up and away

At the begining I was 100% behind your approach and still am in the main. But in your management experience you have never had to deal with the idiots that get attached to a football club, where a lot of the time rational debate does not get a look in. When I hear some of the idiotic remarks that comes from the fans forums, Cortese must be asking himself what is the point? When they conducted the review of the positioning of the away fans and the closed segments, they soon came to the conclusion that the biggest opposition to closing the Northam / Itchen corner was that the home fans could not get close enough to the away fans to wind it into them. Now based upon that type of logic, it's very difficult to see gains in taking this route. This all comes down to one thing, whether or not you believe Cortese has the best interests of Saints at heart. It is very clear Cortese wants us in the Premier and has the financial backing to get things done. That to me represents 95% of what I want and I have no problem with this direction. The spat with the Echo and the photographers are inconsequential, I am disappointed with the reaction to Nick I. Here I do not know the full facts and hope it gets resolved quickly. I tend to give Nick the benefit of the doubt here with the one proviso, if he went over Cortese's head to Mali. Which in effect Cortese would view as trying to get him the sack. You may not like the manner in which Cortese does business and that is understandable, but the direction and drive towards our final destination is resolute. I would prefer someone a bit more fluffy around the edges, but I am not going to start critising a guy who has the overwhelming majority correct.

I think you are right. I think that Cortese was backed into a corner over keeping Pardew and probably resents it. Not an ideal situation for starting such a crucial season. I hope I am wrong but you need to manager and CEO working in harmony and I don't think that these two ever will. What a load of tosh. We know exactly what happened between Pardew and Cortese, you only have to go back to the Solent interview. Pardew made the stupid statement that he had prioritised the cups, Cortese rebutted that in no uncertain terms that the league was the top, top priority. Adding that he never went out in the January window to become the 4th biggest spenders in all leagues for success in the paint pot. In any other industry, I cannot see Pardew keeping his job for taking such a direction. Cortese was not backed into any corner, he looked at the good and bad that Pardew had served up and decided the best practical way forward was for Pardew to build upon some of the excellent play he had developed. Failure for not getting promotion last season has cost us £M's, something not accepted lightly, another season cannot be afforded. Once Cortese decided to go with whoever for this season, money was available to complete the job, it's a no brainer in the grand scheme of things. Another season will cost us more than those potential transfers and Cortese will be fully aware of that. I thought at the end of last season that Pardew should be given the chance this season and the opening game has not changed that view. We have to wait for Pardew to get the team on a run and then see where we are. That does not mean Christmas because if he has not sorted things out in 10 games, that is more than enough. If it's just down to bad luck, who wants an unlucky manager? From what I have seen so far I am really unsure about how things will turn out, but Pardew has to be given a lot more games to get on the sort of run we know he can do. The basic problem of the midfield has still not been addressed after all this time and the team cannot think /evolve themselves out of difficult situations, just going through the same motions. One very important aspect I feel we have missed is over transfers, we only need players good enough to get out of this league, not do well in the CCC. Time will tell on that one and Pardew may well turn out to be a genius for holding out for the far better players. As for working in harmony, that's what happens when both parties do their own jobs properly.

Without doubt a couple of the underlying problems still exist from last season, something not addressed after all this time and I doubt ever will. There was a lot of good in that performance, but I kept looking at their goalie as our best opportunity of a goal. The real worry is that I believe Plymouth are a poor / mediocre team and we will see nearly every team turn up with everyone in front of the goal at home, something we have had problems with and will continue so. This team just looks like a tarted up version of last years, an improvement in a lot of areas but nothing sufficient to see our major faults removed. The absence now of any real pace (Waigo, not Antonio) gives us no options for changing things round and allows the opposition to push their back four up with relative impunity. We will be reproducing those great performances we saw against the likes of Huddersfield at home and any team that has a go at us will get mullahed when we are up and running. The trouble is most teams will not have a go at us and disappointments of last season will still happen. It's just a question of whether we gain sufficient points to get where we need to be!

if antonio had come on today we still would have lost imo As much as I would like Antonio as a squad player, looking at the difference he made when he had the opportunity was not that great. Waigo's pace was a different matter when playing up front, they would not have tried pressing the back four up so high in the second half with Waigo about. Both players failed to impress consistently, but Waigo definitely had something different.

