New Manager Debate

[CB Fry]

3 hours ago, Thripp87 said:

Tonda should have been given a decent length contract full time Tuesday night. No idea why he hasn’t got the job already?

Mainly because we have three games in a week and there's no point making the manager piss around with announcement videos and interviews etc etc etc when he could actually be planning for Saturday's game.

It will get announced etc etc next week when we don't have a midweek game.

[Weston Super Saint]

12 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

Mainly because we have three games in a week and there's no point making the manager piss around with announcement videos and interviews etc etc etc when he could actually be planning for Saturday's game.

It will get announced etc etc next week when we don't have a midweek game.

Most new managers are announced with a fanfare.  Ours will be announced with a menacing stare.

Not sure I'd want to be on the end of Tonda's hair dryer treatment 

[grezz]

1 hour ago, pimpin4rizeal said:

Well that was a couple of games ago .. happy to be proven wrong . Don’t think any of us would have chosen Ekhart though 

Absolutely. My opinion was "Jeez we've had to put this bloke in who is just a lackey as a stop gap whilst we focus on screwing it up again with a smart appointment".  But the evidence, if anyone wants to see it, is happening on the pitch.

I don't care where he came from, what his rep is, whether he is 'big' enough for us, I just know what i'm watching now and that's good enough for me. I've seen conversations about his status if he gets us to promotion, a bit premature maybe, but let's just say he does get us there: Why would you not give him the chance at a higher level?

Yeah, maybe he fails there but maybe he's also a football genius and why would you not give him that chance? Sometimes I think we're snobs as a fanbase when we question things like that. 

Edited Thursday at 22:04 by grezz

[CamSaint]

6 hours ago, CB Fry said:

So a really important point you've made then, cheers.

You're welcome😊

[Number9]

1 hour ago, grezz said:

Absolutely. My opinion was "Jeez we've had to put this bloke in who is just a lackey as a stop gap whilst we focus on screwing it up again with a smart appointment".  But the evidence, if anyone wants to see it, is happening on the pitch.

I don't care where he came from, what his rep is, whether he is 'big' enough for us, I just know what i'm watching now and that's good enough for me. I've seen conversations about his status if he gets us to promotion, a bit premature maybe, but let's just say he does get us there: Why would you not give him the chance at a higher level?

Yeah, maybe he fails there but maybe he's also a football genius and why would you not give him that chance? Sometimes I think we're snobs as a fanbase when we question things like that. 

I know it's a big if, but if he does get us promoted I would wage a bet that he would do a far better job than RM as he already has us playing like a top half premier league team, he clearly studies our opponents and adapts our tactics accordingly.

All of which RM evidently never achieved/ did.

[sadoldgit]

If there is still no “stand out candidate” I wouldn’t have a problem with him given the job for the rest of the season and then revue. Perhaps Ralph could be persuaded to come back to give him a bit of avuncular support but let’s be honest, things have changed massively in the last few weeks and there can only be one reason for that.

[Lord Duckhunter]

19 minutes ago, sadoldgit said:

Perhaps Ralph could be persuaded to come back to give him a bit of avuncular support

😂😂 The nod’s go to idea. Bring Nigel or Ralph back to help the manager. What’s your next suggestion, let me guess, Beats in to coach the forwards…..😂

[SW11_Saint]

20 hours ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

If he loses 3 or 4 on the bounce people will be moaning he was given the job. 
 

I’m torn myself. He clearly hasn’t got the experience, but 4 out of 4 is deserving of the job. You never know, he could be exceptional & be a fantastic manager, but equally it could be new manager bounce, with him not having the know how to manage after the initial bounce. Nobody really knows.
 

The ideal solution would be to give him the gig until the end of the season, but you do risk losing him to a Fulham/Bournemouth type club during a preseason management merry go round, if he does turn out to be a gem. 

Agree, he’s doing everything right, but how many caretakers have over-achieved before getting the job full-time, and then failing (albeit new territory for SFC) - thus, it’s still a gamble. Give him hefty Incentive-based compensation for reaching the play-offs and/or promotion. By season end we’ll have a better idea of his mettle and whether to give him the gig full-time. 

