Regardless of who the new man is...

[saint_bert]

with the squad we have, can we still expect a minimum of top 6?

[sfc4prem]

I would've thought so. Especially if we appoint the new manager before Saturday.

[S-Clarke]

If we get this sorted out quickly and get behind the new manager, then we should still be on for a top 2 finish.

 

but it has put the success this season promised in a bit of doubt.

[alpine_saint]

Its difficult to say without knowing who is coming in.

 

I look at our players and although we still lack the pacey winger, this team should be able to win promotion outright.

 

Perhaps if the new boy has a bit more tactical nous and understanding of the use of subs, we could argue our chances have improved.

[buctootim]

with the squad we have, can we still expect a minimum of top 6?

 

Yes. You'd only have to be averagely competent to get this squad promoted imo.

[SO16_Saint]

if the players are good enough, they should win regardless of who the manager is surely

[docker-p]

I think top six is still on. Top two? well that depends on who comes in, and how long before they start.

[Deppo]

Its difficult to say without knowing who is coming in.

 

Just get in early and say he's not up to it now. It doesn't matter who it is. We'll all think you are great if you are right.

[Barry the Badger]

Its difficult to say without knowing who is coming in.

 

I look at our players and although we still lack the pacey winger, this team should be able to win promotion outright.

 

Perhaps if the new boy has a bit more tactical nous and understanding of the use of subs, we could argue our chances have improved.

 

What happened to the "massive gaps" in our squad that were going to cost us promotion?

[Tony10]

If we appoint the right man and very quickly then the potential of this squad will be realised and improved upon. We will then demolish every other side in this division as we go on to win it.

That is of course if we appoint the right man and the fact that we have been repeatedly underwhelmed after each management merry go round in the past, I know it's Saints and I know that based on the past I shouldn't expect anything other than a big disappointment but I'm actually really optimistic as I'd had enough of Pardew towards the end of last season and I believe in Cortese.

Come on Nicola, please don't let me down!

Martin O'Neill - PLEASE!!!

[St Marco]

Changing the manager so early in a season can go both way's. Norwich did it and went up. Teams like QPR did the manager merry go round and struggled for a season or two. It depends a lot on who the guy is and his experience. If it is someone like Zola who's only experience of managment was in the PL and getting relegated from that then he is not going to find it easier in a division like league one. However if it was say someone like Martin O Neil he has a lot of experience with the lower divisions having managed Wycombe and Leicester. It all depends on the guy coming in. Having the players makes no difference if they are being asked to play in a way they are not comfortable with.

 

Personally i think this will do us more harm then good. We won't have a manager in by tomorrow most likely meaning we probably won't have any new signings in. With Pardew going it would not surprise me to see someone like Lallana leaving because only reason he stayed was because Pardew talked him into it. So we could actually end up tomorrow with no manager and a few players leaving. Which would put us in a bad situation. I think getting promoted now would be a big ask. If we get someone in fast who is well respected then we have a chance. If it is some un-experienced guy being given a chance ala Wotte and Jan again then were truely fooked.

[alpine_saint]

What happened to the "massive gaps" in our squad that were going to cost us promotion?

 

I would still like cover for RL too.

 

But since then Aaron Martin has got a couple of games under his belt, and though he didnt show anything, at least Guly wasnt an Ali Dia.

[Brussels Saint]

Has to be top 2 even with no additions. This team is good..........whats frustrating is I think AP would have delivered that, so NC had better have someone immense lined up.

 

MON would be that, but unlikely, Zola is the more realistic and just about OK, but will he really achieve more than AP?

[SaintBobby]

Champions has to be the target. Second is acceptable. Promotion via playoffs is just about acceptable. Anything less is failure.

[corsacar saint]

With this squad,it should be top two.

[Whitey Grandad]

The big question is... have our chances of making the top two been improved by the change of manager?

[1976_Child]

with this squad and stability we should be top two. Can't see how the sacking of AP makes the situation better in the short run. But if come November we are in top two then maybe it was the right decision

[sfc4prem]

The big question is... have our chances of making the top two been improved by the change of manager?

 

Depends who the new manager is.

[Whitey Grandad]

Depends who the new manager is.

 

Exactly. It will take the wind out of our sails for a litle while so the new one will have to hit the ground running.

[Andy_Porter]

Depends who the new manager is.

 

Indeed, get someone in who the players respect and want to play for who has done it all at this level and higher - then we will be fine.

 

Get some no mark foreigner in and we will struggle.

[Windmill Arm 2]

Its difficult to say without knowing who is coming in.

