S-Clarke

They have played a few ''behind closed doors'' friendly's. tbh, as we're not in a league as such i doubt you'll hear too much of the results. So it'll seem like we never play...

I don't think we can risk Shearer - if he did come, he'd need a very experienced head alongside him. This is a tough league and on his own i think he could struggle.

I can see both sides of the argument here. Let me start with the positive side - Adkins is a good manager, he's kept a relatively small and low cost scunny side in the championship - but not only that, they're also competing in the championship. They've had to sell their best player this summer in Gary Hooper but he's still managed to set them up with a good solid start. He plays attacking, pacey football with width. That is something Pardew lacked for me, we were very effective under Pardew playing a certain style (hit it to lambo…) - prepare for much more Width under Adkins and a lot more football on the deck. I see this appointment similar to that of Grayson when he went to Leeds, the similarities are startling - and he hasn't done too badly there at all as he? A few iffy periods but he got them promoted during the time frame he was given. On the other side of the argument - he's not that massive experienced name i think we were all hoping for, someone that will bring all the fans together and put bums back on seats. I'm sensing a real divide opening within the fan base and appointing a somewhat unproven manager isn't going to help that - especially when he is replacing someone who, on paper, has much more experience and a much higher reputation (pull for players) within the game. I thought that Cortese would personally go for an experienced name rather than somewhat of a gamble, as this is an appointment he really cannot afford to get wrong. But he'll get my support, no matter what. I just hope he gets off to a fast start as i fear he's the kind of appointment which could see fans getting on his back quite early on.

Cortese is looking for new contractors after a disagreement with the previous firm.

oh it's a load of **** ''the weekly round up can exclusively reveal the new gaffer...'' then they spend about 5mins following a guy walking, only showing the bottom half of his body - whilst he goes inside st mary's. what is he doing? delivering gaffer tape to the security team. excellent.

let's hope so dd!

This would be a great job for Shearer to jump onto the manager bandwagon, but only if he's backed up by an experienced head initially. I wouldn't want him riding solo...

i was really hoping we'd have someone in before Saturday so he could take control of the team and give us that ''bounce''....i'm not too comfortable with Dean managing us again. We really cannot afford many more slip ups.

it is a shame, but the way Cortese has treated him is nothing but disgusting.

+1 totally agree.

This isn't a dig at Adkins as he's a good manager, but that's the problem i have. Cortese needed to appoint someone who would have an instant impact, pull all fans on side and instantly demand the respect of the players. To me, he's also a step down from Pardew. He's only been a manager for 3/4 years i think? Before that he was a physio and he's had no experience of top flight football at all. I thought that was one of the requirements? This is a risk that he didn't need to take if its true.

are they the same sky sources that said we'd approached paul hart?

They've been saved. for now. their bank has bailed them out.

why do people seem to think there will be a P.C annouced? it will just be an OS press release when it's all confirmed. the PC will usually follow later after the annoucement.

Who saw the signing of KK coming? who saw Tevez and Masc joining west ham?? football is a funny old game and it will always throw up the odd surprise that will make you go ''WTF?'' At the end of the day if the money is there and Cortese has managed to sell the project, any manager out of work would be seriously interested IMO. People will say that he's waiting for the England or Man Utd job - how long is he prepared to sit on his arse and wait?!?! I'm sure he's still got the fire in his belly to manage, and what a progressive club to come and manage...

they stop managers markets after 11 i believe.

The fact that he's kept so quiet and his name hasn't been out there indicates to me that he is seriously in the running for the post. I never heard from Pardew, nor was he even in the running on the betting sites until late in the day. Cortese is a sensible fella, somehwat crazy at times, but he's sensible and knows how to do a media shut out....which is possibly what's happened here. He knows he needed a high profile appointment to get everyone back on his side. I believe you may be surprised.

Not technically, you get 30mins free parking. If you stay longer you get charged for that.

uh oh, it's our spokesman

just signed a new contract with Stuttgart.

is your source five live?

oh so was i, i was very happy with pard's appointment. I was just putting across that the general mood of most posters was a bit underwhelming at the time - but that was mainly because WGS and kk were ''apparently'' done deals

not last summer, i believe he was offered the job before we appointed Pearson - but he wanted to stay and get stoke up. I think he made the right choice!

I really wouldn't read into the Odds Adrian - Pardew wasn't even listed on some sites before he got the job. they know as much as us.

Probably not, it will come when we least expect it! as everything has been since Nicola and co have been in charge.