Lord Duckhunter

This is what I've been trying to say. It seems to go wrong because either the DoF really wants the top job and interferes, dont forget Redknapp started as the Skates DoF. Or the owner/CEO interferes (Lowe). John Rudge does a great job alongside Tony Pulis, so it can work.

The problem with Redknapp was he was the right person at the wrong time. I still believe we should have appointed him instaed of Branfoot,he'd done a great job at Boscombe and could handle big players, like Lawrie did. He'd have kept Jimmy Case and got Matty playing. The other benefit is the Skates would proberly have stayed grubbing along in the lower leagues.It was before he went to West Ham, we should have taken him.

Where was Bally going before he came back. He was a bit of a Managerial joke, but it fitted us and he lifted the place. Shearer will put 5,000 on the gate and unite the support.

Everyone knows who Bobby Charlton is, but players in their 20's and early 30's will respect Shearer as soon as he enters the dressing room.

I thought the club did make a statement, it was made on the day of his sacking. I can't remember the exact wording but it was along the lines of "after a review, we made this decision to bring the First Team and the Football Development & Support Centre tohether as integrated, co-operative units.". Pardew obviously didn't fit in with that or agree with that, but that was the reason given.Surely the debate should be about why pardew couldn't be part of that, or why he was unwilling to be part of that. But whether we like it or not that was the statement given. Why are people calling for another statement?

Have we got the players to get out of this league, yes. Do you need a tactical genius to get out of this league,no The whole club needs a lift, but can KK supply that lift to players who are too young to remember exactly what a big name player he was. There is one big name who could gain instant respect and will lift the Club having been a Saints legend. Step forward Alan Shearer. Course he'll end up at Newcastle, but if he gets us out of this poxy league, then we can attarct a bigger name in the Championship.

They won it with Marco Branca as sporting Director and JM as head coach.

Where have I ever said that someone comes to Mourinho and says we will/wont buy this player? The set up is ex Footballer Pardeza is Sporting director and Mourinho head coach, how's that differant from ex footballer Coppell and Eddie Howe fulfilling the exact same roles?

Ex Spainish footballer Miguel Pardeza is Sporting director at Real, with Mourinho as head coach. It was the same at Inter with Marco Branco another ex footballer filing the role with Mourinho again as head coach.Why is it that as soon as someone is given the title "Head Coach" then all the "it doesn't work in England" posts come out. What is wrong with Steve Coppell/Dario Gradi as Sporting director with Eddie Howe/Nigel Adkins as Head Coach? It's exactly the same as Pardeza and Mourinho's set up.

Lambert's poor form also highlights the stupidity of Barnard getting himself sent off in a meaningless game on Tuesday.

I said a Sporting Director or DoF, not the Academy head, which again is a completely seperate job.This is what I wrote "I would be quite happy with a senior football man running the whole show" It works abroad, both Hodgson and Mourinho will have worked under a Sporting director, in fact so will have Bobby Robson.The English failure to this postion is down to Chairman, which was Lowe's problem with it, interfering or the "Sporting Director" wanting to run the whole show.Abroad The Manager runs the first team and the Sporting Director runs the rest of the football side of things.Andoni Zubizarreta won 125 caps for Spain, he is now DoF ar Barcelona, his position is no threat to Pep Guardiola and was not appointed by him.Yet you claim no decent Manager will work under this system.

I dont believe it, sacked Manager not mentioned in programme, bet that's a first.

I thought the Skates were a shoe in for the "deluded supporters of the year award", but I think we're mounting a late challange.

Lets hope he does better than Cloughie at Brighton.

I dont really want him to get the job anyway, cause my Mrs fancys him. She'll start wanting to come to games and it'll mess up my pre game drinking regime.

The next premier League job that comes up ONeil will be linked with it, even if it's Man Utd . If Capello goes, O Neil will be linked with it. If Lennon fails at Celtic, O neil will be linked with it.Are people seriously trying to say that he'll drop down and manage in League 1, I doubt if he'd even manage in the Championship, let alone League 1. I hope I'm wrong, I really do, but I just dont buy it.He left Villa becasue the owner wouldn't push the boat out to break into the top four, it looks like we're not pushing the boat out to get an auto place in League 1, yet he's "interested".

As a manager, perhaps he'd be interested in an upstairs job, he's certainly bright enough. John Rudge has quietly gone about it at Stoke. At least we'd know he wasn't interested in the First team job himself, which I believe has been the downfall of most DoF's.

