MarkSFC

actually it soundr like one last try to alter our mindset, to attemp for complacency to enter our camp. The man ir pathetic, he has been cracking under the pressure gold and sullivan must put him under to achieve promotion. I'd be amazed if he is their manager come next season and probably not even by the end of this one. Not that i really care about the jumped up arrogant little club. We have NA so no mind games here just success!

I think that Southampton FC was actually a sort of a gift of a project to Cortese from Markus. for Markus I expect the purpose was mainly sporting and personal and far far less money orientated than alot of people think. When ones personal fortune is supposedly in the billions then making 50 million by investing say 50 million isnt actually going to make any difference to ones lifestyle. For Cortese it will be a life changing project I suspect. It will be his career defining role and on top of that he will be driven by the memory of his friend. I like the lack of public connection with the club shown by the liebherr family and that just fuels speculation of a lack of interest. This may be accurate but equally it could show a complete and utter trust in Cortese and a desire to let him carry out the wishes of their relative. For these reasons i think that we are actually in very safe hands for the next few years. there will be a point in the future that is the best moment to sell and maybe they will take it. And if they do fair enough because we will be in a hugely better place than we were when Markus and Nicola took over.

as far as making saves I think Kelvin is up there with the best. Unfortunately other aspects of his game are not so good which is probably the reason england never came calling. His command of his area is un-inspiring and he stays on his line too much at corners for me. Also his kicking is not the most accurate. I also think that his distribution in terms of speed lets him down. I dont blame him for the last two weaknesses in his game as when he learnt the game keepers could pick the ball up more and for most of h4s career he has just hoofed the ball as opposed to playing out from the back as we do now. The game has moved on as have saints and sooner rather than later kelvin will have to too in order for saints to keep progressing even though he has shown unquestionable loyalty and service. I hope he goes into coaching for us.

its any 1 from 1

10 games - so being slightly conservative 5 wins, 3 draws and 2 defeats gives us 18 and a total of 87 points. That would mean that West Ham AND Reading would need 22 from 11 games - so either 6 wins, 4 draws and 1 defeat or 7 wins, 1 draw and 3 defeats. At HOME: West HAM - Boro...Reading....Birmingham...Brighton...Hull..............VERY TOUGH to win all of them if ANY! Reading - Blackpool...Leeds...Forest...Palace.........certainly easier but not an easy game in there. AWAY: West Ham - Leeds...Burnley...P'Boro...Barnsley...Bristol City...Leicester....Again VERY TOUGH!!!!! Reading - Doncaster...Barnsley...P'Boro...West Ham...Brighton...Saints...Birmingham...........the last 5 are VERY TOUGH!!! We WILL win this league!!!!

Good for you...hit a nerve have I? They do say the truth hurts.

Exactly...some the moaners on here who are "probably" very infrequent watchers of Saints and have probably never even played a sport let alone be competitive or even successful are complete and utter *******. If we were leading the premiership by 10 points with 3 games to go they would probably still moan. We are playing arguably THE most competitive league in the world and with 11 games to go LEAD!! It may not be the standard of football you see on tv in the Premiership or the Champions League but then it wouldn't be because it isn't yet our team and our players are constantly compared against that standard on here....and not in relation to the clubs they are playing against. Roll on 11 games time when we finish as Champions......even then some people on here will moan about something. Pathetic *******, don't deserve to have a club.

thats amazing!!!

This team is no where near the best saints team ever. On the basis of technique and style of football it probably isnt even in the top 5 maybe even top 10. However in terms of getting results, i.e. winning, it is most definitely in the top 5 if not much higher. Winning is exciting and in sport the most important element. How you achieve consistant success is the fans discussion point and the coaches peadology We are very fortunate to have the people we do at our club right now. Sometimes its good to forget the analysis and just enjoy the sport for the sport!

