georgeweahscousin

I think the majority of Saints fans are turning in favour of NC now. That is a good thing. Onwards and Upwards. Together.

Who the players are? Who the sponsors are? He won't tell, but he might let slip a clue!

Southampton chairman Nicola Cortese has told BBC Sport that rumours the club is for sale are false. There have been reports the League One club could be sold by the family of Swiss billionaire Markus Liebherr, the former owner, who died in August. But Cortese said the reports stemmed from a campaign designed to destabilise the club. He said: "The club is not for sale. There's always been a group behind the scenes with an agenda that's not good." Cortese, who conducted the deal to buy the club in 2009, added: "The commitment even after Markus passed away is exactly the same, and nothing has changed. "This is a deliberate attempt to damage the club at this time because we're in negotiations with players and a very important [potential sponsorship] brand." The future of Southampton has been uncertain since Liebherr passed away four months ago, with his daughter Katharina due to inherit the 62 year-old's empire. But Cortese insists the Liebherr family are not looking to offload the club. "Southampton are in a very strong position and people envy that fact," he said. It is essential to get promotion this season. I don't want to think of a scenario where that wouldn't happen "If there's any lack of commitment [from the family] we have a plan B. I know people with money who would have the same attitude as Markus who would join us on this. But, just to underline, the commitment of the family is 100%." Supporters remain fond of Liebherr after he rescued the club from administration in 2009, paying about £14m to save them, and Cortese says he is determined to achieve a legacy for the deceased magnate. "I have been the boss of this from the beginning," he said. "Markus never made decisions, I did, and that is the same now. "A few weeks after he died I was struggling with motivation, but it's not just about Markus now, it's for the people of Southampton and the legacy of Markus, I owe it to him. I'm driving his vision on." Cortese is a former banker and remains friends with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, but denied rumours he is in line to take a directorship at AC Milan. He said: "I'm here to stay. We're at the very beginning. I don't run away from things because something better comes along. We're really hoping to build something that will be massively successful in the future." Cortese controversially sacked former manager Alan Pardew, who is set to take over at Newcastle, in August, but said he had "no regrets" about the decision. "I'm not going into details but there were plenty of reasons why it ended up with the sack," said Cortese. "All the attributes [current boss] Nigel Adkins has added is something we were missing before. "He's a great communicator and motivator and I honestly believe we made a very good choice. I think I can have a very long-term working relationship with him. "He's changed the attitude. His personality, his way of being, it's motivated people. People who haven't been here for a while, they come down here and they say 'it's a completely different atmosphere'." Cortese believes the club, currently eighth in League One, are on track to return to the Premier League by 2014. "We are actually ahead of schedule," he claimed "The plan remains the Premier League by 2014. I think it's realistic and we believe in it, our staff believe in it, the manager believes in it, so there's no reason why we shouldn't achieve it. "It is essential to get promotion this season, to be in line with our plans. At the moment I don't want to think of a scenario where that wouldn't happen. "I think we're in a very good position. We had a difficult start to the season but luckily the other teams are now beating each other. Now the teams ahead of us are closer and we're convinced that we're going to win this league." Cortese added "he could not see any players leaving in January", including midfielders Adam Lallana, who has been linked with Birmingham, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who is being trailed by Arsenal. "I can't see a possibility we would sell Adam in January," said Cortese, "and Alex is not going to go anywhere - we're talking about a very young player in the first year of a professional contract. "We'll have to cope with the rumours and we have to help the kid cope with the rumours. He's very well looked after and I don't think he'd wish to be anywhere else than here. "We're very proud to see the progress he's made in such a short period [but] there's still a lot for him to learn, and he's aware of that. We've got a great prospect for the future, but not the transfer market. "There's a few players we're currently looking at, players to add value in League One, but players who can also do a job in the Championship. When we get into the Championship we'll want to be in the top six, already in year one. "But even if you're offering big money in January and you get them interested, they've still got a big choice to make. That's why we can't make promises. "We're strong candidates to do some business in January, but we won't do it for the sake of doing business. If not, we'll make another attempt in the summer."

Recent Dan Roan tweets:- Cortese - BBC Sport exclusive:"The club is NOT for sale. The Liebherr family are 100% committed. People are trying to damage us with rumour" Cortese - BBC Sport exclusive: "I have no regrets over sacking Pardew. There were lots of reasons why it came to the sack." Cortese - BBC Sport exclusive: "We are ahead of schedule to reach the Prem League within 5 years. But promotion this season is essential." Cortese on Pardew sacking: "we were missing the attributes that Nigel Adkins has brought. His humanity has motivated everyone."

...it was tongue in cheek, but goals change games.

http://www.shoot.co.uk/news/latest_article/C50/leagues_1_2/saints_star_to_return

He should have scored a couple of times as I remember...... Football doesn't work like that!

Would like to see him back, but still hold him responsible for the skate defeat.

.....is hot.

For those with twitter have a look at Brian McNally(@McNallyMirror) from the Mirror's comments regarding Pardew/Saints/Newcastle:- "Pardew lostSouthampton job because of dressing room unrest. But only 13 per cent of fans in a local paper poll felt sack was right. #nufc" "Were fans the only part of Soton he didn't fall out with? Unsavoury reports re players & wives, poor relationship with staff" "Could not possibly comment on Mr Pardew's alleged relationships with the bottle or birds.No barrier to a job at #nufc surely?." As much as that era is gone, my curiosity is desperate to know exactly what happened here.

From Official Saint twitter account in response to someone :- @officialsaints statement? Anything? This is causing fans quite a bit of concern. Tell NC to pull his finger out. @ben_stroud Really?! I'd put it in the same category as the "Paul Hart set to take over as new Saints manager" story a few months ago

I was a fan of Pardew here, but will be stunned if he gets the Newcastle job. Martin Jol will get it surely?

Gone too far. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11923766

I have just trawled the "For Sale" section of the Echo. Not there. If they are trying to sell, they aren't trying very hard.

I don't find it that unrealistic to be honest. Saints were Markus' hobby not his families, now he has gone, it isn't crazy to suggest that the family would see out the season and sell up.

The Guildhall is a woeful venue. That is the main problem.

It's in the Sun, so not necessarily news at all. What does the article actually say?

I never warmed to Puncheon as a player, so disagree with the commentator. I agree, that supporters generally like players that take people on, but only if there is a moderate return of success from these runs.

Customer service has gone to the dogs. I too would be rightly annoyed if a cashier asked me where I got it from.

£1.5 million would be a joke. Don't get me wrong, I think prices are generally too high, but when I have heard Rotherham and Swindon say they wouldn't accept less than £2 million for Le Fondre/Austin then Lallana has to be much higher. Not to mention £8 million Delph!

Red wine and cigars? That is going to be some seriously smelly breath.

317/2 In control, but worrying weather reports for the last two days!

Everyone is a pundit and forums give them their voice.

Weird how people's perceptions differ. I always thought Pardew came across a bit dim in interviews. A bit too much "barrow boy". Adkins is by far the greater orator.

I phoned the Australian dressing room and asked to speak to Ricky Ponting. The man who answered said "Ah mate, you just missed him he's gone out to bat". I replied "That's fine, I'll wait".