Ralph Fastenbüttl

I'm not sure why people think Potter is absolutely out of the question. We're a comparable club to Brighton, and having struggled after stepping up to a Top 6 team, why would he not want to return to more comfortable territory? We would still represent a Premier League Managerial Job, although I of course concur that a Championship club is a far tougher sell.

A lot of folk losing their minds on here but this doesn't feel massive surprising. I'm certain the club have their eyes on a couple of names who would likely become available before or during the summer, Potter being one example. Marsch's Leeds record was, if we're honest, fairly poor, so it would have made good sense to bring him in on a temp contract. If he exceeded expectations - great, sign him up. But if not it would have been very easy to say thanks, walk away and get the person we want. Folk here would certainly be ranting if Marsch came in, either got us relegated or kept us up by the skin of our teeth with the team playing bad football, and then suddenly Potter became attainable. I do think a short-term crisis appointment along the likes of Dyche (tho obviously not him now) to see us through ahead of a more long-term appointment in the summer is the right idea. I am not at all sold on that appointment looking like Rooney, Lampard or Gerrard however, although it's perhaps possible Stevie G (and perhaps Rooney, I dunno) could give us a short term lift, as he did briefly at Villa. No way I'd want him on a long term deal, though.

Honestly, I'm not gutted.

Undoubtedly true, yeah. But just because Harold Shipman is a better appointment than Jimmy Savile, that doesn't mean you welcome him in, pass him a box of syringes and tell him to get stuck in.

I understand a lot of the arguments being posted here but still cannot escape the feeling that appointing a failed manager from a current relegation rival is fucking mental?

Rooney, Lampard, Gerrard, Marsch - four terrible, terrible options. Please no. We need an experienced disciplinarian and organiser imo. I'm desperately hoping Potter gets the sack. I'd even take Moyes if he was booted. Poch remains the dream but it goes without saying that feels HUGELY unlikely.

Obviously I love JWP like a son but, hand on heart, I don't think he's a great captain.

We're 4 points off safety with 48 points still to play for. Obviously it remains absolutely possible for us to survive should we strike gold with the next manager. Is it likely? That's another question entirely, and it's certainly become increasingly less likely throughout the Jones run. And yesterday was a massive blow. However, the squad's definitely better than it was, and I find it hard to believe it's not good enough if in the right hands. But I understand the emotional safety of writing off hope, and it it makes you feel better then go for it.

I'll give him this - I was quite struck by what is now his final interview. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64616084 If you can ignore the infuriatingly persistent use of "aggression" and the maddeningly meaningless "front-footed", AND the "God willing" at the end, what you see here is a terrified little bloke who at least has the balls to front up to the camera and clearly, if nothing else, is giving his all and really, really cares. His eyes right at the start, I admit, do pull my heart strings *a little*. I find it hard not to sympathise with what must have felt like the most monumental plight, to an extent. Plus, he's fundamentally right in this instance - we were good enough for long enough in the game to have won had we have been more ruthless in front of goal. In that respect, for an hour at least, Nathan had done his job. Obviously he ignores the terrible game management that ultimately contributed to the loss, and I'm clearly not buying the 'going down to 10 was bad for us' nonsense. And none of this changes the fact that I despise the bloke and that this has been a dark, dark chapter. But as God was clearly not willing, seeing fit to shat all over him on God's day, in the name of charity I shall grant him thus - he tried. Very, very hard. He gave his all to our club, though fell so far far short. And the players most definitely let him down, because a lot of them are very nearly as shit as Nathan is. I hope whatever you go onto next works out better for you, Nathan. I would perhaps not hold out for another Premier League offer.

This one hurts the most. I genuinely feel broken. Can we please have that man out of our club? I honestly do not want to ever hear from him again.

I am liking the new front three, I must say. So refreshing to be free of Che and AA (and Djenepo/Moi).

Great post, thanks Francis. And the very best of luck with your health, my friend x I've had exactly the same thought regarding the hiring process. Sometimes it's not the idiot you work with that you have to worry about, but instead the more senior idiot who thought them a suitable hire. Either Rasmus couldn't spot NJ's really quite blatant personality flaws (which are hardly subtle - they're so in your face they're impossible to miss!) or he identified with them. Both scenarios are horrific and bode very, very badly for us.

