Daily Mail: "Pardew faces Saints axe"

[eelpie]

If AP goes , some of his best signings might be lured to another club. There is always a turnover of players when new managers arrive, and this has been our downfall in the past.

No this is not the time. The job has only just begun. And wasn't it Cortese who denied AP the signing of the likes of Danns (and was Elliot another rumoured signing?) Cortese backed AP up with Lambert and other additions, but should not have stopped short of improving the midfield position. That probably cost us a play-off position.

 

We must strengthen the squad as it is, not waste money changing managers and having to start rebuilding all over again.

 

So lets hear a denial statement now, Nicola. In AP we trust.

[beatlesaint]

The funny thing about the "Saints decline to comment" bit on the Echo website is that the story was put up at 8.26am..............

 

So, who the hell was at St Marys at that time of morning to comment then ?

[dune]

I thought this was serious until I saw it was the Mail and now picked up by the Echo.

 

In all probability it's an Echo story fed to the Daily Mail and then printed in the Echo so they can't be accused of being the originators of the story.

[chrisobee]

The funny thing about the "Saints decline to comment" bit on the Echo website is that the story was put up at 8.26am..............

 

So, who the hell was at St Marys at that time of morning to comment then ?

 

Pardew late for work shocker, sack him !!

[dune]

The funny thing about the "Saints decline to comment" bit on the Echo website is that the story was put up at 8.26am..............

 

So, who the hell was at St Marys at that time of morning to comment then ?

 

See my last post. It's pretty obvious it's an Echo story.

[Badger]

110% agreed. If NC is as serious about pushing for the Prem as he makes out then we should be focussed on the club's progress, not answering a shoddy journalists story. When we sign 3-4 top new players in the summer, see the training ground improvements and refurbish the Stadium, then perhaps we might permit The Mail et al to comment on the great things happening at Saints.

 

Understand your point but disagree with you and original person who made this point.A firm statement from the club would put this to rest and confirm stability - for the forseeable future at least - and allow the club to build over the summer without this hanging over us.This 'story' has been around too long already.

 

If nothing is said then it gathers momentum.Remember the WGS to Leeds issue and how that took off.A simple statement from Lowe and better still WGS would have culled that,had they had the will to do so.

 

I'd quite like a high profile Italian manager. Not a young manager, but an older experienced Italian manager as is the style in Italy. I reckon this would be the perfect scenario for Nicola and the club.

 

Not at this level.In the Prem perhaps but I remain of the view someone needs to know the lower leagues in L1.

 

I just saw Mark Hughes at SMS

 

I know you are joking but as he is one of my least favourite players who played at Saints I would not want him here.

[The Godfather]

sounds like old news re-printed = cheap reporting.

[mikee]

Why do people think it's unreasonable for the chairman of a company to be reviewing his management team? He may well come to the conclusion that Pardew is the best man for the job but for him not to be considering all his options would be a dereliction of his duties.

 

Surely it's reasonable that Cortese is looking at his managerial options, if that is indeed the case?

 

It is only reasonable if his contract is about to end. Otherwise he should be focusing on getting the best out of the manager who is contracted, rather than trying to undermine him with a lack of public support.

 

Even those of us on a normal employment contract (30 days notice) would be ****ed off is our boss was always looking at others who could come in and do a better job. You only do this if the incumbent's performance is not acceptable - and anyone who thinks Pardew peformance is not acceptable can only have some axe to grind with him.

 

A crappy article in a crappy paper and the usual suspects - trousers, dune, alpine, TDD and Glasgow notsaint - are right back on their bandwagon.

 

Not one of you thinks that Cortese would be unreasonable if he were to do this which shows what a small minority you are.

 

I am enjoying my football again for the first time in years but would be severely disappointed if we end up having replaced one meglomaniac with another.

[Saints foreva]

I am not Pardew's biggest fan, but he deserves at least until January 2011. He has done a decent enough job this season.

 

I think we need to make our feelings heard on Saturday.

