A Nut Can Cut You

Time magazine is focusing on the real inside story in its September One edition.

Interesting article. Not really doom and gloom, just business. Molina says his story is 100% legit. No reason to doubt him.

He didn't correct himself, he corrected the interpreter who added the word 'new' that wasn't there in Spanish (MP only said "propiedad", which means ownership). The interpreter had some details a little off here and there, so I wouldn't start reading between the lines. For example, Pochettino said no one should think that the players are for sale because that isn't the case, he did not emphatically say "no one is for sale". "De todas maneras, que nadie se piense que los jugadores están de oferta en Southampton... (chuckles) que nadie lo piense, que no es así." That means, "Anyway, no one ought to think that the players are for sale in Southampton... no one should think that, it's not the case". The interpreter probably only wrote down 'no one' and 'for sale', and when he got to that part of his interpretation he didn't remember what Pochettino had actually said. Pochettino is an excellent actor if he didn't tell the truth about being taken completely by surprise by Cortese's exit. I thought everything he said and especially how he said it was very convincing and credible.

It only says "with an option for a third". It doesn't necessarily mean it was the club's option, does it? Perhaps Pulis Jr. thought his development was going so swimmingly he decided to take up the option. The boy has to eat.

Just over a year ago the club was close to going out of business until Nicola Cortese came to the rescue with Markus Liebherr. That doesn't mean Cortese's actions are to remain for ever and ever beyond criticism. Criticism is fair game. But the club was on the brink. Just one year ago with the ever popular Pinnacle movers and shakers doing their best to keep the administrator's interest. To boycott the club now because Cortese didn't explain in enough detail why he sacked a manager, that is just utterly preposterous. A year after the Liebherr takeover you've decided it's time for you to boycott the club over Alan f'kin Pardew? Do consider getting a grip. Without Cortese, there was no danger of being upset about Alan f'kin Pardew getting the sack because we would've been lucky to have a club with some former player or unemployed lower league hack as manager. But Nicola is a girl's name and he sacked Alan f'kin Pardew, boohoo. I have nothing against Alan f'kin Pardew, by the way. I thought he did a half-decent job, but I'm not going to stay awake wondering why he was sacked. Cortese felt it had to be done and gave his reasons, and I'll take his word for it. What's done is done. If the decision turns out to be a catastrophe, we can always go back to where we were and maybe attract someone living with his parents to take over the club. In the meantime, why not keep your boycott in your pants without exposing it to the wider public or just get over it.

Daily Mail says £200k a year and "promised a huge bonus for getting Saints back into the Premier League by the end of his contract."

Adkins has been on my list of young managers to watch ever since Scunny won the league, but I can't say I know all that much about him. He is the kind of manager I'd be eager to interview in Cortese's position though. Seems like a sensible appointment, no red flags (apart from not being able to keep his penniless club in the 2nd tier at first attempt), coaches the right style of football, works hard on set pieces, good track record in maximising his assets and developing players, promoted his team as a champion and then bounced back up via the playoffs. He's also a manager on the upward curve of his career instead of being already a little worn out and at a low ebb in terms of enthusiasm and zeal like Burley might have been when he was appointed. His lack of experience in taking over an unfamiliar team from another manager is a legitimate doubt, but I think he's clever enough to figure it out. The outside pressure is water off a duck's back as long as he's confident in his his own ability and thinking. (Do you feel confident, Nigel? - I do believe Nigel feels confident, yes.) Not really too much to sob and sniffle about IMHO. Shall save that for later.

How many failures can you name off the top of your head? It's probably very rare for employed managers to drop down a division. Simon Grayson is the only one I remember, and that's because it was so recent. There has to be a major difference in resources/potential between the two clubs to make the move worthwhile.

Could be an ultimatum to the Scunny chairman considering he said he'd talk to him about it tonight. Adkins also said there is a major discrepancy between the compensation demanded and the compensation offered. If Adkins feels like he's being held hostage by the Scunny chairman because of his loyalty to the club, I think he might walk out on them and explain it by saying he gave the Scunny chairman all the opportunity to find a reasonable solution, but that he couldn't allow his loyalty to be abused. Just MHO.

