Gordon Mockles

The first part of your message makes sense but the second half not so. We need to be bringing in more established players so the club/team can actually benefit plus the academy/emerging players can learn from the best but not journeymen. Sign capable players who will hit the ground running, so to speak. We did that with our last manager (Hughes) and look where that left us. We have had enough disinterested people happy to pick up a pay cheque. We need leaders. Our entire ethos as a feeder club is flawed and uninspiring. Other fans criticise this aspect of our strategy and you can’t disagree. Our ethos about developing youth has logic but what’s the point if we don’t benefit from their best years, or at least some of them. In the past, a player hit form, they were sold. Look at the results of our behaviour as a club. Upper table, European contenders. Sold off all the talent. Back to the unambitious days of old. Relegation fodder whilst Liverpool look set to win the league for the first time in circa 30 years, partly down to the hard work of our previous and much more robust and competent scouting network. It would be nice to see SFC & the fans to enjoy the fruit of our labours. We briefly did enjoy relative success despite what Gary Neville once said (we aren’t a top tier, top 6 club although his short, biased memory didn’t register we finished 6th, 8th & 10th when our club was actually managed). We (or Gao) need to decide what they actually want from the club. Just to make do as we always did before Markus arrived, zero ambition, uninspiring, incompetent, deceitful, divisive and self serving ownership (Askham, Lowe * spit*) or actually a club that competed and made the city proud. Of all the owners, the Liebherrs were the most successful and profitable. You get out what you put in, sometimes. You certainly won’t benefit from abject neglect. Sign some defenders. Wasn't Maehle a Ralph target? I have more confidence in these type of signings but don’t understand why we appear to be sitting on our hands. I appreciate transfers are complex but come on, sort it out Saints.

Thank you. I’ll check it out when I have a free moment this eve.

Do you have a link? Assume you mean the playing trading/recruitment head akin to the Ross Wilson role. Hoping the defenders will be brought in as I don’t think the fans have much patience left for these ever diminishing carrots the PR groups like to dangle and decrease in stature

:lol:

I love a gracious opposition and a good sport. Magnanimous in defeat. I hope our fans can follow that good example.

I agree. Chatting with friends pre match put me on the straight & narrow. I retract what I said last night. Bielsa remains one of the best managers in the world and Che would learn but he won’t get a start as Bielsa prefers to play with one on top. Che is best served staying with us & being used as he is. Being part of the team and wanted by the manager is also crucial, mentally. He was good against Chelsea and provided an assist in his short time of the pitch today. Green shoots of improvement and development.

I think the board will likely appoint him in February. That seems their mentality

Ahhh good. The adults are speaking. Totally agree. Some people have such low expectations, you question their agenda or mindset as it’s rare for fans at ground level (ie: the pub, social circles, the stadium) to have such a patient or pro club stance looking at recent history. Maybe they just simply have low aspirations and no ambition and there is nothing wrong with that. As a club, we constantly move the goal posts. Or the rumour mill does because we can’t ever blame the club as they rarely ever speak. So, the clue is to never utter a word and you can’t be blamed for anything. Politicians take note. DT - I find it strange also how rumours came into the press from some source about 30 - 35 million. War chest was an inappropriate superlative used. Maybe total fabrication press tripe, paper selling conjecture. Now we have 1 player, possibly. It’s ever changing. You can’t pin the club to anything as they never attribute words or interviews to anything, not directly anymore. We can plenty of conflicting, third hand rumour. Hence the Vladislav Surkov analogy. Boring I know. Please just sign a full back. Contrary to some of the less considered comments, we desperately need cover & it should be equal to or an upgrade from Bertrand. Even Ralph himself acknowledges this. RB position is weak too as is CB but January is not ideal to address all 3. Maehle sounds a much better bet than this utility full back from Bordeaux but i’m hoping this is a smokescreen. When clubs offer out a player, it makes me immediately apprehensive.

