greg_hill

It's sad to see how much some people feel the need to be negative towards our own heroes and sneer at any who dares to take a positive attitude. Lawrie Mac is a legend. A legend who, when the club came close to death, stepped in and did all that he could to drum up support. Yet I recall a thread here from people getting annoyed that he and Osman were telling fans they had to prove their worth again. For goodness sake, they were trying to save the club! I didn't read it myself but I've heard some posters were knocking Matty for the hideous crime of working hard to save SFC and - in human error - backing the wrong horse. What is it with some people? For the people reacting to my 'Guardian' observation, the piece did strike me as sensationalist, especially the way it described the fighting after the Burnley game.When I read English press, I don't read The Guardian as it so left wing it makes me nauseous and I certainly don't read the red tops: I get more intelligent info on the back of a cornflakes packet! (But I'm not going to say what I do read:-) )

Bear in mind he is well aware that stating how poor the whole squad are right now would not be the best bit of PR or player relations management he could achieve. That's the sort of thing Redknapp would have done and he was well known to be negative. Pardew has sent out a gentle message that yes, he is aware of the problem and will strengthen the squad but also will give others a chance to win their place back. Good on him.

What an absolutely shocking piece of sensationalist journalism. This just goes to remind me why I don't read TG.

True, but as we found out last season it is equally important to have senior players with experience. Stern fits that role and of course he has a little pace and muscle that you will need in league one. Short term, HCDAJFU. Didn't Maskell score for us against Liverpool on his return debut? According to wikipedia he is now player manager of Staines!

You're right. You couldn't even get a decent meal in a restaurant with that these days. Back in the real world, I think a lot depends on our strike force. If Rasiak and Saga get motivated and commit for the season, we will bang in a lot more goals. Then, we just need to strengthen in the midfield and at the back. Do we still have the option to buy De Seijs? I call lower mid table this year unless we make some very rapid signings.

So "Alan Pardew's Red and White Army" it is! Compared to anyone but Strachan, this is a very good appointment. It would have been good to get him in the CCC but to do so in L1 is remarkable. Now please Alan, get some players in quick sharp. We have the best goalie in L1, we have at least two of the best strikers in Rasiak and Sagonowski (and three in John?) and Rudi Skecel can be class but they all need motivating. I can honestly say that I have forgotten what it feels like to be a football optimist. I'm thirty years old yet this is the first time I can remember thinking about Saints without wondering who we will have to sell to keep afloat or which board member is going to screw us over next. Strange that it has taken a drop to L1 with a ten point penalty to achieve that but as Jimmy Graves says..........

Hope it isn't prophetic that Branfoot appeared next to that symbol!

I wouldn't be too upset with this. It's only the letdown factor after we all let ourselves dream of WGS or Kevin Keegan. Pardew is above my "oh c**p!" line on my list of possible managers: 1) WGS 2) Steve Coppell 3) Jurgen Klinsmann (after seeing that other thread) 4) Keegan 5) Curbishley 5) Boothroyd 6) Pardew ___________________________ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ That's the "Oh c**p!" line 7) Redknapp Branfoot 9) Stuart Gray 10) The bloke down the road who can't speak a word of English, hates football, has no job and walks twenty dogs around the village every day. 11) Tony Adams

OK This is a total gut feeling and it could be dementia inspired by a huge lack of sleep over the last fortnight (new baby in the family) but I now predict that it will transpire that Jurgen is a close friend of our new owner, which could lead to some interesting developments......

Does seem bizarre doesn't it? The only connection I can think of is that they are all Scottish!

Poor Bart. The commentators on The Saint were raving about him when we first signed him but since the injury v Newcastle it's all gone wrong for the lad.

Sounds too good to be true but then I thought that about the Swiss!

According to wikipedia, yes, and I'll tell you what: I bet he'd absolutely love to come back to Saints. Matt Oakley also seems a good and realistic suggestion. I think the person who mentioned Ryan Giggs is being ever so slightly optimistic though!

a) New Manager? Strachan b) His assistant? Pearson (they would work together IMO) c) Five realistic players? De Seijs, Leroy Lita, Murty, Prutton, +1 d) A job for MLT? None defined. He's happy on sky and will always be a legend. let him come and go as he pleases. e) One ground improvement? Have a decent team running around on the pitch. f) One catering improvement? Pies! g) New half time entertainment? Mike Osman h) Picture in the boardroom? Every single that has been mentioned in this thread, across the whole damn wall. On a serious note, I do wonder: is the Swiss getting footballing advice from the right people? Obviously he's a great businessman and good guy but unless he knows what the fans are thinking already, then he needs someone to tell him. Otherwise he could end up feeling shocked when Tony Adams gets booed on his unveiling press conference.

Actually, sentiment can go a long way in football.

Didn't see the game obviously but I've seen plenty of friendlies, enough to know they bear little resemblance to our prospects for the forthcoming season and Bournemouth in particular seems to serve as a tranquiliser for most of our players. I also agree that Bourenemouth fans seem to have a strong dislike of us, but let's but honest, who cares? No need to panic, I say. We have the best goalie in league one. If SJ and BWP can keep fit then we have pace and power up front and we will score goals in this league. Let's watch Rasiak in competitive games before slating him. He could score bucketloads in this div, top scorer if he wanted to be. Where is Sagonowski by the way? Midfield and defence looks more worrying. Do we still have De Seijs? He is exactly what we need at the back for league one.

What is it with some people that they have so much trouble saying something nice about someone? As pointed out, your logic suggests that he would go to WH and take the money. Instead he spoke to his family, considered how much he likes Saints and took what is probably a lot less pay. Good on you Kelvin!

I think it's harsh to say he kept us in the dark. He gave us regular updates after all. True, they didn't tell us that much but it's the nature of his work that he can't.

I work with a couple of Dutch guys and they told me from the start that Wotte has a good reputation in The Netherlands and both were actually surprised he wasn't appointed manager in the first place over Jan P. So I think when people say he couldn't get a job elsewhere, he probably could. I also think that it would have been mightily tough for any manager to keep us up in the position he took over in last year, so I do feel sorry for the guy, especially after he conducted himself so well in a difficult time. But all that said, I think this is probably the best move. At this time we need a break with the past and a big(er) name or at least a popular name with the fans to give the club a lift. This was probably a tough but necessary business decision and it's been made.

Give it all time. Let's just be happy it's all gone through for today!

Months of footballing depression, annoyance and pessimism just disappeared. WTF do I do now? :-)

Exactly. This is typical of the prats at UI, all they acre about is being the first to break the news so they can give themselves credit. I just hope they are not tempting fate.

Keegan seems the best choice. He;s a big name and would only come here because of his history with us and the fact it's not worked out elsewhere. It would be a great morale boost.

If there was ever just one rumour here, just one gossip piece in the Daily Mail or one endless thread of speculation where us fans make a mountain of of a molehill that turns out to be true......please let it be this one!

Steady on Mower, what you say is correct of course but this whole saga is incredibly agonising and painful for any fan. It's natural that some of us will look for a target for our frustrations. Though of course to use Mr Fry is to completely misunderstand his job, and what is going on.