Saint Fan CaM

I giggled.

Jeez, posts like this should be archived for future reference - absolutely one of the best I've seen here since day one. Well done fella - completely agree.

Not only that, but given a free-hand (i.e. no Lowe and Woodward circus) and the proper resources (i.e. the ones Burley had), he would have got us back into the Prem f'sure.

OK then. I'll agree with that. But I think it could be Pearce or now I think on it more, Shearer is starting to shape in my mind as the type of appointment that NC would go for if the interest was there from AS in the first place.

Simple - the club have quite clearly stated that it is recognised that managerial continuity is important. While it may not happen in practice (and who can predict these things?), the aim must surely be to attempt to get a manager that can provide as much continuity as possible. Otherwise, why plan for anything? Appoint a L1 Manager and I would wager he will deliver L1 to you. And before you cite someone like Pearson for Leceister, he had effectively come from the Prem at Newcastle and succeeded at Saints in CCC. There are just too many other better qualified candidates for Howe to be selected and his interview with Solent at the weekend would suggest he has already been told he's not made it to the short-list.

No you're not the only one. Howe may walk on water at Bournemouth, but here he would more than likely be a failure. Remember we're talking Bournemouth FFS! That's not to diss what he's achieved at L2-L1 level - it's great. But to take Saints through to the Prem (the key stated aim) would need a HUGE leap of faith from NC frankly and so I see him as an 'also ran'.

Yes. 10-20 years younger than some other Prem managers. HTH.

It's Stuart Pearce. Had enough of being Capello's boot boy (sic). WOW factor - young Englishman with good CV. Reed approval. Will be given approval to carry on certain England duties. You heard it here first.

I agree - Martin was close to being MotM for me yesterday. Calm and collected but decisive enough to blast the ball if necessary and he was winning a higher % of headers than Fonte. I also think Fonte likes playing with him - a good sign and they could develop into a very good 1st choice pairing.

I thought Connolly and Guly did OK too TBF.

Best post on here for many a week.

You really can't say Brown is a bit crap FFS. He's at least on a par with Pardew - he's managed in the Prem! Not the WOW factor perhaps, but I like how he's trying to improve himself and reckon he could do a pretty good job here actually. However I do not see him as the type of candidate NC or Reed would pick.

This. Sounds much more likely to me.

I wrote yesterday in another thread that the Development Centre was starting to look like the tail wagging the dog. This pretty much confirms it. We are headed for a big fall if NC appoints Brown or any other British manager. Zola might just be able to work with such a set-up. Whoever it ends up being, I do hope they've got NC's ear over Reed, otherwise they'll be be fighting a loosing battle.

Sounded very much like the reply was he was not approached and that he was concentrating on Cherries. Solent confirmed their understanding of this also. I don't think he will get the job frankly and I think he knows it too, even if he was interviewed.

You've pretty much summed up what I was going to say. To answer your question I would have to point to the past and how we have not learnt anything from it. This road-crash was seen first in the Prem with Wigley and then again in the CCC with the Dutch duo. It's Saints version of groundhog day but now it's League One. Cortese needs to pull a big ******* rabbit out the hat very soon and be absolutely certain of his decision, because I can see another repeat once again at Xmas, except next time we'll be talking about a candidate to save us from relegation rather than take us to the Prem.

Oh dear - just what we need now - not. Political agenda, self-serving, attention seekers.

Sure I see your point, however I would suggest someone taking over our squad is faced with a different set of issues. Howe built his own team in the sense that they were all in it together with their backs to the wall - kind of seige mentality. That's not really the case here - let's face it most of our squad could walk straight into any L1/nPC team they wanted (if they wanted/needed to leave) - the mentality is quite different I would suggest.

Of the three positions you mention, we have only failed to fill the CF slot....(Guly and Alex O-C have filled the others). My feeling is that the reason we've not sorted this is because it was always going to be a position to be filled by a loanee. Our current forward line will need re-evaluating if we get promoted to the CCC I would suggest and this might need significant expenditure - so why spend that money now?

Absolutely spot on. The guys you mention would not succeed - they have one thing in common, their success has come about by building their own team and getting their players on-side. Totally different concept to what's needed at Saints for this season and beyond IMO. Zola/Clarke combo would be outstanding for us all the way through to the Prem providing NC backs them completely and gets some much needed consistency and stability back into the club.

Come Alps, how can you possible support this statement?!? We have 4 points which is more than we had after the same number of games last season and have brought in 4 players in areas we needed to. We have given a half decent Prem side a good run for their money and won the last game 0-4. OK, it's not been thoroughly overwhelming, but why was it a waste? And how have we fallen on our arse?! Totally over the top and the evidence is just not there at the moment to prove anything like that!

Have to say I agree a little with the OP, although it was inevitable that fans would chant for AP when all they know is what they've been told - i.e. he's gone and that means instability again. The fact the team seemed so rubbish after a 0-4 victory just enhanced the feeling I would suggest. But today is all about helping our team get 3 points - nothing else matters until 90mins have elapsed. Sing for a Saints victory whatever part of the ground you sit in. WIFM. COYS!

Guly will start - it's been mandated by the Board and Connollys legs will be saved until 80mins. Therefore team IMO will be... -----------------------DAVIS-------------------- BUTTERFIELD-----FONTE-----JAIDI-----HARDING PUNCH-----SCHNEIDERLIN-----HAMMOND-----DICKSON ----------------------GULY---------------------- ---------------LAMBERT------------------------ Subs: Connolly, Bart, Fish, Martin, Wotton, Ox-Chamberlain

Dean Wikins 16/1 : Amazing odds given that he's still in charge of 1st team affairs for this Saturday...worth a punt I would say.

Might be worthy of note - on Tuesday I saw Hammond have a massive rant at Fonte after their 2nd goal went in. Fonte was not happy and squared up to Hammond but then calmed down. It was over in a flash, however it stayed with me because I've rarely seen Hammond have a go like that since he was made Captain.