Nordic Saint

It's Pellè's 17th cap for Italy tonight and Fonte will get his 15th cap for Portugal on Wedensday, while Cedric should get his 14th then, although, in his case, not all of his caps were in his time with us. Good luck to them all. Let's hope we have a European champion playing for us next season.

Puel's career hasn't been an unqualified success anywhere he's been but Eric Black''s has been an unqualified failure at 5 clubs in a row. Managers do have their ups and downs though. Roy Hodgson did a fantatstic job at Fulham, taking them to their highest ever Premier League finish and a Europa League final whereas Chris Coleman was a failure there, taking them to 16th and being sacked after a 7-game winless run.

Only 2 years ago Puel took Nice to 17th in the French league and his career has taken a turn for the better so I guess Eric Black's could too.

I don't know that much about him but he doesn't seem to be a very popular fellow. The black box must have seen something: http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2016/06/30/aston-villa-fans-respond-on-twitter-to-eric-blacks-southampton-a/page/1/

I'd rather we went for Krychowiak, who is a stronger version of Schneiderlin.

Cedric is a very skilful player and in ‘the old days’ would have been a great right winger but his small physical stature sometimes causes problems for him in the modern defensive duties of a wing-back, as it did with that high crossfield pass which led to the Poland goal. Fonte looks, as always, like what he is: one of the finest central defenders in Europe. His leadership of the line, positioning and reading of the game are absolute perfection. Watching him play is a masterclass for any aspiring young centre back. Wouldn’t it be great to see Fonte v Pelle in the final?

He started his coaching career as a physical fitness coach and he does look very fit for his age: definitely in better shape than Koeman. I must admit I'd never heard of him until he was linked with us so I'll keep an open mind and hope for the best. If he can stop the club selling any more players and start our season with a win against Watford, he'll have got off to a flyer. It would be great if we could maintain the last few seasons' progress and finish 5th.

"Samuel was voted Sports Writer of the Year at the British Press Awards in 2007 and 2013, Sports Journalist of the Year at the SJA Sports Journalism Awards in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010 and 2013, Sports Journalist of the Year at the 'What The Papers Say' awards in 2002, 2005 and 2006 and Sports Commentator of the Year at the Editorial Intelligence Comment Awards in 2014. In 2012, Samuel was named top in a UK Press Gazette poll of Britain's best sports journalists. In January 2015, he was named in Debrett's List of the 500 Most Influential People in Britain." Samuel is usually very pro-Saints, but he is a very good judge of managers and doesn't think Puel is good enough for us.

So, effectively, he destroyed Lyon's dominance of the French league and his career has never really recovered from that disaster. Even ex-Pompey manager, Alain Perrin was more successful there.

One very good bit of news: Koeman is trying to take Steckelenburg with him to Everton. Good f---ing riddance. You are welcome to him. Wrap this deal up quickly, Les, before Ron changes his mind.

Please, Les, don't sell Pelle. We fans need our heroes more than Kat needs our money.

The best of him is yet to come. Like Bale, he'll be worth double that when Real Madrid come calling.

This applies even more to our star player, Mane, who still has 2 years left on his contract and is still improving, especially after the club's PR leaked that he wanted to stay now that Koeman has left. They can't have it both ways.

Puell had one good season as a manager, with Monaco in 1999/2000, but hasn't won anything for 16 years. His win percentage in the last 4 years at Nice is just 39%. He looks very much like an average manager in decline. Nobody else wants him so he'll be cheap and prepared to take orders from Reed. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013%E2%80%9314_Ligue_1

Saints' fastest player: http://talksport.com/football/fastest-footballers-premier-league-according-201516-season-data-160626200973?p=0

Fonte and Cedric were excellent. With a defence that good, Portugal could go all the way.

