Interesting article in the Mirror

[up and away]

This article just put out by the news agency tells us what, why, and how all this cam about in passing and I am finding little required to further explain matters. The writing was on the wall for Nigel Adkins even before the season started.

 

In a remarkable club meeting, Southampton executive chairman Nicola Cortese addressed Adkins, the first-team squad and club staff in what they thought was going to be a rallying cry ahead of their return to the top flight.

Instead, the Italian banking tycoon told them: “Most of you are not good enough for the Premier League.”And no one doubted that he included his manager in that damning assessment.Cortese clearly had major doubts about Adkins, even after he led the club to two successive promotions.The new man at the helm, Mauricio Pochettino, was nicknamed the “sheriff” at Espanyol because of his reputation as a disciplinarian. Now he has run the old gunslinger out of town.Cortese was apparently fuming even after

his side won at Aston Villa last week and despite Saints climbing out of the drop zone and into 15th place after their draw at Chelsea, the chairman claimed performances were not good enough.

He said the defence was not strong enough and wanted a big-name to lead the team.

That name was long expected to be Roberto di Matteo as Cortese is friendly with the ex-Chelsea boss, while Southampton also flirted with former Tottenham manager Christian Gross earlier in the season.

Former Bangor City and S****horpe boss Adkins knew he was only ever one result from the sack – but never expected it to be after a heroic 2-2 draw at the home of the European champions who led 2-0 at half-time.

Cortese rules Southampton with an iron fist and has no respect for reputations, having fallen out with club legend Matt Le Tissier and former manager Lawrie McMenemy.

No wonder both offered strong support for Adkins on Friday, but their damning verdicts on the fall-out echoed what the rest of the world was thinking.

Le Tissier claimed it made Southampton a “laughing stock” .

The players were not laughing, though, with many left distraught. They were on a day off ahead of making final preparations for the game against Everton on Monday.

But Cortese called in captain Adam Lallana on Friday morning after telling Adkins his fate, and the news spread like wildfire among the players.

Though many realised the boss was on thin ice, none of them saw the sacking coming.

And even though there were rumours amongst the players on Thursday they did not believe it purely because of the timing. But few can see into the mind of Cortese. Cortese's summer speech shocked newly-promoted Saints

 

 

Getty

One of his most trusted *confidants is former FA technical director Les Reed, 60, who is now head of football at the club.

 

And while Cortese had a good professional relationship with Adkins, he doubted his ability to keep the club in the Premier League.

Adkins had lifted the team from League One to the Premier League in the two years since taking over at St Mary’s from Alan Pardew, who was sacked after a thumping 4-0 win over Bristol Rovers.

 

Cortese cast his net far and wide, and it is believed the link to Pochettino may have come about through a network of agents when Southampton signed Uruguay international Gaston Ramirez in August.

When former Argentina World Cup star Pochettino left two months ago after a disastrous run of nine points from 13 games that left Espanyol bottom of La Liga, the seed was planted by agents.

 

Pochettino, who fouled Michael Owen to concede the penalty which David Beckham converted as England beat Argentina in the 2002 World Cup, is well regarded in Spain despite the turbulent finish to his three-year reign at Espanyol.

A potential hindrance to the 40-year-old hitting the ground running at Saints is that the former centre-half speaks very little English.

Although he managed a few words at his first public appearance on Friday, his command of the language is nowhere near good enough to take a coaching session.

Cortese will back his man in the transfer window.

Cagliari’s Italy international defender Davide Astori, 26, has been their main target , the deal is still on and is likely to go through before the winter window closes.

But Cortese and his new man will need some quick results to win the fans over after the shock treatment of Adkins.

Want to know more about Pochettino? Click here to get the lowdown from our Spanish football expert David Cartlidge.

 

 

Many of our fans readily identified that Saints were just out of their league in adapting to the Premier in those first handful of games. Something admitted by the management and the players at the time, This was not a case of plucky little Saints putting on a good show and getting beat. This was a case of a Saints side that could be opened up at any time for the opposition to take it all. Many commented at the time so it comes as no shock. Well this automatically triggered Cortese to go out and consider his options. Culminating in finding Pochettino and improved results from Adkins, that really leaves you in a decision to stick or twist. Cortese must have been balancing this decision for a while before making his mind up but I can't say it's wrong on moral grounds when I consider the position Adkins risked. There is still risk involved in this move because of the lack of English and no Premier experience but equally you can say Adkins is no where out of the woods with all the improvements of the bottom 6. A bold decision by Cortese based more on fact than emotion.