 

I look at our players and although we still lack the pacey winger, this team should be able to win promotion outright.

 

Perhaps if the new boy has a bit more tactical nous and understanding of the use of subs, we could argue our chances have improved.

What do you make of our new manager Alps? personally I think he's tactically inept and a drunk, NEW MANAGER OUT !!!

[Dalek2003]

Just to think, 4 weeks ago in pre-season it all seemed so simple and straightforward and quiet.

 

Never a dull moment supporting the saints.

 

Time to put on our safety belts again, turbulence my friends, turbulence !

[Saint Billy]

If the new man can get the side to be a bit more consistent then I feel we have an even better chance of automatic promotion.

 

AP's side had too many bad results against the poorer sides.

[Andy_Porter]

If the new man can get the side to be a bit more consistent then I feel we have an even better chance of automatic promotion.

 

AP's side had too many bad results against the poorer sides.

 

Depends if you consider an away draw a bad result.

[Deppo]

This thread is a bit sexist? How do we know it is going to be a man? Maybe the 'Southampton style' that Cortese refers to involves a feminine touch?

[madruss]

If the new man can get the side to be a bit more consistent then I feel we have an even better chance of automatic promotion.

 

AP's side had too many bad results against the poorer sides.

 

2.1 points per game since January.

 

Jeez how much more consistent than AP does this new guy need to be?!?

[Whitey Grandad]

This thread is a bit sexist? How do we know it is going to be a man? Maybe the 'Southampton style' that Cortese refers to involves a feminine touch?

 

A womanager? Or even worse, a personager?

[Saint Billy]

2.1 points per game since January.

 

Jeez how much more consistent than AP does this new guy need to be?!?

 

Plymouth, Orient!

 

We had similar results last season.

 

Lets be honest here, to win automatic promotion there is not that much margin for error. Were you confident that AP's side was capable of putting consistent good runs together?

 

Btw, does your 2.1 points per game since Jan include cup games? as we are talking about league form here and getting automatic promotion.

[madruss]

Plymouth, Orient!

 

We had similar results last season.

 

Lets be honest here, to win automatic promotion there is not that much margin for error. Were you confident that AP's side was capable of putting consistent good runs together?

 

Btw, does your 2.1 points per game since Jan include cup games? as we are talking about league form here and getting automatic promotion.

 

Nope, league games only. 19 league games and 40 league points.

 

Was I confident he was capable of putting consistent runs together. Yes, because he had done. In fact the only 10 game+ period in which we weren't up to standard was the August/September period.

 

As for this season, so far the 2nd half against Plymouth was not up to standard. Other than that, we've looked an excellent side, and if we'd won 5 or 6-1 against Orient it wouldn't have flattered us. The BR game we played well for a more sustained period and took our chances, and I saw no reason why we wouldn't continue winning if that level of performance carried on

[Saint Billy]

Nope, league games only. 19 league games and 40 league points.

 

Was I confident he was capable of putting consistent runs together. Yes, because he had done. In fact the only 10 game+ period in which we weren't up to standard was the August/September period.

 

As for this season, so far the 2nd half against Plymouth was not up to standard. Other than that, we've looked an excellent side, and if we'd won 5 or 6-1 against Orient it wouldn't have flattered us. The BR game we played well for a more sustained period and took our chances, and I saw no reason why we wouldn't continue winning if that level of performance carried on

 

Why since Jan? whats the figure for the whole of last season, I make it 1.8

 

Anyway, we could debate this on and on. You obviously were confident that AP could do it, I was not, we beg to differ. In any case NC has made up his mind.

[BridgnorthSaint]

The big question is... have our chances of making the top two been improved by the change of manager?

 

Sorry but I'd say they have been compromised - Why wait until now to get rid of AP - Surely Cortese must have known he wanted rid of AP during the summer. All he has done now is disrupted everything.

[Saint Fan CaM]

I think our season may take a dip to start with - instability is not good for this club - history tells us this. We will not know the longer term effects until it's clear how the players respond to the new man. I can imagine Wilkins will be kept on as Assistant as there will be links to the Prem via his brother at Chelski.

 

Further, I have been thinking about the deeper issues regarding why NC made the change and I believe the passing of Markus to be a key moment. Why? Because Markus provided NC with a friend along the journey...he needs to replace Markus as such and Zola is that man IMO. I think around May/June time when Zola became a free agent, NC had marked AP's cards and Markus' passing sealed the matter. NC needs a friend on his journey now, preferably from the footballing fraternity and he's not going to get that from anyone better placed than Zola, especially when it comes to their mutual approach to youth strategy.