Badger

Not at £22.80 though....

Turf

I read his name on here before, and having not previously heard his name googled him. Looks impressive on the youtube clips - but so did Steve De Ridder of course - but also found that he's recently signed a contract extension until 2021 with a €50m buy out clause. https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/aboubakar-signs-four-year-porto-deal-eu50m-buy-out-clause

Not sure Congerton is such a coup for them though , just seen this about his time at Sunderland: http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2017/11/09/are-celtic-discovering-why-sunderland-fans-warned-them-about-lee/ I think a few have previously suggested on here we should get Celtic's head of recruitment to try and cut out the middleman as it were, perhaps Park's availability makes it possible.

Inclined to agree with all of that. Yet they still managed three points against us. For me Swansea and Palace look the most devoid of ideas, but year after year one of the early strugglers manages to find form and lift themselves out of it. WBA look poor. So, most likely for me are Swansea, Palace, and one other from about half the table including us. Hope Everton go down but unlikely, same for West Ham.Bournemouth have looked poor but have had a couple of decent results. Wish I could say we're too good to go down but with an impotent attack and FF's ability to concede soft goals we're not.

Out of interest what now comprises the "board" who are the decision makers.

Might be co-incidence but wondered if this is MP on the start of a pr/charm offensive: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41945759

After the success of Koeman's first season we seemed to run on empty for quite a time the following season although turned it around after exiting the FA Cup when FF came back in and we went on a run for the remainder of the season, possibly papering over a few cracks in the process. Certainly poor managerial decisions, Koeman going (perhaps we were right to not allow him to go into the last year of his contract), and subsequent selections. Transfer policy - we've been crying out for a goalscorer for two seasons, and although we eventually signed Gabbiadini we certainly don't seem to be able to utilise him to the maximum. The CB situation last season was poor, and our failure to recruit a decent GK haunts us every week. Possibly the loss of Mitchell. I'd also add that the club seemed to be drifting without leadership or direction whilst the potential sale was in the background for about 12 months. Whether this uncertainty petered down through the club I don't know, but gut feel was that something was not right, and people were not as focused as might have been.

Which is why I suspect any decision for change will have to come at a higher level,either Ralph, or the owners. Unless of course Les feels the scrutiny from above .

Isn't he regarded as a serial non achiever who loses the dressing room ? I appreciate the Chelsea and Spurs jobs probably came too soon in his career, but has he done anything of note or gained a reputation for decent football since leaving these shores ?

Strange how things work out - Bristol City fans were expecting Johnson to get the push last season as they seemed to be in freefall towards L1 at one stage. Jokanovic was trumpeted as a great prospect - possibly only on Saints Forum though - last season and things look pretty average at Fulham now. Dean Smith would surely struggle to 'win over ' our dressing room Billy Big-Bollix players. As for Giggs - no. Agree about Tuchel, & Ancelloti isn't even a starter as I see it. Strangely, I suspect Rodgers at the end of the season may want to get back into a real league, and in the absence of a Big 6 job landing in his lap (which isn't going to happen) we might be a possibility. Although I'm not convinced as to why he is considered any bettera prospect than say Martinez. If Rodgers did come to us then I suspect we'd be his "rehabilitation" in the EPL whilst he awaits an Arsenal, or Chelsea to give him (his ego) the chance in the CL again.

Time will tell, but as the last couple of season's have gone on I've come to the conclusion he is unlikely to be any less reliable than FF.

He gives the impression of playing in goal with heavily bandaged hands... ... whilst also playing in wellington boots Yes saw that ... looked like FFS to me...

Tuchel remains the outstanding candidate from what I've read but he'll have his eyes on something better than us, and with immediate CL prospects I suspect. Unless Gao's can convince him of the "project" , but I'm not holding my breath on that. Why ? Did well at Liverpool when he had Suarez but after was poor.

If what we've read is true then I suspect bridges have been burnt. The last thing we need now is a war of nerves between a CEO & manager, remember the Rupert - 'Arry relationship. Again from whats has been suggested, Koeman - though an improvement on MP no doubt - had some limitations highlighted whilst here such as aloof attitude, and disregard for younger players. Despite the good finishes we experienced some pretty lean runs under RK which some seem to have forgotten.

I read it in the context of being a club manager, in a CEO, or Les Reed role as opposed to first team coach etc.

Await the " Southampton can't afford to live in the same street as Burnley, and our fans should get used to it.. " type quote then. Not to mention something to the effect that " [ insert name of 5'4" unknown Spanish striker signed in January ] will score more goals than Aguero [or similar] this season... "

Why would they look to remove him at Dortmund ? (Currently third in their table having just looked on BBC site).

All of whom have goalkeepers capable of making saves from time to time though. It does give them a bit of an advantage.

Were Gao or Nelly in attendance today?

Puel & his replacement - agree VVD - disagree, I think you're possibly rewriting history a bit with the benefit of hindsight. I think the vast majority were of the view at the time that we shouldn't give in to him this summer, and I wouldn't criticise the club for that now. How we've spent of course is another matter. GK - spot on. He was a liability last season so to offer him a new contract was absurd, not to bring in a capable deputy, or someone better was p!ss poor management.

To have the impact we'd hope for I suspect the decision has to be taken at a higher level than Les Reed, along with the recruitment. If it's left to Reed we'll have a few weeks of dither, dither, and dither again ... (rather like the Lowe-Wigley era when it was obvious to a f^cking idiot that Wigley was not up to the job, but Lowe just allowed him to amble on... what happened next of course was equally calamitous).. and on making the selection it might not be a clean sweep, but fitting another one into the cosy set up to fit in around Black and Dave Watson. Problem being that Ralph sees Les as the 'football person' from whom the club takes it's direction. So unless Gao, a Nelly/Kat combination, or Ralph have some inspiration, or another football adviser giving guidance it looks like Les will be allowed to navigate the good ship for a while longer ( iceberg, what iceberg ?). Perhaps, Gao/Nelly will realise the implications for their investment pretty quick, but let's hope they are more insightful on their choice of replacement than Brum appointing Zola.

I think part of the problem is Brighton looking for a derby/rival to get worked up about. There is a mutual loathing between Brighton & Palace which I understand stems from the 1970's but I suspect that Palace are more concerned with other South London rivalries than BHA. That leaves the poor Seagulls - (amuses me that they have such a borrowed nickname rather than anything historic after they tried to reinvent themselves years ago) - looking for anyone who wants a rivalry. Look to the west and their closest neighbour is preoccupied with us to give a Sh!t about them. Look to the east, and ... how far is Gillingham ? Too far. I did read that in the 1970's BHA & Bournemouth worked up a great deal of friction in the days of John Bond & Ted MacDougall but presume that has petered out. As others have also said, I've no real gripe with BHA , and as with most Saints fans have a soft spot for Boscombe.

Watneys Ales displayed prominently on the old West Stand. Memories...

It used to called sportsmanship. Perhaps we rid ourselves of that quaint concept though with the Brighton match under Adkins.