Weston Saint

One thing I would say chrisobee, I doubt Jones will be an opening bowler. He will be first change. What about this potential side!! Adams Carberry Lumb McKenzie Vince Ervine Mascarenhas Bates Cork Tahir Ali but that will leave us one short for strike bowling. To balance it might be that Lumb or Vince will need to drop out, Pothas come in to that 7th batting/wicket keeper place and Jones/Tomlinson/Griffiths/Balcolme the bowler. We also have Dawson & Briggs. What a good selection problem for Giles White.

Now that our season is over I thought a player end of term report is due, especially as I have seen most days of all the home games and chatted to the players, coaches, directors and media throughout the season. First let me say I do not know who is staying and who is leaving other than McKenzie has been offered a 1 year extension, he has confirmed to the media he has accepted. He needs to get the signed contract back to Hampshire. Cork has been offered a 1 year extension but I do not know yet if he has accepted. Probability is he will. Tahir is coming back next season. That is a definite. I spoke to him today and he has spent much of this week re bonding with his Hampshire team mates. Dimi gets married to an Australian in Feb. She has a business in Aussie but I doubt that is significant and I expect Dimi to be back. Now to the players Adams – has to be batsman of the year and surely must be a shoe in for the Lions winter Tour. I know James Whitaker, England Selector, has watched him at least twice because he told me. Jimmy has scored 2,441 (1351 in the First Class Matches) runs in all forms this season Carberry – will run Adams close with 1385 First Class Runs including 6 centuries Lumb – away at the beginning and woeful on his return. However Hampshire sent him on holiday for 3 weeks to re charge his batteries and on his return he scored well before suffering a season end injury McKenzie – a sketchy start but one he found his feet he was man of the match on more than one occasion 942 First Class runs and surely would have exceeded 1000 for the season but for his early departure to the Champions League. Good to see him coming back next season Vince – now well established in the first team and achieved his maiden century a few weeks ago. Needs to be more consistent but a wonderful talent that looks like being realised. Future England player if he carries on as he has so far. Not yet 20! Ervine – decent all rounder? Not for me. He is a class batsman who can bowl a bit. What a batsman to have coming in at 6! 976 First Class Runs this season including a classy knock today. Pothas – the strain of captaincy took its toll for me. Not such a good year before injury ended his season. A benefit next year but I expect him to be behind the stumps next season even if only in the 1 dayers. We have too strong a batting line up to find him a batsman only place but a good man to have in reserve Cork – Bowler of the season for me and as far as I am concerned just my player of the season. Old Corky keeps going on and on. It has been a hard season for him. Hope he is around next season. 45 first class wickets at 23.5 Dawson – it has been an unhappy season for Daws but he is a fighter and following a double century for the seconds recently he had bounced back with a half century against Kent and a 74 against Warwickshire . He may only be a squad player rather than automatic 1st choice next season but a very important player to keep interested. He is only a youngster himself. Bates – thrown in at the deep end when Pothas injured and showed what a great keeper he is. He needs to improve his batting significantly but with the talent higher up the order it may not unbalance the side too much Tomlinson – good steady and reliable player who took 46 first class wickets at 35.3 Also produced some useful runs or holding up one end. Balcombe – suffered his fair share of niggling injuries but when he got his chance 27 wicket in 8 games at 30.07 suggests there is more to come. Able to bat and if he can develop that he might be the ideal replacement for Dimi as the all rounder at number 8 Griffiths – the fastest of our bowlers but finding it difficult to get movement. 19 wickets at 34.0 in 5 games restricted by injury is not a bad return but he cannot get into the side at present although he is suffering an injury again and due to see a specialist. Ali – Shame about his injury but he seems to be walking ok now and hopes to be back with a vengeance next season. Jones – bonus he has now got a 4 day first class game under his belt at 4 for 60 at 15 is a signal there is more to come. Wood – good first season in the 1 dayers and a couple of first class matches under his belt is a good start. More to come I think. Briggs – 34 first class wickets in his first full season and for me may just get young player of the year. Likely to find his first class games limited next season with the return of Tahir but young enough and will likely be on an England development contract.

It is now becoming apparent that Div 1 is a must. Sussex & Worcester relegated last season bounce straight back. Essex and Kent who were promoted last season are relgated.

Something is clearly wrong. Some players are not performing to the same level as last season. They have lost confidence, look defeated if they fail to score early on and some are not stepping up to the mark. Adkins has a massive job on his hands. It will not happen overnight, he has few alternative players to use at present and confidence will only come back when we start winning. I just hope we can start to fire before this season turns into another building for next season syndrome. As for the team on Saturday I do not see room for many changes. An early goal from us and I fancy our chances. The longer we go goaless during the game the more chance we will lose it. If Colchester score first, on the present fragile state of the players we will not get back into the game. We have been there before. Let us hope Saturday is a positive turning point.

I find it strange that a player who is in the Stoke nominated squad and has made 3 appearances as sub this season is going to go out on loan to a Div 1 club. Don't you! (Post is not aimes at anyone in particular)

Very happy and relieved by the appointment. Nicola Cortese is bigging up the club in his announcement and quite right too. We all want to be proud of our club. A 3 year contract shows intent on the clubs part. As for the Howe situation. Looks like he was interviewd like a few other candidates. He clearly withdrew after he considered the situation. Bit different that turning down an offer which did not sem to have ocurred. Onward and upwards. Come on you Saints.

