Puel out

[marc_saint]

At the end of last season there was someone "in the know" who was on here and twitter with a lot of info about Koeman and what had happened in the dressing room etc. How he had treated the kids, thoughts of Erwin and other members of the coaching staff etc.

 

Has he reappeared this year?

 

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[saints-til-i-die]

Just been reading about the Hoffenheim manager. Interesting comments about formations and also the importance of man management.

 

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11881/10835874/what-is-behind-julian-nagelsmanns-hoffenheim-success-we-profile-the-29-year-old-manager-of-the-year

 

Too young for Saints? Too good? Not proven enough?

[DT]

Lequipe saying puel may not be our manager next season

 

So it begins

 

Hooray. Silver lining and all that. Needs to go now then or we risk losing best players. Again.

 

 

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[ALWAYS_SFC]

So basically what some want is a new manager but if we are not challenging at the top, getting to cup finals, playing the same team every week,

playing fantastic football every week, not conceding goals, buying loads of players, not letting anyone go until their contact runs down because they don`t want new one,

manager making the subs that the forum want (have i missed anything... experts? ) and if this does not happen they will be calling for a new one before christmas..

 

[RedWillie]

I was up for giving Puel a chance, after all his footy CV wasn't the worst and he had European experience which is what we needed give the season we faced. We exited Europe going out with a whimper in a group we should have won. He got us to a cup final but with what's being produced since then, I am wondering whether the players played for themselves rather than for him?

 

More recently some players have looked less interested as each week passes by and I noticed on Saturday, that a couple of times Puel was on the touch line and shouting to players none of them looked towards him or basically took any notice of what he was trying to say so I wonder if there is an issue between him and the players?

 

 

Glad someone else noticed this Saturday. Speaks volumes, they clearly don't respect him.

[saints-til-i-die]

Been supporting Puel all season. Think he was dealt a bad hand with players sold last year and then the CB fiasco. Seen some good signs at times but all too infrequent, sadly. I can accept a manager making the wrong decision once or even twice regarding team selection but now I feel that he doesn't learn from his mistakes. Midfield is overrun with poor personnel decisions just like the weekend. His comments about Long are ridiculous and unnecessary. He shouldn't be saying what he is. What's the benefit? If he wants rid he should wait until the end of the season. I do not understand the logic of basically saying you want to sell a player, publically, at this stage.

It's for those reasons I've reluctantly come to the conclusion that he probably needs to go. The fan base is divided. All this leaves me feeling like next year will be miserable at st Mary's. £600 is a lot of money for me. I've never been so bored watching the football I've had to this year. I don't think I can justify the cost. I can take losing but I can't face being bored.

 

It's my opinion and I'm entitled to it, whether you agree or not.

[wild-saint]

Been supporting Puel all season. Think he was dealt a bad hand with players sold last year and then the CB fiasco. Seen some good signs at times but all too infrequent, sadly. I can accept a manager making the wrong decision once or even twice regarding team selection but now I feel that he doesn't learn from his mistakes. Midfield is overrun with poor personnel decisions just like the weekend. His comments about Long are ridiculous and unnecessary. He shouldn't be saying what he is. What's the benefit? If he wants rid he should wait until the end of the season. I do not understand the logic of basically saying you want to sell a player, publically, at this stage.

It's for those reasons I've reluctantly come to the conclusion that he probably needs to go. The fan base is divided. All this leaves me feeling like next year will be miserable at st Mary's. £600 is a lot of money for me. I've never been so bored watching the football I've had to this year. I don't think I can justify the cost. I can take losing but I can't face being bored.m

 

It's my opinion and I'm entitled to it, whether you agree or not.

 

The season is over, the team is winding down and playing teams who still have much to play for (top & bottom) is always going to be very tough. Clearly players are needed in specific positions over the summer although I'm not sure Puel has much input / influence last summer. He needs to be backed to create his own team imo and with the right additions the team will progress.

 

Openly talking about long is encouraging him to sort himself out a move and also let other teams know of his availability. Long is bang averagelet down by his finishing and I will be happy to see him replaced.

 

Happy to see puel stay but only if he is backed

[saints-til-i-die]

The season is over, the team is winding down and playing teams who still have much to play for (top & bottom) is always going to be very tough. Clearly players are needed in specific positions over the summer although I'm not sure Puel has much input / influence last summer. He needs to be backed to create his own team imo and with the right additions the team will progress.

 

Openly talking about long is encouraging him to sort himself out a move and also let other teams know of his availability. Long is bang averagelet down by his finishing and I will be happy to see him replaced.

 

Happy to see puel stay but only if he is backed

 

 

Thanks for a reasoned reply. I respectfully disagree with your comment about Puel's tactic of dealing with Long. This could happen 'in house'. The club will make it known privately that he's available to other teams.

 

I know what you're saying about the 'end of year' feel but I don't think this boring, dull football has just been a recent development. Most people where I sit have been bored most of the year. They've not ranted or raved but calmly spoken of their dissatisfaction and boredom coming to matches. This has been since Christmas.

 

It's a complete shame that all the hard work building an ethos and positive atmosphere around the team appears to be fading.

 

PS I have no idea why they appointed Black. Can't fathom that at all.

[stknowle]

Its fair to say that the vast majority of fans are split between wanting him out and remaining unconvinced. I don't think thre would be too many disappointed if we started next season without him.

