Belgiansaint

I would tend to agree with you if you replace the word "new" by the word "experienced". As for the manager / coach, I won't go into JP bashing but if he were to be sacked, I'd go for someone who, even at Div. 1 level, has an experience of winning he could pass on to the team. I stand to be corrected, but it seems to me Dowie has failed (owing to various circumstances) to do that at his previous clubs, however knowledgeable he may be.

Having not seen any game, this is by no way meant to defend JP, his tactics or man management skills, but a thought occurred to me: to what extent was he aware of what he was in for? I mean, we he was hired he might have been told he'd have to work on a tight budget, but with a squad comprising a relative mix of experienced players and homegrown youngsters, which per se is not a totally bad idea and he might have developed an idea of how he wanted the side to play. Instead, most of the experienced players have been loaned out/sold (not mentioning the Killer case) and even more nippers have been brought in, which is a totally different basis to work on and he now finds himself in a situation where he has to defend and try to protect unexperienced and, from what I read on here, largely un-CCC-worthy boys probably incapable as yet to put into practice what he initially had in mind. Many a manager would feel uncomfortable with this, I think. So once again I'm not discussing his (in)abilities or the fact he's clueless and out his depth, but I wonder to what extent he was fully and honestly informed about the situation he would have to face and the squad he'd have to make do with. Which brings us back to arrogant Rupert "Know-it-all" Lowe and the way he is orchestrating the downfall of Southampton Football Club with an ego probably as inflated as any pornstar tits. That JP and his players lack experience at this level is there for all to see, they make unbelievable mistakes but in the end the buck has to stop with Lowe.

In today's Guardian. Interesting read, I thought http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/jan/03/southampton-fa-cup-lawrie-mcmenemy

Could this be a case of burn after reading? OK, I'll get my coat.

too good to go down... heard that so many times already. I'm scared.

It's not being negative, really, on my part at least. From what I've seen from Saints this season on the web it was decent, rather enjoyable footy, it really was. Up until the final third of the pitch. It hurts. For all the effort we score little and concede easy goals, so it's no rocket science we're boud to lose more games tha we'll win. The nippers can't be faulted for their commitment. But just look at the table, just look at he finances and just look at the prospects of our best players leaving soon. Like everyone here I'll remain hopeful until and if we avoid the drop. But let's face it, it'll be yet another Great Escape. It's not being negative, it's being realistic/pessismistic on the face of facts.

Two birds with a stone?

works on live-footy for me. sort of (long buffering time)

No matter how much he earned, with a player of Matty's class, Saints would be in the Prem with Prem attendances, Prem money and Prem players on Prem wages and they wouldn't be in this mess.

Equaliser by Surman!

Lowe letter from myself to myself

288th signature

Lowe's version of crowd trouble?

For health or professional reasons, any muslim may get a dispensation from their local imam. They just fast at another time of the year or at another rythm.

Oops! Can't remember of which stadium (Spain or Portugal, I think, I stand to be corrected), but I remember seeing a series of "japanese" flags with "minor" club legends lined up outside the main stand. So we'd have Teb Bates no-longer-ridicuoous statue plus a portraits gallery

Can't remember of which stadium (Spain or Portugal, I think, but I st

Shilton anyone?

Dear oh dear! Cracked up!

What does the honoulable gentleman mean?

Saints only do night clubs.

The Dutch can be pretty arrogant, but the plus side is that they fear no-one.

The more I read/hear from him, the more I like it. Think Saints might have found the right man to get them out of this predicament if given enough time. But that means really long term.

Especially as KK never played for Bayern Munich. He played a couple of miles up the road though, a place called Hamburg.

Fantastic result!

Though not a regular poster, I will contribute my £ 5.