I'm going to go out on a limb here, but I feel this approach is the right one to take. I'm not saying Reed is the right man for the role, or Brown (or whoever) the right coach, but I feel this approach is the right way forward for the 21st century.I would be quite happy with a senior football man running the whole show, with a coach running the first team. The problem in the past is young players devolopment was hindered by constant changes to the structure of the Club. Managers brought their mates in to run the youth teams and differant Managers had differant tactics. A Sporting Director of DoF, will ensure that the change in first team coach, does not mean a complete and utter upheaval. The hardest part is getting the top man right and making sure that he makes the football decisions, not Lowe or NC. One of the main reasons the DoF hasn't worked here is that the DoF's have always been Managers who secretly want the top job, whether it be Redknapp at Skates or even Woodward for us.Abroad the Sporting Directors role is a completely seperate one from the Manager and specialists in that role generally stick to that role. Perhaps someone like Steve Coppell or Dario Gradi could fullfil the role.

If we approach a Manager who already has a job, we will have sounded him out before any "offical" approach.That's the way these things work, otherwise we could be making offical approachs to Boscombe, Scunny, Doncaster and be turned down by all 3 managers. Do you really think NC will let himself look that stupid?

Clubs dont make approach's out of thin air. The Manager approached would have made the Club aware he was interested, either via his agent or a third party, if he's not interested then an approach wont be made. Most of the time the offical approach is the last thing, with money and length of contract pretty much sorted. The only thing that scuppers the deal is compo for the existing Club.He wont have been interviewed without Boscombe knowing, but if Saints did want him, he'd have been sounded out by now. If that's the case he's hardly likely to let Solant know.

I thought he was asked if there had been an "offical" approach, but my lad was making a noise in the back of the car, so didn't hear 100%. The way these things work is he's sounded out and then an approach is made to boscombe. If he's been sounded out, he's hardly likely to confirm it on radio.

Sorry but I dont buy all this secret stuff. Is this Manager who "knows the game" sitting by the phone in ****shire going to turn down the job on the basis that someone posted his name on a fans forum. Is NC going to withdraw a job offer or not make that call, because his name was leaked on a forum? I can just see it now. "Sorry Nicola, but I saw my name mentioned on a fans forum, so I dont want the job any more".. If people know something, then post it. If you dont want to post it, then keep it to yourself.That should be a new rule on this forum.

Come on!!!!! "One of the greatest Managers of all time", Bobby Robson, do me a favour.

Choosing a new manager is always a tough one, who'd have thought Holloway would have taken Blackpool up after his spell at Leicester. Same with Phil Brown, failure at Derby yet took Hull up, and kept them there.Personally I'm always weary of people like Curbs who have been out of the game a while, they seem to lose their hunger. George Graham was another one who just seemed to drift into a media career, without exactly retiring. I cant think of an example of a guy whose done well after this happens. Who is advising NC on his appointment, that's really important in my opinion. Fergie advised Preston to take Moyes and has championed good up and coming young Managers over the years. I also read that Don Revie advised the Saints board to take Lawrie Mac, who was hardly a big name.I just feel most supporters and Chairman become a bit star struck and have to have a big name nowadays. Harry Redknapp was a big name who looked perfect for a relegation battle and look what happened.I would like us to find our own David Moyes, our own Eddie Howe or Nigel Adkins.The most important thing in taking a step up is being able to deal with bigger players and bigger expectations and this is where people in the game play a big part. Can Eddie Howe step up and handle that, nobody on a forum will know, people in the game will. Because of our crazy last 15 years, we've no old heads around the club, no football people to advise and help NC, and what contacts has he got in the game.The past 10 years John Rudge has been behind the scenes at Stoke,we have no such figure, we just seem to have a constant stream of advisors and Les Read type people who come and go (Dave Merrington would have been ideal).If Merrington was in this role, he'd know from various contacts whether Howe was ready for an upward step or whether he's now at his level, he'd know whether Adkins could do a Jose, from Physio to top flight Manager or whether he just suits Scunny and would be lost elsewhere.Don Revie must have seen something in Lawrie, and the more high profile players he managed the better he got, the more expectations went up the better he got. I would love to see an Adkins, Howe or O'Driscoll take over, but they could be a complete disaster.If we want promotion this season NC should get on the phone and tap Billy Davis up,Forset aren't going anywhere this year, and there's stuff going on behind the scenes (although there always is with Davis). Let's get out of this poxy league and I've no doubt he'd manage it. Had he taken over instead of Pardew, I've no doubt we'd have made the play offs last season, and would do a Leicester this. It will end up in tears(it always does with Davis), but they'll be tears in the Championship.

You couldn't make it up. According to the Pakistani's it was all a set up They've now sent in some replacements, a bloke banned for drug taking and another convicted ball tamperer.