Giordano

Same principle as his playing squad selection. You got to give your back up manager a chance to learn how to do it by himself. And Perez is our number 2 man behind Mopo lets not forget.

This has been an unmissable opportunity for far too many otherwise sensible people to vent any and all frustrations they have in life let alone on Dani. I honestly despair about People sometimes. Just seems so easy to slip into a lynch mob mentality. Somebody must always be sacrificed. Somebody is always right and the other is totally wrong. One day a hero the next satan incarnate. They are just human beings FFS. But there's Nothing in between. William Golding wrote a great school-essential textbook on how these sentiments are innate to that most civilised and yet most savage of animals -man - in Lord of the Flies. So many find it impossible to curb their rising hysteria. It almost stopped people from groaning out loud whenever Guly touched the ball yesterday, not quite. I think Saints - for me - have always been about fair play and being tough but fair in mind and body. If the bloke was out or order he will get his comeuppance - but so much of the cr&p writing above ( including my vain attempts to show how stupid everyone was acting over this) is nothing to do with that incident and everything to do with outpourings of hate ...well it's just sad.

Cork has reminded me in a few ways of no less than Andrea Pirlo recently. Very similar way of positioning himself to receive passes and quite obviously the go-to person when it comes to ball and position recycling.

Oh ...My...God!!!!! Look at what Dani did to his nose!!!!!!!!!

Very good. :-0. I cannot see any way forwards for us. At some stage, its inevitable, we are in the thrall of forces beyond us...it will happen....i know it....yes, we will.....LOSE a match!!!!!!!!! And then another and another and then we will be relegated and sold to someone horrid - more horrid than KL - for not much and then we might lose more games and more games and ohhh...its too terrible to envisage the future...woe is us and woe is unto us. What can we do? Oh what Oh what Oh what can we do? Oh, how i wish we had never bought anyone foreign, or not foreign, how i wish we did not have to play those football matches in which it is inevitable we lose, matches against Premiership and non premiership teams like Yeovil I mean ...and of course the staff and the local community and the fans...its really really bad for them..think of the unemployment and the effect on the local economy and indeed industrial output of GB...Oh deary deary me....i just simply cannot comprehend how we can possibly continue as a football club now that Dani Osvaldo nutted Jose Fonte in the SAME month that our CE left!!!!! How could he!!! Didn't he realize our CE left and WE ARE A CLUB IN CRISIS! He couldn't have picked a worse time for a headbutt! if only he had waited until the end of the season - but no- typically selfish foreign footballer attitude and now look what hes done! Inconceivable multiple damages! And of course we lost that match to Chelsea and only drew with Sunderland...oh its just going from bad to worse with no end in sight! Oh how i wish we could have been wise and never made mistakes and avoided all this anxiety stress and pain by not signing Dani or Cortese or even ever getting out of Admin. It would have been so much nicer if we were in Administration dead.Oh dear. Ah well. At least Barcelona are a fantastic football team to watch. Luckily they don't have any crisis or any of that stuff..

Belated Happy 50th Danny. A great great Saints player. With Danny in the team a punt upfield into space wide became a perfect through pass as he was invariably first in the foot race...a hero of mine !

Well Barry im sure you know who the first choice Italian Centre forward is, His name is Mario Balotelli and he always scores penalties and never smiles when he scores, that's his trademark thing to not do. If Mario is fit and not suspended for fighting someone then he starts. So Dani is NOT the first choice, no in answer to your question. If Mario is not playing then usually it would be Dani instead - if Dani is not suspended for fighting someone. The other main forward is Giuseppe Rossi but he got badly injured again in a fight :-). Other than them three its either old players which i personally don't see Prandelli bothering with even if they know how to score and can play however he wants (De Natale and Gilardino) or what you might call inside or second strikers even wingers: players like Giovinco, Insigne, El Sharaawy, maybe the new kid score 4 the other day for Sassuolo cant remember his name. These are all like little players- no good in a fight really :-). Going rate for one of those is double digit millions for most top ten International teams in world. Dani is no different but because of his size we get a better chance of winning the punch-ups.

