The Next Manager Thread

Rafa Benitez. Rumoured to be leaving Newcastle at the end of the season. Been there done that - proven winner.

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Benitez wins trophies. Would love to see him at Saints. If not. The lad from Hoffenheim is getting rave reviews. Could be an astute move.

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Benitez wins trophies. Would love to see him at Saints. If not. The lad from Hoffenheim is getting rave reviews. Could be an astute move.

If Benitez is leaving Newcastle it will be because he feels he won't get backed in the summer transfer window I doubt he will want to come here if that is his criteria.

Very much in the anti-Puel camp since before the start of the season and was lambasted for suggesting the appointment will be a disaster. People have finally woken up.

HOWEVER, all I can say is be careful what you wish for.

Very much in the anti-Puel camp since before the start of the season and was lambasted for suggesting the appointment will be a disaster. People have finally woken up.

 

HOWEVER, all I can say is be careful what you wish for.

How is this season a disaster? It could have been better certainly......but disaster give me a break you drama queen.

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Benitez wins trophies. Would love to see him at Saints. If not. The lad from Hoffenheim is getting rave reviews. Could be an astute move.

Can't see Les Reed working with Rafa.

Very much in the anti-Puel camp since before the start of the season and was lambasted for suggesting the appointment will be a disaster. People have finally woken up.

 

HOWEVER, all I can say is be careful what you wish for.

By all means criticise Puel, but this season hasn't been a 'disaster', ridiculous suggestion.

If we are not playing like Barcelona and winning every week, a sacking will be called for...

Wagner, Emery or Silva. If dressing room rumours are true and the right manager is available in summer then wouldn't be surprised to see Puel move on under the pretence of "wife not settled".

I just wonder how the Silva lovers (seems after 6 months, he has become the 2nd coming of the lord almighty) will react should Hull go down ?

Short term, reactionary thinking has suddenly become the norm so my guess is that he will be deemed to be useless !

Very much in the anti-Puel camp since before the start of the season and was lambasted for suggesting the appointment will be a disaster. People have finally woken up.

 

HOWEVER, all I can say is be careful what you wish for.

Disaster? FFS, you fu_cking drama queen. Mid-table and a cup final is not a disaster you mouth breathing oxygen thief.

Disaster? FFS, you fu_cking drama queen. Mid-table and a cup final is not a disaster you mouth breathing oxygen thief.

Sadly he's not the only one its amazing how much our fan base has changed in recent seasons that mid table and a cup final is now a "disaster". Its like some poster who recently stated he expected saints to challenge for top six every season or failing that win a cup anything else was failure. When did our fan base become so full of entitled knobs who can't see the reality of what the club they support is?

Jokanovic shouldn't be overlooked. Excellent no frills coach, squeezes out maximum potential from the squad. Although, if Fulham goes up, I doubt that he would jump the boat and join Southampton.

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Personally I think Puel has earned a second season. Top half finish within reach, a cup final despite the Europa league campaign diverting focus. All this in the context of spending half the season without a striker and playing the run-in with a stand-in defence.

However, if we need a replacement: Wagner

100% if he would actually want to come here, would be quite a coup.

Re: Benitez ^

If we are not playing like Barcelona and winning every week, a sacking will be called for...

When has anyone claimed they expect to win every week and compete against Barcelona?

Why is it so difficult for you to understand that fans aren't happy with performances, especially at home and in Europe, and the style of football the manager plays.

To call this season a disaster is a bit extreme, however it is very disappointing that we've lost ground on the top 6/7. In fact, i'd go as far as saying we are as far away from being a top 7 team, since our first season back.

Ultimately, I think it's been a below average / average season, with more bad than good (a lot more in terms of performances, IMO). League position alone wouldn't warrant him getting the boot, however, players and fans aren't happy (granted fans opinion will change based on results), Our performance in Europe was totally unacceptable, FA cup was very disappointing and for the majority of the season the football has been dull.

The only positives are a couple of youth players, although i'm not really sure he had a choice than to go with McQueen and Stephens due to the injury to Bertrand and sale of Fonte, and the cup final. However I cannot accept getting to a cup final, then losing as a success. A bit tin pot that some do in all honesty (it makes it worse that it's the EFL cup, in which teams don't even try until the semi final).