[Turkish]

At the time this happened i mentioned this on here, i was told i was wrong. Apparantly this happened after a preseason friendly, (Ajax i think, cant remember 100%) and Adkins thought he was going to be fired then. I also know that Di Matteo was being lined up in the summer to replace Adkins if he didn't get the Chelsea job. Chelsea had two preffered targets and if they got them the Di Matteo wouldn't get the job. I also said this at the time as i know a member of the Chelsea board and speak to him regularly as well as his sons. I was of course mocked and abused for this.

 

I think the words are "who the f*ck is laughing now"

[Frank's cousin]

At the time this happened i mentioned this on here, i was told i was wrong. Apparantly this happened after a preseason friendly, (Ajax i think, cant remember 100%) and Adkins thought he was going to be fired then. I also know that Di Matteo was being lined up in the summer to replace Adkins if he didn't get the Chelsea job. Chelsea had two preffered targets and if they got them the Di Matteo wouldn't get the job. I also said this at the time as i know a member of the Chelsea board and speak to him regularly as well as his sons. I was of course mocked and abused for this.

 

I think the words are "who the f*ck is laughing now"

 

Cry wolf syndrome Turks - you yourself have admitted to making things up to get a reaction, so how are folks meant to place any trust in what you say?

[trousers]

This article was posted on here last night

Edited 19 January, 2013 by trousers

[The Kraken]

At the time this happened i mentioned this on here, i was told i was wrong. Apparantly this happened after a preseason friendly, (Ajax i think, cant remember 100%) and Adkins thought he was going to be fired then. I also know that Di Matteo was being lined up in the summer to replace Adkins if he didn't get the Chelsea job. Chelsea had two preffered targets and if they got them the Di Matteo wouldn't get the job. I also said this at the time as i know a member of the Chelsea board and speak to him regularly as well as his sons. I was of course mocked and abused for this.

 

I think the words are "who the f*ck is laughing now"

 

Yep; good heads up at the time and I've now heard from a couple of separate sources that we went back in for RdM again during the season. NA has been a dead man walking all season long.

[Turkish]

Cry wolf syndrome Turks - you yourself have admitted to making things up to get a reaction' date=' so how are folks meant to place any trust in what you say?[/quote']

 

I said quite clearly about this and the Di Matteo thing, i was mocked and told to ask Bruce Buck a question next time i was out with him. I admit i made the Guly 15 minute thing up a few months back to get a few bites but that was only after several things i'd said that were true were dismissed as bullsh*t. I just thought i'd make something up for a bit of a laugh. Come on, the Guly thing was so obviously bullsh it i'm amazed people fell for it. The trouble with a lot of you is that you only want to hear good things, so whenever anyone shares anything that isn't suggesting that Cortese is the greatest man who ever walked the planet you get up in arms about it.

 

I dont give a f*ck if people believe me or not at the time. In fact i quite enjoy coming back on and showing you i was right.

[Turkish]

Yep; good heads up at the time and I've now heard from a couple of separate sources that we went back in for RdM again during the season. NA has been a dead man walking all season long.

 

Yep, so have I.

[Frank's cousin]

Is it really beyond the realms of open mindedness that NC would have communicated the 'plan' to replace Nige when we got the Prem with Nige at his appointment - that he was brought in to do a job and that was it? Cotese showed that he is not one for sentiment or platitudes - but is driven by the strategy he has devised - Many find it perplxing, some irrational, some unrealistic when he talks of his 'ambition', and all indications are that its not something a club of our size would ever be able to achieve.... but is it not better to try, give it a go and see what happens? Afterall, being 'happy' with survival every year is what makes a club a joke in my book, not daring to strive for better things.

 

Adkins popularity means that the decision when it came was going to cause an erruption of emotions - but is it not worth giving the 'plan' a chance - by all means laugh at it if it fails, but surely its possible to look at this with an open mind?

[Victor]

Two questions:

 

If Cortese thought the defence was not good enough did he really think changing the manager was the answer?