I disagree. I don't think he is a complete liability. I think he is a so far unrealised asset. I think he's a good player, just not done it for Saints so far. His fee was relatively cheap actually for an Italian international number nine. If propensity to throw a tantrum is your key marker you would never be recruiting the likes of Zlatan, Tevez and Suarez would you...its not the existence of that characteristic thats the problem, indeed it can be a useful one to have for some player - its the ability to channel it into results. If you throw wobblies but dont back it up with class play and results, sure you look a muppet. Hes not backed it up hardly at all at Saints so far hence he is being (probably rightly) slated here oin this thread ~ but theres enough in his history to say he can do so. Besides he looks like Captain Jack Sparrow so my daughter thinks he's cool and hence saints and football is cool too. So back off. :-).

You've hit the nail on the head there. I did not see the kicking the Newcastle goalkeeping coach in the balls incident myself but he really should not be kicking the goalkeeping coach - it should have been that **** who took Luke out. I do hope its only a bit of blood and a few bruises for Jose as hes been a loyal player for ages but its a good thing it happened in training and not in a match which could have cost us three points. Incidentally, this will probably cost Dani an International suspension in all likelihood for the friendly v spain on march 3rd or 5th i think it is. Prandelli is strict about stuff like that .

Its a bit pointless now but I'm sorry i left out Maya. Of course hes going to be a consideration when it comes to UFC at SMS (doncha love all these letters). He has got height and reach of course plus he does have the experience. Id guess he would know all the pressure points and would be a subtle fighter rather than a brawler, as such i think he might just pick Dani off - but as long as Dani did not get him pinned down and worked the body too much and perhaps clipped him with a head or knee butt or two. Good match up actuaslly- one that a lot of fans would pay for and want to see.

Nobody "has" to go. Professional footballers have bust ups all the time. It could actually be a good thing. Could mean that training is ultra competitive and Dani went ott. Which I'm not displeased to hear ahead of a Yeovil match in which the greatest threat is squad complacency - especially in our International players. I'd suggest that there will still be fire in the bellies come Saturday for sure after hearing this...no limp struggling to get motivated fa cup performance now expected.

Ah.....that's helpful Mr Simpson. Jose would be a difficult one to call of course. If i was a bookmaker id be wary of that match-up too many variables. I mean the Portuguese are not notoriously hard but then again they used to be around the time of the Aztecs and so on - ruthless Magellan was Portuguese incidentally. As an aside its generally the case that the loser gets no action taken against them - unless they were really asking for it - but the winner gets punished. If Staplewood was ancient Sparta they would be applauding Dani and Jose would be banished to Athens or some other non spartan place for losing the fight (unless he was totally game of course in which case he'd be honored a bit ) .

This is getting sillier and sillier. I think I might have to send Jos a tweet asking him who won.

Yeah i think so too- hes got a lot of good characteristics but he is a bit young so how many times has that chin been tested? Would need to see him fight some championship or league one player first before i could give a fair idea on what he would be like up against an italian international.

Of course there is always Dangerlove......Croatians are ALWAYS well "ard so its not out of the question. Think Dejan would batter him myself. The referee would have to step in quick because it would get very messy quite quickly. Then again hes meant to be injured so its not worth even discussing it,but if they did then Lovren would certainly take him out #wouldbecarnage

Don't think he would have done Gallagher. Hes quite big lad. I'm fairly certain Gallagher would put up a good show.

Oh, i forgot to add Guly. Those Brazilians are pretty damn good at UFC mixed martial arts fighting stuff so he could be tasty in a match up with Dani. We should ask MasterGraves /Pilchards what his martial arts fighting assessment of our squad would be.

Well seeing as its silly season ... I reckon Jos, Boruc and Rickie would "do" Osvaldo pretty quickly in a UFC bout, but i reckon he would take out the likes of Shaw, Ads, Clyne, Jrod and Cork no trouble. Bit more competitive with Davis who is smaller but tougher id say. Think Morgan would not be having it because he's french but if punch comes to shove i think he might outbox him and get a points decision. Not sure about Fonte - he could be tough but then again he might not be. Kelvin would go toe to toe i think and that would be a good match up. Gaston is not going to be fighting anyone but i would'nt be surprised if Gazza was a dark horse- with his reach and height and athleticism he could be a dark horse, hes clearly got a good kick on him so one of those twirling efforts could be lethal. Big Vic, if fit, would be the one to watch of course. If I had to say who would be the best it would probably be Vic, but i reckon Osvaldo would be up there in our top five largely because he would be our most mentalist fighter. Hope that's helped the conversation.

