Greenridge

Of course he wasn't. I can't believe some people are so naive. He said time and time again through recent transfer windows that we needed players and he expected them to arrive. When they didn't he had to come up with the line that he didn't actually need them and wanted a smaller squad. People believe that? Seriously.

We seem to have been extremely cautious with easing Salisu into the team. When he's come in he's done well. The occasional faux pas of course but that's the Southampton Way. Be good to see him get some more pitch time in the last few games.

Good question

Where does this ridiculous notion about Stephens come from? Comical and based on zero reference. Not a single one of the many managers that’s he played under have thought him worthy of even a try.

Sorry, I don't buy it. The squad was full of bloated average players which is why he wanted it smaller. Even in the window from the article SKD quoted they are talking of buying players. Better players. Youngsters too because that's 'the SFC Way' which means we don't have any money. I don't believe that he was the decision maker for (all) the players that left and where we have subsequently been exposed. I think those decisions were taken out of his hands due to financial constraints. I'm not defending him. I think he's having an absolute stinker at the moment. But we are all worldly-wise enough to know that all clubs have PR-spin and the fact that he openly talked of needing new players and indicated they were going to happen for then to say 'actually, we don't need them after-all' is just too much to swallow for me.

Ralph never wanted a smaller squad. He would have been the first manager in the history of the game to want to restrict his options. That is patently just a bit of SFC PR bull when it became abundantly obvious there was no money in the coffers to support decent acquisitions that would enhance his squad. He may well have said don't bother giving me a pile of squad fillers who won't help but that's very different. The same way as through several transfer windows he talked about the need for players and positions to strengthen that never happened and then he came out with the 'we decided we didn't need any more players'. Yeah OK then.

Even for you that’s a tad obtuse. We are talking the measure of success not the circumstances that led to it. Keep up and try not to change what was said as per.

As I clarified earlier I was referring to the later part of his second spell at Chelsea. As for Man I winning the Europa League when they should be competing in the Champions League with the likes of Real rather than teams from the League of Wales then whoopee doo. As many ‘experts’ have since said, his style of management is a thing of the past and he won’t get another top job in the Prem. Still, he’s not a patch on Claude that’s for sure.

I ought to have specifically said the end of his second tenure then. His management style was already being questioned back then.

Corrected it for you. He's a busted flush. His return to Chelsea, his tenure at Man Utd and now his time at Spurs have all been pretty average at best.

Not sure what I’m meant to be deluded about but your obsession with Claudey baby and your anti-every other Saints manager is, well, pretty weird.

If only we’d had Claude to give one of his motivational speeches eh. As Keane would say. You shouldn’t need a manager to get you up for an FA Cup semi-final. If you can’t motivate yourself you’re in the wrong job.

So you have, and it's getting boring now. You've made your point. You don't like him. We get it. Everyone gets it.

And there are a thousand other pointless variables you could offer into the mix.

You know we actually finished 11th right? We know you despise every manager except your beloved Claude but if you are going to make a case then at least be close to the facts.

How many times have we replaced departing players with better players in the last 5(?) years? Yep, not many. So hoping to rebuild with better players is a pipe dream unfortunately.

And your obsession with him, and any other manager other than your beloved Claude, is far more embarrassing.

Running very low on credit now.

Because of one decent performance this season and that being against a Championship side. Ok 😂

You do realise there are many many countries who are adopting very similar strategies. From all political angles. Do you think they've suddenly got together to bring the world to it's knees. That would be some cooperation.

I see he now stops people from being able to reply to most of his posts. That’s how dictators operate.

I meant the 2nd half was dire @Mr X lol. Glad to hear we were marginally better in the 1st!

I only watched the second half. Please tell me we were better than that dire display in the first half. Please!

Quickly running out of credit.

I remember years back when Sunderland were doing their yo-yoing between leagues. They interviewed some old boy and asked him 'you must be really disappointed on the relegation?'. 'Not at all' he said. 'Quite the opposite actually. I'll get to see us win a lot of games and enjoy the season and we'll be in the mix for promotion again. It's better than watching us lose every week and get relegated!'.