Good post. I hated that formation. The core of our team was defenders and poor ones at that. Ralph tinkered way too much but Ralph is not arrogant enough to admit when he’s wrong and that’s where he will succeed where others like Silva fail. The squad is much more balanced now and Armstrong and Stephens/Bednarek having regular games on consistent positions helps them understand their role and position and the results speak for themselves.

I always mean to type less. Sorry.

Tactics aside, I’m so proud and pleased with Ralph. The mental strength & fortitude he has shown when we looked beyond salvation with clueless, potless & disinterested owners and a board with no knowledge or interest in the game seemed a scenario beyond remedy. Not many of the world’s top managers have the mental strength to recover from what Ralph went through. The hangover of changing ownership, a massive fall from grace & 2 successive relegation battles with a thin of quality, decimated squad and highly questionable defence. Fortunately for us, we have a handful of people that have some expertise and at least a board whom didn’t panic or remove Ralph. I feel this was more to do with cost saving rather than moral support but we do not know the reasons so to speculate would be unfair to all parties. Whoever helped Ralph (credit to the players too as they have to want to learn) with the defending deserves massive credit, Ralph included. To recover from what seemed certain relegation (we are far from clear of trouble but in a much better position in the table and from a mental perspective) is astounding. It will also be easier to attract a defender or 2 which is paramount if we are seriously wanting to compete at this level. We have ridden our luck with injuries & perhaps credit to the physios also. Hats off to Ralph. He was given an impossible scenario and I believe (but do not know) certain promises or platitudes were made prior to his appointment and it feels like not all have been honoured, namely around budgets and spending (in the back room staff and those of the playing squad). Irrespective, he has solid man management skills (despite some mistakes) and has mustered motivation when it seemed impossible and that deserves huge credit. Even the top level pundits acknowledge what he has pulled off is nothing short of remarkable. Especially today. Coming back from the greatest defeat in PL history to win away from home is almost a folklore story. Or just a good football tale which will be used in years to come to other clubs as to what can be done with determination, diligence and sheer hard work. Motivational speech workers, take note. Well done Ralph. He looked a broken man in the autumn of last year. Shocked by the local derby and reception in Portsmouth. Demoralised post Leicester at St Mary’s. I heard they showed the 9 goals before the match today. They deserved to lose for that alone. Condescending ****s!! Ralph has come so far and he has seen so much in a short time. Good and bad. What’s best is, he is so dedicated and a workaholic and, ultimately, he learns, he improves. When Ralph improves, so does our club. Massive credit to Ralph Hasenhüttl. He hit rock bottom. He battled back. Now support this manager both mentally and financially and don’t get complacent Southampton FC. It seems we have a rare breed in Ralph: a loyal manager. Ralph could perform minor miracles if you gave him the tools. I’m not saying he’s the best out there, tactically or otherwise, but he has heart. Wouldn’t it at least be exciting finding out how well he could do in easier, less stressful situations rather than just making do?

What a result and I have always loved VAR. Best invention ever!! Felt we may get something today but went for 2-2 as I did on my super 6 prediction. So glad I didn’t get that prediction right although I very nearly did. Phew! This result made me week. Just as well as it is sooooo tight in the table. Everton won but West Ham lost. Getting worried for Bournemouth. They’ve had an absolute mare with injuries and things aren’t looking good for them. Despite some of their animosity from their moronic contingent of fans (we all have them), I feel for them. I am so pleased for the result and can’t wait for MOTD. Ings booked for excessive celebrations (assuming the generic shirt off yellow. The last one I can remember for that offence is Stern John) made me laugh.