"The FA and England In 1998 Reed rejoined the FA as part of the England national coaching setup under Kevin Keegan. During Euro 2000, Keegan allowed Reed to respond to virtually all the tactical questions posed by the English press after England's defeat by Portugal. Many journalists wondered in their columns how a manager and his coaching team had allowed a minor member of their entourage such an important role. In his autobiography, Gerrard: My Autobiography, Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard said that he had "no respect" for Les Reed after the way he treated him during England's Euro 2000 campaign. Gerard wrote, "To this day, I have no respect for Reed" In 2002 Reed replaced Howard Wilkinson as the FA's Technical Director. During his second spell at the FA he authored the FA's official coaching manual, The Official FA Guide to Basic Team Coaching ,but he was sacked by the FA in 2004. Charlton Athletic Reed worked for a time as a consultant. He returned to Charlton to become Iain Dowie's assistant manager in summer 2006. Dowie was sacked on 14 November 2006 and Reed was promoted to replace him. During his six-week spell as manager Reed managed just one victory, and Charlton were knocked out of the League Cup by Football League Two side Wycombe Wanderers. Reed's spell at Charlton became infamous, as the media attacked him frequently, nicknaming him "Les Misérables" and "Santa Clueless",[8] and he was later voted in an unofficial online poll "the worst manager of all time". He was replaced as manager by Alan Pardew on 24 December, leaving Charlton Athletic by mutual consent. Reed is a cuckoo in the nest. He was brought in by Cortese and he was the first one he stabbed in the back. One way or another, since then he has got rid of nearly all the people who were responsible for the club's success over the last few years: the players, the managers, the coaches and the staff. Now, he is getting credit for their work, especially that of the managers, the head of recruitment, Paul Mitchell and the Academy coaches, Dodd and Williams. Gradually he seems to have assumed more and more power in the club until it has now reached the stage where he decides which players we buy and sell and tries to get involved in team selection. Pride comes before a fall.

Rudi Garcia et Claude Puel ont rencontré les dirigeants de #Southampton. L'ancien coach romain a décliné l'offre. (L'Equipe) #PL 7:26 AM - 19 Jun 2016 · Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, France Selon @lequipe, les dirigeants de Southampton ont rencontré Claude Puel et Rudi Garcia, qui lui a décliné l'offre. http://m.goal.com/s/fr/news/33/transferts/2016/06/19/24787922/rudi-garcia-refuse http://www.wynfoot.fr/actualites/categorie/roma/70837590?t=rudi_garcia_refuse_so

It seems likely that the first 2 choices, Garcia, and Pellegrini, were interviewed, offered the job and both turned it down, and several reports have indicated that factors such as lack of control over all aspects of team management and transfers were the reasons why. It's even possible that more than 2 candidates have already rejected it. Obviously, the club's PR will want to put its own spin on those events. I'm still hoping that we'll get Frank de Boer but I'd be very surprised if he or any other strong, experienced manager will be prepared to work under the conditions Reed will want to impose on him.

A lot of people were saying that the only reason Leicester didn't sell their best players last summer was because nobody wanted them. But, this summer they do. Arsenal have bid for Vardy but Leicester are not selling. They have a rich owner so they don't need to. I wonder if Markus Liebherr had still been alive if he'd have been the same? Sadly, we'll never know. But, I get the impression that our current owner sees the club as a business rather than a football team (in fact, it's the only one of her father's businesses left that she hasn't sold yet) and is keen to sell our best players and that Les Reed has made himself indispensable to her by carrying out her instructions. We sell the players we can get the most money for every summer. It's almost inevitable that next summer Van Dijk and Forster will be the next in line for sale. Of, course, our league places in the last few years have been exceptional. Leicester, on the other hand, might regret keeping last year's team together. Only time will tell. http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/article/2/10322534/jamie-vardy-agrees-new-four-year-contract-extension-with-leicester

Let's hope it's not one of these: http://www.givemesport.com/369796-the-five-worst-premier-league-managers-of-alltime

Sounds like he's about to be sacked: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2647732-jurgen-klinsmann-fails-usmnt-in-biggest-match-since-world-cup

The tournament is hotting up now. Croatia beating Spain has really thrown the cat among the pigeons. Any team could win this now, even England. One quirky fact, there was a huge popular demand to include 35-year-old Athletic Bilbao striker, Aritz Aduriz, in the Spanish squad, and Del Bosque admitted he had included him because of public pressure. He came on as a sub tonight and was fairly anonymous. We'll see him at St Mary's on August 7 unless he has retired by then.

That was one of the most incredible games in the history of cricket. To come back from 82/6 to reach 286/8 and tie the game with a six off the final ball shows true grit of epic proportions.

"Leicester are closing in on an £11.5million deal to sign Nampalys Mendy from Nice, which could allow N'Golo Kante to leave" Puel is credited with bringing through Mendy at Nice and he'd be an ideal replacement for Wanyama so Puel's appointment could kill 2 birds with one stone.