[Mboto Gorge]

3 hours ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

😂😂 The nod’s go to idea. Bring Nigel or Ralph back to help the manager. What’s your next suggestion, let me guess, Beats in to coach the forwards…..😂

Personally I think if tonda doesn’t work out , we should go cap in hand to Nigel. It’s literally the only remaining option ……

[Turkish]

7 hours ago, sadoldgit said:

If there is still no “stand out candidate” I wouldn’t have a problem with him given the job for the rest of the season and then revue. Perhaps Ralph could be persuaded to come back to give him a bit of avuncular support but let’s be honest, things have changed massively in the last few weeks and there can only be one reason for that.

Thanks for arrogantly giving him your stamp of approval. I'm sure he's delighted.

[badgerx16]

52 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Thanks for arrogantly giving him your stamp of approval. I'm sure he's delighted.

Says the poster who posts this

[Turkish]

Just now, badgerx16 said:

Says the poster who posts this

and the reason i post that is because a while back when i defended/backed up another poster SOG made a cock of himself by wading into the discussion accusing me of arrogantly giving him my stamp of approval. Hence the Turkish stamp of approval. Keep up hun.

[sadoldgit]

8 hours ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

😂😂 The nod’s go to idea. Bring Nigel or Ralph back to help the manager. What’s your next suggestion, let me guess, Beats in to coach the forwards…..😂

I never mention Nigel or Beats.

Another poster on here was dead against Eckert because he is only 32 years old. The word is that Spors saw him as a potential first team manager/coach down the line which is why he was given the under 21 gig. He hasn’t suddenly become older or got 5 years experience managing the first team so is it unreasonable to bring someone else in with that experience for him to lean on? If that person also has German connections and knows the club….

One way or another he will need a coaching staff unless the under 21 staff join him, but that sounds like a “nod” idea doesn’t it?

 

[sadoldgit]

57 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Thanks for arrogantly giving him your stamp of approval. I'm sure he's delighted.

Living rent free in your head still eh Baby Reindeer?

[Turkish]

Just now, sadoldgit said:

Living rent free in your head still eh Baby Reindeer?

I dont read your posts so the answer to that is no.

[CB Fry]

54 minutes ago, sadoldgit said:

Living rent free in your head still eh Baby Reindeer?

If there was a prize for the forum contributor who relentlessly names and references other posters the most, there's only one winner.

[sadoldgit]

8 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

If there was a prize for the forum contributor who relentlessly names and references other posters the most, there's only one winner.

Turkish?

I might reference other posters but I don’t follow them around constantly. 

Edited 22 hours ago by sadoldgit

[saintant]

10 hours ago, sadoldgit said:

If there is still no “stand out candidate” I wouldn’t have a problem with him given the job for the rest of the season and then revue. Perhaps Ralph could be persuaded to come back to give him a bit of avuncular support but let’s be honest, things have changed massively in the last few weeks and there can only be one reason for that.

Maybe I'm reading the room wrong but I don't buy into Tonda needing an old head to assist him. He'll have made many contacts in the game so, if he's given the job, I think he should be allowed to select his own team some of whom may be guys who have worked with him for the U21s. There will be people he knows and trusts who he thinks would be the right fit for him, let him decide.

[M271]

26 minutes ago, saintant said:

Maybe I'm reading the room wrong but I don't buy into Tonda needing an old head to assist him. He'll have made many contacts in the game so, if he's given the job, I think he should be allowed to select his own team some of whom may be guys who have worked with him for the U21s. There will be people he knows and trusts who he thinks would be the right fit for him, let him decide.

When I asked the question on here earlier this week it was brought to my attention that several of his u21 coaching team were with him in ‘interim’ charge of the 1st team. I think they need as much credit as him for the improvement in our performances and results.

[Saint Pete]

8 hours ago, SW11_Saint said:

Agree, he’s doing everything right, but how many caretakers have over-achieved before getting the job full-time, and then failing (albeit new territory for SFC) - thus, it’s still a gamble. Give him hefty Incentive-based compensation for reaching the play-offs and/or promotion. By season end we’ll have a better idea of his mettle and whether to give him the gig full-time. 

