Frank's cousin

To be honest, I dont have the answer - if I did, I might be working in football! My opinion is that we still do not know the best 11 and injuries to key players have not helpd in getting that established. I also feel we (Nige) are naive tactically. whereas in the CCC plan A worked 80% of the time and most had little verity of their own to counter, in the prem, its not just about getting it right at the start, but also being constantly aware of how things need to change during a game to counter the cleverer opposition - the choice facing NC, is do we get in that experience, or let Nige gain it? Personnally, I would like us to give Nige the longer term chance - and yes some of my rational for that is non-footballing - in a buisness and culture that is full of sheidt and low ethics, having someone at out club who is obviously a decent bloke, has integrity and the 'potential' to be good, is more important to me than going for an obvious choice just to keep us up - its about what it says about us a club - and sometimes those things are more important than just results - as odd as that may sound. 'We will get what we deserve'.

You are not alone in spending that money... but you forget its about choice, you chose to. Yes you are entitled to be concerned, but either disclose the reasons for it, instead of masking your displeasure in innuendo and rumour or you come across as an agenda driven obsessive - and the sarcasm really helps provide gravitas to your opinion...

I understand that feeling, but the reality is that its not that easy - 7 years away form a league that has progressed with a side that still has L1 players - with fan expectation that you could change it all overnight... mistakes will have been made as the club learns to find its feet. So we have two choices, get on their backs, slag them off and speculate and dwell of runmours of discontent, or accept and support no matter how painful.... Anyone who expects the club to be all harmony and good grace when up against it as we are and with the results we have had is obviously naive, but neither should we think that its all going to pot because of it...

Neither - no one likes watching their side lose, and winning every week was a lot easier ! Most fans knew where our weaknesses were last season, but Like many I grew tired of the same old constantly pointing them out.. always cmae actross as pointeless when we were top 2 all season, which I guess most were happy with! Am I happy we might go down? NO, Am I obsessed with staying up at all costs? NO - more important is supporting and enjoying it all, whatever happens, otherwise what is the fricken point? 'How can I enjoy losing?' I dont, but I can enjoy those moments, goals and the clear potential the side has IF and when the learn to friggin defend... it will come, maybe too late, maybe not, and its that unpredictabilty of football and sport that makes it interesting. If the answers were as easy as some make out, can they please explain why they are fans on a message board and not managing a prem club, or at the very least coaching at one...

Jeez - sacred me... some folk drive like fricken nutters.....

Well its natural that this can erode very quickly when results go against you. Its also about confidence - the belief the players have to be able to hold their own for 90+. Its not about making excuses, but about appreciating that we still have a fair way to go in terms of squad depth, quality and consistency. Those dismissing the 'Southampton way' are missing an additional point - Its also about building a playing culture that is attactive and entertaining and that will provide the potential for being more than just perenial relagation strugglers desperate to avoid relegation at the expense of style. For some, survival and prem is all that matters, fair enough. But ideals and principles and culture is more important IMHO. Just my opinion for sure, but I apreciate what the club is trying to do, even if it means a high level of risk and chance of relagation.

... not sure some on here actually are Saints 'supporters' - not with the 'glee' with which our frailties are highlighted.... Not sure why the likes of Turkish seem to enjoy pointing out 'issues' and 'problems' laced with sarcasm - something does not add up - no real fans express their dissapointment with such relish - at least Alps is ANGRY which is genuine emotion.... Many highlighted last year that alot of our success was not down to being the best side, but by being a TEAM, together, confident and united. Naturally against better sides that is is not always enough and it showed - especially towards the end of a tough season. We are now in a situation where everyone at the top down lacks experience at this level - everyone is on a steep learning curve, yet instead of understanding that and although being disspointed in results which is normal, some seem obsessed with creating further division... not sure what the purpose is, but I dont classify that as support. Conspiracy theories, rampant speculation and warped sense of enjoyment in 'problems and issues', suggests we have some seriously fecked up 'fans'. Thankfully those that post on here only represent a tiny minority.

To be fair, those few making the trip to sheffield on a Monday night are pretty good fans... its where the other 200,000 are that needs to be asked surely?

Count yourself lucky... the last few on mine have been CB Fry, and Turkish.... considering They hate me with venom of playground schoolgirl spite, should i be worried? They scare me more than those wussy mods ;-)

Football fans want to stand so it should be supported - current standing in seated areas is bound to cause an injury or worse at some point as there is nothing stopping fans toppling over shin height seats in front... but there are a couple of issues that need to be considered: 1. The 'safe' standing sections are not designed to hold as many as old stands, still ticketd and subject to max capacity higher than seated, but not double as it was before. 2. Cost - the stadia in Germnay that have standing areas were designed that way and the 'floor space' is wider than the current 'tread' of the 'steps' that hold seats - in effect any stadia that was built in the UK after all seater came into effect do not have wide enough 'tread's to accomodate safe standing as seen in Germany, when you add the anti crush barriers - would need all the concrete and possibly the steel work replacing - in effect almost a new stand. Villa would probably be able to convert back, as older stands may still have a wider foot print. We would need to rebuild a stand to qualify if the Helath and safety standards required in Germany were required here - which I think they would be.

