Badger

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.

You mention Sholing, yet an interview Colwill gave (after the Chelsea v Saints match last season) and he sounded as embittered towards Saints as a Skate might sound (although he did stop short of referencing Scummers !). Was delighted when Sholing won the FA Vase some years ago, and came to St Mary’s, but that interview has strained the goodwill felt towards Sholing to some extent - given his links with the club. Good luck to Totton, and Fareham (and any Saints there) today. Always good to look at the non-league local results though. But I’m with Dr Who today, good not to have to spend the day, evening worrying and miserable about our results.

There has always been an imbalance in the relationship between club and local press. The journalist wants the contact and ‘insight’ from within the club, who expect (if not dictate) that it is done on their terms, ie portrayed positively. There is nothing new in this. Even in the 80’s the club would try to influence what went out. Of course things were different in terms of coverage, but also the personalities involved. Lawrie was a dream for the local press, articulate and charismatic for tv, and always a decent quote for them. He had brought success so no need for Brunskill and Bobin to look to question or criticise ( it was reported that he gave both an early heads up about something special at the Potters Heron). But I remember hearing that in 1982 after the Swedish rape allegations, the club declined to offer comment, and then stopped and removed Southern TV cameras from filming their news piece in the club car park ( on private property). Although House might enjoy a decent working relationship with the club, both should realise and accept that he should also be scrutinising and asking searching questions. Obviously there is a limit on this and I wouldn’t expect the Echo or Solent to lead a ‘Lego Head must go’ campaign with Lego figure images ridiculing the manager ( this perhaps isn’t that far fetched if you recall the national press and the ‘Turnip’ images for Taylor) The one thing that did surprise me was how far Adam Blackmore went re Nathan Jones (eg the Doswell phone-in). Thought they were pretty mild in the treatment of Martin.

Good point, but based on what we’ve seen over the last few months: Not sure Still would motivate him to get into the kitchen to have a chance to make it. And despite having a lengthy shopping list this summer Spors overlooked buying a kettle or cups. There was a kettle there already, (although hadn’t worked properly for 12 months).

Remarkable rise from his time with us which was a bit of a non-event, and Rangers where I seem to recall he wasn't popular at the end, BUT is regarded as a success at Forest. He's probably more to offer than we saw here, but wonder if he's getting out of Forest at the right time, whilst they're on a high, before it comes crashing down.

There seems to be some contradictions in your post. He has a poor record, but although you don’t think it will go well, you want him to continue. I’d rather we didn’t have to make another change, but I’d rather the board face up to the error rather than just continue to blindly ‘show faith’ in their appointment. Seem to remember this was the case with Pelligrino, and we know how that eventually ended.

But someone might ask some difficult and awkward questions. That would never do. Much better that ‘Cretin from Millbrook’* asks about the catering in August. * other cretins are also available to attend these events, and this in no way is meant to imply Millbrook has a monopoly on them ..,