Ben Garner appointed new first team coach

[Willo of Whiteley]

I had high hopes going into this season. A manager in place extremely early and targets set for promotion.

We did largely no business until the end of August (partly financially I get), and we have been set up horrifically ever since.

Constant managerial changes.

Coaching teams put together having not worked together.

The phrase “throwing shit at the wall and hoping it sticks” rings a bell.

[SoberSaint]

So the new caretaker manager is in place!

[disconnect]

Looks like another terrible appointment, who we'll only have to get rid of again in a few months once Tonda is sacked. The dream coaching team alongside Ben Reeves presumably part of the team to make Tonda feel more experienced?! The coaching setup has become a complete joke now.

[Gloucester Saint]

1 minute ago, disconnect said:

Looks like another terrible appointment, who we'll only have to get rid of again in a few months once Tonda is sacked. The dream coaching team alongside Ben Reeves presumably part of the team to make Tonda feel more experienced?! The coaching setup has become a complete joke now.

That’s because they are puppets put in post to enable Rasmus to meddle. Lallana is a fig leaf to disguise the fact that the rest of them are lower leagues. 

[Miltonaggro]

2 hours ago, SoberSaint said:

So the new caretaker manager is in place!

If I was Garner I wouldn’t book more than a fortnight in advance at the Premier Inn. 

[Turkish]

this is the first step on the ladder of the great fix, yes?

[gammon cheeks]

Rather it was Ryan Garner ....at least he would lay the lazy fookers out lol

[Mboto Gorge]

46 minutes ago, Turkish said:

this is the first step on the ladder of the great fix, yes?

Is the break it stage over yet then? We have been nailing that side of it, would be a shame if we have stopped breaking everything. 

[Mboto Gorge]

20 minutes ago, gammon cheeks said:

Rather it was Ryan Garner ....at least he would lay the lazy fookers out lol

Or even Alf Garnett 

[saintant]

We'll be fine once Garner gets cracking. Not sure how we managed to secure his services - with his track record every top club throughout Europe must have been banging down his door. Was this another Ankersen masterstroke? It's got his fingerprints all over it.

[S-Clarke]

23 minutes ago, saintant said:

We'll be fine once Garner gets cracking. Not sure how we managed to secure his services - with his track record every top club throughout Europe must have been banging down his door. Was this another Ankersen masterstroke? It's got his fingerprints all over it.

You wonder who finds these people, as Ben Garner wouldn't have been top of any peoples 'list' - it's obviously someone thinking outside the box and looking at data rather than experience. Ben was part of that right to dream academy - it does feel very Rasmus. Rasmus drove the Kamaldeen deal if you remember, and Kamaldeen came from that right to dream academy setup himself.

[tdmickey3]

Will be as much use as 

James Garner - Wikipedia

[saint michael]

He should be good because it’s the level we are playing at and will be even better when we get down to that league 

I can now see Ankerson’s forward plans 

Edited Monday at 12:23 by saint michael

[Daft Kerplunk]

Looks like SR are continuing the 'potential into excellence' false drivel of the Les/Semmens era.  The first team should not be an experiment, it should be the pinnacle of the club where the people operating there are at the highest standard possible, even if that means they go to bigger clubs.  SR are having an absolute shocker.  

[lambtiss]

11 minutes ago, Daft Kerplunk said:

Looks like SR are continuing the 'potential into excellence' false drivel of the Les/Semmens era.  The first team should not be an experiment, it should be the pinnacle of the club where the people operating there are at the highest standard possible, even if that means they go to bigger clubs.  SR are having an absolute shocker.  

Yeah. How about trying excellence into even further excellence. 

 

Let's give that a sodding try SR

[saintant]

1 hour ago, S-Clarke said:

You wonder who finds these people, as Ben Garner wouldn't have been top of any peoples 'list' - it's obviously someone thinking outside the box and looking at data rather than experience. Ben was part of that right to dream academy - it does feel very Rasmus. Rasmus drove the Kamaldeen deal if you remember, and Kamaldeen came from that right to dream academy setup himself.

