ART

Official confirmation of the move http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/article/doncaster-return-for-sharp-1310558.aspx

If financial answer ability is what Katharina Liebherr wanted at the club, who better to put things in order than the Financial Director. Making him Interim CEO gives him all the power to get to the heart of whatever caused mistrust with Cortese running the show entirely by himself. It wouldn't make sense to put a permanent CEO in charge until finances have been put in order, and, if any, thewrong doings exposed

If we're really in need of someone with a track record, integrity, then Rupert Lowe fills that role. You must be out of your head to suggest Peter Ridsdale or anyone of his background. Let the woman complete her work, before nit picking every rumor or bit of gossip. She's doing fine by me and she's moving very fast indeed.

Ice Hockey and errrh....Hockey. Rings a bell anyone?

Good points but they are being covered by other topics. Do we really need a new thread for this? Or are you frustrated like myself at how other threads wander off into a slagging match between posters?

The main board has turned into a Muppet Show and becomes worse by the day. Are the Admins just going to sit back and let it happen? Don't think they'll be many membership renewals at this rate. Once the finest football forum on the web.

Delighted to see Saints Under 21 Development Squad defeat Bolton Under 21's 2-0 tonight and a return for Aaron MARTIN who scored the second goal. Does this mean a change of policy since the depart of Cortese. If it does it's a very welcome one. http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/article/bolton-u21s-0-2-saints-u21s-report-1307176.aspx

The most experienced person to run Saints has to be Rupert Lowe. Would access to big money transform him from his misunderstood leadership without investment? Has he learned from his time away from the club and where he went wrong? I believe yes and would not be bothered if he returned as the new CEO. Karma deems he will return.

Jack Cork also played as a centre back so this may enable both Wanyama and Cork to play an interchanging game and both be included in the lineup

Wasn't Samuel the mouth piece of Rupert Lowe? Certainly like Cortese, Rupert made use of the Mail to spread his thoughts and plans. But was it Samuel he relied on?

Breaking news on Sky http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/12040/9120775/sunderland-director-of-football-roberto-de-fanti-leaves-club "Sunderland AFC has announced that the club has parted company with director of football Roberto De Fanti. The Italian oversaw a raft of big-money signings during former boss Paolo Di Canio's reign"

Ashton's quote that Cortese is aiming to return with another Premier League Club cast aside any final doubts I've had on Cortese's integrity. He has treated Katharina despicably of late. spreading malicious stories in the media merely to suit his own ambitions. He loved Southampton? No way. Rupert Lowe showed and shows to this day a love for the club many fail to realise. Knowing how Swiss Germans operate, I can strongly believe Katharina has spent the best part of the years following her father's death, silently and scrupulously learning about football, how to operate a football club. Once she felt comfortable was the point she began squeezing her desire to become involved. Supporters who've made fun, insulted and doubted her need to get a new life and realise where our good fortune and success originates. Does she want to sell or bring in a competent partner and investor? Only time will tell but her profile to date leaves no room for insults, personal or of her competence.

Who's to tell that Cortese wasn't offered a new job during his vacation and broke the news on returning. He may have given pre-warning months ago he would decide on his acceptance or otherwise of Katharina's conditions in the New Year.

Coincidence? Berni Ecklestone has resigned from Formula 1 toda|y. Could this be Cortese's next move opening.

I'm sure this was the guy Michael Wilde tried to bring in as investor. I'd rather we get European buyers if the club is to me sold. Keep out the Asian-Chinese mafias.

New Daily Mail article gives the most informative information on Kathrina and the club I've read. Katharina, the dream wrecker http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2540218/Liebherr-dream-wrecker-How-3bn-heiress-whos-never-shown-football-ousted-man-Saints-fans-believe-again.html

The more I reflect on this, the more I am convinced Katharina Liebherr doesn't want to sell the club. I believe she believes the time has come for the club to stand on it's own feet, be accountable and not merely reliant on the Liebherr millions. I was in business all my life and in many countries and knew several similar Cortese financial types. In every case, those with strong egos, total control were eventually found to be milking off the owner. Cortese needed to be accountable and should never have been left such immense power following Markus's parting. I strongly believe we shall see transfers based on the money brought in from sales of players they will replace and not on the Liebherr estate.

Very good point. Will be interesting to see how things pan out.

Danny Higginbotham reminds us on Twitter it is 10 years to the day that Gordon Strachan left the club. The repercussions were to be immense. Was it due to Strachan leaving alone or was it the way the whole thing was handled that brought about our fall. I can only hope the lessons of the past will be remembered and taken into account so that there is not, or ever will be, a repeat.

AS MLT has just quoted. Time for Saints players to show loyalty to the Club and not to just one man.

That is not a certainty after seeing the video of Billy Sharp sweating his balls off at the club yesterday. We're either about to sell of the likes of Lambert, Oswaldo and Ramirez and make room for the forgotten players or Academy players.

From the Daily Mail 'Out: Pochettino is ready to leave Southampton and follow chairman Nicola Cortese Pochettino intends to quit the club in support of Cortese, but the Italian banker had been pleading with him to stay and see the job through. A number of players - who all bought into the dream of playing Champions League football at Southampton - are furious with developments. Some of them are planning transfer requests and the agreements from young players to honour their commitment to stay at the club is now in jeopardy. Liebherr has engaged her lawyers over the past few weeks to engineer her move into power and that is likely to be confirmed before the weekend. Pochettino, who replaced Nigel Adkins as Southampton manager on January 18 2013, intends to quit after the weekend’s fixture at the Stadium of Light.

The Liebherr Empire is made up of many aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, sons and daughters. A number of Kathrina's family have football interests and what's not to say one of them is not interested in purchasing the club from her. This could mean that there would be a closer owner interest in the running of the club, hence Cortese's reason not to continue. I believe Cortese has had sole running of the club for far too long and it's only normal the owner/future owner would not wish this to continue. Kathrina will have the best possible advisors, financially and football experts, possibly from within the Liebherr family. In the long run I believe we can only look forward to an even brighter future.

Nothing in the statement mentions selling. In fact her words indicate this is not the case. I believe the ultimatum was sell to bring in any money to purchase future players. Let's be up front, the purchase of Oswaldo, Ramirez and the results would have got most chairman the boot.

This signals the Liebherr's bringing in Rupert Lowe to oversee the sell off. What goes up comes down and so the circle turns and what went returns.