S-Clarke

I think Cortese's options are split into two categories. The up and coming young mangers - Atkins, Howe, Tisdale, Zola. or the experienced, been there and done it managers: Curbs, MoN I honestly don't think the likes of Brown, Dowie or Magilton even feature in his mind IMO. Cortese is at a bit of a cross roads, we really need to get up this year - so do you risk going for an unproven but up and coming manager in the hope he'll grow with the club...Or do you go with someone who's had consistent success in varying leagues with their previous jobs? Personally i'd go for an experienced ''big'' name, someone that will get the fans on side straight away and should command instant respect from the players we have. I think the two names I've mentioned are the 2 names that could realistically go all the way with us. We've always spoke about having to replace the manager half way through the 5 - year plan so we can get someone good enough for the PL....so why not do it now? They're both clearly good enough.

Yep - you can buy tickets on the day. there are very rarely sell outs, so it's likely you'll have a good choice for where you want to sit. and it costs £2 extra if you book on the day.

He performed a miracle down there, there is the very real possibility that under another manager they could be a blue square club today. I think he's proven enough to suggest he's not just a flash in the pan imo.

Both Adkins and Tisdale would be better appointments than either Ince or Dowie, no doubts about that.

Do you think surgery may be the solution here as well?

i will assume that it's based on this article - http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/saints/news/8363941.Davis__Always_some_players_unhappy/

The club seeked advise from a medical professional during pre-season, who said he could either find out what the problem was and operate on it there and then (6 weeks out) - or as he recommended by the doctor, let Adam carry on playing, nurse him through, and bring him back to me if he breaks down, which he did against B Rovers. It did seem to be clearing up slightly until the rovers game, but 6 weeks is nothing for a knee injury so i think he can count himself lucky with that.

We're good enough to win, but Rochdale are a dangerous side. They remind me somewhat of Brentford last season, kind of surprised everyone, but they play football the right way and have an excellent player in dawson - who is deemed premiership quality by WBA. so we'll have to be on our toes, we'll miss Barnard who i think has been excellent, so it's time for Connolly to come to the fore. Hope he can get back into the scoring grove, as i don't think he's scored for us since gillingham away last season. It'll be nice to get a win though, hopefully a comfortable win, as we'll then be looking upwards within distance of the top 2 which still has to be our target no matter what.

It's been nice knowing you alps.

are we being taken over by Paul Allen again?

Martin Samuels view -

I really wouldn't read anything into the odds tbh. was pardew even listed on the odds before he came here?

I believe they clarified it a little later to say that managers currently in jobs have applied, even some currently in the premiership. Blackmore does seem to have a close contact in the club, but whether the info is fed as spin - who knows.

interesting. KS's track record is pretty good fwiw.

tbf i wouldn't be suprised if he's one of the applicants, i bet he's dying to get away from boro before he's pushed. It just hasn't worked out for him there.

I agree with you. A manager should be left to pick the players, select the team, sort out the transfers and appoint the coaching staff around him that he see's fit. When we first got pardew and there was talk of him overhauling the scouting system etc i actually believed that he is being left to build the football side of the club, which is exactly how it should work. but recent events unfortunatley seem to suggest otherwise. Cortese has always indended to bring a european setup here and i think this will be the way we work now, and the manager we appoint will have to accept that. I think that will limit our options somewhat.

He has struggled since the back end of last season if im honest. He doesn't seem to have ever recovered from the injury he had. A real shame, because at the start of last season he was an utter beast and perfect for this league.

I've never understood why we keep playing Puncheon on the right. He is a left footed player, so why do we never use him there? He is dangerous on the right but it's often counteracted by the fact he has to cut inside.

I don't believe that as a fan base we should sit back and accept what we all feel are poor decisions. We're not just talking about the timing of sacking Pards, there are plenty of other decisions that have been made in the past few months that are seriously questionable to say the least. I have said before that i believe he has the interests of the club at heart, but he doesn't do things the right way and is a PR disaster. He has no experience of doing this and it's starting to show, as we all know - managing a football club is nothing like managing a bank.

We never will, he would have almost certainly been forced to sign an NDA.

I agree with alot of what you have to say Hypo. i'm also just stunned by it all, it's hard to really put it into words isn't it. All in the space of 3 weeks. It's the most surreal period in the history of this club, well for me it is anyway. The events of the last 3 weeks have just totally stunned me in many different ways.

bpsaint i truly hope you are wrong.

Don't think so ''However, we are taking these steps to achieve our aims, which we share with all supporters, to get promoted this season,''

Bizarrely, they also confirmed later that some of the managers are currently in the PL. can't work out who that could be??

That's fair.