[doddisalegend]

It is only reasonable if his contract is about to end. Otherwise he should be focusing on getting the best out of the manager who is contracted, rather than trying to undermine him with a lack of public support.

 

Even those of us on a normal employment contract (30 days notice) would be ****ed off is our boss was always looking at others who could come in and do a better job. You only do this if the incumbent's performance is not acceptable - and anyone who thinks Pardew peformance is not acceptable can only have some axe to grind with him.

 

A crappy article in a crappy paper and the usual suspects - trousers, dune, alpine, TDD and Glasgow notsaint - are right back on their bandwagon.

 

Not one of you thinks that Cortese would be unreasonable if he were to do this which shows what a small minority you are.

 

I am enjoying my football again for the first time in years but would be severely disappointed if we end up having replaced one meglomaniac with another.

 

In fairness he hasn't posted on this thread, but now you've mentioned him I'm sure he'll be along to give you some ****.

[Alain Perrin]

In fairness I'd welcome a Dodd / Gorman dream back over Pardew any day of the week.

[hughieslastminutegoal]

I am not Pardew's biggest fan, but he deserves at least until January 2011. He has done a decent enough job this season.

 

I think we need to make our feelings heard on Saturday.

 

If NC has any doubts he should do it now , not when we are more than half way through the season, and the horse has probably bolted. Does anyone really want more than 2 seasons in L1?

[doddisalegend]

In fairness I'd welcome a Dodd / Gorman dream back over Pardew any day of the week.

 

Dodd was great player for our club but is complete crap as a manager, so it goes with many good players.

[paris]

I've just e mailed SFC letting them know that we need to start next season with AP as our manager ..

 

sfc@saintsfc.co.uk

[AlfredKo]

Unless we have a much better manager line-up for us, otherwise Pardew is easily the best manager in this division.

[patred44]

Just after the JPT Final, I was told that we were sounding out Mark Hughes.

I laughed then, I'm not laughing now.

 

I find it very disturbing that we could even consider replacing Pardew if he wants to stay.

 

But as I've said before, I am not confident that Alan wants to stay, and I certainly don't want a power struggle between him and Cortese blotting our chances for next season.

 

So this needs sorting NOW...

[Saints foreva]

Unless we have a much better manager line-up for us, otherwise Pardew is easily the best manager in this division.

 

Nope, Lambert/Jacket are better imo. Maybe even Grayson.

 

Anyway from one of the articals:

 

Cortese went public with his criticism of Pardew in March and the ill-feeling has not been eased.

 

I don't really remember any criticsm of Pardew in March? I remember him saying how results have been disappointing but he also said that he had a good relationship with Pardew didn't he?

[Legod Third Coming]

Mark Hughes? What's his record of getting clubs promoted?

 

We missed out on promotion by a gnat's whisker because of two clowns:

 

Lowe and Falco

 

Let's not start another f u c k i n g circus eh?

[chrisobee]

 

Let's not start another f u c k i n g circus eh?

 

Well finding the clowns wouldn't be a problem !!

[alpine_saint]

It is only reasonable if his contract is about to end. Otherwise he should be focusing on getting the best out of the manager who is contracted, rather than trying to undermine him with a lack of public support.

 

Even those of us on a normal employment contract (30 days notice) would be ****ed off is our boss was always looking at others who could come in and do a better job. You only do this if the incumbent's performance is not acceptable - and anyone who thinks Pardew peformance is not acceptable can only have some axe to grind with him.

 

A crappy article in a crappy paper and the usual suspects - trousers, dune, alpine, TDD and Glasgow notsaint - are right back on their bandwagon.

 

Not one of you thinks that Cortese would be unreasonable if he were to do this which shows what a small minority you are.

 

I am enjoying my football again for the first time in years but would be severely disappointed if we end up having replaced one meglomaniac with another.

 

What bandwagon is that, then ?

 

I suggest you avoid threads like this if the spectacle of discussion, debate and different opinions is so tough for your delicate eyes to read.

