Badger

Agree with Macca above about the strikers. Shocking ineptitude not reinforcing here. But some posters told us our strikers were adequate for the Championship. Has anyone mentioned that apparently Archer scored 18 goals in 40 games in this league ? Pretty sure I read that being bandied about on here. Well call me a heretic, but I still think he’s shit.

Delgado was a signing nobody would admit they wanted, he arrived I think around the same time as WGS who said the deal was done ahead of him.Lowe said it was the ex-manager, who later denied that. Who takes the blame for Stewart ? Mowbray had barely started, so is it Wilcox, Lego ? ( Not sure I’d pin it on Martin even though he did later talk the player up as to how he wanted him at Swansea or MK)

Feel sorry for the player (despite being handsomely paid whilst on another period of sick leave). But Christ what a bunch of clowns signing him.

I’ve given up watching them. But he was dynamic and convincing enough for Spors and co to offer him the job. Which is alarming in itself. Anyway, his press conferences and media skills are irrelevant. Let’s judge him on results….

I know a bloke in Petersfield who might be interested. I’ll look up his number, will be at work in his bookshop now, but could be worth giving him a bell. You might have difficulty shifting this one. But good luck

At the end of the season we’ll ask “How much did we spend to avoid relegation from the Championship?”

Best kept under wraps, then unleashed at the World Cup on the unsuspecting world. Damion will be in the White House and back slapping with Donald next July and make no mistake.

He’ll probably be our manager in ten years if Sports Republic are still here.

Agree, but if he was defensively sound, making runs deep into the opposition half, and passing the ball to blokes in the same colour shirt then he's not going to fit in. That'll teach him and be an example to others.

Barry Bannan who played under him disagrees. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cy4ple118zro

In hindsight perhaps, but he came to us on the back of having been sacked at Espanyol not long before. The appointment didn't have much of a feel of an uplift when it was announced. Far from it.

Adkins had done a tremendous job at Scunthorpe, but Martin had only managed mid-table finishes at Swansea. Not sure that meets the ‘done well at previous club’ criteria.

Seems that they want to avoid a manager who will come in with a firm opinion - and experience to back it up - and perhaps challenge the way they (SR, Rasmus?) want to do things.

I think you may be right about Souness wanting both, but not that we had to choose. We couldn’t sign Flo for whatever reason, either him or his club rejecting it. Not sure but I thought this predates Lowe by a few weeks/months, although Secure Retirement * did arrive that season. *Big warning: beware of potential owners with initials S R

Tore Andre Flo was strongly linked with us the season before. Souness wanted him and Lawrie as DoF tried to negotiate a deal. Can’t recall the specifics as to whether Flo wanted to come to us, but his club wouldn’t sell or if he rejected the move. Chelsea offered more later and signed him. We signed Ostenstaad instead. Story was that Saints spotted Lundekvam whilst watching Flo or Ostenstaad.

I always thought Niemi was a player Strachan wanted and his signing. Impossible to say how things might have turned out had we kept Taylor. But glad we later had Niemi, one of, if not my preferred first choice Saints GK in the years I’ve followed them (including the Shilton years).

Fair point. And personally I didn’t think he did a bad job at Chelsea first time round. Seem to recall it was an uncertain time for them in the transfer market (was it an embargo ?) so he was bringing through younger players. Yes, they’re going to be top drawer players, (not the Larios of this world) but by Chelsea standards he didn’t have the funds to splash, and would in time probably have built something there. The sacking seemed harsh to me at the time.

Said with the benefit of hindsight of course. The common view before last season was that Lampard was a name living off his reputation as player. He is doing a good job at Coventry no doubt. But worth remembering he did take on a fairly solid Championship side and set up made by Robbins who were underperforming. Yes, he’s transformed them and results, but a different task than our shell shocked bunch from last season.

Impossible to know, but gut feeling is that Rohl has a bit more about him. Sheaf Saint lists his time at Sheff Weds. On top of this his involvement at Bayern and German national team looks a better pedigree than mid-table Ligue 1. Would have been a better option in the summer, in my view, but the job now is a different one, in picking up the pieces of a piss poor team last season plus a disjointed one this. That’s not something I’d lay solely on Still ,it’s just where we are. I mentioned Rohl as his name would be one of the obvious ones linked. Whether that is still the case, we don’t know. Remember Reed saying they were constantly monitoring managers and coaches in case. Would seem pretty remiss if we haven’t, but this is Saints so (if past performance is anything to go by) we’re probably pretty ‘relaxed’ about it, and it’ll be the usual delay and few weeks posturing.

Not sure about Dyche but it does seem that we’re content to twiddle thumbs for a few more weeks whilst hoping for an upturn in fortunes under Still. If Rohl goes to Rangers, we might end up with Lallana as a stop gap. After that Christ knows who will appeal to SR, ( wait for a Richie Wellens appointment!).

Good article on Maik Taylor for those who remember him. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cjw7ey4y5e4o Was a good signing by Souness. I thought it was a shame we didn’t keep him as he was a better GK than Paul Jones but of course Dave Jones wanted his own man.

If true, then at least we can rule him out of wanting to come to us should the vacancy arise.

On the topic of local non-league results I saw Totton drew 1-1 with Truro so replay required. Bit surprising that the FA are happy for a non-league club to have to incur the costs of a replay at great distance, yet not those in the EPL with their millions and massive squads. Also Gloucester City (top of their league) beat Sholing 2-1. Living up this way, pleased by that, (and in view of above comments re Colwill and his view of Saints).

Why, what’s the history? Seems strange, perhaps they think they’re part of a bigger London scene or something, but the way he came across was very bitter, despite Saints helping his early years. Struck me as a character who ends up here towards the end of his career or after it’s cut short by injuries playing the ‘I’m a local lad coming back … card’. But think he’s set his stall out.

Some managers always seem to do well at particular clubs, though don’t repeat it elsewhere. I think - and hope - Cotterell falls into that category at Cheltenham. Would be a pretty impressive achievement to keep them in the league. In another result up this way, Gloucester City beat Sholing 2-1 today, and are top of their league.