New Manager Debate

[Toadhall Saint]

1 hour ago, hypochondriac said:

I think I'm leaning that way as well. Combination of a decent player so should command respect, has worked with some of our players and knows how to get the best out of them, has history in the league of improving performances for a team near the bottom, good links in the game so may be able to attract some decent talent on loan and seems quite likable compared to some of our managers who are very grating.

Unless we pull a rabbit out of the hat - Carrick would be my choice. GON not for me - he is to divisive as being proved on this very thread.

[Nolan]

1 hour ago, goodymatt said:

 

Also worth noting that the F.A.B. meeting was before Eckert earned three points. 

[Mboto Gorge]

2 hours ago, EssEffCee said:

GON can fuck right off the filthy skate cunt.

Can't believe people would be happy for one of them to manage us in an away derby.

O’Neill isn’t joining us. Trust me

[SaintN14]

I have been inclined to give SR the benefit of the doubt on a number of things over the years. There have been mistakes which I could at least see logic in, weve been unlucky at times, but I’ve always felt they were trying to do the right thing for the club.

That said, I can’t see how SR could land on GON being the best candidate for the situation we’re in now. It’s not just about his Pompey past (although that isn’t great for PR). I don’t think he has a track record of success which the players/fans can buy into. Our defence desperately needs organising/leadership/coaching (as mentioned many times on this thread) and there should plenty of other managers available with a higher probability of achieving that (eg Carrick). I wish GON every success in his career (unless he becomes Pompey manager), but I’m hopeful the club finds a better fit 

Edited 2 hours ago by SaintN14

[LuckyNumber7]

It blows my mind that so many people on here are seemingly fine with appointing that skate cunt. Especially when the same people are so anti Russell Martin. Unfortunately I'm a season ticket holder so can't boycott but I would be giving him shit from the off. He's not welcome.

Aside from being a full on skate, he's a poor manager who plays turgid football. He didn't return to Wolves because their fans were as much against re-appointing him as ours are about getting Martin back. They hate him.

This would be the last straw for me as far as SR are concerned. Surely they're not that stupid.

[tdmickey3]

Just now, LuckyNumber7 said:

It blows my mind that so many people on here are seemingly fine with appointing that skate cunt. Especially when the same people are so anti Russell Martin. Unfortunately I'm a season ticket holder so can't boycott but I would be giving him shit from the off. He's not welcome.

Aside from being a full on skate, he's a poor manager who plays turgid football. He didn't return to Wolves because their fans were as much against re-appointing him as ours are about getting Martin back. They hate him.

This would be the last straw for me as far as SR are concerned. Surely they're not that stupid.

Track record says they are indeed stupid

[LGTL]

2 hours ago, stfrancisofbenali said:

Who do you expect, Zinedine Zidane? Our fanbase seem to have a completely unrealistic view of the position we are in and who we can attract. If O'Neil gets the job, we to need grow up and remember he played for nine clubs in his career and only one of the them was Pompey.

Yes, because the options are clearly Zidane or O’Neil. There’s absolutely no other options and zero chance of anyone better than O’Neil. Nope. 

Jesus wept. 

And anyway, above and beyond anything else, not wanting that skate cunt has everything to do with him being a skate. 

Edited 1 hour ago by LGTL

[SW11_Saint]

22 minutes ago, Mboto Gorge said:

O’Neill isn’t joining us. Trust me

You know this how? 

[SW11_Saint]

Does anyone have any intel on who has actually been interviewed (or will be)?

[Farmer Saint]

Brendan Rogers would be my choice if we could attract him.

[West end Saints]

1 hour ago, hypochondriac said:

I'm not avoiding anything! I didn't consider it relevant to the discussion since I never disputed that a managerial choice would be a gamble. What I said was that the response to someone saying they don't want O'Neil of "who do you expect Zidane?" is ridiculous which it is. You are aware I am sure of a number of realistic managers we have been linked with, many of whom I would rather have here than O'Neil. That does not mean I am asking for someone completely unrealistic. 

