saints_is_the_south

Cortese said that the change was 'right for the team'. That sun article on Pochettino says that training had become stale under NA and the players were baffled by some of his decisions, in particular subtitutions. Given that the guy from the Sun has been around the team/manager for 4 days, and based on what Cortese said I believe there may have been a major player influence in Nigel getting the boot.

4 of us staying at the Ibis in Princess Street. Been told Castlefields is a good area for some pre-game drinks.

As of 31st December 2012, England were 4th in the UEFA Respect Fair Play Rankings. At the end of the season the top 3 nations earn a place in 1st qualifying round of the Europa League. This could be of some interest to us, as Saints are currently joint 2nd with Fulham, behind Arsenal in 1st in the Premier League fair play table. We could be going on a European tour! Relevant links here, http://www.uefa.com/uefa/socialresponsibility/respect/news/newsid=1911234.html Follow the link at the bottom of the page for the UEFA rankings. Domestic rankings can be found on the PL's official website.

So the club couldn't afford to stretch its wage cap just that little bit to attract better players than Neil McCann (shudders), Andreas Jakobsson (shudders again), Darren Kenton...etc I'm not saying we should have gone and done a Pompey, paying players £100k a week. But a 30yr old Kevin Phillips had to take. 50% wage reduction to join us. Averaging over 30K every season since St Mary's opened on 2001 up until relegation, surely Lowe could have increased the wage budget and at least sustained us as a top half PL team no? That's not what I call doing a Pompey and spending money we didn't have.

And plenty of 'sensible, pragmatic' clubs have also ended up getting relegated, due to as I said - stagnating, just as we did. So you are telling me Lowe was right to show no ambition after the Cup Final season? I am as realistic as people go, and I like any sane individual know that we are never going to challenge for the top 4, but I don't see a regular top 8 finish and regular Europa League football being beyond the realms of possibility with a bit of ambition. Like I said, aim form stars and we may reach the moon - Cortese may be aiming for top 4 and I never think we'll get that, but fall a little bit short and that makes us a top 8-10 club with a small chance of flirting with the top 6 every once in a while.

We had all of that in the palm of our hand prior to relegation in 2005. And the common consensus is that we got relegated because of Lowe's lack of ambition. I get that the Premier League and the money in football has changed in a big way since then, but had Lowe shown more ambition and not allowed us to regress and stagnate then we would never have got relegated in the first place and eventually watch our club travel to deaths door. Cortese clearly has huge ambition for this football club and based on the above, I'm glad he has. As Nigel said himself, aim for the stars and you might just reach the moon. Or be happy with being a mid table club and end up getting relegated.

Yep. Our performance at Leeds was a disgrace, and the line up was an insult to the 500 or so of us that had travelled up there.

This would have been Adkins tactics in this one, of that I am sure. Wonder whether Pochettino will approach it in the same way.

+1. Would make a terrific manager but he's said before he has no interest in it.

Wouldn't be so quick to get rid of Hooiveld. In the past 2 games he has proved he is able back up at this level IMO, and also did alright against Stoke when called upon. All of a sudden we have gone from looking very weak in central defence, to quite strong. We haven't seem Forren yet obviously, but reports suggest he'll be a very good signing. Fonte and Yoshida have already proved they are good enough at this level. 4 good options in this position now.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2637487 Temperature is set to be below freezing in Southampton from 6pm tonight right through until 11am tomorrow. Sub zero temperatures are then set to return from 7pm. With no under soil heating at St Mary's, the forecast temperatures would suggest a good chance of a frozen pitch no?

Starting from the 1st minute, sing 'One Nigel Adkins' for 1 minute. Support the team for the following 4 minutes. On the 5th minute another 1 minute of 'One Nigel Adkins'. Support the team for the following 4 minutes. And continue in this pattern for the rest of the game.

Can go level with Fulham in 14th with a win on Monday night.

If City can put another couple of goals past Fulham, then we could go above them on GD with a win Monday.

West Ham equalise. Results today going perfectly.

OK so it isn't going to achieve anything or change the fact Adkins has gone, but as a set of supporters surely we have to make our voices heard. Before, during and after the game.

+1.

Davis is exactly what I thought he would be when we signed him, an upgrade on Hammond. He'll have very good games (see Arsenal) and poorer games (see Chelsea). You can't really describe what type of a midfielder he is (again like Hammond) but he's better than what he has replaced, has plenty of PL experience. Very good player to have in the squad in terms of rotation certainly.

Some really nice words. Great to hear. NA is one of the 3 main reasons we are where we are today.

Another very tough game, but if Reading can beat them at home why can't we? Fancy another draw myself, 2-2 again.

Royal Oak has every Saints game on live. Been there for 4 or 5 games now, loads of big screens and usually a good atmosphere.

Corals in Shirley are currently offering returns of £1,010.00 on a £10 bet for Saints to win 3-1 and Lambert to score first. Mental odds.

Also recall we took 3K to Blackburn in the Premier League relegation season, think the club may have laid on coach travel or subsidised most of it. Well up for this double header trip in the North West. Looking forward to Wigan more than visiting Old Trafford for the first time.

It is sold out. http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/article/villa-away-sold-out-586766.aspx

I am not 100% on it but it says something like Saints have guaranteed a relegation clause in the contract which entitles it to be terminated for the same amount as the cost of acquisition. Who has to pay, Astori or Saints I am unsure! Checking with an Italian friend now.