Things even he, in his wildest dreams, didn't expect to ever be said in the same sentence...."Ben Garner headhunted".

You really couldn't make it up. We have a young manager floundering and clearly out of his depth so some bright spark (Ankersen?) decides it would be a clever idea to give him some help in the form of no-mark Ben Fucking Garner - yes that is his middle name 🙂

[Gloucester Saint]

26 minutes ago, saintant said:

Things even he, in his wildest dreams, didn't expect to ever be said in the same sentence...."Ben Garner headhunted".

You really couldn't make it up. We have a young manager floundering and clearly out of his depth so some bright spark (Ankersen?) decides it would be a clever idea to give him some help in the form of no-mark Ben Fucking Garner - yes that is his middle name 🙂

I saw someone post earlier that Sulemana came through the Right to Dream Academy - has Ankerson’s filthy fingerprints all over it.

Stepping back my arse.

[BarberSaint]

Broke? Despondent?  Can't get a job anywhere else because you're crap?

Give us a call: we'll help you fall upwards, just like the tons of other losers we've helped over the years:

 

https://www.rasmusankersen.com/

[Dark Munster]

7 hours ago, saintant said:

Things even he, in his wildest dreams, didn't expect to ever be said in the same sentence...."Ben Garner headhunted".

You really couldn't make it up. We have a young manager floundering and clearly out of his depth so some bright spark (Ankersen?) decides it would be a clever idea to give him some help in the form of no-mark Ben Fucking Garner - yes that is his middle name 🙂

That's an amazing coincidence, it's also Rasmus's middle name.

[Addict54]

This is so random it’s barely believable. Garner inherited a rovers team that was flying under Graham Cloughlan and immediately turned it to shit by trying to convert talent-constrained league 1 players into russball-style passing maestros overnight. He won 1 of his 12 games in that first season. And the 1 was pretty miraculous.

So why on earth are we plucking this no-hoper away from coaching children in Ghana to bring him in at a level which is well above the level at which he’s previously been an abject failure? Definitely an Ankersen move. Right to Dream is run by Fleming Pederson (part of the hierarchy at Nordsjælland in Denmark which like RTD is part of the Mansour Group). Pederson spent some time as “head of football philosophy” at Brentford, and guess who appointed him to that job…

ooooooh Danish fwiends 

[Gloucester Saint]

38 minutes ago, Addict54 said:

This is so random it’s barely believable. Garner inherited a rovers team that was flying under Graham Cloughlan and immediately turned it to shit by trying to convert talent-constrained league 1 players into russball-style passing maestros overnight. He won 1 of his 12 games in that first season. And the 1 was pretty miraculous.

So why on earth are we plucking this no-hoper away from coaching children in Ghana to bring him in at a level which is well above the level at which he’s previously been an abject failure? Definitely an Ankersen move. Right to Dream is run by Fleming Pederson (part of the hierarchy at Nordsjælland in Denmark which like RTD is part of the Mansour Group). Pederson spent some time as “head of football philosophy” at Brentford, and guess who appointed him to that job…

ooooooh Danish fwiends 

Good research @Addict54

Rasmus is getting exposed big time. I knew he’d never stepped back but this appointment is incredibly blatant and a massive fuck you to the fans.

What the hell Solak is doing letting him waste yet more money on this network of losers and day dreamers?

[saintant]

43 minutes ago, Addict54 said:

This is so random it’s barely believable. Garner inherited a rovers team that was flying under Graham Cloughlan and immediately turned it to shit by trying to convert talent-constrained league 1 players into russball-style passing maestros overnight. He won 1 of his 12 games in that first season. And the 1 was pretty miraculous.

