Frank's cousin

See StuRomseySaint has found a spiritual home.... we are well shot of the ****

I have every sympathy for him - as he obviously has mental health problems and alcoholism is a common symptom within those that develop these problems. Very sad. However, there are thousands effected by the the same problems who dont get nearly the same support and its those that I feel most sorry for. You can not compare Gazza's problems with Best. As said above, Best developed his own problems through his lifestyle and choices he made. In addition, most alcoholics who ruin their liver, if lucky get ONE transplant- you dont get two as there are not enough to go round... unless are you George Best and the fact he ruined both is unforgiveable in my book. I hope Gazza gets the right help, from the right people, and with mental disorders that means those that understand the issues and problems.

Aye West Ham play like the Germans! Hahahahahahahah love it!

This. I think the problem most fans have has never been with MP. In addition, most recognise that Nigel has talent, the ability to learn quickly, qualities such as loyalty and integrity and is an all round decent bloke. A nice guy, honest in an arena of sharks and arseholes. But most also recognise that as harsh as it may seem, it is simply impossible to learn quickly enough when the club is expecting progress to be more rapid. I like most would have loved the idea of of Nige being the next LM - the idea that even if we went down, we would come back stronger and see success under Nige in years to come. But football has changed too much - we needed to invest heavily to improve the squad in an environment that means relegation makes it extremely difficult to keep that squad in tact - I dont belie we would be in any financial disarray if relegated as the talent we have invested in will hold its value and could be sold to ensure we dont see any financial nightmares, but its the breaking up of the squad that has the biggest consequences for 'bouncing back' etc, so time in this case waits for no man... Cortese is direct. Appears harsh and without compassion because he makes decisions that have seem to be without appreciating the emotions that are so fundemental to fans - it irks, concerns and causes some to spout the usual cliched vitriol. But if we acknowledge that the only way to break the mould and expectation that we will only ever be a provincial prem also ran, you need someone prepared to take a risk, put his head on the block and take the flack for when those decisions appear hideous to us... and yet we often reluctantly agree they have had a positive impact on the football. I will say it again, that we are a fickle and often hypocritical bunch - expressing outrage and vitriolic rhetoric at a chairman who sacked someone we liked, yet are happy to express our own vitiol and demand change towards players and managers we dont. If we want to take the moral high ground here because we see it as a human story, then those still moralising about it need to ask were they so defensive of Brandfoot when fans were hanging him out to dry? Or Luggy, Gray? etc?

I think he has teh potential to be a world class midfield general - reminds me a little of Matthäus - if he can get close to that he will be exceptional, and as said before in teh position he plays, he wont really hit his full potential until 27/28 - hopefully he will still be with us then. Lets hops hes stays, but if he is sold, I hope we get the full value this time and he will be a 30mil+ player one day.

CoC is still open for recruitment - had a load of new applicants this morning, and expect more by the end of the season.

Indeed, another thing I forgot, was your striker also needs to be a playmaker as the the other attacking players come into the game... and in Rickie we have a astute and intelligent footballer - some of his assists and ability to read a pass prove decisive - best 1m player since Trever Francis

Pah - you lot are small club mentality - bigging up occaisional wins against the 'big' boys? Feck em , time to loose that sense of inferiority - media thinking we can do a Swansea FFS? Like Swansea should be our aim? Bo llocks to that - if we are still feasting at the top table, lets try and get served first - aim as high as possible. Best win as SMS is still to come...

4231 - lends its self to the advanced pressing - but you also have to have mobile players - in Cork and Spider in the '2' we have two of the ideal players for this - and they are KEY to making it work - the attacking 4 need to put a shift in, but IMHO, its about how good that '2' is - how quickly they can turn a 6-3-1 defensive position into a 2-1 -6 -1 attacking formation as fullbacks join in ....and the reverse to avoid getting hit on the break. Under NIge we tried this and also 4-3-3, but given the early defensive frailties seemed more reluctant to give spider or Cork the freedom to go end to end... indeed one of teh problems with 4-2-3-1 when attacking in numbers is that you are susceptable to the long ball ott and also a fast break - which is why fitness and mobility and pace is needed. Ultimately, you also want that '3' to be able to interchange so left/centre/right can mix and match position which causes additional problems for defenders - especially when you have mobile full backs joining in and say spider or cork pushing up... Why dont others do it? simple because too many managers still set up not to loose 451 away and 442 at home - and as mentioned above - you need both a quality '2' and high fitness... a whole season like that would need a big squad all able to play in that same way.. all MHO ofcourse, am no expert, but loved seeing the Germans play 4231 in WC 2010 (except against us) - and felt if we could get the players, it would be fantastic to see sainst try it... We will need a plan B as some sides will be too good and hold the ball despite the pressing game, but in the meantime, big smile on face this morning!

Like the observer page http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/feb/09/southampton-manchester-city-premier-league The saints fan 'consortium 11' make some good posts/comments further down...

