Weston Saint

To suggest Cortese was distracted by a change in Manager is a bit disingenuous. He has brought in what at first blush looks like an improvement to our centre back position. January is notorious for panic buying by clubs and very often they are failures. We were linked with Philippe Coutinho but here is what is being reported ““Andrea Ramazzotti, who covers Inter for Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport and has watched all Coutinho's 28 games for the club, told BBC Sport: "He just didn't show his potential in Milan. Coutinho played very well when he was on loan at Espanyol last season, and started well for Inter this season, but they were only brief spells really. "For the rest of the time he just showed flashes of his potential and I fear the way of playing in England, which can be very physical, will not suit him, because he has a slight frame." So he is one for the future not the present and does not strengthen our present team. I am comfortable and even said to others at the Everton game that we would not sign anyone. The summer is when we can buy and intergrate pre season, not upset the balance of the team that so far does not look like relegation in play or form.

A few pompey supporters views by way of conversation "Well, League Two won't be too painful, I don't think we'll be there long enough for that" "getting out of the conference could be hard though...only 2 spots" "Staying up in the conference could be hard the way we are going" "Short of sticking rusty nails in my eyes, nothing could be more painfull than what I have been watching down at the park recently. I did not think it could get much worse until I endured that 90 minutes yesterday" "One day, someone will actually pull the trigger - hopefully!"

Glad to see your sense of humour is intact Frank!

Mauricio do you want to talk in English?" MP: "I understand English, but I still need to work on my vocabulary and confidence. Okay, lets talk in Spanish."

This was not going to be an easy game even if Adkins was managing the team. From reports we appear to have a good Manager who may well take us to the next level but for now he knows very little of the Premier League, the teams, the tactics, the weaknesses and strengths. He is also disadvantaged by not having much grasp of the English language. All that will take a time. He says he has studied our players for weeks so he should at least know our players strengths and weaknesses If we can pick up a point I will be very satisfied. That will give us 15 games to secure 17points to reach the magic 40 points. 5 wins and 2 draws! Survival this year by which time he should be able to communicate and have learned what the Premier League and the Teams are all about.

Sure Mr Cortese has major flaws and, in my opinion, lacks humility. However, let us not forget he is the person who has come to our club with the ambition, motivation and obsession in taking this club forward to new heights. So far he is “achieving” that dream. His ruthlessness may not endear him to many supporters or the media but at least we know what we have got Mr Adkins was managing a small time club and Cortese offered him a chance to use his undoubted talent to develop into a Manager many think could be a future England Coach. He would not have got that recognition managing his previous club. Adkins leaves with a much enhanced CV, decent money in his pocket and in many eyes a successful Premier League Manager. His reputation is still on the up. He did not fail. Adkins has all the qualities Cortese lacks and I am sure he will be the first to wish Southampton Football Club and the players every success for the future. He can look back with pride at what he has achieved and the way he achieved it. He would certainly not want supporters who he” loved” start anti chants that might affect the chances of winning the next game. That is just not in his nature. Fans will do well to consider that before their knee jerk reactions.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20097300

I am so disappointed that Adkins had to go. I liked him as a person and a football manager. It has all come as a bit of a shock However, Cortese looks to have appointed an exciting replacement, if you listen to comments from Spain. He appears exactly what Cortese is looking for. His style is fast pressing football playing out from the back. Adkins bought into that plan and whilst I have no doubt he would have kept us in the Premier, Coretese obviously thought that next step in the vision/business plan might need a new face. I had hoped Cortese would hold his nerve but that appears not in his character. The man is obsessive. Let's hope he has made the right decision for Southampton FC. Failure is no longer an option although I doubt it was ever an option in Cortese's book!

I think he has grown up thanks to Cortese refusing to sell him unless the price was right and no club rating him highly enough to pay the price. Then came Puncheon's spat on twitter, the meeting with the Chairman and the second chance. This linked with Adkins and his coaching team developing his maturity into his football skills. He will never be good enough for International duty but there is no reason why he cannot continue to ply his trade in the Premier. As for a contract, he is being coy. I suspect Cortese has spoken to him and told him not to worry about a contract (that will come) but continue to apply himself. This is the way Cortese operates. He did the same to Adam Lallana a while back. Adam was happy to wait after the "chat"

The words were mine but as I am not on Twitter MLG is welcome to pass it on with my blessing.

LLLLDDDLLLLLLL No not a bad spelling of Lidl the supermarket but a well know football club recent league form!!!!