 

Does Cortese really think the best way to chose a manager is to use 'a network of agents'?

 

Incredible.

[Turkish]

Two questions:

 

If Cortese thought the defence was not good enough did he really think changing the manager was the answer?

 

Does Cortese really think the best way to chose a manager is to use 'a network of agents'?

 

Incredible.

 

This is a bizarre one for me. As Cortese is on "the commitee" then surely he is blaming his own transfer policy. Adkins said himself he wanted 2 centre halves and we were in for a left back. we got one, who seems to be a bit of a last minute panic buy. If the defence isn't good enough then why did his commitee sign 2 strikers and an attacking midfilder and only one defender?

[shurlock]

The RDM link was first made by Nixon back last May - well before preseason. Article dated 20 May "Saints Chief Under Threat" in The People.

Edited 19 January, 2013 by shurlock

[spyinthesky]

At the time this happened i mentioned this on here, i was told i was wrong. Apparantly this happened after a preseason friendly, (Ajax i think, cant remember 100%) and Adkins thought he was going to be fired then. I also know that Di Matteo was being lined up in the summer to replace Adkins if he didn't get the Chelsea job. Chelsea had two preffered targets and if they got them the Di Matteo wouldn't get the job. I also said this at the time as i know a member of the Chelsea board and speak to him regularly as well as his sons. I was of course mocked and abused for this.

 

I think the words are "who the f*ck is laughing now"

 

Understand that there was certainly something going on at the pre season games

 

A neighbour of Adkins told me that Adkins was annoyed that Cortese came into the Dressing Room at one of the pre season games and started to dictate on team selection

 

This made the neighbour and a few friends put serious money on Adkins departure.

 

Not sure whether they won the bet but one put £300 on Benitez so he lost!!

[Turkish]

The RDM link was first made by Nixon back last May - well before preseason.

 

so what?

[Frank's cousin]

I said quite clearly about this and the Di Matteo thing, i was mocked and told to ask Bruce Buck a question next time i was out with him. I admit i made the Guly 15 minute thing up a few months back to get a few bites but that was only after several things i'd said that were true were dismissed as bullsh*t. I just thought i'd make something up for a bit of a laugh. Come on, the Guly thing was so obviously bullsh it i'm amazed people fell for it. The trouble with a lot of you is that you only want to hear good things, so whenever anyone shares anything that isn't suggesting that Cortese is the greatest man who ever walked the planet you get up in arms about it.

 

I dont give a f*ck if people believe me or not at the time. In fact i quite enjoy coming back on and showing you i was right.

 

Anything wrong with only wanting to hear good things?

 

Come on surely you appreciate that there is a different need re supporting 'evidence' when negative stuff is spouted? When there is Positive spin/BS published, you dont need evidence - because its positive and no harm is done if it turnes out to BS. But with negative rumours or gossip or 'ITK' posts, they have a greater impact on morale, what we believe etc - they can if spread and become urban myth do damage to the club or teh fans perception so its only nateral that anyone with a brain would want to see some hard evidence to validate it before believing it.

[Frank's cousin]

This is a bizarre one for me. As Cortese is on "the commitee" then surely he is blaming his own transfer policy. Adkins said himself he wanted 2 centre halves and we were in for a left back. we got one, who seems to be a bit of a last minute panic buy. If the defence isn't good enough then why did his commitee sign 2 strikers and an attacking midfilder and only one defender?

 

Or he belives it should be possible to coach a better/organised back line play - afterall, look at the impact Redknap has had on the the defensive record at QPR...

[Silvercherry Saint]

Some interesting stuff on some of the Espanyol Football forums http://www.fuerzaperica.com (sorry, i'm not that good at doing links). It looks like this was known in spain from at least Wednesday 16th. There were reports/rumors on there that we have a 10Euro bid in with Milan for Coutinho which backs up some earlier reports on our forum.

[trousers]

Some interesting stuff on some of the Espanyol Football forums http://www.fuerzaperica.com (sorry, i'm not that good at doing links). It looks like this was known in spain from at least Wednesday 16th. There were reports/rumors on there that we have a 10Euro bid in with Milan for Coutinho which backs up some earlier reports on our forum.

