MarkSFC

jeez........

Of course not. Hunter has the right to judge as the manager. The OP unless employed by the club in a footballing role associated to the U21 side is simply pedalling unfounded opinion which happens far too often, by many on here, seemingly exclusively with overseas buys. Give the International a f****** break. Some fans are bloody clueless and embarrassing. And I don't care what you think of me!!!

Amazing!!! The expectation that footballers perform at their highest level for EVERY single minute of EVERY single game is ridiculous ignorant and shows no understanding for sport. I wonder whether these distractions have every had "a bad day of the office" or even just 15minutes.... This forum is full of cvnts.

no..

There should only be a concern that he's not playing if we are struggling against relegation. We are not. That allows him and us time to get him ready for the huge season that next year will be. It's a safe assumption that his arrival upped the performance and focus of the other CBs, which is exactly what the squad game is all about. I suspect that sooner rather than later he will make his debut - and will be first choice alongside the CB we sign in the summer.

who?

Hardly inciteful. all bar Shaw and Ince already been involved at senior level. And where's Clyne?!

As nervy as it may be through the summer and given our history it is fairly natural to think we may lose one or two major players, HOWEVER this is a different club now with different owners and more importantly a different CEO. I truly believe that ALL the key players will stay, and most have signed long term anyway. We do not need to sell, we are in the Premier League and things are progressing. The whole ethos of the club is one of development and progression and this will continue until Cortese achieves his ambition which I believe IS Champions League. Unrealistic for most to comprehend but visionaries and highly talented people achieve unrealistic and exceptional things. Cortese is one of those people. Its going to be an exciting few years, starting with 3 or 4 major signings this summer!!

Bet he becomes first choice alongside the established International CB we sign in summer! Hope to see a young striker, Vydra could be shrewd. A winger who can play either side, Ince would be great. A quality CM better than either Morgan or Jack despite how damn good they are. That would do. Forren can back-up as LB.

Exactly...maybe the problem is that certain Ex-players/managers/employees "expect" certain treatment like free tickets/hospitality, possibly because that's what they were given by previous regime(s) who nearly bankrupted the club?!!

As great as Cork and particularly Morgan are performing we should get a CM (seems like we tried in Jan). I think we also will go for a right winger, experienced left back, and a centre back better than we have. Jos will move on I suspect. Depending on the opinion of MP about Gazza we might get a GK too. I think Boruc is proving his quality, its all about consistency.

People finally coming round....Atkins great a job as he did and as nice a bloke he was I always had the impression he wasn't actually ambitious enough or in fact his judgement of players standards in terms of ability was not actually high enough. Cortese is shooting for the very top..I get the impression that MP is that way inclined (he was an international so does have high achievement in his history)....whereas NA was at the peak of his achievements in life. Improving on that would have been hard for him (perhaps) and maybe that is a major part of the reason for him going. High achievers do not go for rides on a bus....they go in chartered planes.

On now.....c**t. thick clueless w*****

...it doesn't mean it is actually the wrong one. I understand the "shock", I am by the timing and as much as I admire Adkins for what he has done I think this could be a master-stroke (again-like NA before) by Cortese. The best time to make changes is when things are going ok or have plateaued rather than when the performances are dropping off. I completely get the furore and reaction on here - us Saints fans are a passionate lot but we MUST get behind the team AND the the new man AND Cortese. To be fair to NC he really hasn't got the big decisions wrong so far...this is his biggest call and he can only be judged in the weeks and months that follow.

all depends on "how" it was said, tonality etc.

A complex with pubs and restaurants alongside a 12-15k seater stadium WITH ROOF that provides a better venue for U21s and U18's to get "stadium" exposure as opposed to Staplewood. Designed well it could have multiple uses such as: Venue for touring comedians, music performers. Boxing contests; A womans SFC Conferences, exhibitions Speedway Greyhound racing The list could go on. Of course there are cost implications but this is hypothetical world....

Who cares. If the player makes us better that's what matters.

FYI 9/4 is not odds on.

This supposed interest in Shaw is Contests first real test. Ox is forgivable because we were L1/NPC (andhe got a decent fee). The whole ethos of our transfer dealings have bordered on the Arsenal model - young with heaps of potential - so if NC did sell it would shake the belief I have in his strategy of academy products particularly as it would be failure at t he first hurdle. He signed JWP on 5 years on his 18th....I'm sure Shaw will too!!

I think Adam will play on Saturday. Or he wont. Why stress about it, you have no control over it. Mugs

believe what you want......

Exactly...he is the real deal tactically. Why do people think he didnt come to us with Redknapp?!

Two CB's seems the obvious starting place but I hope we just buy one really good one (although that is going to be difficult, especially if we are still bottom 3!!) as one of the others may be good enough alongside someone miles better. Scott Dann may still be worth a punt but Dawson would be great if no more than 4-5 million, no way is he worth 9 as quoted in the summer. The trouble is though that lots of teams need CB's so prices will go up and auctions will happen. We also need a LB and as someone else mentioned get rid of Fox!! If no LB is available it may pay to get another RB in (if Richardson is not fit) and play Clyne there when Shaw needs leaving out/resting given his age. Finally we need a proper decent defensive centre midfielder - someone who can protect the CB's better than we currently do. If we spend 8-12 million on that little lot it may well seem like we have spent 40-45 million to stay up but it does mean far less would need to be spent next summer, arguably "only" one or two fairly decent additions. Cortese has to balance going down spending nowt and losing the big increase in money next year with spending a reasonable amount and "hopefully" staying up or going down with a very good squad to get up again straight away....

I dont understand the question...

Last season Wigan began D..D..W..and then lost 8 in a row, 5 points out of 33. They scored 8 in that time and conceded 22. They stuck with the manager who was implementing a style of play. It was a brave decision but worked out. Cortese faces an equally tough decision, possibly gamble. As much as NA has done for him and i am normally very positive, a few of his team selections and substitutes have been very much unlike his general decisions in past seasons that I am now doubtful that in fact he is capable of this step-up. Perhaps he is bemused by the squad size he now has... Sad but Southampton are more important that any one individual regardless of what he has achieved.