Charlie Wayman

Being underwhelmed at new manager appointments is par for the course here, whenever was it any different? Have you forgotten that even quite recently, Adkins? Pochettino?... who had ever heard of them except the real anoraks. By my reckoning we have done rather well with underwhelming characters.

He's not smiling 'though and why the hurry to get home. I would hav e thought he'd stay overnight and see Staplewood and all the other infra-structure, surely that couldn't be done in an over & back trip?

So what has upset Mr Lallana then or has he's been got at by Pochettino's bull shine? The English Messi? Too good for a small club?

Come on now Board, step up to the plate! Please arrange the following tribute to Saints One and Only Ricky Lambert 1.. Invite Ricky to come on to the pitch for a deserved crowd ovation & farewell at HT during the pre-season main friendly against whichever continental club is scheduled to appear at SMS in July / August. Even a club presentation at the time would be appreciated by every fan. 2... Commission a statue of Ricky to stand alongside Ted Bates outside the main entrance of SMS and ask fans to contribute to the cost, maybe the Club matching the fans contribution.

We all feel short changed by the guy's hastiness to quit but these thoughts are best left unsaid. Rise above it all lad, it's only football.

Its probably more to do with FIFA quotas of home grown talent in the BIG teams who have notoriously ignored British players until FIFA stepped in. Ricky will help balance up the numbers at Anfield although in fairness they are one of the better sides when it comes to British players; no doubt we have more than our share and feel we could afford to lose the odd one. I happen to think that Ricky has been pushed rather than jumped, Reed with his eye on youth and the future probably decided long ago that last season was the end for Ricky here. Remember they tried to offload him to WHU in January but no doubt Poch and fans made it clear NFW! Getting a decent fee for Ricky from a top side must have surprised everyone upstairs at SMS and maybe even Ricky himself. I don't buy the cra.p being put around by some anonymous sources that "Ricky always wanted to play for his boyhood club". Ballacks to that! Just spin to make everyone here and Ricky feel good about the move when his ad-hoc interview at Eastleigh airport suggested how deeply he has been affected by having to move on. His parting word to the reporter was "I'm going home!" meaning his home here at Southampton. This is one time when Hearts should have ruled Heads, when hard-nosed business people should have understood that there are some things in life that cannot be measured in £ & $. £9m is nothing compared to the surge in crowd emotion when Ricky comes on at 60 mins as a sub when not starting. Irreplaceable! Ricky is a local and now a national Icon for he represents more than anybody all that is magical and innocent about football, his place was here for ever and shame on all those that played a part in his exit if indeed he was pushed against his will. "Better loved ye canna be Will ye no' come back again?"

Most would condemn the board if they moved too fast as there is a thorough interview process to be gone through; if say 5 candidates were left with their hats in the ring the best two might be called back. So don't be impatient, as long as the appointment is made before the players return from hols and ready for training all should be well. There is still also the obligatory close season trip to Switzerland to come, announcements of pre-season friendlies and the walk on hot coals that obviously spooked one or two of our guys to leave before they had to face the ordeal again this year. At least we find out who are the chickens.

Probably scrutinised by two dozen lawyers before publication to avoid any hint of controversy at clubs leading to legal action against them. It's safe only to say the ball is round

Is "seriously concerned" the most passion you can muster? I agree with you entirely but would go F raving mental if the Club is stupid enough to appoint either of those two clowns here. They think the Exodus has started? Wait 'til either of those berks turn up at SMS!

Why don't you have a goat the OS people who have blatantly avoided any mention of the Saints trio at the England camp and at the build up to last night's game and now a lukewarm at best report in which Adam "spoke to a reporter". Why isn't Blackmore u there doing the interviewing of our lads. Luke Shaw not even on the bench because of flu and where was Ricky? We've had piles of stuff about the Under 17's and the Under 20's especially our lads, even the paper they wipe their backsides with has been publicised but stoney silence on our BIG 3. Who the hell does the OS take us for? If Shaw, Lallana & lambert are about to bugge.r off to pastures new at least the OS should man up and tell us so and then we'll understand why England going to the World Cup with 3 of our lads no longer commands any attention on the OS.