 

Yep - actually, the first article published in Spain about Pochittino coming here was on 9th Jan. surprised it took the UK media over a week to latch onto it.

[Turkish]

Anything wrong with only wanting to hear good things?

 

Come on surely you appreciate that there is a different need re supporting 'evidence' when negative stuff is spouted? When there is Positive spin/BS published, you dont need evidence - because its positive and no harm is done if it turnes out to BS. But with negative rumours or gossip or 'ITK' posts, they have a greater impact on morale, what we believe etc - they can if spread and become urban myth do damage to the club or teh fans perception so its only nateral that anyone with a brain would want to see some hard evidence to validate it before believing it.

 

Anyone with any geniune inside Info is not going to reveal their sources. Why would they? It'd be idotic. Do you seriously expect someone to come out and say " ******* told me this......" At worst youll get them in serious trouble and at best you'll never get any info from them again. There is nothing wrong with wanting to hear good news, but it does make me laugh that anything positve is greated triumphantly and anything remotely negative is dismissed as lies. Even the stories about the management issue at sFC were dubbed by some as a national media wind up!!!

[Turkish]

Or he belives it should be possible to coach a better/organised back line play - afterall' date=' look at the impact Redknap has had on the the defensive record at QPR...[/quote']

 

Prehaps. But are you also cant wave a magic wand and turn Danny Fox into a premier league level left back can you.

[shurlock]

so what?

 

That it was not uncommon knowledge, that you weren't some prophetic voice in the wilderness that people were abusing and mocking, that its possible to accept some of what you say and dismiss other parts without any contradiction or being dismissed as having their head in the sand.

Edited 19 January, 2013 by shurlock

[SOTONS EAST SIDE]

Or he belives it should be possible to coach a better/organised back line play - afterall' date=' look at the impact Redknap has had on the the defensive record at QPR...[/quote']I think it also shows he thought Adkins didn't have the star pulling power, required for some of those big name defenders as well!!

[The Kraken]

Surely he has turned a mess of a defence into a pretty solid top flight back line? Or at least made the team defend well as a unit.

 

And removing Danny Fox from that back line was key to that.

[Turkish]

That it was not uncommon knowledge, that you weren't some prophetic voice in the wilderness that people were abusing and mocking, that its possible to accept some of what you say and dismiss other parts without any contradiction.

 

Maybe. I dont know what went on in May when Nixon was writing about it. Maybe it was one of his bullsh it stories so easily dismissed on here!! I just reported what i was told by a member of the Chelsea board which i was mocked for and turned out to be spot on. Couldn't give a toss if a mirror journalist reported it.

[Turkish]

Surely he has turned a mess of a defence into a pretty solid top flight back line? Or at least made the team defend well as a unit.

 

Indeed he did. What's your point? Cortese didn't feel the defence was strong enough, apparantly. Well it was improving wasn't it? If he still wasnt happy about it then maybe he needs to look at his own transfer policy as the manager identifed the areas he wanted to improve.

[scally]

If the rumours are true then this has been going on since about the Westbrom game, if thats the case why has the bloke not even bothered to learn English. He's had over two months but still can hardly say two words of English, very profeesional.

[VectisSaint]

I was of course mocked and abused for this.

 

I think the words are "who the f*ck is laughing now"

You are mocked and abused for many reasons, its what happens when you are a troll.

[Halo Stickman]

Anything wrong with only wanting to hear good things?

 

Come on surely you appreciate that there is a different need re supporting 'evidence' when negative stuff is spouted? When there is Positive spin/BS published, you dont need evidence - because its positive and no harm is done if it turnes out to BS. But with negative rumours or gossip or 'ITK' posts, they have a greater impact on morale, what we believe etc - they can if spread and become urban myth do damage to the club or teh fans perception so its only nateral that anyone with a brain would want to see some hard evidence to validate it before believing it.

 

Holy crap. Are you the weirdo who delivers the Good News magazine to my house every Sunday?

[shurlock]

Indeed he did. What's your point? Cortese didn't feel the defence was strong enough, apparantly. Well it was improving wasn't it? If he still wasnt happy about it then maybe he needs to look at his own transfer policy as the manager identifed the areas he wanted to improve.

 

Maybe NC was frustrated that he couldn't get the CBs in he wanted because he felt that NA/the club weren't high profile enough -and this strengthened his decision to replace NA. The logic is perverse but I wouldn't put it past NC.

