SaintLondon

I'm convinced he won't be here next year and I think his roll was to come in and instil some discipline and fitness into the squad ready for next year. I think there would have been some chat about *IF* you keep the team up then of course crack on next season but very much IF and if not, you can walk away richer with a bit of PL experience. Whether it's Rohl or not, who knows but I heard some chatter that Sheff United offered more money than Wednesday for Shea loan - could that be because the powers that be knew that Rohl would be managing Shea here next season? Who knows and I'm most likely talking shite anyway.

Anyone else still keep thinking that at some point we'll go on a bit of a run and pick up 6 - 10 points? (How tragic does that sound?) Of course we're down but I still have hope that we'll eclipse Derby's record..

Just came on here to post the same thing but Juric is (unbelievably) only 49 so probably a bit early to hang up his managerial boots.

Goztepe don't own him, he's on loan with an option to buy so not sure that puts us in any advantageous position.

Would be nice to see some rumours, I don't really care whether we sign anyone or not, as we all know the season is a write off but with the football results being so drab, it would be nice to have something to be a little excited about. That said, I had a dream we won the next two games, if it happens I'll let you know my thoughts on the lottery numbers.

This isn't all that groundbreaking but I know on for a fact that Henrik was a key decision maker in the recruitment of Juric, of course he would be but it makes me wonder, do these sound like the actions of a man who is about to walk away? I'm pretty sure this is a you can write your own obituary sort of thing but you're out the door son.

Ipswich signing Philogene for £21m - how far we've fallen. No offence but Ipswich?

I genuinely don’t even know where to start with this transfer window. The idea of clearing out ‘dead wood’ sounds good in theory, but as has been discussed before, how realistic is that? Moving players on is far easier said than done. With the season effectively over for us, what’s the value in bringing in short-term options at this stage? It feels like a plaster on a much deeper wound. Looking at the bigger picture, we’re an absolute basket case of a club right now. It’s hard to imagine us being attractive to the kind of calibre we really need to rebuild. I think we’re going to face far more situations like Delap’s - where bids are accepted but players ultimately turn us down. And who could blame them? The lack of cohesion and clear direction in the way we’re managed is honestly quite disheartening. The whole operation feels so disjointed that it’s difficult to see how we make meaningful progress anytime soon. Without significant changes at a fundamental level, it’s hard to muster much optimism about the future. This isn’t just about this window; it’s about the long-term health of the club, and right now, it feels like we’re spiralling.

I don't know why but I've decided I really want Rohl and I really do not want Corboran or Kasper H (can't spell it or be arsed to google)

https://x.com/Plettigoal/status/1868694112376930731

The argument that someone isn’t credible simply because "nobody had heard of them until yesterday" misses the point. The fact that people are learning about someone new doesn’t diminish their potential. Instead, it reflects how informed decisions are made - by discovering, researching, and evaluating based on evidence, not pre-existing fame. Your example of a group of friends knowing all about a hotel the moment you suggest it actually reinforces this. If they’ve done their research—whether it’s through TripAdvisor, reviews, or testimonials - what’s wrong with that? That’s precisely how people move beyond surface-level opinions and make informed choices. It doesn’t mean they’re blindly following the crowd; it means they’re engaging with the available data to form a conclusion. Similarly, in the context of a football manager, the fact that a name was unfamiliar yesterday doesn’t invalidate their credentials today. People discover new candidates, learn about their achievements, and evaluate whether they fit the club’s needs. That’s how decisions are made, whether it’s picking a hotel or a manager. Dismissing someone outright because they weren’t on your radar until recently ignores this process of discovery and growth. What’s truly irrelevant is clinging to the idea that prior fame or recognition is the only marker of suitability. If anything, it’s the thorough research and reasoned assessment that ensures the best decisions are made - whether it’s booking a hotel or hiring a manager. Learning isn’t "jumping on a bandwagon." It’s progress.

This argument is pointless—"nobody had heard of them until yesterday" is irrelevant. When booking a hotel for a holiday, do you always know the name beforehand? Of course not. You research based on your needs, budget, and preferences, then make a decision. Sometimes it’s a recommendation, and sometimes it’s a new discovery. This feels like being argumentative just for the sake of it. Idiotic.

