speed demon

Just proves though whether you agree with him or not, Cortese won't **** about. Think how tempting it maybe to lower the fee just to get rid which he could easily do but no, he will get the right money or he doesn't go. I personally really like that and support him in decisions even though some will no doubt be questionable. It is good to have SFC put first and not having our pants down by a stropping player and a tight club who won't pay the money.

IMO that is an excellent bit of business and whilst I'm sure he will make it to the very top, I would bit their hand of for £12 mil up front + £3m. As others have said it must surely establish us (if not already) as one of the best clubs in the country for youngsters and ww will hopefully be able to continue the chain of talent that we are clearly able do. Good luck Alex, Well done Nicola now lets do this thing!

We don't know the true financial implications for Saints. A bit like Jack Cork must have cost us £750k. The true cost could be substantially more with add ons etc. Also, how do we know that this sell on to the Tunisian club wouldn't have boosted the figure further or certainly increased the figures. If I was trying to sign a player or employ someone and they were pushing hard for me to pay their original club (not YB) or a company they had worked for previously, I would probably tell them to get ******. If I was Cortese I would feel (probably wrongly) that there were more concerned about the welfare of their old club than their new one and whilst I almost respect him to a degree because he is trying generate funds to that club after he is long gone, I am not interested in them. I'm interested in SFC and getting to the PL. As others have said the Gorkess/Puncheaon deal probably has a lot to do with it. If Adkins really wanted Jemar and the other deal was not in the background, I would suspect Cortese would be a bit more accomadating. But either way he can throw a tantrum somewhere else not here.

yeah I'd go Bale.

Shows what I ******* know, I was sure he wasn't coming. Good to be proven wrong though.

He aint coming. No proof of this but my feeling is that it has gone on for too long. On top of that we have actually had a bid accepted so assuming we have offered a good package to him he is either at worst not coming or at best is stalling to see if anything better comes along. I reckon he is praying for WHU to do the deal. I don't really like the idea of someone coming to us after weeks and weeks of dialogue/speculation only because he couldn't get the move that he wanted.

Exactly!

In my opinion FWIW I think that the comment is true. I wouldn't be supprised if Nicola has been given this season as his last to get us up. Not saying he will be sacked or removed but I think there may be a chance if we don't make it this season, the family will stop funding altogether or we may be sold as possibly work in progress. This contradicts the families comments about seeing the vision through but I would imagine the **** will hit the fan if we don't go up this time.

FWIW I think the funds are either still available or are going to be available again. I think the lack of activity over the summer was down to waiting for better players that for whatever reason are not here. I find it difficult to believe that the family would say they are going to see through the plan and then shut the money off. So overal I think we will get going again because as others have said they are a good group of players, they just need the right guidance which hopefully NA can deliver.

It could be that S****horpe are full of **** and whilst NC remains silent on ins and outs of his business, enough is enough. If it is not true what they are saying why shouldn't the OS set the record straight?

This is exactly the sort of thing that NC does himself no favours with. Hes identified his target, has agreed verbally the terms, tries to force NA to resign to avoid compensation for an employed guy on a 12 month rolling contract??? Is he ****ing mad??? I always support NC and will continue to do so but he never fails to amaze at how such an intelligent, succesful individual can act like such a plank.

Hope the man does well. He will have my full support even though he was nowhere near the top of the list for me. I'd like to think all Saints fans (whatever your reaction is to his appointment) will get behind our man and help him get the team winning again. Welcome to Saints Nigel.

Proabably game over like Adrian said. Those odds are seriously short and it really is starting to look like it is Adkins. Feel a bit gutted to be honest, I think I was getting to wrapped up in the hype on here and because of that feel a bit underwhelmed. Hopefully he'll get usmoving the right way, get a few wins and i'll think he was a quality appointment. I wasn't that excited when WGS came here....

I couldn't agree more, if I could wish for anyone it would be him. Can you imagine the buzz if it was announced KK was our man. I have never really been that confident that we come up this year but with him, I think that would be almost a formaility. FWIW I think it is more likely to be KK than Adkins. I don't know why but I am convinced it won't be Adkins. I think Cortese will want someone with a bit of clout, reputation behind them, I don't believe in this 'up and coming manager' approach that we might take. I'll look a prat when it is Adkins or Howe but thats my view.

FWIW I feel quite sure that it won't be Adkins. I think Cortese will go for a bigger name. I can't see Cortese sacking Pardew and replacing him with Adkins or Howe even though they are obviously good managers. I don't think MON will be the man although nothing would suprise me, a big enough wallet and clear long term planning for our future and it could happen. I think it could be Brown because I would imagine him being a bit of a creep and telling Cortese exactly what he wants to hear. Probably a bit of a yes man as well. With the couple of 'familiar face' rumours going about I have gut feeling that it could be WGS. Probably way off the mark like the other 10,000 rumours and opinions on here but that is what I think. What I also think is Nicola should hurry the **** up as the suspense is killing me.

Zola WGS Howe

Now that we are starting to talk about serious possibilities not like MON, does anyone else feel ****** off that we are not actually moving forward after Pardew. Howes, Adkins, Brown, Hart WTF!!!! No disrepect to them but FFS that to me is not moving forward or progression in anyway. I know there are probably better managers available but I would love it if Keegan was our man. The feel good factor would certainly be back - for how long is another question.