This is getting a bit stupid now. Adkins has made it clear he wants his position resolved this weekend. He hints as best he can that he wants to come here. "It's a fantastic opportunity and opportunities only come around so many times in your life. "I'd like to think I've stuck by my principles. But there is still an opportunity for Nigel Adkins to become Southampton's manager." The situation seems to be compensation. We have made an offer which has been rejected, as has their counter offer. Cortese has bought this to a head by allegedly turning to Eddie Howe and offering him the job. Unfortunately/Fortunately (take your pick) he declined. Cortese must be strong. IF Adkins wants the job so bad he needs to review his principles. He says he will not let his former employers be out of pocket but if they cannot agree compensation then resign and let a tribunal set the compensation. That is what it is for, to make sure all is fair. Cortese may see all this as a lack of hunger and commitment for the job. These are important attributes. Hopefully it will be resolved today. If not Cortese must move on and make an an offer to others he may have on his radar. The first team is rudderless, in need of total overall of tactics, ideas and to some extent personnel. The loan window opens soon. Negotiations will be underway now. We need a first team Manager to make those picks.

That fits with what I was told. Pardew decided tactics and picked the first team without interference from Reed. No different than any other DoF or Sporting Director.

http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/news/100910lifted.shtml

Or is it just that Cortese asked for a compensation offer, rejected and countered only to find that rejected, went after Eddie Howe who allegedly turned us down and then went to Switzerland. Scunny Chairman then says he cannot get hold of him! So the ball is in the Scunny Chairmans court and Cortese now has a stronger hand. Adkins wants to come. It is just a case of his present Chairman getting a fair deal.

I will try not to add to the vitriol of some of the posters above as I believe you put this up as a debating point although your slant was towards an anti Cortese stand. It is reported that Howe turned us down. He is a young and in my opinion an upwardly mobile Manager but maybe he saw the Southampton job as a step too soon. In Bournemouth he is a hero and quite rightly so. His main aim this season will be to stay in the division and next season to probably consolidate. That, I am sure will be within his capabilities with the support of the board. To come to Southampton now will be a major culture change. He will have stretching targets and little time to bed himself in. To fail might put his whole future in Management at risk. He is young and has time on his side. Football is riddled with Managers who took too big a step too soon. As for Adkins, he has a little more experience and from all he is saying he feels the time is right for the Southampton challenge. At present the stumbling block is the compensation his present employers request. He is a man of principle and will not just resign. If it cannot be resolved I would suggest he might regret the missed opportunity but I cannot fault his principles. Cortese has made some hard business decisions since he became Chairman. Many have been unpopular, particularly to certain segments of our supporters. However, he does not seem to have taken his eye off the ball and I believe success will come. Just give him space. Just a point also on the strong minded. Cortese allegedly visited the Sun Newspaper HO last week. Suddenly, for reasons we can only speculate, we are being referred to as Southampton again! I am going to keep an open mind about Cortese at present and give him a good chance to fulfil the late Marcus Liebherr’s, his own and all our dreams of success.

53/3 van Jarrsveld out Briggs 2nd wicket

Agree Bert. With regard to our approach being proper and above board Adkins says as much in his interview. I think he will be a Southampton Manager by tomorrow latest.

.....

Duncan is still a good friend and the snide comments from many are unfair and uncalled for. Duncan has good sources. He is often right. He wants what we all want, a club to be proud of. A succesful club with integrity. Many stories have eminated which put the club in a bad light. Some of it may well be true. Until I see definative evidence from an independent source I am going to support the Club Chairman and Owners but with an open mind if that is not a contradiction in terms.

165/2 and a lead of 182. Still a long way to go yet. 181/2 now and Dawson has now 1,000 first class runs in his career.

It was not meant as a criticism of your post Duncan, just drawing your attention to the Official Site Statement. Accept your point about my original post this morning but I have posted comments since. I do not like Scunny Chairman conducting business in the media. It suggests he is spinning. I will stck with our clubs statement until I see something to change my view.

Your comment might have been a bit premature Duncan in view of the statement released on the Official Site. Too much media reporting with a slant.

I think the OS makes the present position clear. Glad they have issued a statement

This does not suprise me. If someone trys to conduct business through the media it seems Cortese and the Liebherrs will not tolerate it. We were looking for a Manager with enthusiasm and drive. If he cannot make his mind p he is not the right one, Sadly

Shock Horror, Cortese trying to get the best deal for the Liebherr family who hold the purse strings. Why are we not supporting our club. Why are we listening to a Chairman of another club who seems to put out statements before he knows what is going on. Even his last statement - “But at the moment I am not exactly sure what the situation is until I have talked further to Nigel.”

The quote was from the Scunny paper, from their Chairman

I am very happy with the appointment. Adkins ticks all the boxes for me. I know he is not the "wow" factor that many wanted but this is all about a Manager who has a proven record at this level, will grow in the job as we move up the leagues and shows the signs of having the ability to Manage at the highest level. His previous team plays flowing football, using the whole pitch and I fully expect to see the "Southampton" style we all crave for. Well done to Cortese.

Thursday, September 09, 2010, 09: BREAKING NEWS: Nigel Adkins and Andy Crosby agree terms with Southampton ​NIGEL Adkins and Andy Crosby have agreed terms to become Southampton's new managerial team. After days of speculation, S****horpe United confirmed this morning that the pair had been in talks with the Saints and are ready to commit to the south coast club. The Iron revealed the news in a statement at 9am. "The club has given permission for manager Nigel Adkins to speak to Southampton," it read. "Nigel and his assistant Andy Crosby have agreed terms with the Saints but the club have yet to agree a compensation package with the League One side. "The club will update fans as and when there's more information."

Kent bowled out for 182. So that is Hants 4 bonus points Kent 3. We have a lead of 22 runs on first innings