S-Clarke

I actually think Claridge speaks sense, skate or not, he's praised us when he's had the opportunity to. I don't have a problem with him, good pundit imo.

noooo, you've misunderstood me. I'm not saying he'd be a nightmare appointment in football terms, it would be a nightmare appointment in that he will just clash with Cortese imo.

That would be a nightmare. The reason he's so unhappy at Forest is because of the transfer committee that they have there. So he'd just be coming into a similar role here. I'm a believer that a manager should be allowed to manage the football club, let the chairman sort out the finances, but let the manager manage, pick the players, pick the team, select the scouts. These transfer committees are a disaster waiting to happen.

He's an odd character, as shown with his recent decision at Bristol City, he's just not interested in football management anymore. DoF maybe, but i cannot see him coming here as a manager.

I'm not sure who else you expect us to be able to attract EBS, we're in L1.

The timing of all the decisions he has made has been odd.

One of the guys (i think it's the bald fella from the football league show) confirmed that it's almost impossible to get media access to Southampton this year, they have to jump through lots of hoops to get any interviews. Don't see the sense in that myself, why are we shutting ourselves away?

5 live seem to believe it's Zola. Apparently Cortese has links with him.

That would certainly explain the lack of funds avaliable to pardew FF, but i think the sad passing of Markus may have lead us to the timing of the decision looking at it now.

Zola would make sense and it would add a few 2+2's together from recent rumors. I think the manager we appoint will be someone that's used to working within a DOF/European structure. This was in place at West Ham with Zola, Guanluca Nani is their advisor.

Don't think so Nick. I said earlier that i think Dean has been kept on to keep continuity - the players know him and he can carry on the same methods for now. I would have assumed that Martin Hunter would have been put in charge if we were looking at an imminent appointment, but the fact that Wilkins has been told to carry on for the foreseeable future suggests that we're no where near appointing anyone else. That's just my thought on it though, not ITK or anything.

I think the most realsaitic and decent one out there is Tony Mowbray. Out of a job, just got his payout from Celtic i believe so is fresh for a new challenge. He worked within a ''DOF'' structure at West Brom along with Mark Venus and Simon Hunt. He plays only one way - fast, one touch attacking football and likes to bring through young players. West Brom were fantastic to watch when he was there, maybe a little fragile at the back, but certainly not boring to watch.

don't jest!

are you serious?

talking about tickets - can anyone get onto the online sales at the moment, or is it just me?

Excellent.

It really isn't.

I bet we never hear from him again.

If we get McClaren i hope he keeps his dutch accent

Guly stinks of a Cortese signing tbh. Same country papa came from, same agent as papa etc... i thought Pardew would have given this the ok and actually knew a bit about him, but maybe not.

Yeah, that's what i thought when i first read it as well. I thought it was a really really bizarre opening paragraph tbh, no mention of Pardew going until later in the statement.

If true, Cortese needs to back off. It only ends in tears once the chairman start picking the teams. (as we've possibly seen here) Let the people who you employed to manage the first team decide who bloody well plays. I utterly despise interfering chairman.

Thankfully.....He is the current manager of Azerbaijan side Gabala FC.

They're quite clearly trying to portray to us that it's business as usual and the players are ''happy'' http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/Gallery/0,,10280~2139716,00.html

I did notice that, but wasn't sure what to make of it. Last season it was always wilkins out on the touchline barking orders.