NO Guarrantees - thats a given - what most have seen in him is potential, as they have in many others. The difference is WE finally have someone who has demonstrated that Potential, yet many dont seem willing to give him the time to see if it can be realised... which seems to me to be because too many ae falling into the prem or nothing trap that leads to misery, panic decsion making, and ignoring the values and approach that up until the prem, we were almost all solidly behind... Add to that we also have someone who seeems honest, decent and well a nice bloke, I cant help think that most clubs would welcome the leadership we have, even if some on here dont. Much rather go for a beer and a chat with someone like Nige, whose enthusiasm is infectious than some miserable sod like Fat Sam, or the baggage handler Redknapp. IF as many fans suggest a club is MORE tha a business, more than its results, but is abouts its fans and its culture, having someone like Nige at the helm creates a far better one IMHO, than some of the othere suggestions... even if that means we have far more of a rollercoaster ride whilst he learns the ropes and gains the necessary experience to stabalise in what is a tough top flight. Supporting a club that is prepared to provide that opportunity and support talent and stick to its ambitious goals/approach is a rare thing and maybe we should be careful that we dont lose sight of such values as egos demand 'top flight at any cost' - I have to date been very supportive of the Don, but any quick decison to replace Nige would erode alot of the faith I have placed in him.

That may be true, but its refreshing to see someone, honest enough to be himself - and it was refreshing to see him positive and upbeat ahead of the game. Sometimes in life, just liking someone for who they are and what they bring to the club should be enough. There is more to life , a club and its culture than the constant panic about prem survival that most clubs and tehir miserable managers portray in public.

I saw that comming as well! Briliant stuff from our Nige

I think the problem lies not only with the current Portsmouth manager and administrator (who seems to be sanctioning the current budget and Appleton's plans) but with the FL and the FA. Given the fact ages are being piad at a level unaffordable by most at that level at a time when NOTHING has yet been paid to creditors from either the last CVA or the current 58mil of debt, how on earth can that be morally justified? Please tell me... The FL and teh FA should have looked at the situation and ringfenced any of the recent Parachute payments for creditors... not for Pompey to be 'competitive' in L1... that is the upshot of it. Everyone else in this situation has played the youth no matter what it meant from a competitive or league status perspective. What fecked up idiotic logic are Appleton and fans who feel the same as he does using to justify that position, and whats worse is why are the authorities allowing this to happen... the same authjorities most fans blame for the mess of the clubs own making... truely, this is why Appletons plans are so dispicable and why he he has shown he has absolutely no integrity or moral values whatsoever - it it ****in shameful PES and you know it.

Problem with the US is that they are still stuck in a world where politics is based around anything that looks to develop a 'social' policy is considered 'communisim' - just look at the diufficulty Obama has/had with his health policy... I onec chatted to an Americal who thinks its socialist rubbish to have a national health service - he softened a little when I said that only truely civilized and economically strong capitalist societies could in effect afford one... look at the Germans, who arguably have the best in Europe - 'keep em healthy, keep em working'! ;-) They tend to elect Republicans who manage to keep their extremist views in check, and then when that fails elect a more moderate rightwing 'democrat' in response - the legacy of 'fear' for anything that would have a real impact on their system from the Mccarthy era paranoia remains and cold war etc is astounding... so much for the 'leaders of the free world'.... I find their politics entwined with Religion also a little disturbing.

... I think there is certainly a more equal deal when it comes to proessional roles, and it can be said that the main difference in Men and Womens pay is now more down to teh proportion that do specifuc types of job, than inequality in pay for the smae job (which is illegal)... but I think there is still a fair amount of sexism in many work places, and other insititutions, so speaking out against it is no bad thing - especially the violence that still exists behind too many closed curtains.

Whil htey fckc!

Well footba;; is certainly full of turnarounds, backstabbing odd decisions, so whilst I dnt necessarily believe this rumour, it would not surprize me... do I want him back, no, but surprizingly not because of his past or history with us (which to be Frankn made him a prize arsehole), but simply because a) I dont like the baggage he comes with, from his transfer dealings to his dog Rosie and b) because I dont rate him when he has a side that is struggling - he showed feck all of his 'famous' mana managemnet and motivational skills when here last time, when we had a squad that should have had enough quality to stay up, so what he will be like with a young squad that is struggling to come to terms with the reailities of this league, is beyond me and c) because I canmt see him getting on with a chairman who is VERY involved with controlling the finance available for transfers and wages....