Agreed. As impressive as we have been in the last 2 games, he has only been in charge 4 games and doesn't have any prior managerial experience to be confident enough to give him the job long term at this point in my opinion. But the upturn in performance is striking enough to justify giving him a deal to end of season. If we are still flying by say end of January//Feb, we could always upgrade length of contract at that stage.

[SW11_Saint]

10 minutes ago, Saint Pete said:

Agreed. As impressive as we have been in the last 2 games, he has only been in charge 4 games and doesn't have any prior managerial experience to be confident enough to give him the job long term at this point in my opinion. But the upturn in performance is striking enough to justify giving him a deal to end of season. If we are still flying by say end of January//Feb, we could always upgrade length of contract at that stage.

The other factor in all of this is what Tonda himself thinks/wants. He may be quite happy with the arrangement atm - without the formal f/t title of ‘manager’ he avoids all of the pressure & politics that goes with it. He may be happy to run to Xmas or even the end of the season to ‘test the water’ himself too before committing.

Edited 21 hours ago by SW11_Saint

[Turkish]

1 hour ago, sadoldgit said:

Turkish?

I might reference other posters but I don’t follow them around constantly. 

How many times do i have to tell you? I dont read your posts. In fact i've had you on ignore for the last 7 years

I see you lol'd at the Turkish stamp of approval. Assume you thought this was a gotcha, not realising it's taking the piss out of you. Never were the quickest of cats were you. 

[hypochondriac]

54 minutes ago, Saint Pete said:

Agreed. As impressive as we have been in the last 2 games, he has only been in charge 4 games and doesn't have any prior managerial experience to be confident enough to give him the job long term at this point in my opinion. But the upturn in performance is striking enough to justify giving him a deal to end of season. If we are still flying by say end of January//Feb, we could always upgrade length of contract at that stage.

According to Adam we would only have to pay him off for a year max whatever contract we give him so the length doesn't really matter 

[SW11_Saint]

Would be interesting to re-open the poll again, and how attitudes have shifted… 

[sadoldgit]

3 hours ago, saintant said:

Maybe I'm reading the room wrong but I don't buy into Tonda needing an old head to assist him. He'll have made many contacts in the game so, if he's given the job, I think he should be allowed to select his own team some of whom may be guys who have worked with him for the U21s. There will be people he knows and trusts who he thinks would be the right fit for him, let him decide.

I made the suggestion because a poster earlier in this thread said he shouldn’t get the job because he is too young. I don’t disagree that he should pick his own backroom team should he get the job.

[DT]

I'm not 100% sure it's the right decision but I have to say it would be very harsh not to give the job to Tonda Eckert if we win again tomorrow. This is pending Leeds sacking Farke tomorrow night, however (not that I'm a massive fan but they might possibly be waiting for this, who knows?)

Anyway, excited about Oriel perhaps playing tomorrow. Perhaps he is being groomed for the role one day...

[SW11_Saint]

6 minutes ago, DT said:

I'm not 100% sure it's the right decision but I have to say it would be very harsh not to give the job to Tonda Eckert if we win again tomorrow. This is pending Leeds sacking Farke tomorrow night, however (not that I'm a massive fan but they might possibly be waiting for this, who knows?)

Anyway, excited about Oriel perhaps playing tomorrow. Perhaps he is being groomed for the role one day...

I’d rather have Tonda than Farke! 

[Dusic]

Nice read on Tobi Strobl via @sloppy-giuseppe:

https://www.sport1.de/news/fussball/3-liga/2025/11/das-unterscheidet-ihn-von-vielen-eine-stille-erfolgsgeschichte

 

[sadoldgit]

7 hours ago, badgerx16 said:

Says the poster who posts this

Post of the year!

How odd that, on a thread entitled New Manager Debate, someone  feels the need to have a pop at someone else for giving an opinion on the next manager. Even more odd given he didn’t feel the need to pick up on the dozens of other comments by other posters.

Still, stalkers gonna stalk.

And as if by magic ⬇️

Edited 16 hours ago by sadoldgit
Added text

[Turkish]

1 minute ago, sadoldgit said:

Post of the year!

How odd that, on a thread entitled New Manager Debate, someone  feels the need to have a pop at someone else for giving an opinion on the next manager. Even more odd given he didn’t feel the need to pick up on the dozens of other comments by other posters.