Thank you. I just can’t abide these brainless little East Ender tyrants that focus on other people rather than the club or football matters. The Echo is unreadable (for many reasons) due to kids and trolls squabbling and you struggle to find the football content. Mini fascists and PR morons except they haven’t the intelligence to actually do the job well. See Adams on the bench today. Long starting. Interesting choice but I can understand why and, let’s be fair, they see the players daily and know much more than us. Djenepo a great impact sub. Assuming he’s wanting Long’s pace and work rate as Obafemi, Adams or Boufal not ball winning players and we will need it against the aggressive midfield of Leicester. I hope we squeeze a point, ideally 3, out of this. It is possible. Revenge and pressure is on them & their confidence was definitely knocked by Liverpool tonking them. Seeing Ralph interviewed just now. I do like the bloke. Honest and genuine. Big credit to coming back from rock bottom and fighting back mentally against all that pressure. That takes massive mental fortitude. I don’t think people realise how difficult that is. Fair play to the geeezer. Not all things from Austria are bad!!! 2-2 Saints today. Adams to score his first SFC goal as an impact sub. Assist from Djenepo. Carlsberg don’t do football predictions, but if they did.......(hoping it would be 2-3 rather and 3 points rather than a draw. I’d personally be happy with a point. Pressure is on Leicester)

That’s aimed at the Tosser Saint generation plural rather than you directly Walter White! Don’t need stick from the more seasoned posters that actually know how to debate rather than those that do a different kind of debate and seem to get a chubby from trying to wind people up. Bored myself there! Lol

There’s a fair bit of that on here. A strangely passively aggressive or snarky response, often accompanied by fellow trolls making barbed comments to opinions they don’t agree with or have the intellect to engage. So, ridicule it or smash it up #TheSouthamptonWay #WeFearAcceptance while offering nothing of substance themselves. Focus on your own path rather than that of others.

I like Mané instantly. As I did Pelle, Ings and Tadic. I think we should be patient with Adams as he joined a severely mentally depleted squad and manager and coaches in a state of flux. Our coaching alone can’t be helping as it has been widely reported and criticised for having dropped in standards due to lack of investment across all facets of the club. I was very keen to get Adams in and he’s not the temperament, quality and level I expected but he’s by no means crap and I’m willing to be patient but the club are not in a position to risk playing or starting him as his continuous starts & lack of goals twinned with our poor defence, pushed us into relegation contention. Sometimes you to have introduce or manage players more sparingly but our coaching seems to be all or nothing which doesn’t seem very wise from a confidence building or psychological level. Look at how Gabbiadini, Boufal, Ings (at stages), Adams, Armstrong, etc. have been playing then left totally in the cold. They should be managed better. Both physically and mentally. For that reason, loaning Adams out to one of the most astute managers in the world at Leeds, Bielsa, would benefit Che’s development and self confidence. I sadly have to admit, Leeds would get much more out of him than our current coaching set up would. If he remains a Southampton player after, great, but I fear some of our issues run deeper than just mediocre or poor recruitment. I’m concerned how we are managing young footballers mentally as well as the more established new transfers. Looking at the Liverpool prospects & their bursting self confidence & how well Curtis Jones did and his general demeanour, why are we not producing players with that skill and self belief?! We used to compliment ourselves enough in the Echo. We had england under 21s and many hot prospects. We brought in Ramello Mitchell, Christoph Klarer (who’s contract finishes early summer I think) and we hear nothing from the club and such hot prospects fade to obscurity. It feels something is wrong or missing. Will Smallbone was apparently best of the bunch and his development should be far more ahead than it is. So, don’t just criticise Adams. He may come good but he also had to battle through a lot of negativity at the club and in the terraces after 2 successive relegations and a tidal wave of mismanagement, under-investment and negligence from a board room with collectively zero football experience and it shows. Our issues run deeper than transfers and youth development. Until we sort out our coaching and improve the calibre from within, which we may have started if the defence improvement is a barometer of some attention and short term success, then we will continue to kill the confidence of players and seemingly appoint inadequate players. Sometimes, the issues run deeper than what’s in front of your nose. Personally, I would let Adams go to Leeds in a loan capacity. Bielsa will sort him out mentally and tactically. Being 3rd or 4th choice behind 2 strikers who are far from prolific (Obafemi & Long) can’t help his confidence as Ralph and the forwards haven’t played to suit Adams style, IMHO. Ralph can’t bemoan Adams being loaned out when he shelved him from first to 4th choice striker. Yes, he’s been used as sub & player over Christmas. Let the lad rebuild his confidence & have an injury recall option. Games and goals. Games and goals. Otherwise he will fester & fade like so many others.

