MarkSFC

fair enough.....but this could be the best thing in the long term......

knee jerk.....its his first sacking and we dont know whos coming in yet. When Cortese has sacked ten managers in two weeks then it will be QPR mark2!!!

Thanks Alan Pardew.....you have helped to revitalise our team and gave us a decent season with a brilliant day out at Wembley....that can never be taken away from you. I have had the feeling though that something wasnt right for a little while so maybe something has gone on behind the scenes. Good luck to him but I am sure will be stronger for this tough decision.....

The more I think about it the more likely it seems to me that Zola will be the chosen one. Italian...been there, seen it, done it PLAYER who will gain instant respect from the players, but of course will have to earn respect as am nager from them and perhaps more importantly us fans. Steve Clarke no doubt would be his assistant...very experienced coach/assistant obviously mainly at Chelsea and worked with one of the best in Mourinho! The fact that Dean Wilkins has stayed suggests to me that the new man wants him and therefore the new man is already chosen. Why else keep part of Pardews team which Cortese has decided does not fit in with his vision for the future? Surely in Hunter, Dodd and Reed there are enough people in the club to organise and run trianing for a few days (at most). After all, Dodd has already done it. I think a BIG name is needed to boost morale in the fanbase and to send a message of intent to the football world. Zola is a big name but nt in management terms...thats what concerns me although I do think he did a very admirable job at West Ham n extremely difficult times and handled himself with real aplomb both during his time there and immediately after.

I think you miss the point entirely here. By stating that they realise changing the manager frequently is not good, they are making the point that this decision has not been taken lightly. CEOs are paid to make the big decisions, they live and the ydie by them. As Cortese has no precedent yet in management changes I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and see who he appoints but more importantly where the team finishes come May. To be blunt thats actually all that matters. We will all have our choices and reasons for any particular manager but ultimately its the results on the pitch that matter. Because of the timing I would be very surprised if a new manager is not in place by tomorrow, if not sooner. The players will be in a bit of shock and although Wilkins will carry on training them, Leadership of the team is critical. When a manager is sacked appointments are usually very quick indeed. When managers resign, the process is longer because the club would not have planned for it.

show me the quote where Cortese said he wouldnt ever dream of sacking Pardew

Completely agree!!! This is arguablt THE biggest call of Corteses time at the club!!!

http://www.skybet.com/betting/football/manager-specials/t10002896.html no ononeil at all and these lists rarely get it right!!!

"The club has decided that, to achieve its well known targets, it is essential to make changes to the management," said a Southampton statement. "We recognise that frequent changes to the football management are unlikely to assist in the winning of trophies and promotions. "However, we are taking these steps to achieve our aims, which we share with all supporters, to get promoted this season, and secure long term stability and progress for our football operations. These quotes MUST mean that a "proven" manager is lined up...MON clearly heads that list. If Cortese goes for a manager who has never won anything or got promotion then these statements cover the real reason. If not MON which I actually think could be a goer....could explain the timing of this.....then there arent IMO any other really good appointments AND ones that will get the fans onside. Whatever your critisism of Pardew team selection and tactics he has done a really good job here. The vast majority of the paying customerbase liked him I think so Cortese needs to pull a big rabbit out of a very small hat here!!!! Shame Mourinho has just gone to Real!!!!

Wow!! Stunned....... I can only imagine that this was decided a couple of weeks ago and then tragic events delayed it OR something has happenned in the last couple of days, probably in regard to transfers and Cortese has made his decision. Having said that and listening to Pardews interviews over ther last couple of weeks he has seemed "different" to last year, less upbeat, and maybe the pressure was too much for him and COrtese has seen that. If he cant handle the pressure of Lague One what would he be like furthger up?!! Im shocked and slightly disappointed BUT these things do happen, its COrteses first BIG decision and until we see who comes in AND where we finish this season it is too early to judge it. The timing does seem strange but despite the qoute re candidates being evaluated, Im sure Cortese has his choice already...it will just take him a few days to meet withthem. This wont take long...we really are an attractive club at the moment!!

