Gambol2K9

Whoever we get in needs to be a strong character, it's going to be a tough job keeping that team together and getting them stabilised and motivated for next season.

I know for a fact that Katharina has really enjoyed being at the club and has got far more involved than she ever thought she would. Ralph is apparently thought of as a bit too 'nice' for football by some of the staff

I was as surprised as you but a friend of mine knows him in a professional capacity and he said his goodbyes on thursday. She knows nothing about football so assumed it was common knowledge. A seperate friend of mine that works at the club told me last week that 3 players were keen on a move to a bigger club. Couldn't say anymore for obvious reasons, although accidentally slipped and gave away Shaw. I assume the other is Lallana and now I guess Lovren too. Would be a disaster.

It's Lallana, Shaw and Lovren that are keen to go. Lovrens been saying goodbyes to friends so he clearly expects to be off.

I've heard this too from a source inside the club. Whether it's true or not, it's certainly what Katherina believes.

The clubs ambition is 6th - 8th. The talk of champions league left with Cortese. Katharina won't be spending silly money to get us to that next level, I think our expectations will need to change, we prob will be a club that sells it's best players again

For once in my life I am a bit ITK on this one and I know that Shaw and Lallana are both open to moves to bigger clubs. Shaws the more keen to move to a big club, whereas Lallana wants to get a feel for where the clubs ambition lies before making a decision. Pochettino staying or going isn't the main factor in their decisions. Will be an interesting summer. I'm fully aware how this forum works and that I'll get countless **** for claiming i have insider knowledge, believe it or not but it has come from a big source inside the club. This is the first time I've been passed along a bit of info, prob won't be much more. I'm not particularly concerned whether anyone believes it or not.

Well yes, they're a huge player in the financial market.

Exactly this, brilliant post.

It was much better than it is today, the country has taken huge backwards leaps.

Hangings too good for him...

Look at Spurs as a better example then, it wasn't that long ago they were in the relegation zone under Ramos and looking done for

It wasn't long ago that Man City managed it.

My biggest fear would be losing Pochettino. Would the current board know where to start with looking for a new manager?

This sadly. Lad needs to disappear and sort his head out, No use to us or anyone else right now.

You're right, if you're not interested in football then there would be no reason to invest in a football club, it's not a profitable business.

Jesus wept....

This to me would be a dream scenario. I'd always be sceptical of a rich foreign owner, especially from the east, however with Cortese at the helm at least I have confidence that he would look after our interests and wouldn't bend to an owners unreasonable demands. Regardless of what people think of him (and I understand why people have taken issue with him), sometimes you appreciate having an asshole in your corner!

All I'd say is to look at her previous track record and what happened to the company Markus bought after us and saved purely out of his own passion. 50% redundancies later it's heading down the pan with the management quoted as saying "she's never here, she's not involved, she's not interested"

You really think it's no great loss? Cortese had sold his vision to everybody involved in the club and was leading us up and up. You're genuinely happy that a woman with questionable business knowledge and zero experience/interest in football is at the helm?

We haven't just lost a businessman, we've lost the whole vision and philosophy of our club moving forward. Cortese built that and the staff and players bought into it, whatever you say about him he was inspirational to them. We now have a woman in charge who doesn't know a thing about football, it's not a regular business. Do you trust her to make a good appointment in chief exec to drive a football club forward? If Poch goes and a couple of players leave then we have a disaster on our hands.

This doesn't add up to me. I always had the feeling that Cortese saw Katharina as an irritant and wanted her to sell the club as he'd be able to put a consortium together to buy.

I've long predicted the second coming of our saviour and true ruler, Lord Lowe. Maybe this is a sign?

Isgrove featured at the start of the season but i'm surprised we haven't seen more of him

Wanyama will be key to us beating Arsenal. If he plays well we have every chance, as good a footballing side as they are, they struggle when their midfield is relentless pressured and wrestled off the ball.