Still, stalkers gonna stalk.

I don’t Raad your posts pal, I’ve told you many times 

this is so funny, the whole stamp of approval is taking the piss out of you 

you have made yourself look a total cock once again 😂😂😂😂😂

[sadoldgit]

19 minutes ago, SW11_Saint said:

I’d rather have Tonda than Farke! 

Farke has a greater potential for comedic uses of his name though.

[Scoobysaint]

I can see some fans soon getting upset as they are paying for 90 minutes of football but are only getting to watch 45 minutes of competitive football. 😉 

[BARCELONASAINT]

35 minutes ago, Scoobysaint said:

I can see some fans soon getting upset as they are paying for 90 minutes of football but are only getting to watch 45 minutes of competitive football. 😉 

Believe me not having to stress through a second 45 minutes is much better for my heart. I will happily take Saints playing like world beaters for the first 45 minutes and then and nice gentle second 45 minutes every day of the week.🤣

[Toadhall Saint]

1 hour ago, Scoobysaint said:

I can see some fans soon getting upset as they are paying for 90 minutes of football but are only getting to watch 45 minutes of competitive football. 😉 

I thought both of those second 45 minutes said a lot about the team as a whole. Very very professional saw the games out with minimum drama.

[bpsaint]

3 hours ago, DT said:

I'm not 100% sure it's the right decision but I have to say it would be very harsh not to give the job to Tonda Eckert if we win again tomorrow. This is pending Leeds sacking Farke tomorrow night, however (not that I'm a massive fan but they might possibly be waiting for this, who knows?)

Anyway, excited about Oriel perhaps playing tomorrow. Perhaps he is being groomed for the role one day...

The Farke thing had crossed my mind too in fairness. It’s not something I’d be adverse to either, he certainly ticks the experienced at promotion box.

[Badger]

18 hours ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

😂😂 The nod’s go to idea. Bring Nigel or Ralph back to help the manager. What’s your next suggestion, let me guess, Beats in to coach the forwards…..😂

As for ‘nods’ don’t forget the bloke from Shirley who’d always join a Radio Solent phone-in with “they should make Benali manager … he bleeds red and white ..” 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

8 minutes ago, Badger said:

As for ‘nods’ don’t forget the bloke from Shirley who’d always join a Radio Solent phone-in with “they should make Benali manager … he bleeds red and white ..” 

That he did all that endurance running, while having such a serious blood disorder, makes him even more of a legend in my eyes.

[pingpong]

We all bleed red and white. White blood cells make up about 1% of your blood, while red blood cells make up about 44%. It's not a disorder, although supporting Saints may well be.

[Badger]

2 minutes ago, pingpong said:

We all bleed red and white. White blood cells make up about 1% of your blood, while red blood cells make up about 44%. It's not a disorder, although supporting Saints may well be.

Not sure the bloke from Shirley had this in mind. 

[skintsaint]

4 hours ago, SW11_Saint said:

I’d rather have Tonda than Farke! 

Mad. Farke has won this league three times. 

[ally_uk]

Put some dosh on the table and get Lampard 🤣

[Dusic]

17 minutes ago, ally_uk said:

Put some dosh on the table and get Lampard 🤣

FAO @Jilted John - see what this guy did here? Definitely one to follow IMO.

[SW11_Saint]

2 hours ago, skintsaint said:

Mad. Farke has won this league three times. 

And if they appoint him and immediately start losing again? 

[Dr Who?]

3 hours ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

That he did all that endurance running, while having such a serious blood disorder, makes him even more of a legend in my eyes.

The bloke is a legend. Never make him a manager. Serious endurance this man has! 

[skintsaint]

16 minutes ago, SW11_Saint said:

And if they appoint him and immediately start losing again? 

Could appoint him Tonda full time and start losing again?

 

[SW11_Saint]

9 hours ago, skintsaint said:

Could appoint him Tonda full time and start losing again?

 

That’s true, but he has some currency in the bank with the last 4 games. If Tonda won 5 in a row, then they appoint Farke and immediately lose can you imagine the reaction?! 

Edited 2 minutes ago by SW11_Saint