Badger

Massive improvement on Wilkins though.

Guly failed to hit the target. Inspired signing by someone. But who?

Doubt he'll be here in a week.

Nice one Mr C^ntese. Back to the drawing board.

Or indeed anywhere at all for that matter ?

Of course if we do appoint O'Driscoll it will seem bizarre typing SOD to be an inoffensive term. And if we appoint Zola, may I be the first to chant Zod off Zola if we are not ten points clear by the new year ?

Are you still trapped in a 2004 timewarp?

Fair point on SOD.

I appreciate your insight into AFCB having worked there,and observations on EH. However (excuse the pun) I'm not convinced that this AFCB-Saints thing will be so ingrained that he would not want to come to us. We all know this 'rivalry' is a 'lets pretend' one, and deep down so does any Cherries fan with half a brain. His time at Skates is,with respect to him as a player, is the highest level he played at so will be a time he remembers fondly. Many a scouser has played for and been involved with the other team in their city,so I don't see this 'tribal' thing preventing EH from coming to us. He might not be the first choice I would make,there are others ahead of him in terms of experience and potential, but he would not be last resort in my book.I'd certainly rather have the ambition/promise of a young manager such as EH, than a recycled rent a job such as Brown or Hart.

O'Neill (although unlikely of course),Mowbray,Tisdale,Howe,Adkins would be my order of preferences. Might fit KK in there somewhere but again can't see it happening.

So, Martin O'Neill or KK it is then. Unless of course its Paul Hart. Just edited the last sentence of your comments.

Agree, I would not dismiss the achievements of Tisdale,Howe or Adkins either, especially when compared to those of footballing illuminairies such as Bryan Robson,Platt and even Pearce.

In fairness I think AP was succesfull at both Reading and West Ham,albeit briefly at both.

Some Exeter fans still refere to Tisdale as a PE Teacher.

Curbishley is more in the Burley category, as having done a good job once and will dine out on that forever.

Sorry...ballsed up post.

Both.

They seem the outstanding names to me. Mowbray though might be keen on waiting for the 'Boro job.

Good reads on: Adkins :http://soccerlens.com/nigel-adkins-profile/6223/ Mowbray :http://soccerlens.com/tony-mowbray-destined-for-greatness/5782/

Please add Pulis to the not wanted list.

Any other candidates you know to have been interviewed ?

My thoughts exactly.

In terms of how long Saints will take to make an appointment,I heard an interesting discussion about the Villa job on the radio the other day. It was suggested that Lerner is not just sifting/interviewing potential candidates but using techniques from the business world to identify managers suitable to be considered.One technique was drawing up psychological profiles of candidates etc. Given NC's previous business life,what is the likelihood that a similar excercise might be going on at Saints ? (Probably get a more insightful view of the candidates from reading this board though).

Our chairmen certainly know how to pick football advisers, don't they? Perhaps NC would be better off with a World Cup winning rugby coach at his side.

Using Cestrian Saints list for starters,I'd certainly not want: Phil Brown Zola Paul Hart Iain Dowie Chris Coleman Gary SMegson Alan Shearer Kevin Blackwell Tony Adams Gareth Southgate Chris Coleman Paul Ince Paul Jewell Plus (not that some of them might even be interested): Mark Hughes Alan Curbishley Dennis Wise Sven Ian Holloway Steve Cotterill ( he must be really gutted, he has been hanging on for the Saints job for about three years,now its available he's hooked up at the skates and blown his chance) Peter Reid Tony Pulis Micky Adams Unknown Serie B or even Serie A candidates for that matter No return for Jones, Burley,or other former Saints managers Eddie Howe - I would discount him,not for being crap but due to it being too early in his career Along with O'Neill the following would be interesting candidates: Kevin Keegan - but he'd only stay 18months maximum Lee Clarke - but unlikely to prise him from Huddersfield, and he'd be off to Newcastle at some stage Tony Mowbray - good football pedigree,and promotion experience Paul Tisdale - as an outside bet,and an up and coming manager although it might be a big jump with the expectation at Saints,and perhaps NC would not allow him time to build.