I've always sided more with the 'In' brigade, without being totally convinced about Puel. However, reading through some of the suggestions on here makes me think we're better off keeping hold of him!

I've been impressed with Silva, but there seems to be an awful lot jumping on the bandwagon. Probably the same people who dismissed Crab Lungs in the summer are now clamouring for him (Silva, not Crab Lungs) to replace Puel because he's won a few games with Hull. Not sure that qualifies him as "PL proven". Quique Flores, Gus Poyet and Francesco Guidolin should be considered on that basis.

I'd keep Puel. The football's not great at the minute but the season's far from being a disaster. (Well, bar the Europa League.) If we finish 8th that's pretty much where we should be. The board need to back Puel with decent signings this summer. (One or two centre halves, holding midfielder, goal scoring midfielder and decent centre forward.) If they do decide its time for a new manager then if Rafa Benitez was available he'd be my choice too.

100% if he would actually want to come here, would be quite a coup.

Re: Benitez ^

He won't he made it clear to Newcastle that he will stay if he gets funds to build his team in the summer to compete in the PL don't think he'd get that at saints. Any manager who comes here has to be youth orientated, be prepared to lose players, get replacements picked by the club (with some input from the manager) and work within reasonably small budgets for the PL....at least until the Chinese get here....

There are 4 things I want from a manager:

1) He plays high tempo football. Possession or counter attacking doesn't matter to me, as long as the tempo is high and supporters aren't bored senseless

2) he's committed to developing young players. I believe Koeman didn't even let the younger players train with the 1st team. How are they supposed to improve if they aren't challenged?

3) Cups are prioritised and not viewed as irritating distractions (Pochettino clearly did think that way). I want us to be doing everything possible to have more days out at Wembley, and hopefully see us win something in my lifetime

4) he gets the most out of the squad he's given

Puel is not a terrible manager as some claim, and it's obviously not been a disastrous season, but the football has been mostly slow and dull and I think our squad is better than some claim. Puel hasn't got the best out of them.

Ultimately it's irrelevant what supporters think, if the senior players don't like him he'll be gone

When has anyone claimed they expect to win every week and compete against Barcelona?

 

Why is it so difficult for you to understand that fans aren't happy with performances, especially at home and in Europe, and the style of football the manager plays.

 

To call this season a disaster is a bit extreme, however it is very disappointing that we've lost ground on the top 6/7. In fact, i'd go as far as saying we are as far away from being a top 7 team, since our first season back.

 

Ultimately, I think it's been a below average / average season, with more bad than good (a lot more in terms of performances, IMO). League position alone wouldn't warrant him getting the boot, however, players and fans aren't happy (granted fans opinion will change based on results), Our performance in Europe was totally unacceptable, FA cup was very disappointing and for the majority of the season the football has been dull.

 

The only positives are a couple of youth players, although i'm not really sure he had a choice than to go with McQueen and Stephens due to the injury to Bertrand and sale of Fonte, and the cup final. However I cannot accept getting to a cup final, then losing as a success. A bit tin pot that some do in all honesty (it makes it worse that it's the EFL cup, in which teams don't even try until the semi final).

Why is Europe such a big deal what did people realistically expect from us for our the first time in the group stages? Even if we'd got through the group stages we would been unlikely to get far in the knockout rounds so in reality while disappointing at the time it isn't that big a deal in the overall scheme of things.

Why is Europe such a big deal what did people realistically expect from us for our the first time in the group stages? Even if we'd got through the group stages we would been unlikely to get far in the knockout rounds so in reality while disappointing at the time it isn't that big a deal in the overall scheme of things.

Speak for yourself. I was very much looking forward to jetting around Europe for the knockouts after Prague and Milan.

Why is Europe such a big deal what did people realistically expect from us for our the first time in the group stages? Even if we'd got through the group stages we would been unlikely to get far in the knockout rounds so in reality while disappointing at the time it isn't that big a deal in the overall scheme of things.

