New Manager Thread

[Jack]

Yeah Parker seems the most realistic shout out there. Great at getting promoted, not good enough for the Prem so probably needs to step back down. Would get a tune out of this squad, if we can get a few of them to stay 

[Suhari]

With all the #scartissue we will have next season, there seems only one man for the job......

[Gloucester Saint]

2 minutes ago, sockeye said:

For all of this aura around Dragan why is his ownership group making the same mistakes for years on end.

It’s not an aura, it’s some not very sharp supporters who even after this episode can’t see or read what’s right under their noses. Phil Parsons is another example - incredibly naive. You and I can actually see the obvious and know that nothing good will come from SR owning the club (best case) and in 5 years’ time there’s a reasonable possibility there won’t be a club to support (worst case) if the EFL or our fanbase doesn’t force their removal. 

[trousers]

19 minutes ago, manji said:

He’s a businessman

Any danger of seeing him apply these business skills at Saints any time soon?

Edited 2 hours ago by trousers

[Kenilworthy1959]

One thing I was wondering about Tonda was if his incredible run would extend to another season? We have seen it before. Dowie took Palace from the edge of relegation to winning the playoffs, and was then garbage afterwards. I thought perhaps Tonda might have continued to be good, but now we will never know. 

[Badger]

13 minutes ago, manji said:

It will be forgotten eventually. But it’s great clickbait same as commentators dropping in a comment about our 9-0 defeats, we are going to have to get used to “same old Southampton always cheating for quite a while”.

im going to put a few random thoughts, getting rid of Sports Republic is insane. I’ve been trawling Balkan press. Because of Solak it’s big news although a lot of the Serbian press are using it to attack Solak because of his fights with the Serbian President. 
Fans need to get some perspective about Solak he’s not just boss of SR he’s main shareholder of Union Group a fucking huge South East European comms company. He’s a household name there some people were trying to get him to start a new political party mainly because he’s one of the few to stand up to Putin backed Vucic 

I’ve watched his TV interviews he doesn’t waffle isn’t scared of being controversial. Hes got a Balkan man of honour vibe. 
He didn’t take our last season in PL well , he was fuming we didn’t get promoted through playoffs last time the playoffs are a lottery. He’s a businessman. 
Hes recently been in London fighting and winning a court against some Dutch company. 
Owning and even better having Southampton is prestigious and a middle finger to his enemies. I can’t see him walking it would be humiliating for him. The interesting thing as he’s occasionally. Suggested he’d be interested in someone becoming a co owner. 
A lot of younger fans might not know when we went into administration they were dark days we started in League One with -10 points thank the Lord along came Markus Leibherr. 
We were getting huge crowds in League One and up we went again the era of Van Dyck, Mane, Koeman, Europa league.

We get rid of SR the likelihood of getting another Markus Leibherr is unlikely. One very promising sign is Katrina is back on the board she’s been very active attending a lot of games. Very proactive with Saints Foundation. She looked pretty good too lost weight leather coat Gucci shades. 🫢 

We’ve got to play our part stop the finger pointing just let the processes work out No protests , booing players, yelling at board members. This is an existential football crisis , the world has changed massively. Football going to look a lot different but if we aren’t careful it could be the end of the club. Even before this kicked off it would have suited a lot of people if we had gone kaput. 
 

 

 

 

Like many of us there are times you post utter crap, but that’s a good and interesting post.

I know you’ve commented on SR several times with a bit of an insight into them and Dragan. A couple of questions though in case you can shed light on it.

Hasn’t Dragan lost control of his media group? And with it perhaps both some wealth and influence.

Have read about his business success and empire a few times but intrigued as to how he hasn’t transferred those talents to SFC. The phrase I’ve used a few times is that he seems a magnet for buffoons at Saints with those in charge or positions of influence.

Personally I was disappointed by our handling of this episode and what has been published about Parsons. I’d have hoped that Dragan would be at the forefront putting Gibbo back in his box.Cortese or Lowe would have been at the forefront (even if there had been some blustering from Rupert).

Agree with you about Katherina Liebherr being involved. Perhaps she and her son can magic up some Swiss billionaires to put some cash in to go along with Solak. 

[Badger]

20 minutes ago, benjii said:

I guess you're happy anyway, now the Zionist is leaving?

What ?? 

[trousers]

6 minutes ago, Badger said:

Hasn’t Dragan lost control of his media group? And with it perhaps both some wealth and influence.

https://www.eureporter.co/lifestyle/media/2025/10/21/european-media-dragan-solak-loses-control-of-united-group-in-court-defeat/

Dragan Šolak’s (pictured) turbulent bid to regain control of United Group, the telecom conglomerate in Southeastern Europe where he remains minority shareholder, has ended in decisive defeat. Media outlets across Europe report last week’s ruling by the Amsterdam Enterprise Chamber as the final chapter in the billionaire’s struggle to cling to influence over the company he once dominated.

As Bloomberg reported, “the ousted founder of… United Group BV failed to convince Dutch judges he could bring an unfair dismissal lawsuit.” The court in Amsterdam ruled his case inadmissible, rejecting his attempt to initiate an investigation into the company’s governance and leadership. The decision, Bloomberg noted, represents “the latest legal salvo stemming from a management fallout at the European telecom and media firm.”

