UpweySaint

Yeah hold on calm it down. Dont think to presume my opinions on Pochetino in future scenarios. What happened when Big Sam left Bolton? A few season and they went down with a mass of debt, an aging side, no real youth prospects to speak of ... He did a good job at Bolton YES. But was it longterm? no, just look what happened when he left. Management is about more then just where the team is this season despite the short termism of many in the game. How about getting of your high horse and kindly shoving your condescending reply somewhere creative.

Fair but he gets more right then wrong. Utd have been so consistant for a reason. Wellbeck may, or may not, come good but Ferguson is one of the better judges of footballing talent around.

Allardyce clearly has his strengths and it would be foolish to argue otherwise but, for me, he's not a man for the long term. Deserves real credit for keeping Bolton and Blackburn up but never really progressed them as clubs (debatable Bolton did well but for me it was stopgap after stopgap with decent, but aging, pros) or brought through young talent. The man for a job certainly and perhaps with a strong backroom to help his shortfalls he could manage higher up, for sure he is a good motivator, has an eye for the occassional bargain and knows how to set out sides to pick up points. All this being said, even if wham finish above us, i'd rather have our lot then theirs. Longterm, even with the dodgy deal around the Olympic stadium, I'd fancy our prospects more.

Allardyce clearly has his strengths and it would be foolish to argue otherwise but, for me, he's not a man for the long term. Deserves real credit for keeping Bolton and Blackburn up but never really progressed them as clubs (debatable Bolton did well but for me it was stopgap after stopgap with decent, but aging, pros) or brought through young talent. The man for a job certainly and perhaps with a strong backroom to help his shortfalls he could manage higher up, for sure he is a good motivator, has an eye for the occassional bargain and knows how to set out sides to pick up points. All this being said, even if wham finish above us, i'd rather have our lot then theirs. Longterm, even with the dodgy deal around the Olympic stadium, I'd fancy our prospects more.

Fair play you'r only going on IFs but god I hope not! I honestly don't see the issue with proper red and white stripes. Quite liked some of the examples posted above, the retro adidas and strangely the nike in particular, and I feel that if pishing around is to be done it'd be best done with the away kit. That and when we have our triumphant march on Europe we could always have a "third" kit again. The red and white back about eight or ten years (im sure somebody will correct me!) was alrite for me.

I like it. The silver looks more "cutting edge" for the front of the programme etc and the original is spot on for the club's heritage. It is recognisable and, frankly, looks better then most! If it's not broke ...

Ferguson doesn't get too many wrong and Wellbeck has shown potential imo. Maybe he'l fulfill it, maybe he wont, not sure he's ready for england duty as is though.

Wellbeck has barely scored, Oscar has been v patchy, Hazard has been good but outshone by Mata by some way. Theo, Bale, Benteke and Morgan the candidates surely? Two ex saints, a saint and the beast that is Benteke.

True he has been impressive, actually took a villa fan to our home tie against them and he was the only positive for them. Strikers do tend to do well in awards but Morgan's stats dont lie If he doesnt win oh well, less media attention on our star player!

The quota is "under 23" and I should have included Benteke and Bale. I'd fancy Bale for the top gong and honestly think Morgan SHOULD get the young player award, unlikely though it may be!

Ok can anybody think of a young player in the league who has had a better season then Morgan? Any genuine competition for the grand young player award? I can only muster Walker and Wilshere though as past winners though neither have had great seasons ... Any of the Villa lot? If Sterling wins somebody needs to be shot!

Kind of summed it up really in the assumption that only those directly affected by the folding of the mining industry should care. Thats her legacy, the atomised individual with the "no such thing as society" rhetoric. Is it feeble to dislike the woman for supporting a brutal dictator or the continuation of apartheid in South Africa or her shoot to kill policy in NI? I'd suggest otherwise ...

Fair point politics isnt exactly black and white but I think plenty of people have called for Blair to face a war crimes tribunal and plenty of others having publically condemned Israel. Thatchers death is a focal point for her critics as it's recieved widespread media attention and, inevtiably, plenty of people had good reason to hate her. I think it has to be accepted that people are going to be passionate about this and her death, no matter how unfortunate, does not change what she did in her life. I'm all for letting her family have their peace and not going on a public jolly to celebrate her death but when people talk about state funerals, sliences and how people should show respect for her achievements I dont see a need to keep quiet.

She supported Pinochet, aprtheid South Africa and put millions of British people out of work for political and idealogical gain. This thread could probably do with being elsewhere or closed though I agree but I dont think you should try and whitewash what she did.

Errr she didn't exactly show respect to the many lives she ruined at home or abroad. Supporting a brutal dictator anyone? Nobody here is taunting her family or stomping on her flowers just expressing a wish to perhaps not be told we should be rather sad about such a person dying.

Nobody is advocating crashing her funeral with a marching band but plenty might not want to be seen to be happy to nod along paying respects to her after what she did.

What is the cut off for young player of the year age-wise? Either way im with the general sentiment, morgan and shaw, special mention for cork and srl.

Ok sarcasm hour is clearly in session but on a serious note a certain player has came out of retirement ... would cortese let him dajfu?

No of course fair point. I think spunking large ammounts of money on the 56,000 (or whatever it is) dream design straight away would not make financial sense but, from a balance of the figures banded around, somewhere around the figure I suggested seems affordable and viable. We would sell out the big games and hopefully it could allow the pricing to not face massive rises with supply not being able to satisfy demand. The point about Wigan I admit could have been stronger but I honestly feel that IF we continue to progress (the grand plan and all that!) then our fanbase will inevtiably grow and we will have less trouble selling out these games even with more seats (especially if prices are seen to be reasonable). I also maintain that having simply more around the stadium will increase footfall and our potential walk up numbers for the games that dont sell like hot cakes as well as making the area itself more vibrant. I know for every good example there's a bad (see wolves lovely expansion!) but if we look at Swansea, an arguably smaller club, they are expanding by 10k. They are trying to capitalise on their momentum and I think we should too especially with a need to have a solid income stream with ffp kicking in soon.

Its a fair point. I wouldn't take him (would've done the way he was playing two seasons ago) but dont see the need to go to town slagging you off for venturing a reasonable opinion. Not like you suggested pulling linvoy primus out of retirement and into out first XI!

Im not sure the walk up has much appeal. Ok the stadium is close to the city centre but it is still out of the way for most and, as has been discussed on other expansion threads, the area around the ground is rather sparse so simply walking up there on the off chance there are tickets available (lately it has been v rare to find two together due to the nature of people choosing there own seats) seems like a considerable waste of time. Throw in the fact that a large number of the fanbase aren't based in central southampton (i'm at a nearby university town myself) matchday walk up isnt really an option for many with travel to games requiring an element of planning. Either way my general impression is that 4 to 6,000 seats would do more good then harm for sure and would hopefully help to keep tickets reasonably priced and available (the categorised pricing structure hopefully should attract fans for the likes of wigan) while focus should be given, if possible of course, to developing the area surrounding the stadium.

nope. sell out i do believe.

I think it is fair to praise him, we've done well and the players seem happy under him. But we cannot seriously evaluate him until maybe the end of the calendar year. His players, his pre season, his tactics ... if we progress, well done great, if not ... im sure we'l all have our opinions about where to place the blame

Dowie.

Something had to change at Sunderland. Playing like a team without any fight or ideas. It may be the players fault but this time of year the only changeable component happens to be the manager ... they've essentially gambled and I cant say I blame them.