Do you think Tottenham are happy with their performance in the CL, because they weren't expecting to win it? Do you not think we could / should be able to compete against the likes of Celta Vigo, Genk, Rostov, Gent or clubs a similar size?

Obviously success in that tournament relies on the draw you get and we got a very weak draw (Inter were a shambles as were Prague for half of it and be'er Sheva...). We should have won that group and then in the later stages, who knows what could happen.

IF Puel leaves my first three choices are:

Benitez (if he leaves them up north)

Pellagrini

That bloke who we were linked with last time that went to PSG and didn't do too well. I forget his name but I remember thinking he'd be a good fit.

The thing I've noticed in all my time as a Saints fan is we tend to go for unemployed managers. I think in all my time, the only manager we've poached from another club was Adkins.

Do you think Tottenham are happy with their performance in the CL, because they weren't expecting to win it? Do you not think we could / should be able to compete against the likes of Celta Vigo, Genk, Rostov, Gent or clubs a similar size?

 

Obviously success in that tournament relies on the draw you get and we got a very weak draw (Inter were a shambles as were Prague for half of it and be'er Sheva...). We should have won that group and then in the later stages, who knows what could happen.

Really on what basis? That just sounds like Anglophile/PL snobbery.

There are 4 things I want from a manager:

 

1) He plays high tempo football. Possession or counter attacking doesn't matter to me, as long as the tempo is high and supporters aren't bored senseless

2) he's committed to developing young players. I believe Koeman didn't even let the younger players train with the 1st team. How are they supposed to improve if they aren't challenged?

3) Cups are prioritised and not viewed as irritating distractions (Pochettino clearly did think that way). I want us to be doing everything possible to have more days out at Wembley, and hopefully see us win something in my lifetime

4) he gets the most out of the squad he's given

 

Puel is not a terrible manager as some claim, and it's obviously not been a disastrous season, but the football has been mostly slow and dull and I think our squad is better than some claim. Puel hasn't got the best out of them.

 

Ultimately it's irrelevant what supporters think, if the senior players don't like him he'll be gone

All this for me. I don't care who the manager is provided we play with pace and ambition. If I wanted to be sent to sleep I could buy some pills.

I'd keep what we have.

Puel needs time to bed in and I'll judge after season two when he no longer has to hit the ground running.

Silva is a good shout though and one I would be happy with.......but not yet.

Really on what basis? That just sounds like Anglophile/PL snobbery.

On the basis I pointed out above...

Inter were a shambles, as were Sparta, for half of it and we should have picked up at least 4 points from our games against Be'er Sheva....

It doesn't matter what we think. None of us would have picked Puel.

Even if Reed does decide to replace him, the new manager will be not be anyone high profile or in demand, the main criteria being that he'll be prepared to do as Reed tells him, and most of the names you mention would not be prepared to take orders from Reed.

Why is Europe such a big deal what did people realistically expect from us for our the first time in the group stages? Even if we'd got through the group stages we would been unlikely to get far in the knockout rounds so in reality while disappointing at the time it isn't that big a deal in the overall scheme of things.

I disagree, plenty of examples of teams doing well , in recent history Middlebrough and Fulham have both made it to the final of that competition.

It doesn't matter what we think. None of us would have picked Puel.

 

Even if Reed does decide to replace him, the new manager will be not be anyone high profile or in demand, the main criteria being that he'll be prepared to do as Reed tells him, and most of the names you mention would not be prepared to take orders from Reed.

Takeover might resolve that. Two birds one stone.

I think Les "I do everything" Reed also needs to move on or retire to allow us to move forward again.

Trust me, we will do better next season with Puel at the helm than Marco Silva.

This, plus I think that with a few more players who like Puel's style in over the summer, we may play better football than some of what we've seen. If we can play like we did in the cup final, it just shows (to me), it's more the players who aren't putting the effort in against certain teams.

It doesn't matter what we think. None of us would have picked Puel.

 

Even if Reed does decide to replace him, the new manager will be not be anyone high profile or in demand, the main criteria being that he'll be prepared to do as Reed tells him, and most of the names you mention would not be prepared to take orders from Reed.

