doddisalegend

is it me or did Ralph admit in that interview that the final say on hiring managers and recruiting players has always been his? These are important football decisions so are you now hamstrung to make decisions on players or changing managers if needed without Les or an immediate replacement and if not who makes those decisions in the interim period? Ultimately, I am responsible for those decisions. I always was. The operational team that is in place here supports me in all my decisions. oh this is going to end well...

Marc Overmars Ajax's DoF?

Lol yeah this thread was always going to end well...

Well put like that is sounds easy ? TBH I'm still half expecting someone from China with Lander links..

I'm assuming who ever takes over from Les will be working to the same business model? Selling to buy, being self sufficient and keeping up the pretense that the Southampton brand is all about youth/ player development. It will be interesting to see if getting rid of Les brings a new direction for the club or if the club just going to carry on with the same strategy with a different face at the footballing helm.

LOL great timing for Hughes... he was apparently happy in the summer https://readsouthampton.com/2018/07/13/hughes-happy-with-saints-business-so-far/ https://southamptonfc.com/news/2018-08-13/mark-hughes-on-summer-signings-post-southampton-burnley-premier-league TBF Les's sacking is probably a bit of a lucky break for Hughes he can shift the blame for our inept displays this season elsewhere and he will get some breathing space to try and turn things around while the club try to find a new "Les"

Its a slightly odd article it acknowledges the Les got sacked for poor transfer windows and then in the next breath says the club hierarchy think the squad has a lot of quality ….

I can. I could well imagine the new guys first job is to get in a new manager but knowing saints it will take several weeks to sort out the Les replacement. I'd rather that ( assuming the new guy is a competent football person) than having Ralph and Goa trying to hire a new manager on their own..

I voted undecided as well not out of any particular love for Les. More because until I know who his replacement is I'm undecided. Just in case our owner decides to give the job to a nephew or cousin or something...

Doesn't seem likely given the club statement The search for the right replacement, along with a thorough review into the club’s football operations, has begun. or the fact this has come right of the blue without any ITK leaks would suggest this wasn't planned to me. Given our recent track record no doubt we will replace Les and Ross just after the Jan transfer window.....

I assume we will have to find a Les replacement now before we can find a Hughes replacement....

I think you are being pretty harsh on old Eric plenty on here assured me he was at the root of all our problems and his removal would make all the difference.. and it did... we got worse

Couldn't care less about Les leaving. As far as I'm concerned he did some good stuff for us and some bad stuff that last couple of seasons have been ****e though so everyone will just remember the bad and it was time to get some fresh blood in. People watching on here is fun though so I'm just wondering who the forum will gun for next when/if things don't improve.

I assume he is safe for now then? No way the club could recruit a new DOF and manager at the same time...

I think it is kind of the point fans (and I include myself in this) look for scape goats Les has been the main one (Eric Black was another) for a while. If things don't get better, and I'm not convinced they will, who will be the next scape goat I wonder?

wow didn't see that coming of course the interesting thing will be if getting rid of Les doesn't actually improve things...

perfect to play as a one up top CF plundering goals from all our first class crosses into the box.... maybe the opposition CBs what notice him...

Should fit right into the current squad then.

The money hasn't really improved the quaility of the players at the smaller clubs its just seen average players (and their agents) get a lot more money.

I think when you've watched two seasons of the current crop of players struggle with the basics like getting shots on target, picking up runners from midfield, completing a 10 yard pass, staying goal side of your man when defending or putting in an effective cross you can make assumptions about the players talent. We aren't talking about tactics or formations or team selection, the things a manger I responsible for, but just footballing basics that PL footballers, most who have grown up in academies, should really be able to do most of the time.

Big Sam has never really been a failure result wise if you want to stay up he gets the job done. His football style is what normally gets the fans offside effective but not very easy on the eye. I'm not sure we are in a postiin to attract any good established managers most of who get far more attractive offers than this cluster **** of a club. So its either one of the usual suspects or someone untested with promise. I guess it really comes down to do you want to stay in the PL in which case Sam is a pretty safe bet or are you prepared to risk PL status to take a punt on a young and up coming manager with a more pleasant football philosophy ? The state of the squad at the moment makes me think we just need to get back to basics become hard to beat and get some confidence boosting wins. In the end I'm happy to trade stylish football for wins and points at the moment.

Tbf everyone said the same about Bournemouth.

I always find those sort of press stories odd. Surely the club know if they want him to stay or not? What if he wins the Watford game and loses the next five? If the club really do make decisions based on the outcome of one game they may as well just flip a coin...then again maybe they do...it would certainly explain the last couple of years.

So err as Hughes job allegedly hangs on him getting a result in this one...I'm guessing most people are hoping for a thrashing by Watford to put the final nails in his coffin....

Your last line gives an insight into the players mentality as well. There has been a culture of players passing the buck to the manger the last few seasons starting with Puel. Now that's not to say the managers don't shoulder some of the blame but the players need to take a long hard look at themselves. Quite often they seem to struggle with the basics of football things that are drilled into every lad who has ever kicked a ball in his youth. Three different managers in three seasons and we are still seeing players making the same crappy mistakes over and over. These well paid professional players not Sunday league kick about lads. They should be able to make a 10 yard pass, know when clearing into row Z is the best course of action, get goal side of opposition player at set pieces or get a shot on target without needing weeks of coaching.