So why on earth are we plucking this no-hoper away from coaching children in Ghana to bring him in at a level which is well above the level at which he’s previously been an abject failure? Definitely an Ankersen move. Right to Dream is run by Fleming Pederson (part of the hierarchy at Nordsjælland in Denmark which like RTD is part of the Mansour Group). Pederson spent some time as “head of football philosophy” at Brentford, and guess who appointed him to that job…

ooooooh Danish fwiends 

It all adds up.

[aintforever]

He’s bound to be shit. When you’re trying to recruit someone to work under a nobody like Tronda, who is clearly only a few games away from the sack, it’s going to be a struggle to find anyone half decent. You’re picking from a pool of the desperate, untalented or unproven.

Edited Monday at 23:06 by aintforever

[Gloucester Saint]

1 minute ago, aintforever said:

He’s bound to be shit. When you’re trying to recruit someone to work under a nobody like Tronda, who is clearly only a few games away from the sack, it’s going to be a struggle to find anyone half decent. You’re picking from a pool of the desperate, untalented or unproven.

All three of the above straight from Rasmus’s network of day dreamers.

[Mboto Gorge]

What a fucking clown Dragan clearly is, if he’s still allowing this clueless bellend Ankerson to make such clearly ridiculous decisions like this. How can he make statements like the summer when he said he will be vetting decisions, while still overseeing this shite that Rasmus is pulling. It’s abundantly clear now that Dragan hasn’t got the slightest clue about anything football related or even the brains to pull Rasmus up on some these ridiculous decisions 
 

You don’t have to be a footballing Einstein to work out that this is another case of giving someone a role they’re clearly out of their depth for. Beggars belief.

[trousers]

42 minutes ago, Mboto Gorge said:

What a fucking clown Dragan clearly is, if he’s still allowing this clueless bellend Ankerson to make such clearly ridiculous decisions like this. How can he make statements like the summer when he said he will be vetting decisions, while still overseeing this shite that Rasmus is pulling. It’s abundantly clear now that Dragan hasn’t got the slightest clue about anything football related or even the brains to pull Rasmus up on some these ridiculous decisions 
 

You don’t have to be a footballing Einstein to work out that this is another case of giving someone a role they’re clearly out of their depth for. Beggars belief.

You seem to be forgetting that a major investor in a football club should be cut some slack if they happen to sink a significant amount of money into said club, regardless of how inept their decision making and judgement is...

Edited yesterday at 00:04 by trousers

[coalman]

A's hire B's. B's hire C's. C's hire Ben Garner.

[Badger]

9 hours ago, Addict54 said:

So why on earth are we plucking this no-hoper away from coaching children in Ghana to bring him in at a level which is well above the level at which he’s previously been an abject failure? Definitely an Ankersen move. Right to Dream is run by Fleming Pederson (part of the hierarchy at Nordsjælland in Denmark which like RTD is part of the Mansour Group). Pederson spent some time as “head of football philosophy” at Brentford, and guess who appointed him to that job…

ooooooh Danish fwiends 

Good research.

Ankersen defies belief. If he was setting things up to take us from EPL to obscurity he couldn’t do a better job.

How and where does this leave Spors, and Tonda, if they have introductions or appointments like this dumped on them ? 

[Badger]

On 04/01/2026 at 22:35, Willo of Whiteley said:

I had high hopes going into this season. A manager in place extremely early and targets set for promotion.

We did largely no business until the end of August (partly financially I get), and we have been set up horrifically ever since.

Constant managerial changes.

Coaching teams put together having not worked together.

The phrase “throwing shit at the wall and hoping it sticks” rings a bell.

I think we were all accepting of Solak’s  comments about taking more control and personal  interest in the running of the club. The appointment of Spors looked positive. This coupled with Kraft being moved on, and Ankersen we were led to believe not being involved at St Mary’s .

But any real excitement for the season was reduced by the appointment of Still. Shocking.

Garner …. another ridiculous appointment, that only makes sense in Ankersen’s head. 
 

 

Edited 18 hours ago by Badger

[Convict Colony]

My thoughts on this appointment 

[saintant]

If the answer is ben Garner what the fuck is the question!

