been-saying-it-all-season-but-ill-say-it-again-southampton-were-utterly-bonkers-to-get-rid-of-claudepuel-w7pml8msc (Paywall) “I’ve been saying it all season but I’ll say it again — Southampton were utterly bonkers to get rid of Claude Puel” “With eight games to play last season Southampton, who had narrowly lost a League Cup final to Manchester United, were sitting quite comfortably in ninth place in the Premier League with 40 points on the board and a goal difference of zero. They were to finish a very respectable eighth, albeit 30 points below fourth place. The powers that be at St Mary’s took a good long look at this achievement and decided that the best thing to do would be to sack the manager, Claude Puel. There was no great opposition from the fans: Puel was regarded as inculcating in the Saints a certain continental boredom, the ball passed around in anodyne fashion in the middle of the park, the opposing goalkeeper rarely inconvenienced. Indeed, under Puel Southampton scored only 41 goals in 38 games. When you are a fan, and perhaps a chairman, then you are apt to believe that any change must be for the better. And so boring Puel was evicted and in his place came the more flamboyant Mauricio Pellegrino. What a transformation he effected! Southampton are now scoring less than one goal per game and have a negative goal difference of 15. They have 12 fewer points than at this stage last year and, at start of play yesterday, sat one place and one point above the relegation trapdoor. I wonder if those fans now yearn for a bit of boredom. They may well get it, because Pellegrino has been sacked and, via the increasingly absurd managerial merry-go-round of the Premier League, in comes Mark Hughes, whose teams are of course noted more for their obduracy than their flair. It may just save them — in which case, Sparky will get a bonus of £2m. (I wonder what amount of money would be an acceptable bonus to save West Brom?) Meanwhile, Puel is at Leicester City, safe from relegation in eighth place and with, yes, 40 points. There is a symmetry in all things.” and he rambles on. ‘Yearn for a bit of boredom’? What a dickhead. I don’t pay nearly £1500 a year to get bored. I want entertainment, excitement, thrills, the occasional feel-good feeling. Comments like his typify the attitude in the media that league position is all that matters, that the Premier League is everything and that the other leagues are nothing. I have always hated clubs like Man United but at least they were never as boring as they are today.

Don’t they know that it’s cancelled, or is the the pub now full of ex-marathoners?

Aren't there two more cups whichever division we're in?

Good

Ah, that's a good point. If we do get through there will be another game to rearrange.We could be deep in the mire before we have the games against Swansea and Leicester. On the other hand, they may have nothing left to play for.

The speed and pace of the Premier League can come as a surprise to many imported players and it can take a long while to adjust to this, ‘get up to speed’ as it were. Another reason that a panic buy in January was always going to be a gamble.

He is guilty of not wanting to win football matches. His whole philosophy has been to not lose them.

It should be away fans only.

Even the Stoke game?

Not if they're home made.

Very dignified and an example of how it should be done. I don't wish him any ill will and hope he has a good future. You had yer chance mate, now f*ck off.

Is it closed season in Sweden and is Potter available now?

And no longer necessary

That’s just a cover statement to make the club seem reasonable. This ‘search’ has been going on for months. Well, it’s what any prudent management would do.

Was it something I said?

What money in the bank was that?

Great! Get him in until the summer and then get a long term replacement. Sorted

If you sack a useless manager do you lose more face than if you're relegated?

Normally the price for the club reflects its standing and earnings potential. If someone is buying it merely for prestige then a Premier League club would be disproportionately more than one in the Championship. It's always possible that there might be some other nefarious motive of course. Nothing makes sense about our current course of inaction.

Overall the payouts are much more if we stay in the league and don't get relegated.

No reason not to.

The most worrying thing about that is that he’ll still be here at the end of the season. Throw in a World Cup when all the decent replacements will be out in Russia and possibly some of the players too and we won’t be prepared for next season.

....after he leaves us?

No fixed term contract would contain such a clause and every contract can be bought out so Puel could not have had the same thing.

I paid £1500 for our two for my grandson and me and I’ve had to miss a lot of games this season. Any ideas how much they will be for next season and will be able to wait until after we’re relegated before we renew?