gordonToo

Wotte deserves at least one more match before the lynching party is set loose but getting a good result depends as much on KD's form as anything. He kept JP in his job longer than deserved but under Wotte the old hesitancy and mistakes seem to be making a reappearance.

I could understand Lowe's involvement in team selection if the asset sales referred to in the latest AR are the young players as, if that is the survival strategy, I'd expect him to ensure that they are kept in the shop window. The trouble is it doesn't seem to be working as the players are either not good enough, the league is too physical or they're too inexperienced to take the pressure. Regardless, Lowe now looks a busted flush and a loss on Saturday would bring things to a head.

Skacel every time. Molyneux is no better than a 3rd choice LB.

It all depends on Wotte learning (or having learnt) the right lessons and ensuring the players remain confident and postive. The second half at Norwich proved his approach is flexbile and his media interviews so far seem to hit all the right notes. So on balance, as of today, my answer is YES.

A good honest summary. "The Dutchman also agreed that his side's second half performance has made certain decisions easier for the match against Swansea." "The 4-3-3 system is a good system but there are other systems which are equally good and I'm not naïve or a fool."

The BBC calls it a fine draw and I think that's about right under the circumstances. If the crowd gets fully behind the team on Saturday there can be only one result. It's as much up to us as it is the team on the pitch.

Could be but isn't the RL/SCW philosophy that any decent coach with the right (i.e Dutch) credentials is OK for the first team provided the proper management structure is in place to provide a never ending stream of new young talent for selection? If so, Wotte's original position as Academy Director is crucial to the whole operation and the fact that no one has yet been appointed to replace him might mean the experiment is well and truly over.

If they brought in a new manager now it would take 4 or 5 games and maybe a bad result or two for him to settle on the best team and formation. I remember it took the 5-0 drubbing at Hull to crystalise NP's thoughts as to what was needed for last season's escape. Of course this could turn out to be a Dodd & Gorman appointment but I've a feeling we're in for a pleasant surprise. We're certainly overdue a change in fortune.

It's a shame really that the decision to dispense with JP wasn't taken sooner as it is clear from the press conference that his failings were widely recognised within the club. For me, Wotte is saying all the right things and acting as if he means business so let's see what the team makes of it all tomorrow.

You may be right. I don't think he'll make the same mistakes as JP but we'll have a much better idea come Saturday.

If Crouch can fund the loan of an experienced striker it's surely worth a go.

I would welcome this news, if true, as IMO it's the only way forward for the club in the absence of a take-over and given that Crouch is the only one of the major share-holders willing to put capital into the club (allegedly).

This interpretation doesn't quite fit with Jan's vow on Monday to continue fighting which implies he had received the full support of management and players. If he had received such support, why then did he change his mind just days later? I'd rather focus on Lowe's response to a direct question after Monday's meeting that "Jan hadn't been sacked ...... yet" which suggests the decision had already been taken but the formal announcement delayed for reasons as yet unknown. Maybe Wilde's (non)-availability was the key factor?

Jan has recognised this and has decided that the Club is best served if he stands down Rather suggests the decision was taken on Monday after all but not made public until now.

Or the best, if you think Lowe should step down as he surely cannot survive another failed appointment.

From the archives - December 2005 Wotte, meanwhile, has revealed that he was recommended to Saints by a former England Under-21 coach, believed to be former head coach and head of youth Steve Wigley

Looks to me like a job swap. You surely couldn't make this up.

I'll go along with that too. The share price is certainly not indicating administration is imminent and the rumours and newspaper articles of recent days are suggestive (to me anyway) of a propaganda exercise.

If it was MW then OK but the whole idea of the present structure was to distance RL from the playing side. In practice it's been the exact opposite with RL havimg more direct involvement with the team than ever before and MW being conspicuous only by his absence. The best intepretation that can be put on yesterday's events is that administration is now seen as inevitable unless results improve and that JP is but a pawn in the game.

Looks like it.

Reading between the lines, JP is as good as gone IMO. Dowie anyone?

Reading between the lines, JP is as good as gone IMO. Dowie anyone?

Maybe it's time for a Board of Last Ditch Unity with Crouch, Lowe and Wilde agreeing to bury past differences and having one last stab at getting it right. If Crouch's offer of £2m still stands then that could be used to bring in a proper manager without having to resort to a firesale of key players. It might also go someway towards pacifying the fanbase. Can't see it happening though.

Rupert James Graham Lowe

For that to be true would require "those type of people" to be aware that RL was missing and MW had left early. That information only became generally available after the match.