david in sweden

I think many of you have made some good points. But to be fair to him. He's picked the teams every game and although we didn't win every game, did enough to get promotion. That takes some doing and he deserves some credit for that achievement. The end of season is the only time to evaluate a manager and he's a winner ...whilst some other prominent names are out looking for a new job. The task of a manager is often thankless. Lawrie McMenemy once said: "as a manager, you can never win. If the team wins, people say they played well....if they lose it's my fault because I picked them " .. Nigel has waited a long time for the adulation he deserves. (One or two on this site wanted him replaced a year ago when they thought he wasn't good enough to manage a Championship side...) Now is the time for him to accept that praise. Well done Nigel. However, much as I'd like to shake his hand and offer my congratulations, I do think he deserves some sort of privacy when relaxing with his family.

why anxious? ..when's our first League fixture ?

yes, but only because he bought her stables .......

agree totally. well said.

AGREED! that comes from so much time ignoring us for the past season or two....

Noticed that the Daily Star is running a story that Palace will bid / have bid 800K for Lee Barnard... Pity I liked LB (when in good form) but going from L1 to Premier League after a missing season would make it hard for him to make the 25 squad. IF true, may be a good solution for all parties concerned.

I had the same problem and tried a number of alternatives.: backdating data to before I the virus appeared. complete back-up scan and be careful abppout someof the sites you visit , I think some are made to measure "traps ". and heightening my security level.. seem to work best, but a good idea to change your password more often, too.

apparantly he is Tunisian born .....now who do we know who has connections in Tunisia?

good comments Badger, but just think what those equivalent transfer sums would be ... at today's prices? What is the inflation rate ....since 1966?

you mean after we'd originally sold him to Blackburn... for £7 million ..probably YES.

some fans dubbed him " Super Kevin Phillips " during his stay with Saints........and it has to be said ...on certain occasions ..he waS !

yes it does - doesn't it?, but if we can find 25 every season who fit the profile we may end up with a half decent side..

good observation Adrians, ..it seems the old adage ; " one bad apple ".......(especially in the dressing room) ....still rings true.

you maybe absolutely right Vince, but time will tell.

so true! I was actually commenting about those three " departed players " mentioned, but obviously not everyone who goes through the Academy. ...but growing up in Liverpool with his background and with boxing as first interest, perhaps Wayne's upbringing was par for the course on Merseyside?

Good try BTW, but for me .....this ....is the most telling comment..... what is it about then ?..

of course you may. I'm not anti Puncheon, but it seems that he doesn't have the same mindset as many other in the squad and now that we are talking "Premier League "... I think his chances may be extremely limited. We have better options in the present squad (without competition from new signings) and I don't see him earning a place on the bench, let alone getting regularly selected... so he's back to square one. The fact that he got a few outings after his "prodigal return ", does make him more "marketable " in the event of an eventual transfer.

I think that "signing" lads for the Academy isn't just about getting good schoolboy talent, it takes a little more. Considering those players who have moved on already ...TW, GB AOC.... it seems that people commented they were very mature for their age even when 12/13, and had good sense and a natural talent for football, and that, together with good mentoring from senior pro's makes the difference. You can (try to) coach any half-intelligent person to do the simple things well, but it does seem that most of our Academy lads (even those who didn't make it) ...are a cut above the average and don't just have their brains in their boots.

and also Jimmy Melia....

good PR --if we were considering selling him on. Easy to say he played in the last game of the season, the one where we secured promotion. A statement like that would put an extra few grand on the asking price.

More importantly is he Saints fit ? ...if not ? ...send him to Mc Donald's instead

at last some sanity. I've been writing for several seasons past....many Prem.sides have at least two International keepers on their books, and one of them usually has to pick the splinters out of his a** every week, unless there is an injury problem to the first choice man, but that's the Prem. for you. It was in the latter part of one of our (previous) Prem. seasons that 3rd choice keeper Alan Blainey got a few games and won Save of the Season for a wonder save from (then) England CF Alan Shearer... Strength in depth must mean for keepers, too..or would someone rather we call on Tommy Forecast in an emergency?

When did Norm play in the Prem.? (joke) .... but as for your various points... Of course, signing good /seasoned proffs. with prev. experience is desireable. Recalling Ted Bates bought in ex Everton hero Jimmy Gabriel who was so versatile and held the team together by successfully playing in various roles in the late 60's, and of course Lawrie Mac did this many times over when bringing in the likes of Alan Ball when Steve Williams was still a teenage starlet, and goal poacher Steve Moran blossomed playing alongside Kevin Keegan (who wouldn't ?). An overview of those famous McMemeny signings speaks for itself, and the mention of a side with FIVE England captains in it surely proves the point, even though most of them were nearing the end of their careers. Later on ex Liverpool Jimmy Case was the catalyst for Chris Nicholl's teams in a later management period. But every team has to field eleven players and it has to be said that in some teams they are there to make up the numbers and never really establish themselves as good Prem. standard players. So it depends WHO you are talking about. A top player with 300-odd games or 20+ caps, can be a definite asset, whereas someone else who is a misfit, or who has an attitude or a bad injury record could become a liability.

Ted Bates was first to use the 4-2-4 system into England, and Lawrie McMenemy introduced the Sweeper system.

-but that was only an estimate as his speedometer was broken.