No sure where this comes into it - we are not a global brand and the ONLY way that is ever achieved is through success that resonates on a global level - eg Champions league semis and finals consistently - and we are a long way from that. I look at this quite simply - we could ... lets be honest given our size and provincialness (is that a word?) be forgiven for being satisfied with annual survival in the top flight - the plucky 'small' club that was mediochre and perenniel relegation favourites, that gave the big boys a bloody nose now and again (to quote Pap form another thread)... but why w ehappy with that? Ifwe were ever to try and take a step up from that and be aserious about giving it a punt, we needed a differnt approach - and someone stubborn, ruthless and sheer bloody minded enough to drive it through. Seems to me that NC has taken a different approach. Instead of employing a manager and renewing contracts as and when depending on how things were going, he's set out a structure progressive phased plan - with each phase demanding specific skills and ablities - Adkins was targeted because of his L1 and NPC experience - there was logic in it and what appears very harsh to us is because Adkins completed his 'mission' ahead of schedule... I would not at all be surprised if MP knows his part in the 'plan' and what that entails should he complete his 'mission' It may seem harsh, but its just a different appraoch, and when you think about it dispassionately, its quite probably very logical. Managers develop tehir skills at difefrent rates, in part dependent on the experience they gain at the level they manage in... Its fair to assume that if the club wants to progress more rapidly than is possible for people to gain the knowledge and experience, that you remove the element of risk in tehir development and simply plan ahead for it. I think that is what NC has done here. 'Global brand' - thats the byproduct of success - you cant create it without it.

Sadly this is very possible - MS has been pretty immence this season, but I think he is looking even better, because the system shows him at his best - MP has pushed everyone forward in the pressing, but also expects them to run end to end - he also rotates with Cork very well so that '2' in teh 4231 is really working well - and IMHO the '2' in that system are probably the most important players - going almost 2 1 6 1 when attacking as fullbacks and one of teh 2 push forward, but being modile enough to defend strongly in all areas when needed

MOst probably forget how young he still is given he has been with us for some time - and he is young in aposition that needs LOTS of experience and usuallly does not see players reach their best until 28 or so - so he has been at time sinconsistent, as Lallana was (and there were a fair few saying he would never be good enough) - think some fans are just forgetting that we have such a young squad and we get a bit impatient with these guys when they are inconsistent...

NOt sure you need to feel embarrassed... the two issues are mutually exclusive ; You can be glad, agree, addmit that Adkins had given his all but was not ready to take us that next step and see the benefit of change.... and still be pishe off wth the way it APPEARS to have been handled. If it was as badly done as the MEDIA and some fans with their 'inside sources that can not be named' make out, then yes its sad that the club acted in that way... but I suspect that it would have been made clear to NIge exactly what his role in the 'project' was and when this was completed, he would move on...

I am sure this is exactly what he said

Not sure I can agree as we dont know any of the details - and to me it seems certain Nige knew he would be replaced - he had been brought in to do a job which was get us to the prem - so he knew it was comming - he achieved that early with some decent financial backing. He moulded a side in a style of play that we enjoyed. I will not take anything away form Adkins, I still believe he will be a top top manager at some point, and that it has allowed MP to hit the ground running and build on that foundation - we stay up this year and that will in part be down to Nige. But if you laook at the seaosn so far objectively, I think NIge was only 60-70% there in getting the side to play the style that this side is capable of - MP seems to have upped that to 80% within 4 games... People go on about the 'way' in which it was done, or the 'timing' - but sorry, whenever or however it was done it was always going to attract this whole collective 'outrage' and 'emotional over reaction' because fans are like that - we expect the same loyalty as we show when it suits us, but have no quarms about sticking the boot in to players and managers when we feel they are not worthy - so whilst I dont like the way it 'appears', Its hypocritical to start wailing, or get all angry about it - As fans we show no loyalty or respect to players or managers we dont like and demand chairman make changes... Nigel has not been slung on any scrap heap - he has not left in poverty struggling with mortgage, debts and not knowing how to put food on the table, and there are plenty of folk right now in that sort of situation, who may have been told about in a 'nice' decent way by managers and HR - so what is more morally right? Nige will bounce back and his CV is better for it.

Tell you something CB - I am glad you have something to smile about - great performance great, finally we all agree;)

Well that was good. Stand up Nigel and take a bow - Stand up MP and take a bow - They BOTH deserve taking praise form today, a culminatoin of lots of work, effort and graft and skill!!! Love it

Manc time - not sure where from this time....

Brilliant

Saw that too... when he lifts to blow and only tho change is mind as city get the ball..... ahole of a ref.

ESPN stream...maybe being paranoid, but its as if they want City to win.... good first half, daft corner, but do the same again and its 4-2 ;-)

I suspect he talks to Spider in French and Ramierz in Spanish... maybe thats why Spider will IMHO be player of the season.... Dont think it matters to be honest, we have Japanese, Polish and Norwegian, Dutch, (anyone else?) to add to our list - from what we have seen in the 3 games so far, communication does not seem to be a problem and I dont need manager soundbites after a game to tell me all teh usual BS they come out with.... believe there was a whole thread on Adkinisms.... we wont it all ways all the time, when they speak we dont like what they say and take the **** because of cliche, whne they dont its suddenly something we 'miss'....

I suspect the NEED to to stand anychance of their bid working....

The day I worry about your opinion on my posts is the day a really need worry - never known anyone who cant open his trap without so much miserable insult pouring forth... the only benefit is the pure comedy in your pseudo intellectualism... top stuff, keep it coming.