**other than the club’s view. Having said that, I wouldn’t want to pee off Ralph if he’s against the loan but he doesn’t really have right to be since he’s dropped Che behind Long & Obafemi who are hardly prolific or efficient strikers. Tricky one. I say, loan him out & use an emergency loan if anyone up top gets injured. It’s a bit of a risky strategy but if we brought in someone like Bowen, it could unsettle Adams. Depends on your priorities I guess. It’s all a risk but the club seem to operate on a massively risky strategy. Starting this season with only one recognised left back and 2 inadequate right backs and the same, poor defence for a third successive relegation battle suggests ‘complacency’ is a board room ‘mood board slogan’ rather than a sentiment they actively avoid.

Weirdly mad?! Is that like frothing at the mouth mad when people talk about something not on your flash cards or just inherent totalitarian rage because you & your sycophant rainmen can’t process consensus?! ;o) PML

Getting Che to train under Marcelo Bielsa is the best type of loan and development you could hope for so I would much prefer that as long as we kept hold of him. Staying here & being 3rd or 4th choice isn’t going to rebuild his confidence as much as being first choice under one of the best tactical managers out there. I think a loan to Leeds is a shrewd move as our own coaching standards have descended so much, likely below that of Leeds. I do agree with part of Sadoldgit’s comments. Don’t let a few good results deceive you. We still have a poor defence despite some solid coaching and much improved performances and sticking with a more suited line up and a consistent pairing. We still desperately need a solid CB & full backs. Nothing has really changed under than the club’s view on how little they can get away with spending.

We don't want scrambled Egg!! *gets coat*

I came on here hoping to read autocratic idiots moaning about people moaning and not understanding conversation arcs and consensus ........ OH COOL!!! The special bus must have done its drop off!!!

Cynical but fair. Our coaching had definitely taken a huge nose dive. Particularly goalkeeping. I’m massively impressed with whoever did the defensive coaching to result in the Christmas performances but we are a long way from being out of the woods. As for time of first signing, likely 31st Jan at 10:58pm or they’ll use the one hour grace period until midnight to finalise a deal with some novice youngster from a second tier European league and he won’t be adequate, capable or ready for the first team. He’ll have a couple of starts, a few sub appearances before fading into obscurity and quietly disappearing to play in the Chinese or American Leagues and we will bemoan our owner for being tighter than a gnat’s ass and this merri-go-round will continue until we get relegated or eventually taken over by someone who at least has an iota of respect for the fans and outlines their plans of intent, if they have any. I don’t remember a football club being taken over by an owner that makes absolutely no concessions as to why he bought the club and what he intends to do. I’m sure there are probably quite a few but I know of none. This ownership is absolutely ludicrous. Funniest quote from the many, babbling, ridiculous, incoherent and senseless Ralph Krueger was that Gao was quiet and never told us of his plans because of cultural differences. Please just prove me wrong and move decisively and early and sign some defenders. We are already a week into the window. Don’t do a Danso!

Can't we swap him for their defensive midfielder Denis Zakaria?

Agreed but Bednarek and Stephens have formed a partnership and understanding and I don't think Ralph wants to upset that. I understand that and we may be better served bringing in a much better quality CB in the summer. Definitely need full backs as RB is our weak area and with only Bertrand as the recognised LB (an utterly outrageous risk by the club), we definitely need cover. Surprised we got through the congested Christmas period unscathed. Maehle is an uknown quantity but seems to be the type of player Ralph suits. I think RH may know him which is a better sign than relying on a scouting network (or Wilson or Les when they were here) as Djenepo seems to have been a good acquisition.

I clearly typed “he is a player past his sell by date” and predictive decided to have a bit of a Shakespeare moment!! Lol Being too tactful with that response. He is sh*t now and his legs are gone but I didn’t wanna be brutal. I l’ll save that for the people twisting our melons man!! Lol