If you want to go off on a tangent and debate something I haven't disputed then six managers we could conceivably get that I may not even be a huge fan of but I would prefer to O'Neil: 

Hassenhuntl 

Carrick 

Corberan 

Robins 

Wagner 

Carsley

 

Bit depressing isn't it!

o'Neill potentially better impact manager than Carrick and maybe marginally less dull?

[badgerx16]

3 minutes ago, Farmer Saint said:

Brendan Rogers would be my choice if we could attract him.

"They don't have to sell. [Southampton] have a choice," said a typically haughty Brendan Rodgers when asked if he felt any guilt for poaching three of his opposition's players.

"Maybe Southampton's objectives have changed. They were looking to be a Champions League club, I believe."

"I don't have sympathy, no," said Rodgers.

 

[saint michael]

5 hours ago, trousers said:

How does Gary O'Neill's preferred playing style fit in with Spors' stated intention for the club to play "high intensity, full of energy, kind of football"...?

https://www.tntsports.co.uk/football/premier-league/2024-2025/tyler-dibling-jurgen-klopp-football-new-manager-search-southampton-planning-relegation-johannes-spors_sto23183150/story.shtml

 

Quizzed on whether Southampton will lean towards the archetypal models of a more possession-heavy Pep Guardiola team, or a more typical Jurgen Klopp style, Spors added: "If you take those great examples, I think it will be more the Klopp direction.

"More the high intensity, full of energy, kind of football."

For high intensity read chaotic 

[tdmickey3]

Just now, badgerx16 said:

"They don't have to sell. [Southampton] have a choice," said a typically haughty Brendan Rodgers when asked if he felt any guilt for poaching three of his opposition's players.

"Maybe Southampton's objectives have changed. They were looking to be a Champions League club, I believe."

"I don't have sympathy, no," said Rodgers.

 

He is a bit of a cunt but he was right

[Turkish]

1 hour ago, trousers said:

 

 

I can see the logic in going for Carrick, not least because he's the manager who Azaz thrived under, and once he starts ticking then other pieces of the jigsaw should start to fall into place.

However, isn't Carrick another 'side-ways, backwards, possession obsessed' type of manager? 

So I guess it's a toss-up between 'dull and safe' versus 'intense and exciting'...

And, on that, to reiterate that Spors categorically stated a mere 6 months ago that he wanted to instill the latter not the former approach at Saints, so would be a massive U-turn if he went for Carrick (or O'Neil for that matter).

Since when has any of that mattered?

[Turkish]

2 minutes ago, badgerx16 said:

"They don't have to sell. [Southampton] have a choice," said a typically haughty Brendan Rodgers when asked if he felt any guilt for poaching three of his opposition's players.

"Maybe Southampton's objectives have changed. They were looking to be a Champions League club, I believe."

"I don't have sympathy, no," said Rodgers.

 

They did change didn’t they. 
 

it all changed from pushing on to making a profit from transfers every season 

 

[hypochondriac]

5 minutes ago, West end Saints said:

Bit depressing isn't it!

o'Neill potentially better impact manager than Carrick and maybe marginally less dull?

I'm not sure why we'd think that. Carrick has an example of being an impact manager at Boro. I don't think oniel does.

[saint michael]

1 minute ago, Turkish said:

They did change didn’t they. 
 

it all changed from pushing on to making a profit from transfers every season 

 

Under the guise of sustainability

[saintant]

Wasn't it widely reported recently that Spors is looking in Germany in his search for our next manager? Has that changed? 

[sotonjoe]

3 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

There wasn't anything fundamentally wrong with Juric as a manger, he has more credentials than any we had before him. He's a strong defensive manager and has proven that again at Atalanta this season as they've only conceded 8 goals so far - lots of draws, but they hardly let any in.

The idea for a guy like him made sense, but the club wholly misunderstood the level of player we had - as we've seen this season as well, we don't have good defenders - so Juric was always on a hiding to nothing, given that his approach is built around solidity, structure and pace on the break. He was probably the only manager who got a song out of Sullemana.

Absolutely, but why the club then thought it best not to keep him on when, externally anyway, he was seemingly happy to take charge of us in the Championship is beyond me. 