The statement is VERY clear. SFC is in safe hands with KL, and she is wealthy enough NOT to have to asset strip or in other ways degrade what we have built at SFC since administration. This suggests to me a big new contract for MP to start with and of course we have already been made aware of new directorial names being brought in along with, hopefully soon, an experienced CE who can oversee both a holding exercise until sold or a steady as she goes exercise along the "Southampton Way" until some future currently unknown date. The person named as favourite has experience to do that very well. This is good as the default position is "nothing changes" regarding our drive forwards for World domination :-). It does not say anything about ongoing additional investment in player purchases. perhaps wisely in the absence of a new CE etc.. KL has also made an explicit NO player SALES statement (in January). Someone in her position and family name and reputation at stake does not go back on such a promise. There is no such comment regarding the club being sold. There is, however, another explicit statement regarding her commitment to ensuring, that if that happens, the first priority is the club honour and tradition itself - this, to me, is an indirect reference to the Cardiff / Hull situations. If we do get sold then it would be to someone who would not be mugging our tradition off. Of course that's hard to guarantee, but it says that money offered will NOT be the main criteria for any sale. KL is wealthy enough and as above, with the family name at stake, does not need to have to sell to the highest bidder for £20M or £30M more but break her promise.

If you wanted to generate a culture of personal indebtedness and longevity in your employees, especially at the outset of a mission that is medium to long term in nature you pay the players well. Its not rocket science. This will in turn encourage them to be more personally "loyal", "on message" and "on the programme". If the players are "on message" the club and support will fall in behind.Naturally. If you get good results this generates more critical consensual mass and more momentum. This reinforces the mission and execution policy reassurrers the doubters and begins to suggest infallibility/midas touch upon the leader. You also need ability to articulate the vision and devise a plan to achieve it of course. And access to the club bank account. One way of balancing the books on that paying your playing staff well bit is by saving money on the normal agents fees and "extras" that are part and parcel of most clubs transfer dealings. Stiff the agents but pay more to the player is how i would have sold it if I was NC. Pretty textbook really.

"IF" NC really tendered his resignation when we were in 3rd place in October let's not forget he allegedly has previous for this tactic - it suggests to me that he was reprising a business strategy he had played before - playing high stakes poker with KL using the threat of his departure if she did not do (or refrain from doing) whatever it was they discussed. It did not work this time around. I struggle to accept it was totally about "corporate governance" as has been floated by the Independent. NC lawyers would not be in discussions with the Allen and Overy camp about that alone because he is hardly getting "extra" compensation for failing to accept standard working arrangements. I think (probably) the severance is most likely linked to bonus payments and any other ££ connections and contracted financial arrangements that exist but that we don't know about between NC and SFC. Not for constructive dismissal or nasty stuff like that. For me it would be need to be something else as the major contributory factor - and for me the things worth putting his job on the line for (with perhaps a personal relationship with KL breakdown thrown in for good measure) are related to (a) his sense of entitlement and (b)the sale of the club and /or its assets to him +a consortium or to others not including him. AND/OR......and this is more speculation as if we've not had enough already this week ~ that he thought he had personally probably peaked in "value" for the foreseeable future as an effective CE and that therefore it was ok to risk being called on a bluff because his image + personal stock was mega high. The thinking being, If he gets called then - so be it- it happens when you play poker. Either way he would feel that he'd be going out on a business high and will get a "better" job easily elsewhere OR KL will do (or refrain from doing) as she is asked. It might not be a million miles off the truth.

A centre back who is also a left back who is only 23 and is an Argentine international so clearly can play a bit with the ball and is currently with Sporting in Portugal so probably not on mega money but could be up for a big EPL payola time under an Argentine Coach who would be able to talk him through how-it-is at SMS. Yup. Fits and ticks every box perfectly .