[alpine_saint]

I've just e mailed SFC letting them know that we need to start next season with AP as our manager ..

 

sfc@saintsfc.co.uk

 

I bet NC is sat there absolutely sh*tting himself at your e-mail...

[carljack]

Losing AP would be a disaster because we'd probably lose Lallana & Lambert too

 

Once football knows Cortese is trigger happy, every manager would be under pressure from day 1

 

The history books show that Chairman who act in this way invariably take football clubs backwards

 

Spot on Hunt,s,when will this Club of ours learn that our Golden Years were built on a stable managerial foundation,if he goes how many will that be in the last ten seasons? FFS

 

SAINT TILL I DIE!

[Katalinic]

The thing that worries me is the Pardew to Celtic link in conjunction with this. Remember when Bally went to Man City "because Southampton didn't want to keep me enough"? Similarities here perhaps.

[View From The Top]

Still, some exiles and coffin dodgers will be delighted at the prospect of Pardew going.

[S-Clarke]

i believe this is re-hashed news, from when we had drawn with the likes of Exeter and Brentford. (and we were 16 or so pts off the playoffs and looking like finishing mid-table)

 

Nicola wanted us to push for the playoffs, and end within 10pts of the playoffs. we look like doing that, and more. He said we were too far away from the likes of Leeds - well potentially we could also be within 10pts of them.

 

if the last 2 months have not convinced Nicola, then he will never be convinced.

[L1Minus10]

Mail + Echo = B O L L O C K S !!!!

[Kingsland Red]

In fairness I'd welcome a Dodd / Gorman dream back over Pardew any day of the week.

 

How can you ignore the Wise / Bassett combo ?

[.comsaint]

A load of old cobblers that story. Pards will be here next season - albeit under the understanding that nothing other than automatic promotion will do. The boardroom (of course) will settle for nothing less - and neither should they. No matter who comes down from the CCC- or who comes up from L2 - we must aim for the top 2.

[wild-saint]

Why ?

 

I was behind AP this season and will be behind him next season. I have simply questioned some of the things he has done, expressed my frustration at some performances and results, and questioned how NC sees things.

 

My call to support next seasons manager is perfectly reasonable.

 

You have been behind him all season? **** me I wouyld hate to see what you would be like on here with a manager you werent behind. I suspect the voodoo dolls would come out

[DT]

Or - Pardew off to West Ham and Cortese rings around to destabiliise/not lose face...?

[Colinjb]

Would be massively dissapointed if this is true.

 

It may be Marcus' money, but i've had the time of my life following Pardew's team.

 

Just hope it is, as suggested by many, to be utter rubbish

[Charlie Wayman]

Of course the Mail story is not a complete fabrication based on a whim. Week-in, week-out we never get a mention in the rag so you have to ask yourself why now? We really are not that interesting to Fleet Street so there must be some reason why they'd waste column inches writing about an also-ran Third Division team unless they have been fed something sensational with a promise of more to come.

 

Pardew always says the right things and has been pretty adept at getting fans onside - witness his "I'm Southampton through and through... " comment on BBC 1 last Sunday during the (so-called) football match between two anonymous Second Division teams scrapping to hold on to their place in that division.

 

BUT he has not delivered what clearly NC and therefore ML wanted, a quick route out of this abyss we are in and a short march to the premiership. As I and others noted last week, the structure of football finance and therefore football itself in this country is changing so fast that we are in very grave danger of being left behind - we need to be in at least the CCC before they declare independence from the football league and restyle themselves as Premier League B and soon after ban relegation and the entry of any clubs from lower orders of life and NC/ML will be aware of this better than any.

 

Also there is a very strong possibility that we are now running at a significant loss especially if the money Pardew spent on players this year was only a loan from ML. Gates of 17,000 probably don't pay the 'rent' even with no stadium to finance.

 

Of course, no manager can guarantee promotion next season; the uncomfortable truth is that this team has had almost as many woeful days as successful ones this season so clearly needs a big shake-up and NC's must get this right, "Do I trust AP to spend another £3million wisely enough to provide that guarantee when clearly the last £3 million he spent was only partially successful?"