We did pist all over them, but without getting them wet. So early in the season that this means nothing. A couple of things that remain from last season, no discipline / structure in the team when things are not going well and the deficiencies we saw in midfield are still there.

I do not believe there is any other club in any league with the financial advantage Saints have for winning the league anywhere. ManC are obviously spending far more, but the effect that has on the Premier and our effect on League 1 is not the same. I don't know of any club in this league that would not sell their best player if the price is right. With over the top pricing in this league still well affordable in comparison to the Premier. When you consider nigh on all the other clubs have debts to contend with, it makes it difficult to have a level playing field. With the vast majority of clubs living from hand to mouth, it's a surprise we still have so many competitive leagues. Peterborough are one team with a modest budget available, something that could well make them contenders.

Pardew was flapping like a humming bird for periods last season, something he is not unfamiliar with. Blaming the poor start on the negative inference of the -10, even to the extent of players started quoting this in interviews. This should never have developed psychologically as it's a never ending circle, first it's -10, then it's being minus, then it's bottom of the league, then it's bottom 4 and so on. The interview after the Yeovil home win was a panic reaction, stating we had turned the corner, with anyone else at the ground knowing without the opposition creating our chances, we had no chance of doing it ourselves. Where I did agree with Pardew was the home loss to Bristol Rovers, that was the first sign of turning the corner. But this is a new season and new players, start with a bit of confidence and it can grow to snowball the team through at a canter. I have no worries with the players, even without additions this is a strong squad, surely to be added to. The only worry I have is Pardew being able to see the wood for the trees, something he was having particular problems with at times last season. The misplaced faith in the abilities of Saga and others took a time to get adjusted and the praise he heaped upon James to Coppell, only to let him go on a free at the end of the season. He took far to much time at the beginning of last season figuring out what was round and what was square, that cost. Pardew can do it, we all know that from the performances last season, it's a question of whether he can sort things out quickly enough before getting stuck in a rut which can possibly grow. At least we have the finances to change the team and the manager and still get automatic promotion what ever happens.

You don't have to support him to support the football club. Go back to the point where Saints came onto Cortese's radar and take him completely out of the picture. What have you now got left to support?

You would really have to be delirious to interpret "AP won't make it to Xmas no matter how we are doing" as any other way as Cortese getting shot of him. Then the logic behind Pardew deciding this would be the ideal time to strike out for a better position, that alone should be sufficient to disuade you. If Pardew even asked to be considered for another position, Cortese would get rid of him like a shot, his goose would be cooked from that point onwards. Pardew has little chance to get the opportunity given to him at Saints. Show me any manager in the CCC who does not feel he can take his club into the Premier and I have little doubt they would see Saints as a better opportunity. Even managers such as Billy Davis could well see Saints as a better prospect of Premiership football, if Forest were mid table by christmas. Not only getting to the Premier, but the resources to stay there.

One thing I would bet the farm on, if Cortese intended to get rid of Pardew, irrespective of results by Christmas, he would already be gone. Anyone who claims to know what Cortese is going to do is just a LIAR, unless he has publically spelt it out. You can infer certain things by people he has been talking to, or from those conversations, but as we have seen before, where he ends up can easily be some where completely different. Pardew may well go before the end of Christmas, but that will be down to not looking as though we will get an automatic spot. As for the announcer to restrict his praise to the players and do not mention the management, that would include Pardew and Cortese?