Actually, that is true too - I would've had De Boer, but he didn't end up so well in Italy ... so shows what I know

This, plus I think that with a few more players who like Puel's style in over the summer, we may play better football than some of what we've seen. If we can play like we did in the cup final, it just shows (to me), it's more the players who aren't putting the effort in against certain teams.

You don't need to motivate players for a final.. the event does that itself. You do need to motivate them for games against hull etc... If the manager can't motivate his players, is he getting the best out of them...?

Would be harsh to sack him IMO. A Europa League campaign was always going to effect the league form unless we invested in the squad and he achieved what Pochettino and Koeman couldn't and got us to a major cup final. Deserves another season.

Les Reed has structured the club based on succession planning (or so he leads us to believe) but now it is the time to get his successor in. Keeping a team/squad/club/department/office/business fresh and on top of their game requires regular but well managed human resource development, progression, leavers and recruitment. The only significant role in the first team set up at Saints that is potentially getting stagnant is Les Reeds. As the director he has created the vision, implemented, worked through a 5+ years cycle and now he needs to get his successor in to re-fresh the vision; new eyes, different mind, but evolution not revolution.

Maybe when the seemingly imminent takeover will see that happen.

It's a bit like a team who wants to win the League hiring a mid table manager with 'no plan B'. That's what Spurs did, nobody is laughing at them now.

 

I have no idea how well he could do with more resources but them how would Puel have done with Morgan, Wanyama, a fit Virgil, Mané etc.

 

I'd be tempted to give Puel another season but with better resources.

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It doesn't matter what we think. None of us would have picked Puel.

 

Even if Reed does decide to replace him, the new manager will be not be anyone high profile or in demand, the main criteria being that he'll be prepared to do as Reed tells him, and most of the names you mention would not be prepared to take orders from Reed.

Reflecting on the summer now, it does rather look like this was a key factor in the decisions. I'm sure Puel was considered for a number of reasons - Nice played good football, good record with youth players etc - but I do wonder if his willingness to work under a strict budget, understanding that the squad wouldn't be strengthened a great deal, was behind him actually getting the job ahead of others. All total conjecture of course...!

You don't need to motivate players for a final.. the event does that itself. You do need to motivate them for games against hull etc... If the manager can't motivate his players, is he getting the best out of them...?

Les Reed has structured the club based on succession planning (or so he leads us to believe) but now it is the time to get his successor in. Keeping a team/squad/club/department/office/business fresh and on top of their game requires regular but well managed human resource development, progression, leavers and recruitment. The only significant role in the first team set up at Saints that is potentially getting stagnant is Les Reeds. As the director he has created the vision, implemented, worked through a 5+ years cycle and now he needs to get his successor in to re-fresh the vision; new eyes, different mind, but evolution not revolution.

 

Maybe when the seemingly imminent takeover will see that happen.

It could be a case of out of the pan and into the fire there. Anyone remember what happened at Cardiff...

In October 2013, Tan created more controversy after suspending Iain Moody, the club's head of recruitment, who had apparently overspent by £15 million during the summer transfer window.[18] Moody was initially added to the backroom staff by then manager Malky Mackay, and helped Cardiff sign several players ahead of their inaugural Premier League campaign. He was replaced by Alisher Apsalyamovby, a 23-year-old Kazakh who was previously on work experience with the club and is a friend of Tan's son.[19] A few months later, following an investigation over Apsalyamovby's visa,[20] he was forced to leave the club.[21]

I'd keep Puel. The season's been a bit disappointing but not a disaster. If he's to be judged properly he needs a full summer transfer window and backing from the board.

Its the style of football that I don't like. We are so bloody slow at moving the ball. Maybe we were spoiled by RK & MP, but its no fun watching Saints much of the time.

That said, I really don't see an alternative that can improve things very quickly.

Maybe DeBoer?? MP & RK both had mistakes on their CV so it might work............

Always thought Rowett was a good manager. Problem now is all the prima dona players in the PL expect a name.

Also the problem maybe more deep rooted than we think. U23's & U18's have not had great seasons either.

Time will tell....

You're right, it's not a disaster. But sticking with him next season could well be.

But with some investment it could be the opposite?!