Jesteś fantasta, pan. In the meantime, 'Appy 'Arry has endorsed Nigel Adkins as a potential England manager, "The lad going to Southampton, Nigel Adkins, you have only got to listen to him. He’s bright as a button."

Maybe he was offered the job by a fake sheikh. To be fair, to go from Adkins to Howe in the matter of hours in the middle of rough negotiations with S****horpe is bordering on lunacy. I'll believe it if Adkins has a sudden change of heart after his good night's sleep. Just seems outlandish, and if it really happened, it would be a frightening sign of either the club's finances or Cortese's state of mind. The more likely scenario would be Cortese contacing Howe to sound him out in case the Adkins deal falls through. That would still be understandable. Oh well, there's always Phil Brown. He doesn't mind being a leftover choice because he's the first choice in his own mind. Only nonentities like Eddie Howe need outside approval.

Everything from Adkins and his assistant having agreed terms with SFC to SFC supposedly withdrawing the offer has come directly from the Scunny chairman. Everything. Since then Adkins has held a press conference to say he's interested in becoming the next Saints manager and thinks all negotiations should be (should've been) kept private. In other words, the whole farce was concocted by the Scunny chairman for his own interests. He tried to bully Cortese into (over)paying what he demanded. Cortese didn't flinch, and as a result of onesided reporting, some Saints fans decided to blame him for the farce. Indeed, Cortese is being unfairly treated in this case, but I hope the fans slating him would reconsider and might have actually already reconsidered their stance after the emotional knee-jerk reaction has passed.

Phil Brown started to have success in management only after he appointed Horton as his assistant. Horton incidentally has about 20 years of managing experience. Maybe it's a coincidence, but Brown's league record was 7-14-9 at Derby and 9-5-11 at Hull without Horton, and 21-12-13 (2nd tier) with Horton.

Ruhe in Frieden. You will never be forgotten.

This. One of the most shameful threads I've ever seen posted here. :smt009

Disappointing of course, but I can't say I realistically expected more at this point. But after reading through the 2nd half thread, I can now appreciate that it is indeed the end of the world. What could happen next? The "sky is falling" people calling the players spineless? Surely not. I'm sure someone who was at the game will also call it the worst performance he has ever seen. Next.

He strung the club along, which is what Pardew's remarks were all about. This is a case of a small-minded footballer taking revenge on his former club for mistreating him. The problem is that everyone involved in the decision to force him out a year ago is gone already. That means he took revenge on people who had nothing to do with his enforced spell at Bristol C. I'm sure he's proud of himself.

I have only one thing to add: the bigger the paycheck, the better.

Our manager (among many others) has offered a testimonial on Costa Del Sol's training camps: http://www.sport-and-travel.com/feedback/index.shtml At least it made me laugh. There's a more brochure-friendly comment if you navigate to the professional football section of the site.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner!

We will rape this league.

There are no legal grounds to pursue an apology over an opinion or notion that can be proven to a reasonable degree. Lowe has been linked with the club both as an executive director and as the leader of a major shareholding block while on the outside looking in. Therefore it is fair to say he has been inextricably linked with the club, and as the club has indeed collapsed from top-tier consistency, he has also been inextricably linked with the club's collapse from top-tier consistency over the past five seasons. As far as I know, Lowe has only ever pursued apologies/corrections for libellous statements, which are obviously different from mere opining he mignt not like.

I was surprised to see his record there wasn't even worse. I'm pleased with the appointment, but the proof of the pudding will be in the eating as always. Also had a good laugh reading through the Charlton Life thread with Charlton fans slating (raping?) Pardew left, right, and centre. It's not too hard to sympathise, because we've had our share of useless managers. The same manager can be useless in one place and great in another though, we've seen that too.

Departing managers usually sign an NDA that lasts for three or four years. Stuart Gray's revelation after the expiry of his NDA was that he was sacked too hastily and that he didn't sign Delgado. The shock waves of Gray's revelations are still felt as you can see from the way we've plummeted through the leagues.

If it's a "pathetic attitude" to snub a manager based on his brand of football -- in Boothroyd's case route one -- pray tell, what is a fair and acceptable reason to oppose a manager. AFAIC, style of play is one of the more reasonable causes to be in favour or against a manager. Incidentally, people who favour Boothroyd should disqualify themselves from complaining about long ball. Not going to happen, of course.