[Silvercherry Saint]

Yep - actually, the first article published in Spain about Pochittino coming here was on 9th Jan. surprised it took the UK media over a week to latch onto it.

 

Wow, thats doesn't surprise me. When listening to the Solent Interview after the Chelsea draw, some of Nigels answers were interesting at times. Yes, he gave little away as normal, but there was a sense that he knew more was going on behind his back regarding signings (obviously already accustomed to it with Cortese and Les Reed). Interesting he mentioned about having a massive scouting network now. Probably MP and his backroom staff getting their research in.

[Turkish]

You are mocked and abused for many reasons, its what happens when you are a troll.

 

Brilliant reponse. Not prepared to admit i was right about the management sitiation then???

 

You mugged yourself off the other day with your thinly veiled accusations of racism because some people didn't rate Lee, went a bit quiet when it was put to you that you were talking boll ocks and most people rate Yoshida and he is proving a great signing and a bargain didnt you....

[The Kraken]

Holy crap. Are you the weirdo who delivers the Good News magazine to my house every Sunday?

 

I have to say even I was surprised to see Frankie admit to being such a happy clappy! Quite funny that someone admits their objectivity goes completely out of the window depending upon whether they deem it to be good or bad news.

[John Boy Saint]

Pretty much similar in the Daily snail. It is all pretty bonkers overall. I just wonder if the object of the exercise from Cortese,at the request of the Leibherr estate, is to get us into a position in the league where we are banging on the top 4 door and offload the club to the highest bidder.

i felt that as we were ahead of schedule the plan would be to consolidate then crack on next year, but hey what do I / we know. Still think we have missed a trick with this escapade........ C'est la vie.

[Turkish]

Maybe NC was frustrated that he couldn't get the CBs in he wanted because he felt that NA/the club weren't high profile enough -and this strengthened his decision to replace NA. The logic is perverse but I wouldn't put it past NC.

 

Yep, you could well be right. In fact i upset a few people on this thread when i posed that very question on this thread. I expect i was just trolling then though as well.

 

http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthread.php?42260-Adkins-future-in-doubt-(again)-Daily-Mail/page2

[Frank's cousin]

I have to say even I was surprised to see Frankie admit to being such a happy clappy! Quite funny that someone admits their objectivity goes completely out of the window depending upon whether they deem it to be good or bad news.

 

I cometh with the Watchtopwer to spread enlightenment... or maybe not.

 

Seriously, think you miss the point - it has nothing to do with objectivity - positive stories ae taken with a pinch of salt, because it matters not if they are true or not - they do NO harm

 

Negative as above can have harmful consequences so it is simply a matter of due diligence to expect some form of validation.

 

Turks, no one is expecting a source revelation, but how much you beleive and post will depend on previous form - accuracy of previous insider knowledge and often its does not take a brain the size of planet to recognize WUM or posters with a mission/agenda... so you filter.

 

Its not a case of not wanting to hear bad stroies, but more a case of wanting to sure they are accurate - and that is the problem with boards such as this - there is no way to validate them.

[Frank's cousin]

Yep, you could well be right. In fact i upset a few people on this thread when i posed that very question on this thread. I expect i was just trolling then though as well.

 

http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthread.php?42260-Adkins-future-in-doubt-(again)-Daily-Mail/page2

 

You are a God mate - a seer... or something - please note on that occasion, I did not dismiss your foresight, merely presented an additional POV - money that talks..

 

Certainly it could be argued that Pino... has a bigger profile in Sothern Europe/internationallly than Adkins, and this may have played a part in the decision, sure

[eelpie]

I think it also shows he thought Adkins didn't have the star pulling power, required for some of those big name defenders as well!!

 

This

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

I'm sure many - if not all - of us were disappointed that Reading pipped us to the Championship title last season. But for the Chairman to become so outraged by not having a shiny new trophy to parade around that he shunned his manager and actively started to consider replacing him there and then ... well that smacks to me of a overreaction to put it mildly. Being promoted was the only prize that really mattered - whether we happened to finish in first, or second, place is of relatively minor importance in the grand scheme of things surely.