True. Anyway, as I've perviously said I'm well beyond where I'd like to be without the full facts, and I'm sure they'll come out eventually. I don't know any definite facts, but it would not surprise me that Nick would play this low key and not start a direct confrontation, it's just not his style. What would not surprise me if Nick sent a direct email to Mali, in effect going over the top of Cortese because of a lack of response. I could also see that Cortese would take this as a personal attack and responded accordingly. In this sort of situation I am not 100% clear which side I would come down on. The reaction from Cortese looks over the top and should have been bypassed earlier, but if he views this as a personal attack with the design to get him the sack, there is a pov there. Unless either of them come out in public on this, most of us will never know. I don't believe either will do so and I hope it gets resolved before the start of the season, where both find an accaptable medium.

I am not completely happy with the shelving of the instalment plan, but with all the alternatives available today (some even free), your pov makes a lot of sense. It's not as if they can't get to games this season, just not the same amount. Then add on to that they could be in good position next season to get a season ticket without the need of an instalment plan. Is it really that much of an issue in the grand scheme of things? For any normal club, it's the finances which would be the hardest hit, but we have that luxury.

that's the problem with these failed premier league players, they think they still deserve premier league wages. I can't see him being on anything more than average CCC wages at best. The problem will be what level of skill the player has to show for that wage. Bearing in mind PNE's financial difficulties, even having modest excess wages on the books would be a problem.

IMO, it's not his intention to portray himself as the King of St Mary's - he wants to be seen as the ruthless businessman that he clearly is, while also having a fan-friendly side to him as well (hence the free coffee to the ticket office queue incident). Coming out all guns blazing won't help him maintain that image, it'll make him appear to be a bit of a loose cannon and he'll certainly lose more support than he gains if he's publicly banning/revoking season tickets from fans who dare to utter a word against him or the club. Those who don't care one way or the other about Nick would certainly question the censorship issues this episode raises from a neutral perspective. Keeping it quiet ensures that nobody's any the wiser until one side blinks, and then if Nick reveals what's happened, they can just say "we would have dealt with it privately but you decided to go public with it". It would appear that one of the people Nick told about the situation privately has let the cat out of the bag, but until people started asking questions about it, he was quite happy to keep it quiet until he'd resolved the situation one way or the other. What he will do/would have done if/when he finds out the actual reason for it, only he knows, but many people in his situation would have been straight on the phone to the papers or on forums complaining about what had happened. I don't believe there is any ego in Cortese, but he certainly reacts strongly when you go head on with him. Several times I walk the same route to the ground as Nick I and have always considered him to have balanced, fair views. What looks to have happened here is that Cortese sees this as a direct attack on him personally by going direct to Liebherr, something that got his hackles right up. I don't know what has been said and any further reason behind the removal of the season ticket, but on experience I would tend to back Nick. Not that I am going to condemn Cortese, that's just the way he is when he believes he is being personaly slighted or attacked.

Just not as simple as that. There could well be players that don't appear on our radar at present that we would love to have. Unless you have players you are virtually guaranteed to be a big improvement, it could well be wise to wait. Especially if you have a fall back position with loans or alternatives.

But if Y wont sell X then it means we have missed out on a,b,c,d,e,f etc......... Or does it mean that Y knows AP will come back with a better offer to sell X. There are two aspects to this, the club and the player. With the player being the more difficult aspect to overcome. We are looking for players who would perform well in the CCC, by definition then those players will be attracted to CCC sides and more importantly, those players would prefer to play in the CCC rather than League 1. Whilst it is early days, most players will hold on for their perfect match. Later on their options will become limited and Saints then become serious contenders. Against this you have to balance the option of loan players, where it is far easier get greater quality, if prepared to pay the higher wages of clubs above us. I don't believe many other clubs (if one) in this league are prepared to pay CCC standard salaries for loans, Saints can. As for the club, money is the only determinating factor here. The more you are prepared to pay, the quicker you get the player.

No urgent need for the moment, but still his intentions for the future. I don't know at what level he believes A DOF is vital, certainly not League 1, maybe not the CCC, but almost guaranteed for the Premier.

