Tonda Eckert

[S-Clarke]

53 minutes ago, Crab Lungs said:

I see Ankersen copping alot of the stick on here but I can’t see how he’s been involved recently, or have I missed something?

There is so much wrong at the club you’d need multiple hands to point all the fingers you need at the problems.

Like with any entity involving people, it’s leadership that sets the tone though. I think in recent seasons - much like companies and institutions in this country - we’ve had a serious rot of perpetual grifters amongst us that are happy to plod along, do a mediocre job and keep doing enough to get away with it or alternatively, are surrounded by fellow grifters all on the good time gravy train so are never held accountable.

Only solution? Rip it up and start again but it takes big balls and persistence to do it. It can be done though.

Alfie House recently confirmed that Solak uses Rasmus as his key footballing advisor across the entire group, Rasmus is more hands on day to day at Goztepe I believe - but he still has a strong influence across the entire group and is almost certainly involved in the big decisions around managers.

In terms of the Ben Garner link, we recruited him from the Right to Dream Academy - which is run by a Danish person whom Rasmus has close links with. Rasmus was also the key decision maker/scouter in the Sulemana deal - who came with a huge background from that Right to Dream Academy too. The Right to Dream setup is based strongly on analytics and data driven processes.

[AlexLaw76]

3 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

Alfie House recently confirmed that Solak uses Rasmus as his key footballing advisor across the entire group, Rasmus is more hands on day to day at Goztepe I believe - but he still has a strong influence across the entire group and is almost certainly involved in the big decisions around managers.

In terms of the Ben Garner link, we recruited him from the Right to Dream Academy - which is run by a Danish person whom Rasmus has close links with. Rasmus was also the key decision maker/scouter in the Sulemana deal - who came with a huge background from that Right to Dream Academy too. The Right to Dream setup is based strongly on analytics and data driven processes.

The solak is a moron and the architect of our demise 

[saintant]

1 hour ago, Wade Garrett said:

Nick Illingsworth has written a piece on TUI suggesting that there is a poisonous element in the dressing room.  
 

Eckert should drop these wankers.  They’ll cost him his job.  I won’t be sorry to see the back of Bazunu, Harwood-Bellis, Stephens, Manning, Downes, Wood and Armstrong.  They’re shite anyway.

Is he just repeating the recent quotes from Alfie House? Seems strange that Illingsworth has written this now.

[Badger]

1 hour ago, OldNick said:

I thought he turned us down in the summer as he was looking for something bigger

I don't think anyone really knows what went on , if at all.  It was bizarre that he was widely touted, but didn't get off the ground. I always felt the Sheff Weds compensation was possibly a convenient smokescreen, and as he was intent on leaving them there would have been a deal to be done. We  spend £5/6m on Downes, or £15m on Archer but the funds dry up in obtaining a manager.

 

[saintant]

42 minutes ago, Doctoroncall said:

It would nice to get confirmed, someone posted that Ankersen still has Solak’s ear when it comes to footballing input. 
 

Besides, Ankersen has set up the data analytics in SR and I would not be surprised if it has been misused, set up incorrectly or no one really knows how to use it. Possibly a combination of the three. 

Or more likely it is a load more nonsense made up by a bloke who has no idea and has been spouting crap ever since he first became involved in our club and long before that. As the saying goes, 'Rubbish in rubbish out'

[hypochondriac]

Let's be honest no saints fan is going to shed a tear if the following were dropped:

Manning 

Stephens 

Downes 

Bazunu 

Archer

And to a lesser extent:

THB 

Woods 

Leaving a team of:

New gk 

Jelert/roeslev Edwards Quarshie Wellington 

Jander/Romeu Charles/Bragg 

Fellows Azaz/matsuki Scienza 

Armstrong/Stewart/new striker 

Probably need a new fullback and a cb but I'd happily wave goodbye to all of them. Maybe Armstrong too but I think at least he tries. I don't really know why Edwards hasn't really had much of a chance, particularly because a team above us in the league really want to sign him.

Edited yesterday at 14:48 by hypochondriac

[Holmes_and_Watson]

10 hours ago, hypochondriac said:

Right but imagine if we got someone like Gao now with no willingness to put money in and no expertise. Or a mad owner that wants to change our colours and name because they are lucky in his country. Things can always get worse, there's no guarantee that any replacement would actually be better.

Looking at their decision making track record, I'd expect nothing less than SR selling up to an absolute tyre kicker. But that too would pass.

We can be fearful of the future or embrace it (courtesy of Your 2026 in Fortune Cookies, just 200 yards from this forum)

[Holmes_and_Watson]

3 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

Alfie House recently confirmed that Solak uses Rasmus as his key footballing advisor across the entire group, Rasmus is more hands on day to day at Goztepe I believe - but he still has a strong influence across the entire group and is almost certainly involved in the big decisions around managers.