http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10280~2626284,00.html

They do seem to be a little obsessed with us and that makes me think that they are running scared. Before the start of the season they obviously thought that they would walk this league and so far they haven't. I think deep down most WHU fans realise that the business model of gold and sullivan is just one big gamble and if somehow they mess it up this season they will be in a bit of bother...again. Should the worst happen and we somehow fail to go up (something I am very confident we will not do) then we will still be in a very strong position for next year. Hardly anyone will want or need to leave and we will go again and still be within the infamous 5 year plan to get to the prem. WHU on the other hand will have to off load their high earners. On topic though I think Billy Sharp "will become" Premier League class as he and the team develop and we add more and more quality. Top players tend to fall into 3 catagories; whizzkids who burn out by late twenties (e.g. Owen, Walcott (maybe) Lee Sharp).....Players who mature as they age and improve year on year and end up at the top(e.g.Sheringham, lineker, Channon, LeTiss, Lundekvam,)......whizzkids who actually last and get better (e.g.Rooney, Shearer, Giggs, Scholes spring to mind). Sharp, lambert, lallana, Cork, Morgan, Lee (possibly), Hooiveld, Fox (probably), Richardson (possibly) all fit into the middle category as does the club itself. I think based on his signings so far that is exactly the philosophy behind player selection - for the first team. The "whizzkid signings" will all be for the development and U18 squads. To ask if Sharp is good enough and not ask if the rest are good enough is a little selective as only one or two have played there before. Only time will tell but the great thing about our team is that they are at similar stages of their footballing development and that fits very nicely with where the club is right now. As Nigel said...The futures bright, it's Red and White (not Claret and blue!!-he didnt say that bit!!)

this. And so easily sorted it really ****es me off the club have failed to rectify it in over 10 years!

literally bumped into Gordon Banks in winchester when the Grobelaar trial was on. Resisted exclaiming 'aye aye gordon'!! Met KK at chilworth golf range. Met Channon at salisbury races. Drank with Claus, Paul williams in jumping jacks in cardiff after the final Sat in the row and seat in front of John Howard, then aussie PM at SCG on the ashes tour 2002/3....said a polite hello when returning from lunch and we happened to make eye contact!! Spent an evening drinking with Peter Rodrigues in the Grapes a few ydars back. Top man and tells brilliant stories. Still very proud about 76!

if there is no pompey we have no rivalry and we win. If pompey exist in any form they are our only rivals. Anyone who thinks another team should be chosen really doesnt get it.

but 4 months of haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaammmmpshire......so not all bad.

maybe the EUROPEAN appearance doesnt count domestically.

good to hear he is beginning his career again and i hope he has a good rest of his career........with another club.

i think or guessing that nc is keen to protect our future financial position whilst also upping the quality of the team, squad and club. You can do it 3 ways in my eyes, steadily and sensibly but missing out on a few targets....the man city way, buy now as quickly as possible and worry about the credit card bill when it arrives.....or the skate way, buy now, and NEVER pay later. I know which i prefer. I do hope that we pull off one 'major' signing soon though!!

i see your point but we have no idea the figures involved. If we are offering upto 25 now and say 40 in the prem i would say that is fair and very reasonable. If player X is asking for 40 now and 80 in the prem then i would say that is not fair or reasonable....for any of the 'linked' players. If its messi thats a good deal!

top post!

no answer is absolutely fair. My suggestion is fairest on the basis that expunging every game v them is not as fair as only the second because everyone will have had one chance to beat them. The fact that its birmingham who havent played them yet is typical! Do they play them by 20 feb? I think the home and away element is less important tgan losing both games results particularly in west hams case having won both.

the fairest way would be to expunge the 2nd game versus them if already been played at the time of their deserved liquidation.

oh how it must be so good to think you may have predicted failure.. You doom and gloom merchants are pathetic, i just hope you dont have kids because with your negative approach to life i doubt they get any encouragement or SUPPORT from you and more than likely should they ever make a mistake or underperforn in something you will likely just ghve up on them..... If you approach that you wrap up as 'realistic' is the only viewpoint within the club then why do they bother. Elite individuals and coaches will be able to see all angles,* the positives, the negatives, the reality position, the options available, the utopia position, the inhibitors, and the energy required to achieve the goals neccessary to achieve sustained success. Thankfully Im certain NA and NC work within that type of framework sn i have no doubt that they will achieve their aims this year you self proclaimed realist of failure merchants do not deserve to have the association of success. I bet you only turn up for the best or worst bits and either say i told you so or we wont go up next season. I hope your lives are full of a million set-back because that will make you so happy.

at tyro level played for ac delco alongside keith grainger. chris wilkinson, tennis player also played in theteam for a while.

if we had either player we would expect upwards of 6 or 7 million for selling so people need to get realistic. IF we really do want to become a top 10 prem team over the coming seasons we will need to make some purchases of this level. Im not advocating we start making 10 to 15 million pound signings left right and centre but we will never stay in the prem by signing 2 and 3 mill players. Thats what was a big part of the failing last time. It has tn be sensible but realistic. By potentially spending 6mill plus on hooper or rhodes now we will almost certainly get far better value in the long term as opposed to buying in the summer.