Šolak - who still owns 36% in the Group - had asked the court to appoint an independent investigator into what he described as alleged “abuse of governance” by the company’s new management. But the judges found that the dispute was not within their jurisdiction, as United Group’s parent company is registered in Luxembourg.

Leading Dutch title Het Financieele Dagblad reported that Solak “has failed in his attempt to involve the Enterprise Chamber in the conflict surrounding the company.” The article pointed that Solak has tried to “involve Serbian politics in his campaign” and emphasised United Group’s position that there is “no management crisis whatsoever, but rather a fabrication by Solak to regain his influence and income at United Group.”

 

The Times of London column section, entitled ‘Dragan roars in vain’, also covered the “failed bid to install a court-appointed representative to investigate” the company Solak was ousted from in June. The paper added that the ruling leaves Šolak “unsuccessful in his legal action against the European media conglomerate United Group”.

According to Mobile Europe, earlier this summer the court rejected Solak’s attempt to fast-track his action, denying him an urgent intervention in July 2025.

Greek business daily ProtoThema  called last week’s outcome “a judicial victory for United Group,” signalling a stabilisation of the group after months of internal turbulence and legal drama. The outlet underlined that the decision “marks a clear end to the founder’s influence” and “confirms the strength of the company’s governance under new leadership”.

 

United Group, in a statement quoted by Bloomberg, said the verdict “confirms what has been clear all along: this was never a genuine governance dispute, but another in a long line of distractions orchestrated by Mr. Šolak for his own ends.” The company added that “the court was able to see through it,” an apparent reference to a campaign by Šolak to regain his influence through litigation and media pressure.

For Šolak, the loss is more than legal - it represents a dramatic decline in both his corporate and personal influence. Once hailed as the Balkan media mogul and self-styled defender of press freedom, he now finds himself shut out of the company that made his fortune. Solak’s insistence to the Times that “this has no impact on Sport Republic or Southampton” - the football club he owns - did little to shift attention from his mounting setbacks.

Whether Šolak will pursue “other competent jurisdictions,” as his family office told Bloomberg, remains to be seen. It does appear to be contradicted by a subsequent statement issued by Solak and covered by N1, where he expressed his “hope that the new management delivers the same exceptional results for all stakeholders, as we did for all those years.” Perhaps this statement is a recognition that each successive defeat further isolates him while strengthening BC Partners’ position and reinforcing the legitimacy of United Group’s current management.

For a company that has spent the past year under intense scrutiny, the ruling offers closure and the chance to move forward. For Šolak, it may mark the start of a more uncomfortable chapter: that of a founder-turned-outsider, decisively shut out from the empire he built.

Edited 2 hours ago by trousers

[Wade Garrett]

Is there a thread anywhere about a new manager?

[Fabrice29]

4 hours ago, Miltonaggro said:

Sean Dyche, nearly four years after he should have got the gig over the idiot Jones. He would likely galvanise the players and not take an ounce of shit from the media. 

When was the last time Sean Dyche actually galvanised a player out of interest? 

[Willo of Whiteley]

I suggested Scott Parker a few weeks ago as a decent choice; when there were mentions about us tying Tonda down to a new contract (and if unsuccessful).

Oh how the same people have changed their tune, massive 360 😂

[tdmickey3]

Just now, Willo of Whiteley said:

I suggested Scott Parker a few weeks ago as a decent choice; when there were mentions about us tying Tonda down to a new contract (and if unsuccessful).

Oh how the same people have changed their tune, massive 360 😂

You should wind your neck in mate you have had a fair few u-turs on here

[trousers]

1 minute ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

I suggested Scott Parker a few weeks ago as a decent choice; when there were mentions about us tying Tonda down to a new contract (and if unsuccessful).

Oh how the same people have changed their tune, massive 360 😂

Yeah... it's almost as if the situation has changed massively since your proclamation...

[Fabrice29]

Isn’t Scott Parker and his football pretty much despised by every fan base he’s managed? Pretty sure they’ve all got better after he left too. 

[tdmickey3]

14 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

Isn’t Scott Parker and his football pretty much despised by every fan base he’s managed? Pretty sure they’ve all got better after he left too. 

He promoted Burnley in to 2? so why hate

Your hero did it via playoffs and you said we should love him and he is actually despised wherever he goes

Edited 1 hour ago by tdmickey3

[Miltonaggro]

26 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

When was the last time Sean Dyche actually galvanised a player out of interest? 

When was the last time he was managing a disgraced championship side?

[benjii]

51 minutes ago, Badger said:

What ?? 

Wasn't he dead against Peretz on account of his nationality?

If not, I apologise and must have the wrong person.

[Badger]

6 minutes ago, benjii said:

Wasn't he dead against Peretz on account of his nationality?

If not, I apologise and must have the wrong person.

Who was ? Sorry I’ve obviously missed something 

[Fabrice29]

37 minutes ago, Miltonaggro said:

When was the last time he was managing a disgraced championship side?

You’re right. He doesn’t do that because he’s carved out a niche for going onto podcasts and getting a job at the lower end of the PL and doing a bad job there instead. 

39 minutes ago, tdmickey3 said:

He promoted Burnley in to 2? so why hate

Your hero did it via playoffs and you said we should love him and he is actually despised wherever he goes

You would have to ask Burnley fans that really. I wouldn’t want my hero back either btw. Other than I wouldn’t enjoy your hissy fit if it did happen.