In terms of the Ben Garner link, we recruited him from the Right to Dream Academy - which is run by a Danish person whom Rasmus has close links with. Rasmus was also the key decision maker/scouter in the Sulemana deal - who came with a huge background from that Right to Dream Academy too. The Right to Dream setup is based strongly on analytics and data driven processes.

It can be a lonely life, behind the painted face of a clown. But the St Mary's Big Top gives clowns a place to gather together. Whether it's from the worlds of outdated and flawed analysis or ludicrous marketing, St Mary's is the home to all self inflated buffoons.

Don't forget our new attractions! What can we shift this young player for in 6 months? and Guess if it's a Forward!

[hypochondriac]

11 minutes ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

Looking at their decision making track record, I'd expect nothing less than SR selling up to an absolute tyre kicker. But that too would pass.

We can be fearful of the future or embrace it (courtesy of Your 2026 in Fortune Cookies, just 200 yards from this forum)

Tell that to saints go Wilde. Very close to going bust and then it wouldn't pass because we wouldn't exist. I'd rather not get sold to any old chancer because even if things eventually got better we could be crippled for years. That's not to say that sports Republic are running the club well.

Edited yesterday at 18:10 by hypochondriac

[Holmes_and_Watson]

4 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Tell that to saints go Wilde. Very close to going bust and then it wouldn't pass because we wouldn't exist. I'd rather not get sold to any old chancer because even if things eventually got better we could be crippled for years. That's not to say that sports Republic are running the club well.

I would support our Phoenix Club 🙂

[Turkish]

No wins in 6, 4 tough league games to come in January. He had to pick up a win or two over them or things are going to get very ugly, especially if we lose the derby 

[saintant]

1 minute ago, Turkish said:

No wins in 6, 4 tough league games to come in January. He had to pick up a win or two over them or things are going to get very ugly, especially if we lose the derby 

Also only 4 goals in 6 I think which is pathetic.

[Turkish]

7 minutes ago, saintant said:

Also only 4 goals in 6 I think which is pathetic.

Just read the piece on TUI about players control things, maybe it’s putting two and two together and making five but it doesn’t make sense 

[Football Special]

We should have just got Rohl while we could 

[coalman]

9 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Just read the piece on TUI about players control things, maybe it’s putting two and two together and making five but it doesn’t make sense 

I could easily believe both that there's a clique of players hungering for Martin and Rasmus is dictating playing style to our manager. We're just that big a basket case right now.

[madge]

The Alfie house comments are intriguing. As the daily echo reporter he’s so much to lose if the club see it as complete bs and shit stirring and undermining the club. But I think he’s pretty much convinced something is going on. If players are causing issues they need shipping out now. Write off this season, and start building for next season whatever division we’re in. I’d also move eckert out to, it’s plainly obvious he’s not got the in game management required at this level. I’m also convinced our style of play is forced by those above. The only manager who really tried something different was juric, and the players didn’t play for him. Clubs in a mess and the sooner SR are forced out the better.

[Turkish]

4 minutes ago, coalman said:

I could easily believe both that there's a clique of players hungering for Martin and Rasmus is dictating playing style to our manager. We're just that big a basket case right now.

the ones who were here under Martin, so that can be Baz, Manning, THB, Stephens, Downs, Frazer, Armstrong, Aribo, Archer and Edozie. I don’t reckon Stephens and Armstrong are that type but could easily see the rest as part of it 

[obelisk]

Also interesting is the Echo piece with comments from Onuachu where he claims "a lot of things were also going on behind the scenes at that time". Maybe that fits in with the clique allegations as well.

[AlexLaw76]

1 minute ago, obelisk said:

Also interesting is the Echo piece with comments from Onuachu where he claims "a lot of things were also going on behind the scenes at that time". Maybe that fits in with the clique allegations as well.

or the constant change over of manager/staff

[Tommy Mulgrew]

For those who have not yet read it, see this:

https://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/southampton/news/65411/daily-echo-hint-at-player-power-issues-in-southampton-squad

Edited 22 hours ago by Tommy Mulgrew
Or read the new manager thread; I hadn’t when I posted the link.

[Dark Munster]

10 hours ago, Doctoroncall said:

It would nice to get confirmed, someone posted that Ankersen still has Solak’s ear when it comes to footballing input. 
 

Besides, Ankersen has set up the data analytics in SR and I would not be surprised if it has been misused, set up incorrectly or no one really knows how to use it. Possibly a combination of the three. 

Alfie House on the TSP a few weeks back confirmed this was the case.

[Jack]

2 hours ago, Tommy Mulgrew said:

For those who have not yet read it, see this:

https://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/southampton/news/65411/daily-echo-hint-at-player-power-issues-in-southampton-squad

You’d think that people writing such articles would be a tad more literate