Unbelievable Jeff Posted 16 January, 2014 Share Posted 16 January, 2014 http://www.football365.com/mediawatch/9118412/Mediawatch So I Don't Have To Dream Alone... 'MELTDOWN!' 'DREAM WRECKER' That's the Daily Mail's utterly bizarre reaction to the departure of the chairman of the club currently in ninth place in the Premier League. Not the owner, not the manager, not any of the players, but the chairman. The former Southampton chairman Nicola Cortese to be exact. The 'DREAM WRECKER' in question is of course Katharina Liebherr, who took over ownership of Southampton in August 2010 after her father's death, which came four days after the Saints lost their opening game of the League One season against Plymouth. It was presumably then that Katharina 'wrecked' the 'dream' of Southampton by being in charge for back-to-back promotions to the Premier League. She has since 'wrecked' the 'dream' by spending £70m on transfers since they secured promotion to the top flight, breaking the club's transfer record three times. The *****. But perhaps it's not Southampton's dream that she is wrecking but Neil Ashton of the Daily Mail's dream to go on another trip to Southampton's training camp next summer. In July, in a puff piece about Cortese being just plain wonderful, Ashton wrote: 'Unquestionably he has a low tolerance threshold, showing occasional signs of agitation when things don't run smoothly during the team's stay at the magnificent £400-a-night Falkensteiner Schloss Hotel on the side of Lake Worthersee.' Because of course the nightly tariff and the magnificence of the hotel are integral to the story. In Ashton's 'DREAM WRECKER' piece, he revisits memories of his stay, writing: 'This week's events have been bubbling since last summer, when Katharina arrived unexpectedly at the club's pre-season training camp in the stunning Alpine setting of Velden, Austria. It was on the banks of Lake Worthersee, on the decking of the Seespitz Restaurant on the evening of Wednesday, July 24...' Again, the name of the restaurant is integral to the story about the woman who has had the temerity to take over the running of a company she owns. For it is a woman. We know because Ashton makes a point of writing that 'there are no signs of the £3bn fotune in the way she dresses'. Unfortunately Ashton does not report how she was dressed on the evening she turned up at the sumptuous Falkensteiner Schloss Hotel - with simply wonderful dressing gowns for the guests - on the side of Lake Worthersee... Suspicious Minds 'Her long-term plans are unclear but there is a suspicion she may wish to cash in on the club's Premier League status and make a huge profit on the £14million her father spent to buy it in 2009,' writes Ashton. She plans to sell her own company? To make a profit? The *****. A Woman?! To be fair, the Daily Mail are not the only newspaper to dedicate their back page and a massive pile of ire to Liebherr, with The Sun splashing a particularly unflattering picture of the heiress with the words 'EXCLUSIVE', 'REVEALED' and 'Woman at centre of Southampton nightmare'. A woman?? A woman?! In charge of a football club? They'll be asking for the vote next. Dancing With Myself Congratulations must go to The Sun for their 'Q&A exclusive' in which their journalist (Geoff Sweet) exclusively answers all his own questions about Southampton. Apparently they're the 'questions all football fans are asking'. And 'all football fans' should thank Mr Sweet for exclusively taking it upon himself to answer those questions. Posed my himself. Disaster 'Is there any way back from the abyss?' is one question Geoff Sweet exclusively asks and then exclusively answers. There is absolutely no hint of melodrama as he writes: 'They probably have enough points in the bag already to guarantee Premier League survival this season, so the threat of relegation is not realistically looming.' Probably? Probably? The chairman (sorry, 'club supremo') has left. The sodding chairman. Is a side 'brimming with young international talent' going to stop playing because their chairman's gone? If they do, then f*** 'em, we say. Words Fail The headline in the Daily Express: 'Herr indoors is in charge now.' K.I.S.S.I.N.G A tearful Ben Smith of the BBC wrote on Wednesday night: 'Southampton chairman Nicola Cortese has left his post at St Mary's, with club owner Katharina Liebherr installing herself as his replacement. Cortese, 45, tendered his resignation in the autumn and has now departed.' Autumn, you say? That's odd because Smith wrote a piece just last month headlined 'Southampton: Nicola Cortese at heart of Saints success story' in which he wrote this sickeningly sycophantic paragraph about a man who had apparently already offered his resignation: 'Spend a few hours at Southampton's Marchwood training centre and you will form a different view of Cortese, The kit men and the groundsmen know him as Nicola, not Mr Chairman. He knows the names of their wives and family. He sends birthday cards. He actually seems to care.' Smith writes a paean to Cortese again today which ends with these words: 'Love him or loathe him - he will be missed.' We're sure he'll call, Ben. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai_phil Posted 16 January, 2014 Share Posted 16 January, 2014 Have actually just read the article. It really does sum things up very well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
North Wilts Saint Posted 16 January, 2014 Share Posted 16 January, 2014 A tearful Ben Smith of the BBC wrote on Wednesday night: '..... with club owner Katharina Liebherr installing herself as his replacement.' And this then widely reported on all BBC news, even through the statement clearly pointed out she would be non-exec and would be installing a CEO. When even the BBC fail to report facts what hope is there and it worded to imply something very different from the media shy reserved reality. So no chance of one of the key REAL points in this saga - appropriate and good corporate governance getting an airing, too damn dull that truth stuff. Enjoyed the post Jeff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wes Tender Posted 16 January, 2014 Share Posted 16 January, 2014 A superb article exposing the puerile double standards of our gutter press. Other Red Tops are awash with stories that half of our best players will be signed by various glory clubs, wrapping up speculation as fact, as is their usual modus operandi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