As others have already said. Milan do not have any money and they will not be in the CL next season. I only rate De Sciglio, Balotelli and El Sharawy - oh and Honda actually now he's moved from Russia in the whole squad - the rest have either desperately underperformed or are just too injury prone or just too old or too poor ~ so its going to be a total rebuild between now and end of next season i reckon. But would NC fancy it anyway? IMO there is one good reason he would. Here's why. If you are ever lucky enough to even get the chance you do not say NO to Milan, I think despite how sh*t they have been the last two years are still one of if not THE most trophied club in World Football - or something like that. ANY Milan project is not something you say NO to. Having said that I don't see it happening as i don't think he will be asked unless a few more heads roll - namely Galliani for starters and the Barbara B being told to butt out of it. There are too many important Milan people who like to have their say in public involved plus a new manager just appointed by that lot. You've got Berlusconi, his daughter Barbara who had a massive say in firing Allegri, Galliani who is a big cheese and has been for yonks besides Inzaghi as youth team manager who is not short of an opinion and last but not least one of the legends of world football in Seedorf as the new manager - he can walk into any dressing room and show you his medals so its not like he is going to be just a yes man either. Nicola is the one and only big cheese at SMS, would he be able to work under so many noisy bosses? I don't think so. Remove at least two of the bureaucrats and its possible, otherwise, no. If you hear Galliani is leaving (again) or that Barbara is going to do something else apart from leak comments to the media about the team and its management then it might be time to start worrying...Nicola might cope with big but aging boss Silvio Berlosconi alone - perhaps like he did with ML, but otherwise in the absence of other departures, chill out!

I'm sure nobody thinks Costa will be moving to Saints in January. Nor Toby Alderweired. In fact I cannot see AM giving up any of their key players whilst they still title contenders and in the CL latter stages and in WC year. They do have a reputation for loaning out good players though who have been injured (Costa being an example) so if they've got someone tasty but been out a while we might get offered a lend to get them up to fitness, making nice friendships with teams like AM is a good idea......would not be surprised if we play them pre-season in fact.. ION : If it was up to me i would loan Maya and/or Jos so they can get some playing time at a decent level. Staying on bench and playing cup matches is not enough for these two in that key CB position. These big guys need to play, no two ways about it. Like Rickie they don't get "rested" on the bench - they just gets stiffer and less mobile. I would then bring in a truly top class LB and ditto CB to fight with Fonte and Shaw for starting space. I don't think the lack of competition at LB is good for Shaw's development myself and think if anything his progress has stalled the last three months. If you were cynical you might think that he has started to believe he is a top player destined for greatness and got a bit over conscious of it - hence he gets taken/stretchered off more times than rest of team put together, largely for what seem precautionary measures to the point that he is now obviously targeted by opposition "hitmen"...if you want Shaw off just crunch him twice and they will take him off seems to be the thinking...He is no Wayne Bridge or Gareth Bale at the moment that's for sure- though clearly he has the potential to be. He is closest to Bridger of anyone i've seen in a long while though. Just want him to cut inside and bury a few for us against some big teams in a big match...who knows what that might do to his confidence and mental ability to get to the next level. Or he could end up like Wayne - such a shame- such a great player for us but nothing really apart from wealth after his big money move..

Mods please give me a suspension or whatever it is you do because I have to take umbrage with that cyber warrior Alpine Saint. I've no doubt at all that if he met Gaston Ramirez, any other Saints player he hates or indeed any of the Saints Web posters he slags off so brazenly from behind the safety curtain of his computer he would soil his pants in fear. Whatever the thread here you can guarantee that if he has an input it will ultimately turn into a bigoted rant on his favorite subject, the reading of which will leave you to feel ashamed and dirty you even share forum space with him. A sort of shiver of revulsion at his endless store of bitterness and intolerance is what I feel when I read his words.That he apparently considers himself anything to do with the supporters of Southampton Football Club by virtue of posting on here only goes to show that there's all sorts that support our team - even the likes of him.The posting of his vile comments about some of our players and GR in particular makes me feel sick. He reminds me nothing more than a school playground bully who will pick on someone and pick on someone endlessly. When GR is gone it will be a new one. His type are always the same. Haters. The dark side, call it what you like. I call it scum.