It has been reported that the clubs long term plan is to compete in Europe, particularly the Champions League. We have a wealthy owner but I doubt there will be a glut of new investment long term. Mr Cortese suggests investment in the Academy will bring through future players meaning transfer costs will reduce. But what about player salaries? Everton reported another loss yesterday. Their turnover for 2011-12 season was £80.5m. Their player salary bill was £63.4m. That is 75% of turnover. They are not one of the big 5 (if you include Spurs) It is all well and good bringing great players through the Academy but you are then going to have to pay competitive salaries to avoid their heads turning to the big 5 or even overseas. Will the owners keep their nerve and continue to invest in the hope of rich spoils when we eventually break into the “top group” or will we continue to be a selling club in the lower tier of the Premier or a good Championship side because we cannot afford to pay the sort of salaries needed? Obviously our priority this season is to retain or Premier League status. There is promise that our stadium capacity will increase if we do but that will hardly dent the sort of salary bill we will need to progress at the speed the Owners and Mr Cortese wishes. We have said we are not a selling club and have reportedly rejected an approach from West Ham for Lambert. If they are offering him substantially more in Salary then that must demotivate a player who is reaching the last period of his playing career. It must make Shaw wonder now he is establishing himself as a world class left back. Is it all about money? Massive salary bills out of proportion with turnover suggest it is. In my opinion the dream of future Champions League participation at Southampton is just that, a dream. I will settle for regular mid table with the occasional big wins against the top five.

When Cortese became involved we were a busted club. When Adkins came in we were near the botton of Div 1. Since then we have been promoted to Championship and then Premier in 2 seasons having had Cortese stabilize the club in his first year. I think I will trust their judgement on decision making/transfer strategy

Would have preferred Richardson to Yoshida at Right Back but let us not forget Richardson is not match fit. On that basis I think it is a good call by Adkins. This is not the sort of game for Ramirez. I am sure he will feature at some stage. Perhaps he has a injury niggle! Awful lot of negativity on here before the game has even started!!!!

No. The family are respecting Saints management request not to give out information.

thanks, never noticed that.

Poor penalty staraight at the goalkeeper. Justice though. No penalty as far as I am concerned.

Most of the trouble in those days was outside of the ground before or particularly after the match. It was bad enough though as I remember best behaved supporter competitions being run by the League. We were always near or at the top of he competition and would chant "we're the best behaved supporters in the land" so I assume soon after the early 70's but cannot really remember as work stopped me going after 1971 until I retired and we were relegated from the Premier.

I started going in 1967, so a little later that the original poster (Ian that is not Duncan) A group of us would walk from Weston Estate to town via the floating bridge and have a few pints in the Bay Tree pub. Yes there was plenty of underage drinking then. Then it was off to the ground entering the Milton Road end for a good pre match chanting. The away supporters were in the Archers Road end although there was nothing to stop them coming in the Milton Road end and often many did for good natured banter. Big John McGrath would always be last out on the pitch, a ritual of his, covered in liniment oil that we could all smell. The Albion Band were still about then as well. One memory was in 1970 or there abouts when we played Newcastle in the Fairs Cup. We had managed to draw 0-0 away if I remember correctly but only drew 1-1 at the Dell and went out on away goal rules. Bitterly disappointed on the way home over the Chapel railway bridge I jumped to swing on the metal bar over the top, slipped and cracked my head on the metal. It was not until the following day I realised I had forgotten everything from coming out of the ground until I woke up the following day! Never did recover that few hours but unfortunately it did not include the game!

I was told by a very good contact at SMS that Mayuka was highly regarded by Les Reed and a future star and I posted that on Saints Web. When I mentioned this to another very good contact he said Mayuka was far from being an effective Premier player. Those are the opposing views and having gone back to my initial contact I firmly believe he is far from being ready and has a lot of improving to undertake. Adkins must think something of him as he is constantly in the last 18 squad. He did show a little of his pace against Villa. He changed the game in the second half against Spurs and I fully expected him to continue but Adkins stuck with Puncheon who has formed a good relationship with Clyne. This is a settled side and our goals against ratio is improving. There is a better balance in the side. I have not seen the Liverpool game so canot comment but against Norwich we were under the cosh for much of the second half and to change the team by attacking substitutes at that stage might have upset the balace and taken us back to the high goal against ratio. Mayuka is away most of January. Let's see what Adkins does with him when he returns Unlike up and away, whose opinion I value and often agree with, I do not think we need to buy another striker. I do agree Lambert is too slow but his overall presence is needed. There is a lot more to him that scoring goals. He is very much part of the balance of the side. Maybe Adkins feels Mayuka presence lacks that balance!

Gazzaniga will likely keep his place against Liverpool. Adkins rates him very highly and expects him to be a top keeper. He needs experience and what better way than to play in the Premier. He has made mistakes but owns up to them and at present his confidence is high.

Gazzaniga will likely keep his place against Liverpool. Adkins rates him very highly and expects him to be a top keeper. He needs experience and what better way than to play in the Premier. He has made mistakes but owns up to them and at present his confidence is high.

Was the author Ian Ritchie - Southampton YMCA's Goalkeeper in the early 70's?

Was the author Ian Ritchie - Southampton YMCA's Goalkeeper in the early 70's?

I thought it was excellent entertainment live last night and he had clearly worked very hard to get it perfected. Block 5 enjoyed it. My wife has seen the BBC extract and enjoyed it. My daughters age 36 and 31 have watched it and enjoyed it. My 13 month old Grand Daughter loved it and watched it twice. 3 generations and all thumbs up.