NO one is denying the BBC's fault in this - what I am interested in is how anyone can suggest they are at fault because of some left wing culture - it is riduculous to link the two...

Failure? perhaps, but its seems that some have lost perspective about what 'supporting' is all about - 'laughing stock'? come on, anyone who supports a side outside the top 3 at school has endured a bit of a ribbing - its football FFS and in the grand scheme of things the 'seriousness' with which this is all taken, and the loss of perspective is astounding for grown men - are egos really that fragile? We are struggling for a number of reasons - it happens. I am not saying be 'happy' with it, but deal with it. I thought those seasons in the lower leagues would have installed us with some boll ox to take this sort of thing on the chin and realise that football is about 'support' no matter what (division) and some might even argue that we should be proud to stick to our guns and if that means this season we learn, but not quite enough, so be it. We had years of misery, BS, divided fans, rumour, more BS uring Lowe's tenure.... some seem to be well on course for wanting a repeat, simply because they aint used to losing badly...

Only my opinion, and it counts for feck all, but its based on the fact that the last few years have highlighted enjoying football for me is more about how we want and try and play, not about what level it is at. Dont get me wrong, the ultimate aim should always be the best you can achieve, given the budget, and importantly by being as innovative as possible to get as much advantage as you can by other means, whether it be better tactics, use of sports science or simply developing your own talent through a system that potentially makes it easier for youth to transition into the first team - (German national Model is a good own on that). BUt enjoying supporting a team has always been about more than success, otherwise no one outside the top 6 clubs would have any supporters - unfortunately, many fans have been suckered into to the whole 'panic' thing as a result of the massive financial disparity betwen the top flight and the rest in this country and its meant that clubs will play styles and use players that are designed to be effective to stay up, rather than flamboyant and entertaining. Personally, I am all for keeping Adkins, sticking to our style and plans whatever happens as the experience we need to progress can only be gained by providing that opportunity in the first place to both a young talented manager and younger talented players. On the flip side, we do nee dto recognise that we have to let go of the 'three years ago' 'excuse' - The squad and manager who delivered promotion rightly deserve plaudits for that success, but it is now in the past and too much emphasis on it can restrict our evauation and analysis of the here and now... Its clear we lack experience now at this level, probably across all aspects of the club, but we should not be paniced into suddenly changing our strategy, aims and ambitions to play a certain way - so we lose, possibly get relegated and build on that experience - Its not the financila disaster that some allude to as the assets will be valuable - and w ecan build again if necessary. Dismissing what we have started just to satisfy some false sense of pride by being top flight at all costs, may be the route some want, and 8 seasons ago I may have said the same, but for me the real leagcy of the last 3 years is actually being able to enjoy watching a side that wants to play a certain way, even if at present we are still short on players of the quality to deliver that at this higher level.

er no... privicy bills do not prevent public reporting of criminal allegations - they prevent naming names until guilt is proven, which most would argue ensures a fair trial - would Saville now get a fair trial if still alive?

I am just intriged how anyone seems willing to make political mileage out of what is a criminal issue - Any complicity or 'cover up' by the BBC during the 70s and beyond, is hardly the result of 'left wing guardianistas' - attemtts to suggest as such is frankly as pathetic as it is concerning - it masks what the real problem is/was - namely a culture both of the time and of the insititution that swept serious allegations under the carpet.

Indeed, the only way these things work effectively is if fans stay as owners, but appoint executives who know what they are doing - and leave them to get on with it - every fan has their own opinion of the way a club should be run.... any 'fan on the board' must have a very detauled and limited remit - merely to provide a voice for fan related issues - not finance, not football, not manager, not transfers, and not budget etc... just communication

To be honest, I think most when putting on their sensible heads (which we all do at some point) have admiration for any fans who put that effort in to take control of their clubs following the abuses of the past. The 'humour' comes not about their efforts, but from some of the naivety shown, especially around potential competitiveness and even more so around the fact that financially the bid offers not much more to creditors to put right some of the 'crimes' of the past at the expense of that competitiveness? Your comments on NC though are probably based on those few who have never seen eye to eye with his approach an domnate the crap that is spouted about him - dont believe the cretinous evaluation - most is based on zero information and is agenda driven. NC will make mistakes and his approach to communication with fans is one of them, but no one gets the level of trust he had with Markus Liebherr who was so clearly a man of integrity, unless he ultimately has something upstairs and integrity to match.