do i not like fizzy pop Posted 16 January, 2014 Share Posted 16 January, 2014 Reminds me of this: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bearsy Posted 16 January, 2014 Share Posted 16 January, 2014 Other Red Tops are awash with stories that half of our best players will be signed by various glory clubs anyone going sat take u boots. We may need you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex Lion Tamer Posted 16 January, 2014 Share Posted 16 January, 2014 Great article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloatingbridgeSaint Posted 16 January, 2014 Share Posted 16 January, 2014 Thanks Jeff, I read the article & thought pretty much the same thing. I think it is disgusting the way a lot of people are turning on our owner no matter what their own thoughts are. If the Daily Mail is having its strings pulled by NC still, as suggested before then my respect for the man is rapidly diminishing.I don't think thats his style though & prefer to think of it as papers trying to stir up news in what is a very quiet transfer window. As soon as the next big transfer is announced then we will be old news. Wishful thinking but wouldn't it be great if that next big singing was actually us! Can't see it though & my personal opinion is that we are in for a dull 2nd half of the season whilst all around steady the ship. The reality is that there is no simple answer on who's side to take - yes we are led to believe it was NC's vision but ultimately it wasn't his money. I'll remain on the sidelines until the clouds have gone but i'll always support Saints no matter what or whom owns us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a1ex2001 Posted 16 January, 2014 Share Posted 16 January, 2014 Great article nice to see some sensible perspective put on the situation and someone stick their head up and point out the ridiculous sexism at play here, KL owns Southampton football club NC was her employee they decided they couldn't work together anymore he left a new chairman will come in and things will carry on hopefully in Red and White with the occasional nod to our past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buctootim Posted 16 January, 2014 Share Posted 16 January, 2014 Excellent post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CB Fry Posted 16 January, 2014 Share Posted 16 January, 2014 A superb article exposing the puerile double standards of our gutter press. Other Red Tops are awash with stories that half of our best players will be signed by various glory clubs, wrapping up speculation as fact, as is their usual modus operandi. The gutter press seduced and spoon fed information from Nicola Cortese, yes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Boy Saint Posted 17 January, 2014 Share Posted 17 January, 2014 Give this a bump 'cos it is quite amusing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golac's Cunning Stunts Posted 17 January, 2014 Share Posted 17 January, 2014 The truth lies somewhere in between this drivel and the Daily Mail Love in of recent months Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danbert Posted 18 January, 2014 Share Posted 18 January, 2014 Nice one Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lets B Avenue Posted 18 January, 2014 Share Posted 18 January, 2014 http://twohundredpercent.net/?p=25237 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graffito Posted 18 January, 2014 Share Posted 18 January, 2014 http://www.dailystar.co.uk/columnists/paul-merson/361008/Southampton-are-living-in-a-dream-world Didn't know where to post this before it goes in the bin. Is there a thicker football pundit than this chump? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Clarke Posted 18 January, 2014 Share Posted 18 January, 2014 http://www.dailystar.co.uk/columnists/paul-merson/361008/Southampton-are-living-in-a-dream-world Didn't know where to post this before it goes in the bin. Is there a thicker football pundit than this chump? That is a truly, truly, appalling article. And he's probably been paid for that.... Wow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Boy Saint Posted 18 January, 2014 Share Posted 18 January, 2014 That is a truly, truly, appalling article. And he's probably been paid for that.... Wow. And probably a significant amount too. Just goes to show that Care in the Community is alive and kicking! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trousers Posted 18 January, 2014 Share Posted 18 January, 2014 http://www.dailystar.co.uk/columnists/paul-merson/361008/Southampton-are-living-in-a-dream-world WTH? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CB Fry Posted 18 January, 2014 Share Posted 18 January, 2014 http://www.dailystar.co.uk/columnists/paul-merson/361008/Southampton-are-living-in-a-dream-world Didn't know where to post this before it goes in the bin. Is there a thicker football pundit than this chump? For saying we're not on for the Champions League? Or for saying we won't get relegated? For saying Shaw is more likely to get CL football at Chelsea than us? For saying getting seven million quid for 32-year-old Lambert would be pretty good return? Merson is a thick *****, and this is ghost written from him rambling o the phone. But most of his disperate points are correct. Listen everyone. We're not going to be in the Champions League. We never were going to be. Just an ego maniac trying to spend someone else's money. Stop getting upset when people dare to say it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingsland Red Posted 18 January, 2014 Share Posted 18 January, 2014 If clubs, like Southampton, continuously feed clubs like Chelsea their best players ,like Shaw, then of course Chelsea will get in the Champions Leagueinstead of clubs like Saints. I understood the club were trying something different in keeping their talent. Simple, isn't it Merson ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graffito Posted 18 January, 2014 Share Posted 18 January, 2014 For saying we're not on for the Champions League? Or for saying we won't get relegated? For saying Shaw is more likely to get CL football at Chelsea than us? For saying getting seven million quid for 32-year-old Lambert would be pretty good return? Merson is a thick *****, and this is ghost written from him rambling o the phone. But most of his disperate points are correct. Listen everyone. We're not going to be in the Champions League. We never were going to be. Just an ego maniac trying to spend someone else's money. Stop getting upset when people dare to say it. You're funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hutch Posted 18 January, 2014 Share Posted 18 January, 2014 That is a truly, truly, appalling article. And he's probably been paid for that.... Wow. He's right though, we're not one of the top six or seven clubs. We're eighth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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