Nordic Saint

True. A clause in her father's will probably also explains why she had to retain at least a part share in the club. I wonder how long a time period such a clause might cover? 10 years? If so, she would be free to sell that remaining 20% soon.

The only surprising thing is that she delayed the sale as long as she did. She sold off the MALI group of companies her father left to her almost immediately after he died. About the only thing she didn't sell was the private bank in Switzerland, where she keeps her money. I believe the reason that she didn't sell the club immediately was that there was a clause in her father's will that stated she had to keep it for a certain number of years. Do you remember at the time, it was reported in both the Echo and national newspapers that he had made provision before he died for the long-term future of the club? https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/aug/11/markus-liebherr-southampton-future

"‘It’s unrealistic’: Southampton man fears £7m price-tag will ruin his dream move" What did we pay for him? https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2020/05/19/its-unrealistic-southampton-man-fears-7m-price-tag-will-ruin-his-dream-move/

This site has a detailed timeline of events, which is quite interesting: https://appeasement.org/

I lived in Korea and they love films. It is the greatest nation of cinema-goers in the world. There are so many great Korean movies but this is one of my favourites.

Ravel, Debussy & Fauré String Quartets by Quatuor Ebène. If you like French music, it doesn't get much better than this album. I saw them play the Ravel Quartet at the Wigmore Hall. They are brilliant live. https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=ravel%2c+debussy%2c+faure+quatuor+ebene&docid=607996708351509137&mid=DB2700DC04B7249E9E97DB2700DC04B7249E9E97&view=detail&FORM=VIRE

He was one of the great singer-songwriters. I saw him on his last European tour at the London Palladium in April, 2017. John Prine & Sam Stone R.I.P.

During the lockdown I've been watching and listening to the daily Metropolitan Opera House stream. You'd normally have to pay for it but they have made it available for free during the coronavirus crisis. Today's stream is a production of Rigoletto set in 1960s Las Vegas and it works surprisingly well: https://metoperafree.brightcove.services/?videoId=6154160288001

Yes, he is a real emerging talent. My all-time favourite pianist for Bach was Sviatoslav Richter. He was one of the greatest pianists of the last century and I was lucky enough to see him play Bach. This is a fascinating documentary about his life:

I don't think any of our current central defenders would be good enough to get into this team: https://www.unibet.co.uk/blog/football/ligue-1/ligue-1-team-of-the-season-201819-lille-dominate-after-brilliant-campaign-1.1186298

No, I didn't say that : you did, and what a weird thing to say. No wonder you are incapable of understanding anything when everybody else who heard the interview had no problem with it.

Would you continue to work for someone who was spreading false rumours about you and told you that he wanted you to find a job elsewhere? You'd have to be pretty desperate for your wage packet to stay under those conditions and say , 'Yes sir, three bags full, sir, anything else you want, sir?' Fonte hasn't given varying versions of events; he's simply told the truth.

Good luck to him.

Last season he led his Lille team to runners-up spot and a Champions League place, with the best defensive record in the league. This season, they were lying 4th when the league was suspended. He is still a regular for Portugal and has won 42 caps for them already, as well as two trophies.

And who did those 'stories' about that went on inside the boardroom or in negotiations emanate from? (In his interview, Adam Blackmore said, "Let's be clear the person you were negotiating with was Les Reed).

This. The problem is there were still many fans who lapped up the negative PR leaks about every player and manager Reed clashed with as if they were God's gospel. It's certainly tainted the relationship between fans and players and managers over the years.

Well, Adam Blackmore believes him and so does Dave Merrington, who during the interview phoned in and said it was a big mistake by the club. With regard to what Fonte asked for, he said it wouldn't even have made him one of the top 3 earners in the team. He said still loves going into training and helping the young players and hopes to play another 2 or 3 years at the top level and then will take his coaching badges and perhaps one day become a manager. Apart from the way he was forced out by Reed at the end, he was full of praise for Saints and said he enjoved every minute of his time here. He praised every manager he played for, including Pardew, who he spoke very highly of. He came across as a very humble person.

He loved being here and never wanted to leave Saints. His favourite manager was Koeman but he learned something from all of them. When he came back from the Euros he had offers from other clubs to more than double his salary but tuned them down. He negotiated for an improved contract here but was stonewalled by Reed, who then made up a story that Fonte had put in a transfer request, which Fonte was shocked to see, and then told Fonte he had to leave and find himself another club. He was earning less at West Ham than he had been offered at Saints and considerably less than he had been offered earlier by other clubs. Adam said he travelled on the train to London with Fonte who was almost in tears because of the way he had been forced out from Saints.

He was left with just a few days to find himself another club. I wonder how many other players and managers Reed did things like that to?

That conniving old bastard, Les Reed. He released the story that Fonte had put in a transfer request and then told him had to leave and find another club. That is so sad.

Yes, you are right. I like Boris. He has great charm and he is clearly intelligent but he seems totally lacking in common sense and, at times, is incredibly immature and childlike. His inability to learn how wash his hands properly, or use condoms, or even know what day of the week it is, comes from having led a very sheltered, privileged life. But, clowning around in front of the cameras, displaying his boyish charm, has got him where he is today. ]

Your 'somewhere in between' Covid-19 mortality rate is actually 3.4% worldwide according to the World Health Organization. But, with over 50,000 deaths more than normal in the UK so far, it looks like the rate is much higher than that in this country. Open your eyes and you'll find that people are dying all around you. I've never heard or seen so many ambulances in this country before. It's great to see the country starting to get back to normal again but let's not underplay this tragedy.

Then, of course, there was deaf Millwall Tony, in his butcher's coat, who everybody in the Milton knew.

Tall, skinny lad, with dark hair, who used to stand under the chocolate boxes in the late 70s and try to take on every group of away fans that got into the Milton, single -handed. I particularly remember him trying to break through a police cordon to attack a group of about 50 Millwall fans. I used to see him on his own standing at platform one at Southampton Central Station after games. I think he came from Eastleigh. He'd be about 60 now and possibly posts on here, for all I know.

It's the government that's driving it as they see it as a positive propaganda exercise, which is why it's probably going to happen whether we like it or not. "The Premier League has been encouraged by government to do all that it can to try and get the season completed, and feels duty-bound to do so." BBC News https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52500593