[Crab Lungs]

15 hours ago, Addict54 said:

This is so random it’s barely believable. Garner inherited a rovers team that was flying under Graham Cloughlan and immediately turned it to shit by trying to convert talent-constrained league 1 players into russball-style passing maestros overnight. He won 1 of his 12 games in that first season. And the 1 was pretty miraculous.

So why on earth are we plucking this no-hoper away from coaching children in Ghana to bring him in at a level which is well above the level at which he’s previously been an abject failure? Definitely an Ankersen move. Right to Dream is run by Fleming Pederson (part of the hierarchy at Nordsjælland in Denmark which like RTD is part of the Mansour Group). Pederson spent some time as “head of football philosophy” at Brentford, and guess who appointed him to that job…

ooooooh Danish fwiends 

Head of football philosophy?

Oh for fucksake.

[Saint86]

8 hours ago, Crab Lungs said:

Head of football philosophy?

Oh for fucksake.

He plays an "attacking" 4-3-3 possession style of football, with a penchant of prompting youth players.

Smacks of succession planning to me - just give him some time to get used to 3-5-2...

Edited 4 hours ago by Saint86

[sadoldgit]

I had no idea who this bloke was before we signed him up and have no idea if it is a good appointment or not.

He may well be crap, but according to his CV he is not inexperienced.

At Crystal Palace for over 10 years ending up as head coach.

WBA - assistant head coach.

ATK - Indian Super League.

Then manager roles -

Bristol Rovers win percentage 25%
Swindon Town play off semi final, win percentage 50%
Charlton win percentage 31%
Colchester United win percentage 26%

I have absolutely no idea how this appointment will work out, but shouldn’t we wait and see before we get the pitchforks out again?
 

 

[sadoldgit]

2 hours ago, saintant said:

If the answer is ben Garner what the fuck is the question!

Who will be the next person blamed for Saints’ poor form?

[saintant]

22 minutes ago, sadoldgit said:

I had no idea who this bloke was before we signed him up and have no idea if it is a good appointment or not.

He may well be crap, but according to his CV he is not inexperienced.

At Crystal Palace for over 10 years ending up as head coach.

WBA - assistant head coach.

ATK - Indian Super League.

Then manager roles -

Bristol Rovers win percentage 25%
Swindon Town play off semi final, win percentage 50%
Charlton win percentage 31%
Colchester United win percentage 26%

I have absolutely no idea how this appointment will work out, but shouldn’t we wait and see before we get the pitchforks out again?
 

 

Nah, most of us know how this ends and we'll be proved right. Ankersen and SR have been here long enough for us to realise that most, if not all, of their decisions make us weaker rather than stronger. They have form and the smart money says this appointment will be another unmitigated disaster.

[saintant]

22 minutes ago, sadoldgit said:

Who will be the next person blamed for Saints’ poor form?

Solak, Ankersen and all the idiots running SR.

[Give it to Ron]

1 hour ago, sadoldgit said:

I had no idea who this bloke was before we signed him up and have no idea if it is a good appointment or not.

He may well be crap, but according to his CV he is not inexperienced.

At Crystal Palace for over 10 years ending up as head coach.

WBA - assistant head coach.

ATK - Indian Super League.

Then manager roles -

Bristol Rovers win percentage 25%
Swindon Town play off semi final, win percentage 50%
Charlton win percentage 31%
Colchester United win percentage 26%

I have absolutely no idea how this appointment will work out, but shouldn’t we wait and see before we get the pitchforks out again?
 

 

Do you think win percentages of 25 and 26 are good then?

You sum up the malaise in the club accepting rubbish and low appointments expecting players to listen and perform to someone who has achieved what?

SR have lowered the expectations from a Prem club, Ralph, Koeman, Strachan, Hoddle to now thinking a Colchester and Gas failure is acceptable and going to work alongside a 32 year old who has lost the plot.