[tdmickey3]

Just now, saintant said:

Wasn't it widely reported recently that Spors is looking in Germany in his search for our next manager? Has that changed? 

When does German 2 div play, it will revolve around that

[saint michael]

Just now, saintant said:

Wasn't it widely reported recently that Spors is looking in Germany in his search for our next manager? Has that changed? 

I think that was for Oneill's replacement in anticipation

[Charlie Wayman]

26 minutes ago, SaintN14 said:

I have been inclined to give SR the benefit of the doubt on a number of things over the years. There have been mistakes which I could at least see logic in, weve been unlucky at times, but I’ve always felt they were trying to do the right thing for the club.

That said, I can’t see how SR could land on GON being the best candidate for the situation we’re in now. It’s not just about his Pompey past (although that isn’t great for PR). I don’t think he has a track record of success which the players/fans can buy into. Our defence desperately needs organising/leadership/coaching (as mentioned many times on this thread) and there should plenty of other managers available with a higher probability of achieving that (eg Carrick). I wish GON every success in his career (unless he becomes Pompey manager), but I’m hopeful the club finds a better fit 

Beggars can't be choosers

[sotonjoe]

42 minutes ago, Nolan said:

Also worth noting that the F.A.B. meeting was before Eckert earned three points. 

Also worth noting that there's no way Spors is gonna tell Yasmin that he plans to appoint Eckert before he tells anybody else

[Badger]

3 hours ago, Miltonaggro said:

If SR are set on a continental coach i would take a good long look at Vasco Matos at Santa Clara (great football and has worked miracles in Portugal on zero money). Then, move heaven and earth to get Fonte in as his number two. Doubt they are looking at him, but that pairing would work very well at SFC, particularly with Romeu on the pitch. 

I think his name has been linked on here before. 

Trendy Portuguese coach, has a beard so might tick some SR boxes.

But you know how we operate, we keep a constant log on coaches and managers to know who is up and coming and might fit our model. Spors ,and Les before him years ago, would scour the continent to keep this current so we can identify who we want at the drop of a hat.

Despite which the option we might end up with Gary O' Fucking-Neil.

[SaintLondon]

Telegraph reporting GON is in pole position.. Feels like Nathan Jones appointment all over again. Full scale negativity. 

[Willo of Whiteley]

Will Still IN

[trousers]

1 hour ago, Saint86 said:

You seem to have left Challinor off this list Hypo 🤪

I'd definitely have him above O'Neil and Carrick...

[S-Clarke]

This is the leak stage, gauge the reaction from the fanbase at tomorrow's home game, feel the un-rest and fan push back - but then appoint him anyway.

Edited 1 hour ago by S-Clarke

[Themotherfunky]

1 minute ago, trousers said:

I'd definitely have him above O'Neil and Carrick...

Even with his managerial success, I reckon the players would consider themselves 'above' that. 

[trousers]

1 hour ago, hypochondriac said:

My mistake! He's the equivalent of appointing Sturrock. 

Is that the same Paul Sturrock who has a much better career win percentage than the current front-runner for the Saints job...?

 

Edited 1 hour ago by trousers

[sockeye]

If I was feeling cynical, I would say that the timing of Romeu's signing was a tactical measure to dampen the negativity associated with appointing O'Neil.

Edited 1 hour ago by sockeye
vacuous is not appropriate

[Chez]

5 hours ago, Turkish said:

Gary O'Still

When we makes a few weird subs

Gary O'No 

When we lose a few in a row

 

GONe when loses many

[goodymatt]

”While O’Neil is a contender for the job, it is still early in the process for Southampton.”

”Other managers, including Michael Carrick, have a strong reputation in the Championship and could come into the running, with the former England midfielder reaching the play-offs once with Middlesbrough during his three seasons at the club.”

 

[trousers]

Actually, if we go on win percentages, then Carrick is probably the most attractive of the names in the frame...

 

[trousers]

14 minutes ago, Themotherfunky said:

Even with his managerial success, I reckon the players would consider themselves 'above' that. 

And therein lies part of our problem.... 

[RedArmy]

Gary O’Neil can fuck right off. 

