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Where would we be if......


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Where would we be if Nigel Adkins had been brought in earlier, say at the end of last season and had a pre season under his belt?

 

I've often wondered this and after a lot of consideration I actually think we would be walking this league right now, at the top with points to play with on Brighton. Always easy to say these things in hindsight, I know, but what if eh?

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There's a lot went on we don't know about regarding Mr Pardew and his triumvirate and some of the staff at Saints (I include the team and other backroom staff, as well as the boardroom). I'd say the damage was being done whilst Pardew was still at the club, but just my personal opinion based on nothing whatsoever apart from a gut feeling.

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What has done the damage is the time between Pardew going and Adkins appointment, IMO.

 

I agree with this. Regardless of the Pardew schenanigans, sacking him just as it looks as though the team was coming together was a hammerblow. It took a fair while to build that momentum back up and thank heavens Adkins has achieved it.

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What's becoming clear is the CULTURE Adkins is creating around the football club. Listen to his interviews, listen to the players, listen to the vibes coming out of Southampton FC right now....the sign of a strong and clear leader is their ability to change the culture, Adkins is doing EXACTLY that....and it's great to see. Pardew managed this up to a point, changing the losing mentality which was great....but Adkins has picked up from where Pardew started standing still and this is the reason I believe Cortese saw fit to remove him.

 

He's a chairman that will not accept things standing still and not moving forwards.

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My take on it is that Cortese realises that to deliver a long-term plan you need a team of committed people all pulling in the same direction. If someone as influential as the Manager and one or more of his staff are undermining that in any way shape or form, then it's time for those disruptive elements to be removed for the betterment of all. I didn't agree with the sacking in the first instance, but I have to say that I am greatly impressed with the courage Cortese has shown removing Pardew and then his excellent choice with Adkins.

 

Mind you, it's not clear Adkins would have taken up the post earlier in the year. Perhaps the timing was just right?

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I am loving what Adkins is doing. But really, all you've seen so far is a chef assmemble some decent ingredients and let you lick the spoon. If he makes a decent souffle, let's congratulate him then. Had we won our game in hand when Pardew was fired, we would have been sixth. We weren't holed below the water or anything close. The damage was done categorically by Wilkins but thankfully Adkins has rectified that damage very well and very quickly.

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I am loving what Adkins is doing. But really, all you've seen so far is a chef assmemble some decent ingredients and let you lick the spoon. If he makes a decent souffle, let's congratulate him then. Had we won our game in hand when Pardew was fired, we would have been sixth. We weren't holed below the water or anything close. The damage was done categorically by Wilkins but thankfully Adkins has rectified that damage very well and very quickly.

 

look at this this way...pardew MAY have won his game in hand...pardew MAY have got us playing to like this in 2nd place..

but adkins IS doing this...

 

IMO we have the same sort of squad as last season playing better.

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look at this this way...pardew MAY have won his game in hand...pardew MAY have got us playing to like this in 2nd place..

but adkins IS doing this...

 

IMO we have the same sort of squad as last season playing better.

 

No, they're playing as well as under Pardew when they were assembled. Our form from October was... er second! Happy to help. ;)

 

And to be fair, Pardew didn't have Guly - who is class apart as I think you might have now noticed!!!! :D

 

(This notwithstanding, I expect Adkins to outperform Pardew and win the league, with ease).

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No, they're playing as well as under Pardew when they were assembled. Our form from October was... er second! Happy to help. ;)

 

And to be fair, Pardew didn't have Guly - who is class apart as I think you might have now noticed!!!! :D

 

(This notwithstanding, I expect Adkins to outperform Pardew and win the league, with ease).

 

pardew had lambert though (fully fit)...pardew had connolly..

 

its all ifs and buts......but I think we are now playing far more attractive football than we did last season...

we will never know if pardew would have had us 2nd.....simply an opinion...we hardly set the world on fire at the start of the season..

 

what is a fact, nige got us to 2nd and possibly 3 points from the top if we win tomorrow playing some real fantastic football....some of the best (relatively) that I have seen at at saints for years

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pardew had lambert though (fully fit)...pardew had connolly..

 

its all ifs and buts......but I think we are now playing far more attractive football than we did last season...

we will never know if pardew would have had us 2nd.....simply an opinion...we hardly set the world on fire at the start of the season..

 

what is a fact, nige got us to 2nd and possibly 3 points from the top if we win tomorrow playing some real fantastic football....some of the best (relatively) that I have seen at at saints for years

 

I agree, he's doing a fine job. The last manager also did a fine job. He found and built this squad and encouraged them to come to a team bottom of League One and starring relegation in the face. He took a team that had lost more games than any other in domestic football and turned around the entire ethos from losers to winners.

 

In fact so much so that the likes of you complained when we won a trophy (that it might have cost us promotion) and when we drew games at locations like Brentford where we regularly lost while in the Premiership!!

 

In return Pardew is villified as a long-ball merchant who did nothing for our club. Poor. Very.

 

(But am I glad Adkins is here. Of course, so long as we win the league as we should. And he might even do a job in the Championship and beyond).

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I agree, he's doing a fine job. The last manager also did a fine job. He found and built this squad and encouraged them to come to a team bottom of League One and starring relegation in the face. He took a team that had lost more games than any other in domestic football and turned around the entire ethos from losers to winners.

 

In fact so much so that the likes of you complained when we won a trophy (that it might have cost us promotion) and when we drew games at locations like Brentford where we regularly lost while in the Premiership!!

 

In return Pardew is villified as a long-ball merchant who did nothing for our club. Poor. Very.

 

(But am I glad Adkins is here. Of course, so long as we win the league as we should. And he might even do a job in the Championship and beyond).

 

agree...I thought pardew did a good job last year.....and got us some great players..and good luck to him at newcastle, although I dont give him long...

I will be surprised if he is there by the end of next season....his hoof tactics started to show against stevenage the other day and playing the lone striker..

 

hay ho....all in the past

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agree...I thought pardew did a good job last year.....and got us some great players..and good luck to him at newcastle, although I dont give him long...

I will be surprised if he is there by the end of next season....his hoof tactics started to show against stevenage the other day and playing the lone striker..

 

hay ho....all in the past

 

Well that's one thing we do agree on - Newcastle is a poisoned chalice! Shame, they used to be my second club but not with that idiot in charge!

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agree...I thought pardew did a good job last year.....and got us some great players..and good luck to him at newcastle, although I dont give him long...

I will be surprised if he is there by the end of next season....his hoof tactics started to show against stevenage the other day and playing the lone striker..

 

hay ho....all in the past

 

Agreed!

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