 

It's a difficult call, he may have decided "You've had your chance at becoming part of MY dream but what you gave me is not what I wanted"

 

This would be especially true if NC/ML enjoy and envisaged Saints under a former premiership manager playing The Beautiful Game, which AP most definitely has not delivered. I like many others am fed up to the back teeth with the "aimless long ball up-and-under, direct style" that he's fallen back on which is so thoroughly unentertaining that it must bore the pants off everyone who has any love of football at all.

 

You'll all pile in of course and plead that this is L1 so what do you expect but be honest with yourselves if our blokes could play football the beautiful way they would but it is obvious they can't and so won't be able to in the future either.

 

In all these circumstances I could understand NC being irritated and edgy, he's got himself on a hook (judgement by ML) and must wake every morning asking himself how the breakthrough might come to get him off it.

 

Failure next season would not be the end of Pardew alone so to NC another yaer of the same is a big risk especially if his boss is prepared to cut him another year's slack on his budget. I mean, these guys are not playing loyalty games, when they came in they envisaged us being top six in the PL challenging ManC and Spurs not 7th in the Turd Division competing with Accrington Effing Stanley and Aldershot.

[alpine_saint]

You have been behind him all season? **** me I wouyld hate to see what you would be like on here with a manager you werent behind. I suspect the voodoo dolls would come out

 

I cast your mind back a few years to when one Georgio Burlinho was at the reigns, for the answer to your point.

 

My posting is nowhere near as scathing or venomous towards Pardew now as it was to Burley then..

[the saint in winchester]

The only things I would ask is that if NC is going to do it, he needs to do it NOW, not later, and that all of those of you that really sulk over this find it in yourselves to get behind the new manager next season - its not his fault.

 

Agree the first part - if he is going to sack AP, then do it next week, so a new manager has time to work on the squad and build relationships, NOT a week before the new season starts.

 

Can't agree the second part - I'll sulk. As fans we have to let NC know we're not happy with AP losing his job, so I suggest we bombard NC with e-mails of protest if it happens.

[Danish Saint]

Sometimes it just boggles the mind....

 

"We need consistency!!!..... but we're going to sack a succesfull manager after a year!!"

 

Somebody please explain the logic?

[NickG]

Of course the Mail story is not a complete fabrication based on a whim. Week-in, week-out we never get a mention in the rag so you have to ask yourself why now? We really are not that interesting to Fleet Street so there must be some reason why they'd waste column inches writing about an also-ran Third Division team unless they have been fed something sensational with a promise of more to come.

 

Pardew always says the right things and has been pretty adept at getting fans onside - witness his "I'm Southampton through and through... " comment on BBC 1 last Sunday during the (so-called) football match between two anonymous Second Division teams scrapping to hold on to their place in that division.

 

BUT he has not delivered what clearly NC and therefore ML wanted, a quick route out of this abyss we are in and a short march to the premiership. As I and others noted last week, the structure of football finance and therefore football itself in this country is changing so fast that we are in very grave danger of being left behind - we need to be in at least the CCC before they declare independence from the football league and restyle themselves as Premier League B and soon after ban relegation and the entry of any clubs from lower orders of life and NC/ML will be aware of this better than any.

 

Also there is a very strong possibility that we are now running at a significant loss especially if the money Pardew spent on players this year was only a loan from ML. Gates of 17,000 probably don't pay the 'rent' even with no stadium to finance.

 

Of course, no manager can guarantee promotion next season; the uncomfortable truth is that this team has had almost as many woeful days as successful ones this season so clearly needs a big shake-up and NC's must get this right, "Do I trust AP to spend another £3million wisely enough to provide that guarantee when clearly the last £3 million he spent was only partially successful?"