 

Although in my time I've encountered plenty of managerial types who exhibited broadly similar traits, you still have to wonder about the psychological balance of any grown adult who's life experiences have not taught him to accept that sometimes you can't always have everything you want in life exactly when you want it. You could almost describe such a personality as akin to that of a badly spoilt child.

 

To be fair to him Nicola Cortese has invested plenty of money - other peoples money that is - in chasing this mad dream of his of making this middling regional club a true force in European football. However as the incalculably more wealthy owners of Man City and Chelsea have come to learn, however much you spend on players, that fact alone does not automatically guarantee you instant success in this old game I'm afraid.

[Turkish]

/\ it was after the Reading home game that their relationship started turning sour.

[Katalinic]

/\ it was after the Reading home game that their relationship started turning sour.

 

Specifically why after a win? Not doubting your info by the way as you have right about a number of things which were at the time mocked on here.

[The Kraken]

Specifically why after a win? Not doubting your info by the way as you have right about a number of things which were at the time mocked on here.

 

In the Championship; when we lost after battering them all game.

[Turkish]

Specifically why after a win? Not doubting your info by the way as you have right about a number of things which were at the time mocked on here.

 

I meant the game last season when we lost 1-3. Cortese was fuming.

[Katalinic]

I meant the game last season when we lost 1-3. Cortese was fuming.

 

Ah, I had expunged that from my mind. It does make sense when you add in the post Coventry comments and interview - just surprised he didn't wield the axe in the summer.

[Red]

Two questions:

 

If Cortese thought the defence was not good enough did he really think changing the manager was the answer?

 

Does Cortese really think the best way to chose a manager is to use 'a network of agents'?

 

Incredible.

 

Er Yes, to the first point! Look at the mirror Pochettino article carefully, and the clues are there - he likes a passing and pressing type of game, not allowing the opposition to settle, and playing/building from the back (guess what Sherlock - exactly Forren's strengths). In all most all of our games, we have hung on for dear life at the end of games, sometimes failing. Whilst we did not concede, it has been particularly evident in the last three games.

 

People should really think before engaging foot in mouth!

[david in sweden]

If the rumours are true then this has been going on since about the Westbrom game, if thats the case why has the bloke not even bothered to learn English. He's had over two months but still can hardly say two words of English, very profeesional.

 

how do you know he didn't ?...he commented on the weather (in English)....and then said he'd take the footballing questions in Spanish ......most Prem. managers have trouble making sense even when they answer in Englsih.

[SaintSteve]

I said quite clearly about this and the Di Matteo thing, i was mocked and told to ask Bruce Buck a question next time i was out with him. I admit i made the Guly 15 minute thing up a few months back to get a few bites but that was only after several things i'd said that were true were dismissed as bullsh*t. I just thought i'd make something up for a bit of a laugh. Come on, the Guly thing was so obviously bullsh it i'm amazed people fell for it. The trouble with a lot of you is that you only want to hear good things, so whenever anyone shares anything that isn't suggesting that Cortese is the greatest man who ever walked the planet you get up in arms about it.

 

I dont give a f*ck if people believe me or not at the time. In fact i quite enjoy coming back on and showing you i was right.

You are like a spoilt little brat...memememe... as if we care.

[Colinjb]

On the bright side, they are still banging on about Davide Astori.

[S-Clarke]

On the bright side, they are still banging on about Davide Astori.

 

That link is actually pepping up again.

[Katalinic]

That link is actually pepping up again.

 

Where out of interest?

[Lord Duckhunter]

how do you know he didn't ?...he commented on the weather (in English)....and then said he'd take the footballing questions in Spanish ......most Prem. managers have trouble making sense even when they answer in Englsih.

 

Guillem Balague said on Talk sport that his English was ok, also said he was highly educated ,the interviewer then said "I'm yet to met an intelligent Argentinian that doesn't understand and speak ok English. "

 

Maybe, just maybe his English is better than people think, but he thought it a smart move to defuse some questions by using an interpreter. There is a world of difference between speaking about football to multi national professional footballers and speaking to a room full of hacks looking to hang you out to dry.

[S-Clarke]

Where out of interest?

 

Seen it popping up on a few Italian twitter feeds throughout the day, although they could have just been rehashing the link from the mirror.

 

I imagine we still hold an interest though.