david in sweden

OK but who is Dave Gullivers, I wonder?.....just a mate. or?

one of the (former) problems was that we took payments in instalments. If the so-called " big clubs " can afford to bid £10 million for someone they should pay more up front, as it seems to be no problem when they pay £20+million to buy "super stars" . ALSO..... if we were to sell someone (say Shaw for £30 million) we should always get some sort of a big % for an eventual sell-on. Surely the whole Bale episode has taught us that. It was embarrassing to say the very least... when you look at the extent of his deal to Real. The same applies to add-ons for apps. and caps. Both Walcott and Bale deals were on annual part-payments, but when our cash crisis came, we were forced to accept a lower sum just to get the cash to pay debts. Admitedly, that's hardly likely to happen again, but there is a lesson to be learned, whether it's £6 million or £60 million, and always have a sell-on clause .

not in the Burnley game perhaps, but against Chelsea and Everton ..the back line was Chambers, Fonte, Lovren and Shaw. Have I missed something or is there a better defence than those four?. I'm more concerned that Gazzaniga is still in the frame, when it's painfully clear that he won't to be in the running for the no.1 shirt for several years at least - if ever.

Mmm our honurary President Terry Paine is 74 ....that must be a worry for you, too then ? .

OK then, thats clear. We don't interview any candidates who are under 6' 1". OK?

Firstly, I think Cortese's "resignation" was a knee-jerk reaction to KL removing him from the MALI Group 3 months ago. In financial terms, SFC was "small potatoes" compared to Mali's activities. Now that he's gone, we will focus on FOUR people. 1- the new (KL appointee) for CEO. Will he pick up the Cortese blueprint and continue developing it (hopefully with kid gloves instead of an iron fist), or seek to impose his own agenda.? 2 -The Manager / Coach. On the face of it, many people see MP departing at the end of the season, which indeed he may do......UNLESS we can put together another 10 game run towards the end of the season, in which case he might be persuaded to stay (by more likable CEO). Although, MP came in on NC's coat-tails, it could be an opportunity for him to become " his own man", unless NC takes up a similar CEO job at another top club, and lures him away. 3- Another manager (in the event of of MP's departure. We have to get this right the first time around - and a well-established candidate who is " squeaky-clean " in the footballing world. 4. An eventual new owner (should KL decide not to become a football fan real time). If it is to be one of the rich cronies that NC has been " courting ", he'll need £100+ million to buy the club in the first place (Abrahamovic-style) ..and then be willing to spend £30-40 million a year (in top foreign imports) to give the right kind support to the generations of future Academy graduates. there is the scenario that we may not have seen the back of NC. The spin-doctors have been working overtime to portray NC as " fighting to prevent KL selling the club" , whilst (apparantly) seeking out potential billionaires who would be able to do just that ! If so, having persuaded them to buy SFC (as he once did Markus L).... he'd want the chairman's job back in order to control everything again.

A strong side YES, but not everyone possible. Like the Burnley game, leave Lallana, Lovren and Lambert on the bench for a bit...... . play Yoshida, and definitely play Osvaldo (he's missed too many games already)....and give Gallagher some sort of a run out ...say the first 45 mins. We won't get much weaker opposition again this season, and if he can't play alongside someone like Osvaldo in a game like this, then he's still got A LOT more to learn. If Reed is such a good prospect?, OK.. then start him too. We might get Chelsea or Man.City in Round 5 and then that's not a good time to experiment.

not good enough? ...........well compared to the two other alternatives.......he's superb. Every goalie concedes from time to time, and some more than others. I didn't read you complaining when he conceded only 4 goals in our first 10 games, (and that included 6 clean sheets.(btw) Do we need another top international goalie ....YES (see sentence above)...and to have proper cover for just such injury situations (as Chelsea) for the record; during the time Boruc was out injured: Gazzaniga conceded 9 goals in 5½ games...... and KD let in 8 in his 3 starts.

a longer version of Pochettino's statement had been translated as ....." not allowing.. any player in the sqaud that he wanted... to leave the club....". there are still a few in " the other category " .....not to mention Billy Sharp who is back from his loan to Reading..and is still without a squad number, I think?????

Trying to read between the lines in the miles of newsprint already wasted on rumour and suggestion about NC. but ..might Cortese's resignation also have something to do with the MALI Group dumping him as Director in the Autumn?..as it seems that he may have been serving out his period of notice since then ?

I'd be surprised if he did comment. For better or worse it's history and not PC to remind people about incidents in your past life, when your present one is being drawn into question in some quarters.

