Saint Fan CaM

I will wonder whether he will make it to Xmas, but that will be true of any appointment now. However, I don't think there's a cat in hells chance of him coming to us - even if we were in the nPC he wouldn't because he knows (in fact most managers will now know) what comes with the territory....i.e. a lot of grief and intervention for a not very attractive salary over three years (although the bonuses for promotion might be very attractive I s'pose). It will be Howe or Zola IMO, although Howe could well be a disaster waiting to happen (for both parties).

Mmm, bit pointless possibly. Mind you, if on hols abroad and at wi-fi point it might come in handy at some point. And it's free so no loss.

Would this work with an i-Touch? It's got wi-fi so it could update that way I s'pose? Would there be any point?

Quite a nice little empire that one for a L1 club don't you think? Now in my simple view of the world, the development arm of a football club is a supplier to the 1st team squad. Providing any part of that organisation with the ability to influence the 1st team in any shape or form is at best counter productive and at worst fately disruptive. I am not surprised if AP had words if his position was becoming untenable due to unwanted interference in team selection.

Absolutely. My feelings are that Mr Wilkins is still at Saints because he didn't offer to follow AP out the door and NC therefore gave him the job of holding things together - i.e. he is in NC's pocket. The story about a Martin is another indication. The start handed to Guly is another. Case closed.

Howe has done some good stuff at Cherries, but it's too early for him to take Saints through the leagues to the Prem - he wouldn't handle the pressure IMO and it could ruin his career if he's sacked by Xmas because we're not in the top 6.

I would imagine it will be a foreign coach - someone who is used to working under a DoF type system. Zola stands out as a candidate for this reason alone, but add to this that he is friendly with NC and I think we have a strong contender.

Be careful what you wish for. I don't agree with AP's departure - not one bit - however the plain truth is, Markus saving us was frankly almost a miracle given the other options that were available and within that package came NC. And let's not forget that it was NC that suggested us to Markus, so in one regard HE saved us from disaster. We may not agree with everything going on right now and yes we're stinging a bit from recent events, however it could get a lot worse if NC were to decide he no longer wished to be the guardian and enactor of Markus' dream.

Completely agree - we could do a LOT worse than Zola TBF.

Anus. Errr, sorry I meant annus. Errr.

Have to reluctantly agree that the display tonight was dreadful and once again - despite supposedly having four of the best defenders in this league, our defence was completely undone by a team with a bit of pace and guile - not once, but three times. Not only that, but despite having the best striker in the league and an ex-Premiership quality striker, plus supposedly the best winger in the division in Puncheon, we lacked any form of decent creative drive into the box. Unless of course it is lumped into Lambert, who looked pretty disinterested for most of the game. It's no surprise Barnard came on like a bull in a china shop - he must be so frustrated at doing so much work and not getting a start ahead of an out of form Lambert. Final word for Wilkins, who said on Solent that he thought we were the better team in the middle third. B0ll0x were we. If that's the type of game preparation and planning we can expect from him, he might as well hand over the reigns now and fook off as it was a complete disaster. Wilkins and the players can bleat on as much as they like about how Pardews exit did not affect them because they're 'professionals', but I hope Cortese has a really fantastic game plan because to me that team has had the stuffing knocked right out of them and the morale in the dressing room now must be rock f-ing bottom! Nothing has changed at Saints other than now we've got to sit back and watch this next horror story unfold.

Solent have said that a decision will not be made this week and Wilkins seemed pretty certain that it would be himself readying the team for Saturday. Wonderful - we can kiss another 3 home points away then based on tonights performance.

Have to reluctantly agree that the display tonight was dreadful and once again - despite supposedly having four of the best defenders in this league, our defence was completely undone by a team with a bit of pace and guile - not once, but three times. Not only that, but despite having the best striker in the league and an ex-Premiership quality striker, plus supposedly the best winger in the division in Puncheon, we lacked any form of decent creative drive into the box. Unless of course it is lumped into Lambert, who looked pretty disinterested for most of the game. It's no surprise Barnard came on like a bull in a china shop - he must be so frustrated at doing so much work and not getting a start ahead of an out of form Lambert. Final word for Wilkins, who said on Solent that he thought we were the better team in the middle third. B0ll0x were we. If that's the type of game preparation and planning we can expect from him, he might as well hand over the reigns now and fook off as it was a complete disaster. Wilkins and the players can bleat on as much as they like about how Pardews exit did not affect them because they're 'professionals', but I hope Cortese has a really fantastic game plan because to me that team has had the stuffing knocked right out of them and the morale in the dressing room now must be rock f-ing bottom! Nothing has changed at Saints other than now we've got to sit back and watch this next horror story unfold.

Please, please, someone tell me that we have got shot of Pulis. Surely nobody in their right mind would give that lad another deal?!?!?

I can tell you now that if Hart is appointed Cortese can have my ST back and I'll be taking him to court to get my money back as he's sold me damaged goods. Seriously, I would be very fooked off. When I bought my ST it was with the expectation that Pardew would be the Manager for the season - sacking him AND then bringing in that stinking ex-skate no mark would be the end of it for me. Rant over....thanks for listening...I feel much better now...x

Well who's to say Zola would not bring Clarke with him, but still keep on Wilkins as a 1st team coach?

Zola / Wilkins combo? Would provide best of both worlds. Zola is currently bookies favourite - gotta be a reason for that I would suggest.

Howe has done well and mainly IMO because he has grown with the team - i.e. the team want to play for HIM. A move to a project like Southampton would be completely wrong for both parties and IMO he would fail dramatically - out on his ear by December and a ruined career to boot. I don't think he would come here at the moment anyway - look where Cherries are compared to us in the table - they could be pushing us for a play-off place come March/April next year. (;

Had a choice yesterday of last row of Kingsland centre or among the teenage warriors in the Northam. The latter won out in the end - not been in block 40 before so hopefully not a bad choice.

I think it's just to provide maximum continuity for this transitional period. You could say that as he is a tried and tested L1 manager in his own right, this was a good piece of forward planning by NC. He clearly also has good contacts and I would suggest he's got the ear of Cortese at least in the short term.

No more signings today then. It will be loans or rely on the youth development team to supply the 'extra'. In fact I think even the loans door will be firmly shut to whoever comes in unless it's a really big name with clout.

Be careful what you believe here. The quote is minimal and frankly the emphasis of the story is anti-AP, so to consider this article as a NC - MLT feud is completely getting the wrong end of the stick IMO.

Surely the new guy will need to be better / bigger name than Wilkins? Otherwise, why not just stick with Wilkins to get us out of this league as he's had good experience at Brighton and now here. I would be completely underwhelmed by Tisdale for example - not enough about him yet and if there was, he would have moved up a level or two by now.

You probably don't give a monkeys, but I owe you an apology. I suggested that your OP was wrong among other things - clearly I was incorrect in my assertion. My first reaction to this news was that NC had made a terrible mistake and while I do hope for managerial stability at Saints, it is less clear to me that NC is necessarily the ultimate villian. If he appoints Zola for example, this will go some way to explaining the decision from a more human perspective. If he appoints MO'N then that will explain the decision more from a hard-nosed and financial perspective. Appointing some of the no-marks suggested in the media would still leave me thinking that a significant mistake has been made by NC.

I note with interest that Dodd's name appears once again in relation to unrest with the serving Manager. Is he some kind of behind the scenes snitch reporting all the goings-on at Staplewood to the Boardroom?