Graffito

They may have benefited from leadership but the foundation of their success is the new ground which the Council paid for by selling part of it's telephone company, leaving the club debt free. This article, together with one published by the Guardian last week containing an interview with Keith Harris are required reading for understanding the context in which Saints have been operating these last few years, one in which sound leadership is at a premium but is no guarantor of success given the skewed economics of football.

"My nickname is Victor for obvious reasons.." erm... not so obvious...your a Saints fan, right? I got it, your surname's Meldrew!

Are you familiar with the word "hubris"?

Agree with the first paragraph. I doubt very much anyone at the club is sleepwalking to relegation given the dire financial consequences. My reading of JP's comments is that he is trying to maintain the confidence of his young and inexperienced team. BTW didn't West Ham go down under Brooking? ...could be wrong about that..

Just to clarify, your solution to our lowly league position is that we must all believe we will be relegated and Lowe must sack the coach?

He wanted to remove the head and and leave the body intact (Saints Forever). He severed the head but the body got weaker. He put the head back on but the body became a monster. Many stopped feeding the body. It became weak. Why did he do it? I'd really like to know. Was it for personal gain or is he a Saints fan? If the intentions are honourable then there's nothing to hide so surely he can tell us. We deserve an explanation.

We do though.

Much mention of Saints having had a big squad of average players. The reason we had lots of average players is because we've had too many managers over the past 5 years. Who hired and fired the managers?

If you are listening Mr Wilde, this is welcome. I will be bringing my family along rather than buying just a single ticket.

Keith Harris talks to David Conn - take a look at this and see if Saints tick any of the boxes. (It's not just about Wham by the way). http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/nov/12/premierleague-westhamunited

Is this a Billy Davies post in disguise? I must have been watching a different team last Saturday.

I was and have been critical of Redknapp for his performance as Southampton Manager, especailly his public critcism of his players. However, I have re-evaluated based on the information that has come out since he left. First there was the newspaper interview in which Simon Clifford stated that Lowe wanted SCW to take over as Manager when we got relegated but then Woodward got cold feet and said he'd like to observe and learn before taking the role. To me this is credible. It explains Redknapp's comment at the time about being surprised he wasn't sacked. It explains Redknapp's comments during his Saints tenure that he was only keeping the seat warm for someone else. Second, the lack of adequate transfer funds during the first season in the Championship. Third, are the comments by Dave Bassett about RL always trying to get Redknapp to play the youngsters, which he always resisted (except against Mansfield to disastrous effect, presumably to make a point) In the light of this information and seeing what Redknapp has been able to achieve elsewhere with a few bob I can see why Redknapp appeared so de-motivated and how we may have missed our best opportunity of getting promoted.

OK you said force the Board to listen or go under, whatever "go under" means. I can see a certain logic to a mass boycott forcing the Board to resign (I know you didn't say this) on the assumption that there is a credible alternative ready and willing to step in which satisfies lenders. As far as I am aware there isn't. So, if the Board doesn't listen, you force it to go under. If the Board goes under isn't there a danger the club goes under with it? Bit of a high risk strategy isn't it?

You won't force the Board to resign. They'll sack the manager.

Couldn't agree more. To me, indeed to any parent, this is so obvious we shouldn't need reminding. To the person that raised the issue of how much footballer's earn....sorry, it's a complete red herring and if you don't know why consider what motivates you and demotivates you at work. For instance, should cheering and booing be introduced to all work places in an effort to improve performance? To the person that raised the restaurant analogy...we're not all "customers".

I think you've got this about right. Win, lose or draw there's over reaction on here. Yesterday's performance was pretty similar to the others I've seen this season. A bit of power and backbone in key areas would make all the difference to this young team...but oh yeah I nearly forgot, we're skint.

Wasn't he a fullback in Holland's world cup squad of 1978? You know, the one that lost in the final to Argentina. I thought our fullbacks did ok yesterday. Centrebacks less well.

I go back a long way too MOG (beyond Jeff Kenna). I intended to say "recent years".

Mick, your right about the fullbacks. Gareth Bale aside we've been short of decent fullbacks for years. My thoughts were Skacel left and Cork right. The midfield looks promising but I do think we need in central midfield a ball winner and, above all, leader.

Don't throw the babies out with the bath water. Three good quality older heads at centreback, centre midfield and up front to give backbone. Three players away from being a good side.

Lowe should stay out of the dressing room before someone puts him in the medical room.

"From the BBC article on 'arry getting the freedom of the city tomorrow:Maybe they could just name the end of it after him instead" Like it. On a similar note, did anyone see MOTD2 last night? Did Adrian Chiles call him Harry Redkn*b or was I hearing what I wanted to hear?

"the rot was due to too many mediocre players - and that was due to 10 managers in 10 years" My view as well. Too many poor appointments and too many mediocre players. The two things are linked. The move to SMS was a good positive move but I agree with another poster in that the club should allow the fans to personalise the ground.

I like the shop analogy, which is appropriate because RL views Southampton Football Club as a business. However, as fans of a football club we're not like consumers of other goods or services and tend not to shop elsewhere. Fan loyalty is like gold dust to any football club or business. Any football club should be moving hell and high water to protect it's loyal fanbase, especially with corporate income down and likley to fall further. Yet what the current regime has done is alienate the core fans who are voting with their feet. It beggars belief.

"Sorry all this about no money etc is fine but how come we can afford Forecast, Gasmi, Pulis, Robertson, Smith then"? They've been signed as ready made replacements in anticipation of the higher earners and better players being sold in January or going out on loan.