Am I right is assuming that she might put the auditors in ....(just to check everything - you understand) before actually appointing a new CEO ?

?.....apparantly only in the artlcle that everyone is referring to, but then also ..what about all those stories of NC looking for buyers (like the Chinese consortium) who he could sell the club to? Doesn't make sense - does it ?

Will Britt is one of half-a dozen U18/U21 keepers who've had a few games so far this season. Good experience for him . According to BBC.....in a much longer version of Pochettino's press thing he stated that none of the (first team) squad players would be leaving ....... I expect to see a few of the Academy lads getting a chance to prove themselves at lower league clubs elsewhere in the local area.

CHAIR ?........As I understood it ....that was a feminist demand in order to be politically correct and gender neutral........? or ....

....well if it has " all been sold ", then I'm sure she must have some money in her account. The extent of the product area that Markus' company served was very exclusive and expensive.

" not much of a statement " ???? How many paragraphs do you need ? What else should she have said that isn't stated here ? When she appoints a successor to Cortese, he'll have the responsibility, and start quoting future plans. I don't see her being an interfering type of " hands on" owner. Should we suddenly be re-named Southampton Lions ? I don't think so. ...That's why she'll employ a top man for the task and leave it to him. ( Cortese obviously wanted to run the show / take over control.. and she wasn't prepared to let him).

She may not be " football " but as owner of a 3 billion (whatevers £? $?) organisation, she surely knows how to handle things in a business-like manner.

If you mean his disagreement with the now former Chairman, I think that was a purely personal issue between the two of them - wasn't it? Most other people, both in and involved with the club still hold MLT in high esteem, I'm sure. I expect to see a number of other former luminaries " re-patriated " after being deemed persona non grata in recent years.

He seems to come into a category of someone you liked, or hated. He upset some people because he took away the programme sellers, abolished free tickets and changed the beer, and along the way sacked a couple of popular managers and then installed a " foreigner " who nobody had heard of ....and who dared not speak English in front of the cameras. However..from a business perspective, he persuaded Markus to buy the club, (when it was on the brink of extinction) and then endured many sarcastic comments when suggesting we'd be back in the Prem. in 5 years (and managed it in 3.) He dragged the club and its fans, kicking and screaming into the 21st century footballing world and projected a state-of-the-art training facility for the club which is second to none. Clearly, an ambitious man with vision - when few could see beyond the fog in the Solent. I can only hope that his blueprint for the club's future won't be caste aside when they clear his desk. I think he wanted to buy the club, or at least get a controlling interest but it was not to be. Had he been a bit more of " a man of the people" he'd probably have attained " Sainthood " and the glory. He undoubtedly had his next move planned (if he couldn't get Katherina's co-operation for HIS plans), and so I expect to see him take a leading role in one of the top Euro club...any day now. We can hope that Katherine L. becomes a Saints' fans and respects her father's desire for the club's success because (had he lived) he would surely have been proud to be the owner of a Prem.club. IF ...she eventually sells, it must be to someone willing to meet the eventual valuation ..£100 million ??)....and be prepared to fork out £30 mill. a year to " pep-up the squad " with some foreign talent, whilst continuing to support the next generation of Academy graduates..... and hopefully someone with more patience for eventual success than the Chelsea owner has. MP's admission that he intends to stay is re-assuring ...at least in the short term, as he will surely be the target of some of the " mega clubs " in the future. Had he also chosen to go, I tried to " mentally head hunt " a suitable replacement. With view to our Academy and high level of British playing personnel; I reasoned it should be a " Brit " of some standing in the game...(currently unemployed)...with an international reputation as a player, experience of the Prem, and management experience plus some degree of tactical nous....I came up with only one name, which I somewhat reluctantly put forward ........Glenn Hoddle. Hopefully we won't have to face that possibility for a while.

strange development?.....can it be a "destabilising campaign" orchestrated by some darker powers through the media ?...or something more serious? .......Can we expect a flat denial from SMS....or ? one way or another it nees clarification and soon. We (who remember it) can still recall the fall-out after Gordon Strachan's departure.

I admit ...it all looks good in his stats, but ........29 in February .....sounds like a lot of money would go in salary ...but how much of a future?

In snowy Stockholm ....as have been for the last 30 years, but still get to the UK to see games ....occasionally.

this is the key phrase. I'll bet by the end of the month we'll have " acquired " 2-3 new names.

.....who happens to be the only " foreign " player to have featured in over 400 games