 

It's a difficult call, he may have decided "You've had your chance at becoming part of MY dream but what you gave me is not what I wanted"

 

This would be especially true if NC/ML enjoy and envisaged Saints under a former premiership manager playing The Beautiful Game, which AP most definitely has not delivered. I like many others am fed up to the back teeth with the "aimless long ball up-and-under, direct style" that he's fallen back on which is so thoroughly unentertaining that it must bore the pants off everyone who has any love of football at all.

 

You'll all pile in of course and plead that this is L1 so what do you expect but be honest with yourselves if our blokes could play football the beautiful way they would but it is obvious they can't and so won't be able to in the future either.

 

In all these circumstances I could understand NC being irritated and edgy, he's got himself on a hook (judgement by ML) and must wake every morning asking himself how the breakthrough might come to get him off it.

 

Failure next season would not be the end of Pardew alone so to NC another yaer of the same is a big risk especially if his boss is prepared to cut him another year's slack on his budget. I mean, these guys are not playing loyalty games, when they came in they envisaged us being top six in the PL challenging ManC and Spurs not 7th in the Turd Division competing with Accrington Effing Stanley and Aldershot.

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1269622/Southampton-want-1m-Portsmouth-star-Hayden-Mullins.html

[SaintRobbie]

One of Rupert Lowe's friends at the Daily Mail being a pain in the arse again?

 

But why?

 

...or just gutter crap Mail journalism?

 

...or maybe a VERY high quality replacement for Pards is lined up?

 

 

Who knows...sounds like crap and an old story to me.

[bender]

"believed to have upset Cortese" ?? where has this come from.

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1271478/Southampton-boss-Alan-Pardew-fighting-job-failure-reach-playoffs.html

[Quickfire Double]

 

I bet NC is sat there absolutely sh*tting himself at your e-mail...

 

Indeed: Why pay careful heed to feedback from the customers upon whom your business relies, when you could simply soil yourself instead?!

[alpine_saint]

Of course the Mail story is not a complete fabrication based on a whim. Week-in, week-out we never get a mention in the rag so you have to ask yourself why now? We really are not that interesting to Fleet Street so there must be some reason why they'd waste column inches writing about an also-ran Third Division team unless they have been fed something sensational with a promise of more to come.

 

Pardew always says the right things and has been pretty adept at getting fans onside - witness his "I'm Southampton through and through... " comment on BBC 1 last Sunday during the (so-called) football match between two anonymous Second Division teams scrapping to hold on to their place in that division.

 

BUT he has not delivered what clearly NC and therefore ML wanted, a quick route out of this abyss we are in and a short march to the premiership. As I and others noted last week, the structure of football finance and therefore football itself in this country is changing so fast that we are in very grave danger of being left behind - we need to be in at least the CCC before they declare independence from the football league and restyle themselves as Premier League B and soon after ban relegation and the entry of any clubs from lower orders of life and NC/ML will be aware of this better than any.

 

Also there is a very strong possibility that we are now running at a significant loss especially if the money Pardew spent on players this year was only a loan from ML. Gates of 17,000 probably don't pay the 'rent' even with no stadium to finance.

 

Of course, no manager can guarantee promotion next season; the uncomfortable truth is that this team has had almost as many woeful days as successful ones this season so clearly needs a big shake-up and NC's must get this right, "Do I trust AP to spend another £3million wisely enough to provide that guarantee when clearly the last £3 million he spent was only partially successful?"

 

It's a difficult call, he may have decided "You've had your chance at becoming part of MY dream but what you gave me is not what I wanted"

 

This would be especially true if NC/ML enjoy and envisaged Saints under a former premiership manager playing The Beautiful Game, which AP most definitely has not delivered. I like many others am fed up to the back teeth with the "aimless long ball up-and-under, direct style" that he's fallen back on which is so thoroughly unentertaining that it must bore the pants off everyone who has any love of football at all.

 

You'll all pile in of course and plead that this is L1 so what do you expect but be honest with yourselves if our blokes could play football the beautiful way they would but it is obvious they can't and so won't be able to in the future either.

