Weston Saint

There you go then, eelpie saves Lowe's skin.

I see that at a very good balanced opinion Wes Tender. Be interesting to see the attendance for tomorrow bearing in mind the season ticket holders were able to purchase additional tickets at £5. Then see what attendance for the Charlton game at £15 per adult. If it follows the Notts Forest trend it should give the club an idea of what is needed going forward.

Administration will only happen if and when we are no longer a going concern and without the support of Barclays and the Loan Note Holder. If we enter Administration before Thursday 26th March we suffer 10 points deduction this season. If we enter Administration after that but before the end of the season the 10 points are suspended until the end of the season. If we are in the bottom 3 at that point the 10 points are held over until next season. If we are not in the bottom three the points are then applied. If that then puts us in the bottom 3 we are relegated. If not we stay up but the penalty is not carried forward in these two circumstances. Of course there are other penalties if a CVA is not agreed but I understand the IR payments are up to date as are the players wages.

Sorry I read it that you were saying Clifford had a hand in recommending Wotte. I see what you are saying now.

Really, you know this do you? Only Clifford left Southamptom in November and Harry was still our Manager then! The search for a new manager was after HR resigned. You do have a habit of dressing up your opinions as facts.

Southampton 01 Davis 02 Perry 05 Saeijs 07 Skacel 23 James 19 Schneiderlin 22 Gillett 11 Surman 17 McGoldrick 15 Euell 04 Saganowski Substitutes 13 Forecast, 10 Wotton, 35 Paterson, 39 Smith, 41 Liptak

Southampton 01 Davis 02 Perry 05 Saeijs 07 Skacel 23 James 19 Schneiderlin 22 Gillett 11 Surman 17 McGoldrick 15 Euell 04 Saganowski Substitutes 13 Forecast, 10 Wotton, 35 Paterson, 39 Smith, 41 Liptak

Wotte has said it before and he says it again in todays Echo "This board has been excellent for me and the way I work.......not interfering with my tactics or decisions whatsovever" "From the day I that I started the board have been very very suportive and has never interfered in any decision. I don't think they did ith Jan"

Couple of Wotte quotes from his Echo interviews "I have signed a new contract until the end of the season with an option for next year" "Jan was a mature and experienced Dutch coach and he took the decisions, played his game, took his decisions on the line. I was only there when he needed me. Sometimes he needed me and sometimes he didn't" "After Jan stepped down I said to Rupert what is the alternative. What can I do. I am willing to do it because otherwise somebody else will do it and then my role at Southampton is more or less gone." "If you get another Manager maybe not interested in my philosophy, the way I work, not interested in me at all then I get a very sad situation and probably I will lose my job as well. If not then I would have to do my academy job without the link to the first team - my role was to be the link between the academy and the first team" "When Jan left I said OK I am willing to do it if we can change some things on the staff with Michael Svensson and Dean Gorre and I need to have a chat with the older experienced players. If you take over a situation like this it's not easy and it's never going to work if the players are against it" "I was very pleased to have the older players support the changes. I proposed 4-4-2, a defensive midfielder instead of an attacking midfielder, we got along well and it picked up to how we play now"

This is what I said on 13th August on here "You will not win anything with kids" is a well used phrase. My concern for a while has been that the kids playing in the reserves were usually well beaten when playing more experienced reserve teams. I have always advocated that more than 3 or 4 in the side had to be the maximum. OK I appreciate that our precarious financial state and a new mind set in the club have forced the issue BUT have we turned the corner? Saturday saw us almost hold a decent Cardiff side away from home. Last night saw us win against a side buoyant from gaining promotion from the Conference to the 2nd Division. Teams with that winning confidence usually do well for a while. OK so the stats show football possession very much in favour of the opposition but the kids will learn from that. As a unit they will collectively become stronger and tactically aware of each others strengths and weaknesses and compensate accordingly. I am not getting carried away. We have a very tough test against Birmingham on Saturday but let’s treat it as another step on the steep learning curve.

Edit...put on different thead

I would prefer to hear from those who have seen Liptac playing for the reserves and their observations on his strengths and weaknesses. Must admit it did make me laugh when he made the run out of defence the other day, got past the halfway line, looked confused and kicked to ball into touch. However, lets give the lad a chance if he is needed.

Holbury, he is not who you think. How do I know? Because the only connection he has to Saints is his season ticket and as a supporter.

The answer for me Frank is yes he would have performed better than JP. Why? The formation has changed to one more suitable to this league and the spirit in the dressing room and on the field of play is also better. Wotte is stronger and more disciplined. That aside, wining breeds confidence and it is also possible Wotte had more player choice from the moment he came in. Overall JP was out of his depth, of that I am convinced.

Is 1965onwards a PR plant put on here by Rupert Lowe to disrupt this obviously anti Lowe forum? Food for thought?

Absolutely agree. This team appears to have the right balance and desire. Stick with it.

I am told very reliably Lowe and Cowen have been working tirelessly behind the scenes with others to try to secure finances and stave off Administration since they came back. I am not going to go into the pro's and con's of the early season coaching structure, I think it has been proved that Lowe and Wilde got it wrong whatever the reasons for the change and Pearson is proving with Leicester he has what it takes. Money is still a massive issue. With the player loans out and choice of first team the overdraft had reduced but of course we all know the consequence was poor team selection, poor application, poor results and the inevitable sharp decline in paying supporters. Now with the present Coach, balance in the team and an eagerness to perform well we are seeing results on the field but unfortunately at the expense of finances. Was Lowe a lot closer to getting it right than we give him credit for? The answer has to be a firm No on playing/results but yes on finances. Is he getting it right now? Results suggest he is but we will only know the answer to that if he can keep us from the relegation trap door and Administration. This is still a very real possibility. Green shoots on the playing field but not in the purse at present.

Col, I just felt the message was so positive I am sure Herby does not mind. If he does ask him to say so on the list and I will contact him.

According to Herbie Taylor (SMS tour guide) Under is a part of his post on Saintslist which I hope he will not mind me reproducing "I can tell you there is a great atmosphere in the dressing room. Kelvin Davis takes his role as captain very seriously and mixes humour and discipline in his approach to all aspects off the field. You can bet your life one or two of the lads have ben reminded of their responsibilities. The players look up to him and he relishes his responsibility. My spies tell me it is a happy dressing room, Rudi Skacel is smiling a joking again and looks much more contented, maybe he feels needed. So well done Mark Wotte and his staff. You only had to see the joy and relief on the players faces at the final whistle to see what it meant to them." Good positive stuff

Agree Jan. Really looks the part. Just wish we could find a right back so he can display his talents in midfield. Good passer, good crosser and undoubted football brain developing.

A combination of first year at this level and poor fitness training. The concentration seems to be more on tactics and formation at present. But they are working much harder in the recent matches. I said at half time the players that have come in this season need games and are beginning to show some ability at this level. Next season should see the team profit from this experience.

No you are probably right Steve. We seem to have seen the same person. My mistake.

Ah was I? Maybe, just glanced over quickly. Who is Les and what does he do then?

Come back Wes. You would have been proud of the teams fight for 95 minutes, to see the Manager swerling his jacket round his head at the final whistle, the players in a huddle at the end with the Manager before leaving the field, the Northam and Itchen singing positively throughout and and Woggy was back in the technical area at the end of the game. Financially we are still very much in the mire and it is still touch and go so your money is needed. Not for Lowe and Wilde but for Wotte and the team. Feeling very positive tonight.

No doubt Hampshire have to look for a new overseas player for the start of the season. North looks to be an automatic to tour with the Aussies in the summer and they have already indicated that they will pull him from the Hants contract if he does make it.