Should probs bump this up.

Just saw the Saints account had tweeted and got excited - Cameron Archer's birthday.

Kaiser Soze might have to delete his account later today..

I know it's Alex Crook but he's saying that both Wolves and West Ham have approached Graham Potter. Not that he'd want to come here but the fact that our relegation rivals are making moves means that when they do get rid of Russell, we'll be shopping in bargain basement. The thing is, they will sack him at one point, our fortunes aren't going to turn around and when we're 14 points adrift with 1 win in 25 they'll then have to and it'll be a fucking waste of time.

If it hasn’t already, the rot is bound to set in soon, and even if the board still supports him, it’s hard to see how the situation remains tenable - much like the Nathan Jones scenario. The damage is clearly done. We’re almost certain to go straight back down, but what’s the point in not even trying to salvage something from this season? From the players’ perspective, they seem to respect Russell Martin and are trying to implement his vision, but the reality is that the squad lacks the talent to execute his philosophy effectively. Over time, frustration is bound to creep in. Mistakes from players like Jack Stephens only exacerbate the problem, and you can imagine morale sinking further. If heads drop across the squad, we’ll end up as nothing more than whipping boys for the rest of the season. Clubs always say they’re nothing without the fans, but expecting supporters to show up week after week, watching hopeless performances with no glimmer of optimism, feels like an insult. It’s hard to justify this approach when the lifeblood of the club - the fans - are being asked to endure such futility without any real fight.

It's really good of the ownership to make our return to the PL so miserable. Great work. I'm not even sure that sacking Russell helps our plight, our squad ain't great but it's the fact that we've seemingly just accepted it and we move on. Even Russell doesn't believe we'll stay up now - he was punchy 5 games ago with press, of course we can stay up, we're 6 games in etc. Now he has 'belief' Boring. Watch Brighton smash us tomorrow and Russell will say the lads were brave and were great with the ball but not quite at it in the final third. Couldn't quite find the final pass. Rinse and repeat.

To bring it back round - I think if we lose on Friday he's going to go. It doesn't matter what they've said before, you simply can't lose that many games and stay. It starts to become a real problem - there are seemingly no repercussions for poor performances - what message does that send to the players?

This I cannot argue with.

People saying we can't attract top / top half managers because of our plight might be true to an extent but I think because of our plight, it won't harm the brand image if they're not successful. Therefore, someone comes in and does well and keeps us up, they're a genius. Fail to keep us up, they were far too gone, I tried but the damage was already done. Also, let's say it was David Moyes and he failed to keep us up, do you think that stops a Leicester, a Wolves or a Palace going for him in the future? Of course it doesn't and he can make a few mill in the process. Win win, get it done, cheers.

I do think Russell's time is up, I like the guy but it's just not happening. I caveat that with the fact we have BBD, Armstrong, TP and Archer as our striking options so whoever was to come in is going to struggle to get a tune out of that lot. I think though that a change is needed, possession for possession sake is pointless if it ain't working, and it isn't. I have heard a rumour (do not shoot the messenger) that the board is now split and the feeling is more towards him going than staying - which wasn't the case very recently. This could all be bollocks though, you know what pub chat is like.

Not suggesting O'Hara is the oracle or the Dalai Lama but on this occasion I think he was right. Even a broken clock is right twice a day etc etc.

Yeah changing managers never works, you're right.* *You're not. Yes our squad isn't great but people aren't calling for Martin's head for the fun of it. There are clear and fundamental issues which hark back to his early days with us which are still playing out. Jamie O'Hara on TalkSport said he thinks Russell Martin is managing his own future and not what is best for us. I think that might be the nail on the head. I like Russell but his lack of ability / desire to adapt is what is really punishing us. Say what you want about this squad but we should be on more than 1 point - arguably we should be on 6 perhaps 7. Which I might add would put us out of the relegation spots as it stands. Changing the manager might not yield the desired results but I fear not changing the manager guarantees unchanging results. PS - I would love to be proven wrong, I'd love to win the next two games before the international break with my tail between my legs but I just can't see it happening.

I'm not sure it's true Moyes has turned down the approach, I'm not saying he *wouldn't* turn it down but I don't think SR are that far ahead yet.