 

In all these circumstances I could understand NC being irritated and edgy, he's got himself on a hook (judgement by ML) and must wake every morning asking himself how the breakthrough might come to get him off it.

 

Failure next season would not be the end of Pardew alone so to NC another yaer of the same is a big risk especially if his boss is prepared to cut him another year's slack on his budget. I mean, these guys are not playing loyalty games, when they came in they envisaged us being top six in the PL challenging ManC and Spurs not 7th in the Turd Division competing with Accrington Effing Stanley and Aldershot.

 

I personally see this season as a success on some counts, a failure on others.

 

Ultimately what may be the clincher for NC is the personal dynamic between him and AP, basically will NC trust him with more of MLs money.

 

At the moment we have no concrete evidence whatsoever that NC and AP dont get on (but a few doubts linger due to comments made).

 

So, having said all that, I expect AP to be here next season, at least until Xmas.

[dubai_phil]

Or - Pardew off to West Ham and Cortese rings around to destabiliise/not lose face...?

 

Ah yes West Ham.

 

Massively in debt.

 

The takeover strategy was based upon giving the ground away to make money in a property development and to move into the Olympic Stadium in 2012/13.

 

A club massively in debt (important enough to mention it twice) thanks to Iceland and paying Jenas, Lundberg et al a zillion a year to make 10 first team appearances between them.

A tem who have to have a total fire sale of their squad and will be playing in the CCC under immense pressure (with no funds) to bounce straight back into the PL.

Who even if they did unearth a few gems would have to sell in January just to keep paying back the debts.

 

Versus a club bound for the CCC with the funding to make it happen and a squad potentially already good enough for the CCC.

 

No brainer that one, spiritual home or not

[JustMike]

Why ?

 

I was behind AP this season and will be behind him next season. I have simply questioned some of the things he has done, expressed my frustration at some performances and results, and questioned how NC sees things.

 

My call to support next seasons manager is perfectly reasonable.

 

until we draw or lose away to the likes of Tranmere

[Window Cleaner]

i believe this is re-hashed news, from when we had drawn with the likes of Exeter and Brentford. (and we were 16 or so pts off the playoffs and looking like finishing mid-table)

 

Nicola wanted us to push for the playoffs, and end within 10pts of the playoffs. we look like doing that, and more. He said we were too far away from the likes of Leeds - well potentially we could also be within 10pts of them.

 

if the last 2 months have not convinced Nicola, then he will never be convinced.

 

 

 

I really doubt if NC wanted us to push for the play offs, I think he wanted us to be in the play-offs, it's true that we're in them if you add on the 10 points but only on goal difference. I doubt that the story is correct but I can see that the grounds are there for it to be.Now apparently we need to spend even more money for next season and I doubt that that will go down well. If I have a criticism of AP this season it is with his handling of the fringe players, I don't think he's done enough to either get shot of them or integrate them. Some of them have ongoing contracts and obviously aren't in his plans, so I'd think he needs to deal with that before he gets any more serious money to spend.

[Scummer]

Ah yes West Ham.

 

Massively in debt.

 

The takeover strategy was based upon giving the ground away to make money in a property development and to move into the Olympic Stadium in 2012/13.

 

A club massively in debt (important enough to mention it twice) thanks to Iceland and paying Jenas, Lundberg et al a zillion a year to make 10 first team appearances between them.

A tem who have to have a total fire sale of their squad and will be playing in the CCC under immense pressure (with no funds) to bounce straight back into the PL.

Who even if they did unearth a few gems would have to sell in January just to keep paying back the debts.

 

Versus a club bound for the CCC with the funding to make it happen and a squad potentially already good enough for the CCC.

 

No brainer that one, spiritual home or not

 

West Ham stayed up Phil, they won't be in the CCC, not next year at least.

[Dibden Purlieu Saint]

Looks like we may well be turning into QPR then...

[NickG]

Of course the Mail story is not a complete fabrication based on a whim.who knows, we know from experience not to believe football gossip story Week-in, week-out we never get a mention in the rag so you have to ask yourself why now? We really are not that interesting to Fleet Street so there must be some reason why they'd waste column inches writing about an also-ran Third Division team unless they have been fed something sensational with a promise of more to come.

