Belgiansaint

Logically but...

JP failed. Statistics speak for themselves. It was obvious he'd be sacked one day or another. But as posted earlier by many, it's not all his fault. I wouldn't blame for al our ills, Can't help feeling genuinely sorry for the man (the coach / manager we can debate to death).

Pity you can't spill the beans, FF, that would be fun.

At least be proud. Go down fighting.

Excellent, heartfelt post.

The man disgusted me on the spot.

Don't know if it's the right place to post, but anyway. I've had this on my chest for years. I lost all confidence in RL when Saints left The Dell. Remember he tried to sell the seats to the fans and wasn't allowed to by European legislation because the paint used to make the seats waterproof had been proved to be toxic - possibly cancerous - if kept in a confined environment (your kid's room, for example). I clearly remember reading on the OS back then that RL was furious against the "unelected Brussels' bureaucrats" (the most ridiculous criticism, by the way, as any european law has to be adopted by our elected governments but I won't go any§ further into that debate), while the legislation had in fact been vetted by the European Parliament - which happens to be the only democratically elected European body - at the express request of the industry involved. When you know the EP is the most "lobbied" place IN THE WORLD (Washington DC a distant second), this is not meaningless. Even UKIP - for which RL later unsuccessfully stood as a candidate -voted in favour of the legislation. I clearly remember this especially as I was working at the European Parliament at the time. I lost any sort of confidence in a man who deliberately lied and misused the wider pubic lack of factual information tu pursue his own personal agenda because he couldn't sell "souvenir seats" and have the fans forking out and promote his personal political agenda without putting people's health at risk.

Though he seems to be a genuinely likeable man, I fear for him his time is up.

God, or Lowe, knows

I don't blame JP as such. He probably knows more about football than most of us put together. But it just seems that the experiment has failed. Fair play to him he didn't get a squad fit for the requirements. The kids are just kids. You can't ask a young boy's body to repeat the physical performances of an adult's for over 25 games a season. They can't perform miracles. Their bodies haven't even fully developed FFS. For the sake of comparison, how long did it take Shearer or MLT to be the finished article? From what I've seen or heard (games on the web), I believe he would have cut it with last season's squad as his ideas and his approach of the game do seem sound. But now might be the time for a new manager, Sgt Major like, though I fear he wouldn't fare much better. "You can't win anything with kids" has been proved wrong. "you can survive with talented kids only" is being proved wrong. Wrong vision, wrong strategy. Don't put the blame on the nippers. I'm sure they're giving their all. They have been asked to run before they knew how to walk. What you can't do, you can't. I feel so sorry tonight.

Just getting back home after a lovely afternoon. Dear me!

When he was a manager at Wolves, Dave Jones came over to Belgium to watch a Wolves player on loan at my local club. I was then writing a column for the match programme and as I speak English I was asked to serve as an interpreter for DJ. Had a beer and a bit of Saints' chat with him after the game. Very dry sense of humour and a rather pleasant man.

This post is top drawer and SB is a tool.

A bit of optimism: let's imagine Saints avoid the drop. Would it earn JP the right to manage the team for a second season, just as we all (well, nearly all) thought NP should have been given a new contract after keeping us in the CCC? Genuine question with all the revolutionary set-up claptrap aside.

Time to bring back Fitz Hall. Saeijs - Fitz Hall. OK I'll get me coat

3 vital points. A much needed relief. We can talk about football for the next 6 hours.

As I don't pray, I'll keep my fingers crossed.

I threw the idea about in another post. Count me in for that with a small amount of cash.

Is the fact board members were non Saints fans that relevant? I mean they could have had the company's and "customers'" interests at heart and do their job properly. Being a fan and being an honest and careful board member don't necessarily go hand in hand, do they? What seems more important to me is that apparently they were in there to line their pockets, especially the Wilde execs if I understood the other threads right.

Don't you think Saints fans are sick and tired of all the bickering / open warfare taking place among board members and what's more important, among fans? The fan base is real, it's there home and abroad. You don't have to think big, you have to think about not being a plc, you have to think about enjoying yourself watching a football team, albeit a small one, but one that's yours to care about and one that deserves getting involved with at your own small level.

Just a consideration after reading all the very interesting (though depressing) administration / football disaster etc. posts. Non-plastic Man U fans did it, Liverpool fans did it and others fans did it with reasonable success and, most of all, enjoyment and pride. Albeit for different reasons, why not set up a totally new structure? A real footy club, even at the lowest (no pun intended) level? Even from abroad, if it means starting afresh with a truly Southampton side, I'd be more than happy to put my hand in my pocket (no sugar daddy before anyone comes up with that! lol). Imagine a club we all can unite for, red & white stripes to be proud of for ourselves, OUR Saints. The pride of Southampton.

Absolutely brilliant! This deserves golden post status!

Then again my question: does it relate solely to business (I do what's good for the company and all that goes with that in terms of cost-cutting, etc.) or does he also get involved in football matters (I know I'm the better than anyone at making decisions concerning the football team and the rest of the world can **** off, because I am right)? Do people who got to know him a bit have an opinion on that? If, and that's a big IF, I suppose any incoming chairman, bar sugar daddy but let's stay in the real world, would have his hands tied anyway. If, footballwise he were the sort of down-to-earth guy who knows he knows nowt and lets that side of things in capable hands, then why not consider him. I don't know him so I'm neither for, nor against. Just asking.

So he got his "international clearance" then. You couldn't make it up, really.

Perhaps he's got a less superinflated ego and he might be prepared to listen to people who know something about football? Just a thought.