How does that work when buying a season ticket is a voluntary action or in most cases an involuntary action. The Club are not forcing any of us to buy it is actually quite easy to stay away. It's no good moaning then buying or buying and then boycotting. Opting out however painful is the only way! I opted in this morning, just love all those new turf patterns and groundsmen getting soaked when the auto sprinklers come on.

Ricky actually said he wanted to finish his career with Saints! What worries me more than this is the lack of any reports on the OS from the England training camp of our 3 lads preparing for tonight's game. Really odd!!!!!!!!!! Although I still think most of the transfers talk is just that, conspiracy theorists really should be concerned about the fact that the club seem no longer to judge this as news worth reporting???????? Yes, of course it could mean that all 3 are "gone" so we longer have any interest in them? Plenty of attention for the younger lads 'though at U17 & U20 level. This more than anything maybe the killer blow to the waning belief that all will turn out well in the end.

How quickly the doubting Thomas's reveal themselves. FFS give RK a chance. This is yet another unsubstantiated rumour. Also, ask yourselves this - how much more football has Rickie got in him anyway? He may be on the way out here anyway this season if new strikers come in.

Not at all, he was really saying they were NOT disappointed which translates as "not sorry to see the back of him".

What is wrong with you guys, ffs give the bloke a chance. All we want him to say is that no player will be allowed to break his contract and leave. If he does that then we can move forward with confidence. It would help if he also called Pochettino a two-timing, double-dealing, self-seeking git! That would get my support. He can say he's bought a Maclaren as long as its orange and comes form Woking.

You cannot be serious. What has he done at Reading?

Self-seeking, double dealing over-rated miserable bast.rd, FO and good riddance.

One aspect that has not been discussed is that when Pochettino goes the other 3 Spanish coaches will go with him so more than one goose escaping. That will be a huge emotional upheaval especially for the young lads.

It would be nice to think so but as has been explained on here many times, Pochettino cannot be forced to stay here because of the run down of his contract and the escape clause. I think you are right that maybe the Board aren't all that bothered about him after all for entirely his own selfish reasons of knot being interested in second tier European football he made sure we could not progress in the Cup nor finish 7th. Now he has bugge.r.e.d off we are left with nothing so what did he ever do for us. Maybe these factors really did p,iss of the Board. For me his style of football is vastly entertaining and we beat more teams than beat us so for that alone he'll be missed... but 'missed' is a relative word. If we find a coach who can play pretty keep ball AND score goals we'll all be saying Pocet-who? A fortnight with Steve MacClaren and I'll go and live in Middlesborough or N17

...and himself of course

Sounds like a contradiction in terms to me. Usually the press don't print any facts that they might get hold of because of embargoes placed on them by sources. Remember also the Press are based in London and the North West so their pals and agendas are always likely to be local.

Whatever the truth of this situation, as far as Saints fans on here are concerned Pochettino is looking more and more like a traitor to the Saints cause. Should he stay many on here will continue to harbour dark feelings towards the man because he didn't come out on Day 1 after the ManUre game and state his loyalty to Saints. Whether this is true or not he will be regarded by many as only having stayed as second choice. Would he then be held in the same affection as before? Once goods are tarnished goods its hard to go back to how things were before. If many of the rumours are true about his hesitancy to re-sign for Saints because of possible other offers maybe it is best he moves on now?

The only people I know of that read the Daily Mail, can't read. Picture that!

If it proves to be true maybe we have Nicole Cortese to thank for his intervention a couple of days ago... hi "don't move on too soon remark". If so, it suggests just the opposite of bitterness. Imagine he's been ringing around telling our people to stay put not for any ulterior motive but just because he has a soft spot for Saints even 'though he has moved on. That would elevate him to Saint-hood!

He's already England Captain, don't think Holmes made it that far. JWP will only get better especially as he's not first pick on the team-sheet, still has that challenge to meet.