[Osvaldorama]

2 hours ago, sadoldgit said:

I had no idea who this bloke was before we signed him up and have no idea if it is a good appointment or not.

He may well be crap, but according to his CV he is not inexperienced.

At Crystal Palace for over 10 years ending up as head coach.

WBA - assistant head coach.

ATK - Indian Super League.

Then manager roles -

Bristol Rovers win percentage 25%
Swindon Town play off semi final, win percentage 50%
Charlton win percentage 31%
Colchester United win percentage 26%

I have absolutely no idea how this appointment will work out, but shouldn’t we wait and see before we get the pitchforks out again?
 

 

Hes fucking shit and it’s a shit appointment. 
 

A club of our size should appoint better managers and staff. 
 

There is no need to wait and see on this one. 

[Dark Munster]

4 hours ago, saintant said:

If the answer is ben Garner what the fuck is the question!

“How can Ankersen screw us yet again?”

 

Next answer?

[Gloucester Saint]

2 hours ago, sadoldgit said:

He may well be crap, but according to his CV he is not inexperienced.

Neither was Ian Branfoot but we’d seen his Reading teams and it was obvious it wasn’t a fit with how Nicholl had us playing for several years nor the squad we had. Like the lack of fit with Branfoot’s style, Southampton Football has spent 50 of the last 60 years in the top flight. It and SR sorely lacks senior personnel with the track record to get and stay there. If that’s the question then Garner clearly isn’t the answer.

If the question is - ‘how does Southampton Football Club become entrenched as a lower Championship and League 1 club’ then he might well be the answer. 

BRFC and Charlton fans and press might have a different view https://gaschat.co.uk/thread/17710/ben-garner-failure and https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/hope-kills-you-ben-garner-6004648

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/23171347.charlton-athletic-sack-ben-garner-months-leaving-swindon-town/

Edited 10 hours ago by Gloucester Saint

[Turkish]

6 minutes ago, Osvaldorama said:

Hes fucking shit and it’s a shit appointment. 
 

A club of our size should appoint better managers and staff. 
 

There is no need to wait and see on this one. 

Not according to Peter Ramage he isnt

[Badger]

4 hours ago, saintant said:

If the answer is ben Garner what the fuck is the question!

Can you give me the name of the prick with a shaven head and beard, who has been sacked at Bristol Rovers, Charlton Athletic, and Colchester United before going on to coach in a kids academy in Africa , then returning to the UK having been head hunted by Rasmus Ankersen ?

 

Pure coincidence really. I heard it on University Challenge the other night.

 

[Badger]

2 hours ago, Crab Lungs said:

Head of football philosophy?

Oh for fucksake.

This is the way the game has gone.

[obelisk]

Can't get the next interim boss in place too soon I reckon. Excellent forward thinking by SR.

[saintant]

Has there been an official announcement on the Southampton FC website or interview? Can't see anything other than on the men's team tab where there is a blank photo frame with his name under it. Maybe they are too embarrassed to make an official announcement 🙂

[CamSaint]

5 minutes ago, saintant said:

Has there been an official announcement on the Southampton FC website or interview?

https://www.southamptonfc.com/en/news/article/garner-appointed-mens-first-team-assistant-coach

[Lee On Solent Saint]

3 hours ago, sadoldgit said:

Who will be the next person blamed for Saints’ poor form?

Eric Black

[West Dean FC Legend]

They got promoted with RussBall and I am now convinced due to that the top decision makers believe it is the only way for the club to be successful.

I  believe this is why we have this philosphy at the club.

Never mind that it is so 'king boring it is unbelievable and even when we got promoted we were not convincing...
 

[Give it to Ron]

1 minute ago, West Dean FC Legend said:

They got promoted with RussBall and I am now convinced due to that the top decision makers believe it is the only way for the club to be successful.

I  believe this is why we have this philosphy at the club.

Never mind that it is so 'king boring it is unbelievable and even when we got promoted we were not convincing...
 

…..also got us the lowest points total

in our history!