11500 actually. So probably less than 2000 extra at the same point last year when we had 2 weeks to sell them, -10 points, no chance of promotion etc. Dress it up any way you want, I wouldn't call that a significant rise. Since when has 1/2 =1? Season tickets are firmly up and will be even further ahead come the start of the season. But this is all a slight misnomer, because the gate will be the defining factor. I would expect with all those ex instalment holders to be busily saving to boost that number up over the 15000 mark, but maybe not! As a point of logic, why would anyone strapped for cash restrict themselves to the far more costly away games? Let alone the hedge fund required for the court appearances?

A voice of reason at last. Is it? For most people the cost of the ticket represents about half the cost of match day. If they can't afford it, maybe they are better off just going to selected games within their budget? I would have preferred to have kept some form of instalment plan, but it's not that big an issue. Some clubs require full payment of the instalments before our ST offer ends, so it's not that cut and dried. Fans can still go to games and have plenty of time to save up for next year, so in the grand scheme of things, it's not that big.

We have a pronounced weakness in midfield, when we have to play 2 games a week, that has not changed. Danns would be an excellent signing, but we have to be patient. He never wanted to drop down a league last year, even though all the finances were acceptable. We could afford to go out and buy any player in League 1 and unlike other leagues, expect the club to sell. The trouble is that we are aiming higher and in some cases that means having to wait for the quality we want. It's possible we will not solve that problem and loans look the only method of over coming that issue. I expect to see some good signings late on in the window, even after the season has started.

There are two positions for automatic promotion and I am sure Saints will get one of them, because the performances put in against the top teams last year were exceptional. This year we are going to strengthen the squad considerably and I don't believe we are half way finished with the squad come kick off. I would expect one of the other automatic positions to go to one of the CCC relegated teams, which one may come down to luck and finance. If we have bad luck or things are not going well, Cortese has and will use the cheque book to address the issue, Wednesday do not have that option. I am not even sure that Wednesday's debt's have fully caught up with them, something we will see come the start of the season. By all rights, given last years form and their massive support. they should get an automatic spot. But a little money and a decent manager can go a long way in this league.

It's best if you just just restrict yourself to ASBO support groups on facebook. Cortese has never said we are running as a self sufficient business. What he has said, is that the aim is for the club to sustain itself in the future. The difference between the two, being not having to account for all the money that comes out of Liebherrs pocket for the acquisition, infrastructure and player fees, initially spent. As for the accounts, unless you are providing private services to Dave Jones, you wil be in for a long wait.

And even then the club would be in a fantastic position. What sort of fantastic position is this? As if there is a stack of Liebherrs around the corner and everything will be ok. The reality is odds on for only the cherrypips round that corner, complete with monkey chickens. Financed by loans and a money trail that would make Pompey look solid, we would already be in debt before the team kicked a ball under new management. And after a few seasons of chasing the pot of gold under the rainbow, we could easily find ourselves back where we were. There are no other Liebherrs in the Football League. There are some with money, but no where near prepared for the spend to take us to the Premier, let alone keep us there. I doubt Liebherr would up sticks if Cortese was no longer here, but another couple of years and not being able to find someone he trusts and is happy with, could well do it.

How was it excellent going Public with his concerns and then not supporting Pardew until well after the season ended Leeds did well in the cups and got promoted He just comes across badlt to me but as you say it hardly matters It seemed totally stupid for Pardew to say he concentrated on the cups, when his boss said the league is the top, top priority. As for Leeds, their exploits in the FA cup came very close to costing them an automatic spot. The only indirect criticism Pardew got was Cortese saying the league was the top, top priority and the players signed in the January window were for that purpose. Many chairman with the power and finance Cortese had behind him would have sacked Pardew for that alone. Corteses actions were measured and based upon the best course of action from that point on, irrespective of personality or previous. If our league form suffers because of cup involvement this season and looks like costing us an automatic spot, Pardew deserves to and will be out on his arse.

I thought the handling of Pardew was excellent. Pardew screwed up big time in concentrating on the cups against his bosses direction. But no ego or spite, took the decision that he deemed best in the long run, irrespective of past errors. In doing so he left Pardew in no doubt what is expected and required for the future. I agree he could be a bit more fan friendly when you look at some of his actions, but in the grand scheme of things, it hardly registers.