[hypochondriac]

11 minutes ago, trousers said:

Is that the same Paul Sturrock who has a much better career win percentage than the current front-runner for the Saints job...?

 

I'd rather have Sturrock than O'Neil.

[woodsaint1]

All this crying about GON, yet the alternatives being suggested on here are either worse or completely unrealistic.

Carrick has managed at one club at Championship level.

Rodgers is not coming to us

We are just outside the relegation zone in the Championship, yet we're turning up noses up at a manager who has managed in the PL and was approached by a PL team this week. Is he a great option, nope, but there arent any great options out there. He also left Pompey nearly 20 years ago

[hypochondriac]

When Spors appoints Reinald Gerhad from the German third division, O'Neil won't seem so bad.

[hypochondriac]

Just now, woodsaint1 said:

All this crying about GON, yet the alternatives being suggested on here are either worse or completely unrealistic.

Carrick has managed at one club at Championship level.

Rodgers is not coming to us

We are just outside the relegation zone in the Championship, yet we're turning up noses up at a manager who has managed in the PL and was approached by a PL team this week. Is he a great option, nope, but there arent any great options out there. He also left Pompey nearly 20 years ago

No they aren't. The six I touted as possibilities in what way are they worse or not realistic? What does O'Neil bring that makes you think he'd be the best man for the job?

[Sir Ralph]

29 minutes ago, SaintLondon said:

Telegraph reporting GON is in pole position.. Feels like Nathan Jones appointment all over again. Full scale negativity. 

Why is everyone so negative about him though? Put aside the pompey thing why is he a bad appointment?

[Saint Matty 76]

1 minute ago, woodsaint1 said:

All this crying about GON, yet the alternatives being suggested on here are either worse or completely unrealistic.

Carrick has managed at one club at Championship level.

Rodgers is not coming to us

We are just outside the relegation zone in the Championship, yet we're turning up noses up at a manager who has managed in the PL and was approached by a PL team this week. Is he a great option, nope, but there arent any great options out there. He also left Pompey nearly 20 years ago

I don't think it is at all unreasonable for fans to not want a manager who has quite literally admitted he is a Portsmouth fan, irrespective of his ability.

[trousers]

11 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

When Spors appoints Reinald Gerhad from the German third division, O'Neil won't seem so bad.

Yes, I did just do a web search on Reinald Gerhad... (you git! 😁)

Edited 51 minutes ago by trousers

[Toadhall Saint]

44 minutes ago, saintant said:

Wasn't it widely reported recently that Spors is looking in Germany in his search for our next manager? Has that changed? 

Smoke and mirrors

[trousers]

2 minutes ago, Sir Ralph said:

Why is everyone so negative about him though? Put aside the pompey thing why is he a bad appointment?

A 51% defeat percentage maybe...?

[franniesTache]

3 minutes ago, Sir Ralph said:

Why is everyone so negative about him though? Put aside the pompey thing why is he a bad appointment?

Why would you put aside the fact that he's said he's a pompey fan, he's said their result is the first he looks for, he's said that it's his dream to manage them one day and they hold him up as a legend.

Do you really want to go into a derby at fratton with someone that's said that as our manager?

[Toadhall Saint]

11 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

I'd rather have Sturrock than O'Neil.

I’d rather have haemorrhoids than GON

[trousers]

Just now, Toadhall Saint said:

I’d rather have haemorrhoids than GON

I'd rather have gonorrhoea than GON

[bangkoksaint]

On 05/11/2025 at 14:32, S-Clarke said:

That argument dies a death when you look at what they've wasted over the last 4 years, pretty much every window they've presided over has been a catastrophic mess. They've wasted money. 

We have no idea where this money is coming from or if they're racking up debts to make these mistakes, no idea. But I'm past the point of giving them any slack because of this reasoning now. You can spend all the money you want, but if you just continue to make the same mistakes then you are putting that environment into financial turmoil. 

JYou wait - next summer when we inevitably are still in the Championship, you'll start to hear all of the nonsense about finances and how we need to look after the club, reduce cash outgoings 

Edited 51 minutes ago by bangkoksaint