 

Pardew always says the right things and has been pretty adept at getting fans onside - witness his "I'm Southampton through and through... " comment on BBC 1 last Sunday during the (so-called) football match between two anonymous Second Division teams scrapping to hold on to their place in that division. yep good to hear.

 

BUT he has not delivered what clearly NC and therefore ML wanted, a quick route out of this abyss we are in and a short march to the premiership. As I and others noted last week, the structure of football finance and therefore football itself in this country is changing so fast that we are in very grave danger of being left behind - we need to be in at least the CCC before they declare independence from the football league and restyle themselves as Premier League B and soon after ban relegation and the entry of any clubs from lower orders of life and NC/ML will be aware of this better than any.

 

Also there is a very strong possibility also strong possibility we are making money that we are now running at a significant loss especially if the money Pardew spent on players this year was only a loan from ML. Gates of 17,000actually averaged just under 22,000!! this season probably don't pay the 'rent' even with no stadium to finance.

 

Of course, no manager can guarantee promotion next season; the uncomfortable truth is that this team has had almost as many woeful days as successful ones this season clearly far far from trueso clearly needs a big shake-up and NC's must get this right, "Do I trust AP to spend another £3million wisely enough to provide that guarantee when clearly the last £3 million he spent was only partially successful?"that Lambert and Fonte were crap !!!

 

It's a difficult call, he may have decided "You've had your chance at becoming part of MY dream but what you gave me is not what I wanted"

 

This would be especially true if NC/ML enjoy and envisaged Saints under a former premiership manager playing The Beautiful Game, which AP most definitely has not delivered. I like many others am fed up to the back teeth with the "aimless long ball up-and-under, direct style" that he's fallen back on which is so thoroughly unentertaining that it must bore the pants off everyone who has any love of football at all. most games this seasno have been very entertaining, a team with Puncheon, Lallana, Waga, Antonio and Schneiderlin is not the one you are describing

 

You'll all pile in of course and plead that this is L1 so what do you expect but be honest with yourselves if our blokes could play football the beautiful way they would but it is obvious they can't and so won't be able to in the future either.

 

In all these circumstances I could understand NC being irritated and edgy, he's got himself on a hook (judgement by ML) and must wake every morning asking himself how the breakthrough might come to get him off it.

 

Failure next season would not be the end of Pardew alone so to NC another yaer of the same is a big risk especially if his boss is prepared to cut him another year's slack on his budget. I mean, these guys are not playing loyalty games, when they came in they envisaged us being top six in the PL challenging ManC and Spurs not 7th in the Turd Division competing with Accrington Effing Stanley and Aldershotnot for next season they didn't.

 

There is no way they expected to definately be going up this season, hoped -yes, aimed for - yes, not expected.

 

If they expected it, and wanted to sack Pardew should he fail they could have done that at the end of September when it was clear Pardew could not guarantee it!

 

Disagree with most of the post as above.

Edited 4 May, 2010 by NickG

[JustMike]

What bandwagon is that, then ?

 

I suggest you avoid threads like this if the spectacle of discussion, debate and different opinions is so tough for your delicate eyes to read.

 

 

haha!! pot..kettle

[SaintRobbie]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1269622/Southampton-want-1m-Portsmouth-star-Hayden-Mullins.html

 

This on the other hand is fun! 'Pompey's our feeder club!'

[Bensfcno1]

If Pardew goes then im afraid that players like Lallana, Lambert and Fonte may follow him out the door!

[ericofarabia]

I reckon it is all too much of a coincidence that there are also talks of Jose Mourinho moving on from Inter at the end of the season

 

Lets hope NC's not sounding out Rafa though .... :cool:

 

Maybe this supposed falling out is all over AP's dress sense .... maybe we will be making a bid for Roberto Mancini who manages to make a football scarf look like a real fashion accessory