CanadaSaint

Good point.

No, of course I haven't, but doubtless you have. What I posted earlier has been misconstrued by a lot of people so I probably should have phrased it better, but I still stand by it. I'm glad Cortese has a bite to his game, because we probably need that if we're to be successful. However, he also seems capable of overreacting and exhibiting meanness. Those aren't issues right now but they could easily become issues. What got my goat was the number of people laughing this off when they'll probably be the first to criticize the very same behaviour if things go pear-shaped on the pitch. We've seen it before.

Ottery, I sure as hell don't want Rupert back - I'd rather castrate myself than see that happen. However, I don't want to see the highly promising Cortese turn into a Rupert. Phil hit some nails on the head for me in the post immediately above yours. If Cortese keeps alienating people the way he has recently (if he looks like he's not really listening to others, in Phil's words), and if the Club hits some heavy weather, a lot of those praising him on this thread will be screaming for his head.

So are you suggesting that my point of view wasn't reasonable?

Bang on, John B. The hypocrisy was getting to me. Most successful clubs have a steely inside, and a tough, determined person putting it there. If Cortese is bringing that, which he certainly appears to be, I can handle it with no problem. I don't think he takes losses very well, which - to me - is a good thing. ("Show me a good loser and I'll show you a loser.") The Benali thing might actually be the second sign that NC is determined to keep the past in the past and build a better future; the first sign (unless I'm mistaken) is the probably very conscious decision not to involve MLT in "the New Saints". However, what I don't like seeing are hasty judgments that could come back to haunt us, and the needless bullying of lower level staff. Behaviours like that could turn today's Cortese into tomorrow's Lowe.

If those comments are in response to what I posted, they are over-reactive and I'll say this. I'm not looking "to rock the boat" or make a judgement before I know the facts, although I certainly stand by the comment that Cortese seems to have a mean streak. As others have noted, successful people often do. I wasn't even being judgmental because there's a distinct chance that this is just what's needed in certain quarters. My post was specifically about what I saw as the nauseating hypocrisy evident in the thread. Not so very long ago people were ripping Lowe and Oldknow for very similar behaviour, but suddenly it's become okay. Oh, and one other point: When did this start, delldays, was it a New Year's resolution?

This thread is starting to bug me a little. When others (such as Lowe and Oldknow) have been rumoured to have treated people like sh*t, we've hammered them mercilessly on here and called them bullies. When Cortese (apparently) does it, we give him a much softer ride just because the Club is enjoying more success (in which he's played a significant part). That's not right and it smacks of a double standard, especially when it impacts people like wait staff and office staff. I'm all for him setting high standards and demanding, in a firm but fair way, that his staff achieve them. But these stories are beginning to pile up in a way that suggests that Cortese has a rather troubling mean streak. How long before the same people who are turning a blind eye start to turn on him?

How are we going to fit Pulis in?

I will never forget that. Looking back over a lot of years of watching football, I can't think of one player who I've despised more. He's a vile piece of sh*t. Why am I not surprised?

This could be a case of both teams getting worse with the same transfer.

Yep, taking a sub off means that he's either injured or he's not doing the defensive side of his job properly.

More often than not a red card seems to work in favour of the team losing the player. Everyone picks it up a little. We need that third goal because they'll throw everything at us at the end.

Try this: customerservices@performgroup.com They do seem concerned and interested but don't seem able to resolve the problem. We just need to keep at them.

I've caved in and done exactly that. I was worried about missing the dulcet tones and incisive analysis of Merrington, and the occasional lyrical waxing of the commentator dude. Oh, God, we're at the Alamo now.

The way Saints Player is going, updates would also be appreciated by those of us WITH commentary. :confused:

Yeah, it was pretty dire for the Norwich highlights, wasn't it? The guy sounded like he was commentating of the gradual onset of rigor mortis. He took what was, by all accounts, a ton of excitement and turned it into a Merrington-like drone. And God knows what he was doing with Bart's name.

I saw one all the way out here a couple of months ago. My wife thought I'd reverted completely to my childhood (instead of just partially) when I got irrationally excited about a crane. I could have saved myself with a smart comment about erection but chose not to go there.

Thanks. I now have a link to the urban dictionary on my home page - to save myself the embarrassment of asking these questions.

I'm still trying to figure out what you've just said. You're not calling any individual a mongtard but you're calling all of them together mongtards. Oh, well. Works for me, mate. I liked your post. Now all I need to do is figure out WTF a mongtard is.

Hard to make love without a hot dog.

So I guess you would be in the group trying to look clever/funny, then. Looking through this thread that didn't work out so well. I actually have an over-developed sense of humour but it doesn't stretch to taking the p*ss out of our own players. Still, it could have been worse. I could have done a Deanovski and called you a mongtard, whatever that is. :smt008

A fricking central defender beats our guys to a ball on the deck inside our penalty area. It makes you want to scream.

Fricking set pieces.

Oh, boy - we left the UK in 1981 and I'd forgotten about that. Thanks. It's only been 17 years then.

1979 was our last time there, wasn't it? Thank God we didn't know our next visit would be thirty-one years away - and that's if we get there.