MarkSFC

Fair play to Cortese. He's doing it his way to get the best deal for his business. I suspect that Wharton has massaged the truth to make this happen. I suspect that the "Southampton have been very difficult to deal with" comment was relating to Cortese saying we would like Adkins but as he's only on 12 month deal and we are paying Adkins far more we aren't offering compo. If Wharton hadn't gone public then the deal would have got sorted but by doing so Wharton has forced Corteses hand. A dirty trick and the best long term strategy for NC is to pull out of the deal. If he pays Compo AFTER whartons public statement he will be in a weaker position going into any future negotiations for players etc. Even though this looks bad I think we should get behind NC wholeheartedly and admire his stance on this. If I were Adkins ID be p***ed at Wharton. Hasn't he done something like this before to stop Adkins going? Have to admire his devotion to his man but at some point that will go from loyalty to prevention of allowing Adkins to develop his career. If all this is the case I suspect Adkins will quit soon, even if he doesn't come here. Losing Adkins isn't bad as many on here thunk there are plenty of other options, but unfairly Cortese has to pull out a PR masterstroke. I'm sure he will.

To be fair here, "everyone else" has gone public. "we" haven't said anything!

Cheap shot by the S****horpe chairman doing his upmost to keep his man which is fair. And everyone believes him and flags Cortese off immediately!! I'm sure Adkins will have accepted a much improved package to what he is currently recieving in a higher league and Cortese is rightly IMO testing how much Adkins wants the job. Well done Nicola keep up the good work......

Completely underwhelmed if this finally dies happen. Really hoped for a more high profile man, someone who will instantly lift the club (fans and players) and give everyone a boost, especially after the last tough few weeks. Nevertheless on paper I think Adkins has alot going for him and does appear to prefer a passing flowing style of football. He has also dealt with a few reasonably good strikers so hopefully will get our lot (plus one more!) scoring for fun! It's easy for us to be critical without talking to individuals and although this could be regarded as a cheaper option he may well "really be the best fit" for Corteses vision. In that we must trust. Adkins appears loyal and that aspect may well have played a bigger part than normal in the decision making process. All the "other potential candidates" I could see moving on in 2-3 years. Adkins I think could be of similar character to Moyes (only perception!) and bebhere for ages assuming success. Regardless of our personal feelings we should get behind him and get promotion!!!

Rubbish!!!

As normal.....completely speculative. "thought to be underway"...and "last minute hitch not out of the question" to quote two parts!!!

Of course you are entitled to your opinion, opinion is why I come on here. But my opinion on this thread is that it is pointless and has a mis-leading title!!

I'm not saying that Adkins isn't going to be manager ( alrhough I wouldn't be impressed!!) but the odds of this type of Market almost always only reflect the amount of money laid. Scenario: rumours spread that "x" is being interviewed, and that "x" is likely. Major media outlet and local paper run stories that they "think" "x" is the man. A few people then have a punt....bookies slash price....more people read/hear stories then have a punt....bookies cut prices again....people see price is coming down quickly add in the stories and decide to have a punt....bookies slash price....etc etc! And very very likely to happen with any name on the back oa rumour!!!

So what you've actually done is wrap up the fact that you prefer Adkins to Brown in some rubbish about being Cortese. Another pointless thread, well done!!

"linked" is not the same as "part of"!!! I would guess the names were used to further their "bid" (bid used in the very loosest terms possible!)

U21s at home today

Dan Petrescu?

This is good but a points per game column would be best!!!

Markets like this one are almost always online only now because the bookies can control the price far easier and not get caught out by loads of people putting the same smallish bet on at the dame time at lots if different shops!!

Christian Gross Martin O'Neill Lee Clark

IF bronw is the manager I cant imagine he'd be left to get a taxi at the airport....Cortese would definitely send a car to keep it as quiet as possible!

I bumped into Alan Ball at Southampton Airport a few weeks before he sadly parted!

You stick your left leg in, your right leg out, do the hokey cokey........…

Link to those facts please? Or are you listening to all the rumour adding your own twist and relaying it as fact? Of course you're not!!!

I was to the right of the goal in the Milton when that went in.....brilliant moment!!! Branfoot letting Case go would have crashed this site!!

And me please!!

Football people sticking together and assuming that Cortese is inteferring with day to day football stuff. Only natural cos most of them are thick and can't think for themselves. They should stick to what they are good at - football - and not untefere with the politics and the business!!

Pressure is a marvelous thing. Pressure is what drives successful people and those who handle it best seperate themselves from losers. So called pressure comes from expectation normally on the back of some sort of over achievment. The pressure that is talked about in regard to Saints this season is firlled by a large base of fans who just aren't used to success. How they handle that and react is expressing itself now. Last season in hindsight was actually a bit of an easy season for Pardew. The fan base majority did not expect the play-offs or a trophy so when it came everything was great. Motivating a team of "generally better than League 1standard" to do what they did was a reasonably good achievement. Inside the club last year Pardew no doubt recieved instruction that the play-offs were the target. How Pardew handled that is open to debate but this season he most definitely showed signs of not being able to handle that "pressure" put in him. But the perception of pressure is an internal thing and if Pardews mindsight and the way he worked did not change from last year then I thunk he would still be in the job. I think that Cortese and definitely Markus saw that when they exerted some external "pressure" Pardew could not or did not handle it, and what defines the great from the good is their ability to make sound decisions in moments of stress. If they were concerned about his ability in League 1 how could they let him get to the Prem?! Cortese has made that big call and "externally" is under pressure to come good with a top manager. Ultimately his decision will be judged at the end if the season but the initial fan reaction to the appointment will decide how much "external" pressure the new manager comes under. Maybe we/he is lucky that 4 of the next 5 games are away from St Marys?! Pressure.....it's all in the mind.

Looked better than Solent made it sound!! Numerous chances yet again but no goals. Looking at the table, assuming we win the game in hand we are only a max 6 behind top spot or just 2 off 6th. Sure it seems bad right now but with a great appointment and a loan or three and I would would put any money on us being top come January and the next window!!!

Please please can someone pm me!! Thanks!!!