It's entirely possible that SR choose to stick with him, yeah.

Normally I'd plead for us to get back on topic but Nathan Jones is so depressing I'd rather stick with the cat wanking tbh.

We all know that Poch, Tuchel and Rafa aren't realistic, but surely we'd have a chance of landing Bielsa? And don't fucking tell me he wouldn't be an upgrade.

Would take Benitez, Moyes or Frank in a heartbeat. Saying that, others on my list of 'People I'd be Happy To Replace Nathan With' are Postman Pat, Baldrick, Harold Shipman and the Predator, so it's not exactly an exclusive club tbh.

That BBC interview has left me fuming. The "It's all my faut" caveat followed by four minutes of explaining why it is in fact the players' fault. I'm so fucking over listening to this fucking tool play out his fucking imposter syndrome over and over again post-match. I do not give a solitary flying fuck about what he believes he's achieved in his career and am utterly, utterly bored of hearing him self-obsess and fold himself inside out every time a microphone is stuck in his face because he knows deep down that no-one believes he's up to the job. I'm convinced that the reason he sounds like a fucking lunatic every time he opens his mouth is that he's terrified he's not good enough for the Prem, either. So I really wish everyone would just face facts and admit what we can all see - that the experiment hasn't worked. It's time to shake hands and move on. Of course, we've totally fucked ourselves by allowing a relegation rival to hire the fella who most likely could have saved us, but if SR really have got the mustard to protect their investment they'll fork out for Poch or Benitez and prey to Nathan's fictional fucking god that there's a miracle left for us. Such fucking needless vandalism of the club, honestly.

The best tactics and systems in the world can't do their job if our strikers aren't capable of putting the chances we create away. Ralph was one or two strikers away from keeping his job, Jones is one or two strikers away from doing a good job and Saints are one or two strikers away from a chance at survival. What's especially infuriating is that all of this has been blatantly obvious for a fecking age yet still goes unremedied.

GET THE FUCK IN!

Obviously it's been a trying time all round, but you have to be pretty damn blinkered if you honestly think parts of the fanbase haven't behaved poorly throughout all this. Adults acting like kids. And to be sensitive now that NJ dares to bite a little in response to the torrent of provocative questions from journos? Come on now.

I would love nothing more than for Nathan to make us collectively look like bloody idiots for doubting him come the end of the season.

Everyone could see that despite the result, we were still fairly shit all being said. But that's so much easier to stomach when you can the players giving a shit. Playing nasty and getting all up in people's faces? Love it. That's probably the only real way we'll get out of this. I'll admit that after the Forest game just the sight of NJ's face was making me effing furious. And I know shit gets said on forums on social media, but in the real world where we're not all being monsters, being consumed by hate is actually a really rare and pretty grim thing. But that's what I was feeling. I was so angry with the man. But these comments from him today? It all feels a bit different. As did the attitude of the players. And I think you can also tell from the comments that NJ realises his job is already on the line. Which he needs to. The one thing I will say for NJ is that despite being fucking infuriatingly sub-par, he's clearly putting fucking every inch of himself into this. And if he is, then we should rightfully expect the players to as well, which up to now they most definitely have not been. And if... just IF... we can get out of this by being fucking nasty bastards who kick and scream the opposition into submission, then I'll be proud of the lot of them. Perhaps even Jones. We'll see against Everton whether there has actually been some progress or whether today's improvement was just a result of being free of the pressures of the league. I'm fully prepared for it to all amount to nothing and for the fury to return. But for the moment I'm daring to live in a little hope.

I'm also struggling to understand this. ABK is the only one of our centre backs who doesn't scare the shit outta me. Even Salisu can be wobbly.

At least bringing in some experience shows acknowledgement that Kids FC is not working. I should imagine NJ is screaming out for some experienced players to try and help our struggling toddlers (who in turn are likely screaming out for an experienced manager to help).

Honestly - I think we'll have to be struggling in the Championship before they get rid of him. I'll hold my hands up and admit that I've slagged a fair few of you off on here for dismissing NJ before before he's been given a chance. But that performance last night was SO BAD that even I'm wondering if more urgent action is needed. What on earth was the man thinking? If he even was.