Dynamo Naive

My Tottenham supporting neighbour has been certain that Shaw is off to Spurs for weeks, to the extent that we have got a cash bet on whether it happens or not. Got to say I am not quite as confident as when I made the bet last month.

No, b*ll**ks, if he hasn't got undying loyalty to a club he hadn't heard of six months ago and isn't prepared to put Saints ahead of his career and family he can do one

Can somebody point me in the direction of this "exclusive quote". As far as I can see nobody has gone on the record from either side, which is why we've got 14 pages of speculation on this thread. FWIW I my gut feeling is that NC wants to spend big bucks in the July window and the Trust are trying to reign him in a bit. Hopefully they can agree a compromise before the end of June.

I played in a five-a-side tournament at Fulham's Motspur Park training ground when Kevin was working there. Really nice bloke, loved talking about his time at Saints and was very amused that there was a poster on here called Not THE Kevin Moore.

Not being melodramatic and not saying Cortese is evil - just a ruthless b*****d. And narrative structure is for works of fiction whereas this is real life, and I don't think MP will save the day so much as get us relegated to the Championship. Is it romantic and melodramatic to expect NA to be given the chance to at least finish one season in the PL. He was clearly showing signs that he and the team were getting to grips with the division, and I think he deserved a chance based on everything he has achieved at Saints to date.

********, if you can't get emotional about football what's the point of supporting a team? We have always had a reputation for being a classy, friendly club that did things the right way. Today we look like we have joined the crazy circus of modern football and waved goodbye to the last traces of the "old Southampton". Adkins has done a fantastic job here, he was learning fast about life in the PL and gradually turning things around, and he has been treated shabbily. He, and we as fans, deserve better from the club. NC has proven once and for all today that he doesn't give a flying f**k what the fanbase thinks.

First game against Arsenal, lost 6-1, next game, drew 1-1 (and should probably have won) First game against Chelsea, lost 5-1, next game drew 2-2 If a deadweight manager is one who learns quickly from his mistakes and addresses issues so effectively that he can produce improvements like this, I hope he is hanging round our necks for a few more seasons yet.

Einstein's definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. If and when NA gets the boot I reckon his replacement will be from the continent - would be amazed if it was Redknapp. Would also not be surprised to see Reed as caretaker for a while if NC pulls the trigger.

So much conjecture on this board it's getting ridiculous - you have used the words "seems" five times. You are guessing. One thing we do know is that Cortese plays his cards close to his chest, and there is little point trying to second guess him. If Reed is solely responsible for the signings and they are not up to scratch I am sure Cortese will have taken notice. I don't think he is the sort of bloke to let favouritism affect the way he runs the club.

What planet are you on? They were both very good today, Davis worked his socks off and Schneiderlin gives much needed protection to a shaky back four. If Ramirez was there to add the creativity we lacked I think we would have won comfortably. As it was we should have been two or three up by half time, and as others have said, NA's substitutions were mystifying.

Still makes me chuckle to think of Jaidi playing for the U21s. Maybe he was a Feb 29 baby?

I can't stand him either but let's not forget that negro is the Spanish word for black.

But it's autumny now

is one Cardiff site's description of Lallana, which made me laugh. Also described him as "the brightest talent currently plying his trade outside the Premier League" http://bluebirdsbanter.co.uk/2011/09/beware-adam-lallana.html

Hope it's not Shots as they are my second team – would like to see them get a big payday against a Prem club. And Pulis not exactly setting the world on fire at the Rec. Got a foot injury at the moment, but not a starter even when fit.

I'm not going to judge him until I've seen him play for Saints. 200+ Championship starts at 25, he can't be that bad. NA obviously thinks a move and a fresh start may bring out the best in him.

I got 16/1 to win the league after the Leeds game. Best you can get this morning is 15/2.

Seems a more realistic price than the figures being bandied about for J-Rod. http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/football/football-league/championship/9893/1/southampton-ready-rival-portsmouth-norwegian-striker

You aren't far wrong with that remark: http://www.reading.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=216311

Oh, I get it. He will probably get a b*ll*cking from Cortese for not going in disguise, in that case.

What secrecy would that be mate? He was walking around and chatted to several Saints fans who were there to get their football fix. No wig, no false beard. And I said he "may" have been there to watch Morgan, but there were 21 other players on the pitch. And as he worked with Shots manager Kevin Dillon at Reading, he may have just been there to support a mate.

AP was at Aldershot yesterday –*may have been watching the Shots' Marvin Morgan. Tall awkward striker, a real handful, and had a good game yesterday.

Not entirely sure what you mean. "Greed" isn't a currency. Most of our star players were signed using ML's money. I realise that the club has to become self-sufficient and not rely on him to fund more signings, and that clearly involves finding new revenue streams. But if we can afford to forego a shirt sponsor for a season, then things clearly aren't so bad that we need to try and wring a few extra quid from selling photographs. It's a self-defeating and disappointing move in my view.

Hear, hear. Like reputation, principles, community, family – all the things which Saints used to be recognised and admired for. It may not matter to you, but I don't like the fact that my club, which is already being referred to as "the Man City of League 1", (and that's not said as a compliment) is going to become synonymous with greed, ruthless business practices and relating everything to the bottom line. I admire a lot of what Cortese has done, and disagree with some of it, but this is bad news. To ban the local and national press from entering the stadium is arrogant and akin to shooting ourselves in the foot. The club's reputation will suffer at best, and Cortese (and by extension the club) will become hate figures for the media at worst.

It's not a sound idea at all, it's ridiculous and it makes the club look petty and grasping. It will result in less media coverage of Saints for the right reasons, ie what happens on the pitch, and more negative coverage of the club. The club might be able to throw its weight around with The Echo, but do you really think the nationals and agencies are going to meekly put up with this?