Its the style of football that I don't like. We are so bloody slow at moving the ball. Maybe we were spoiled by RK & MP, but its no fun watching Saints much of the time.

That said, I really don't see an alternative that can improve things very quickly.

Maybe DeBoer?? MP & RK both had mistakes on their CV so it might work............

Always thought Rowett was a good manager. Problem now is all the prima dona players in the PL expect a name.

Also the problem maybe more deep rooted than we think. U23's & U18's have not had great seasons either.

Time will tell....

If you listen to the Hull post match interview with Puel (I know big ask) he agrees with you sadly the players don't seem to be listening...

But with some investment it could be the opposite?!

Would you trust him with a load of money? If he can't motivate the current lot then why should he be any better with more expensive players?

Disaster? FFS, you fu_cking drama queen. Mid-table and a cup final is not a disaster you mouth breathing oxygen thief.

I didn't say anything about this season being a disaster but that's a typical Saints fan for you, read what they want to read.

It'll be a disaster in the long run if reports about top players wanting out because of his methods. It's likely we'll let them go because we always do and Puel proved this season he was unable to adequately replace the class we lost (please tell me like-for-like otherwise apart from Gabbi, who isn't a 15+ a season striker btw).

It's a bleak outlook, especially if investment dwindles. That's why this appointment was so crucial.

We have to stick with Puel now as we can't afford another upheaval while there are no decent, and affordable, replacements out there.

But whatever, slate me for a rationalised opinion.

I've supported this club decades and remember how close we were to folding and the utter dross footy that came with it pre-2009. What I don't want to see is that ever happening again. Performances on the pitch are THE crucial part for ensure it doesn't.

If you listen to the Hull post match interview with Puel (I know big ask) he agrees with you sadly the players don't seem to be listening...

It looked to me like a traditional go-slow. Sometimes called a work-to rule.

I've been pro-Puel since the start of the season and unfortunately the allure is slipping a little bit. Despite that, I agree with some posters and really reckon that if Puel had the summer to get in who he wanted to get in and got rid of those who weren't interested, we'd be playing much better. It's evident on the pitch who is willing to play for this club (and Puel) and who isn't, players like Romeu, Davis, Cedric, Yoshida put in tons of effort the entire game. Other players with slightly larger egos seem to have dropped in performance this season. If all players gave 100% then fair enough it's down to tactics, but at the minute some are hovering around 60-70%.

I feel if players were able to adapt to Puel's style and respect him a bit more, he'd have a lot of success. I'm not going to make excuses because there have been some absolutely awful performances this season and that obviously needs to change one way or another, but I think Puel should be given more of a chance.

Really on what basis? That just sounds like Anglophile/PL snobbery.

The opposition were s**t.

When has anyone claimed they expect to win every week and compete against Barcelona?

 

Why is it so difficult for you to understand that fans aren't happy with performances, especially at home and in Europe, and the style of football the manager plays.

 

To call this season a disaster is a bit extreme, however it is very disappointing that we've lost ground on the top 6/7. In fact, i'd go as far as saying we are as far away from being a top 7 team, since our first season back.

 

Ultimately, I think it's been a below average / average season, with more bad than good (a lot more in terms of performances, IMO). League position alone wouldn't warrant him getting the boot, however, players and fans aren't happy (granted fans opinion will change based on results), Our performance in Europe was totally unacceptable, FA cup was very disappointing and for the majority of the season the football has been dull.

 

The only positives are a couple of youth players, although i'm not really sure he had a choice than to go with McQueen and Stephens due to the injury to Bertrand and sale of Fonte, and the cup final. However I cannot accept getting to a cup final, then losing as a success. A bit tin pot that some do in all honesty (it makes it worse that it's the EFL cup, in which teams don't even try until the semi final).

We haven't reached a major cup final for the best part of forty years. Forty years. But celebrating that fact is tin pot now?

Well I did celebrate it and will be celebrating it for the rest of my supporting life.

It's perfectly possible we won't make another one for a decade or two or more. People in 1979 thought the next one would be quite soon after too, no doubt.

I can only assume you are thirteen years old because fu ck me you need to support the club actually in front of you, not the one you think you should be supporting.