Yeah think youre right...got to win the championship...priority

Time for Pards to swoop..............

If Harding can sort him out then maybe he's not really good enough?!!!

Cant agree with that....apart from Arsenals unbeaten season....no team can hit the start of the season in 5th and maintain for 46 games. We did start slow but are moving up the gears ( to use your phrase) quite nicely. its now a case of accelerating to maximum speed in the next game or two and cruising along at a hundred for many games...slowing down when the traffic gets a little busy and then finishing the race in 5th again..... We WILL be champions.....wiht a new striker and winger by Tuesday!!!!

Would be a good signing...help Chris Wood in his development and let Tomlinson go! Him, Ambrose, McKenzie and a spinner to ease the load of Briggs next year...a fit ALi and Jones, and Dimi and we will win everything!!!

Hopefully two more by Tuesday.....a striker (to put pressure on ALL 3 - and to ensure we have one on the bench if any of them get injured) and a proper right winger.

This. great post

I think the point Pardew is trying to make is not about big crowds, merely that the crowd has big expectations. And following a run of four games at home the pressure builds when you dont win. Getting into the environment of an away game (whoever you are) is completely different. Having said that, for the first time I am being to see a little crack in Pardew and maybe just maybe he is feeling the pressure just a littelbit! I still think he is the man for this season a t least but he needs to do a Ferguson and create that seige mentality....its ONLY about winning and promotion this season, nothing else matters. On the matter of the DELL...I miss that place immensly!!!

When Antonio came here last season he had pace to burn but little else of substance. His touch let him down, he mad bad decisions and couldnt cross consistantly well. When Papa came in he had pace to burn AND a good touch, could score a little but was nearly always offside but could deliver good crosses. At the end of the season Papa had pace to burn AND a good touch, could score a little but was nearly always offside but could deliver good crosses. At the end of the season Antonio had pace to burn BUT his touch had improved, his decison makinghad improved his crossing had improved and his goal-scoring had improved. The improvement in Antonio was far more marked hence we all liked him...some more than others mind!! I think he is good and potentially very good but that it...potentially. He's currently not a standout performer for the Championship by a long way and all going to plan that where we will be next year. Can you gaurantee he would be good enough then? So if AP has got someone else in mind who is better now and definitely good enough for the championship next season, but maybe not as much potential for the Premier then that seems the best way forward to me. In two months time I doubt Antonio is even mentioned on here!!

ok, four games but if we win the league cup and fail to get promoted would you have been happy?

Typical Alpine...read what suits you. I agree with you BUT it is only two games. Correct me if I wrong but we can still win 141 points.....that might just win us the league

As much I get the sentiment of the OP....chill out man...it's f****** August and we have ONLY played TWO league games. Sure, we should have won them both but we didnt. If we had won them both I assume that in your world that would guarentee promotion?!! Yes the team could ply better and maybe Pards should have made one or two substitutions earlier...BUT he hasnt got the options at the moment really. And yes, I am bemused that he is perepared to"wait" for the right players this long but if thats his strategy and thats the way the market is then so be it. For me having watched Saints since 1977, the first thing that matters is winning....and then the way we do it. That is the only way to be successful, just look at Aresenal over the last 5 years....fantastic football to watch....have on nothing!!! And going back to the OP...two major things happened in the late 80's and early 90's that suddenly put saints at an even bigger disadvantage than previously....All-seater stadiums, and The Premier League/Sky. Then all our money was completely mis-managed in the "naughties" and we are where we are!! We WILL come good again....just watch the season unfold!!

5'11" and only 23......He would be good but is he really a winger?!

I like your reasoning....a "relatively" cheap purchase even on highish wages. Another benefit is he may help Schneiderlin in his development and any youngsters we have in the academy. We don't have a seen it, done it, bought hte t-shirt player that can pass on his experience.

deluded fool....