 

Agreed. He doesn't really deserve to be sacked but how many would be really p!ssed off if he was?

[BILLY]

http://www.lequipe.fr/Football/Actualites/Claude-puel-sera-t-il-la-pour-une-deuxieme-saison-a-southampton/797506

 

Please be some truth in this!

[Katalinic]

Agreed. He doesn't really deserve to be sacked but how many would be really p!ssed off if he was?

 

A mutual consent "family cant settle" suits all parties. Claude and Les save face. Wouldnt surprise me at all.

[Give it to Ron]

Agreed. He doesn't really deserve to be sacked but how many would be really p!ssed off if he was?

He has been given a rough deal by the board but you would be a fool to ignore his failings.

So apparent on Saturday in his failing to address what isn't working during a game. This wasn't the first time Spurs, Bournemouth are 2 off top of my head.

Some players don't get on with managers Mane and arsehat for example but did the players look as though playing for manager?

If he stays then he needs funds and imo a better back room staff who can drive in changes and tactics.

 

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[Shroppie]

A mutual consent "family cant settle" suits all parties. Claude and Les save face. Wouldnt surprise me at all.

I think this is possible. I don't think he finds it easy to deal with fans' criticism, and the same may be true with some players.

 

I'd be sorry to see him go, but less sorry than when any of the last three went.

 

It's been a strange season. Not bad, but a lot of almost good. Puel has fitted the bill in some ways but his demeanour simply doesn't inspire. I thought it was a language thing, but now I'm not so sure. He's done some good things, but has also looked insecure and unsure when things get tough.

 

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[adrian lord]

I think the Cup Final may have, curiously, only served to hasten Claude Puel's demise, rather than bought him time or goodwill. This is because it showed just how well the team can play when motivated, despite their collective limitations. In doing so it served to underline how Puel fails to inspire motivation and respect in run of the mill games.

[Wade Garrett]

Been supporting Puel all season. Think he was dealt a bad hand with players sold last year and then the CB fiasco. Seen some good signs at times but all too infrequent, sadly. I can accept a manager making the wrong decision once or even twice regarding team selection but now I feel that he doesn't learn from his mistakes. Midfield is overrun with poor personnel decisions just like the weekend. His comments about Long are ridiculous and unnecessary. He shouldn't be saying what he is. What's the benefit? If he wants rid he should wait until the end of the season. I do not understand the logic of basically saying you want to sell a player, publically, at this stage.

It's for those reasons I've reluctantly come to the conclusion that he probably needs to go. The fan base is divided. All this leaves me feeling like next year will be miserable at st Mary's. £600 is a lot of money for me. I've never been so bored watching the football I've had to this year. I don't think I can justify the cost. I can take losing but I can't face being bored.

 

It's my opinion and I'm entitled to it, whether you agree or not.

 

To be honest, I'm not sure how divided the fan base is. On here you have a handful of posters who respond to every negative post about Puel, which is fair enough. But to be honest, more or less everyone who I actually speak to, don't rate him.

 

I don't think there would be demonstrations outside the ground if he was relieved of his duties.

[adrian lord]

To be honest, I'm not sure how divided the fan base is. On here you have a handful of posters who respond to every negative post about Puel, which is fair enough.

 

And even they sound increasingly as if they are just going through the motions and have lost belief.

[Heisenberg]

Probably time for another poll.

 

Mods?

[sydneysaint17]

If Cortese was still running the show, he'd have been gone by January

[Heisenberg]

If Cortese was still running the show, he'd have been gone by January

 

Cortese would never have appointed him.

[Jarakka]

Just been reading about the Hoffenheim manager. Interesting comments about formations and also the importance of man management.

 

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11881/10835874/what-is-behind-julian-nagelsmanns-hoffenheim-success-we-profile-the-29-year-old-manager-of-the-year

 

Too young for Saints? Too good? Not proven enough?

 

Too good for us sadly. Still a bit annoyed we didn't get Favre while it seemed we had a chance, but...

 

I think the club has to decide if they want to keep Puel and plan for the long term by bringing through academy players and keeping the net spend low. Or they sack Puel and get a better man manager who is going to make the present players overachieve.

 

The first one is going to be a huge risk, because I think if we keep Puel we also have to sell players like Bertrand on top of Van Dijk. If it doesn't work out, we have sold our better players and might just be overcome by other clubs like Stoke or possibly even Newcastle etc. If it works out, we have a young, competitive homegrown team.

 

If we sack Puel, then I'm afraid we have a situation where the players might have too much power over who is the manager. We might be good for the short term, maybe even back in Europe, but eventually it will backfire because we chose the older players over a manager who was supposed to youngen the team.

 

Honestly, I'm on the fence. But also I'm edging towards Puel In, just because he has a good track record with young players. I don't think one season of poor results and defensive playing style merits the sack if we still end up comfortable mid-table and there is a feel we are building towards something. Also, most teams usually don't fare too well on their first season in Europe. It takes time to learn to play against the continental sides.

 

Also if we decide to sack Puel, I would get the ex-Fiorentina manager Paulo Sousa.

[Whitey Grandad]

Too good for us sadly. Still a bit annoyed we didn't get Favre while it seemed we had a chance, but...

 

I think the club has to decide if they want to keep Puel and plan for the long term by bringing through academy players and keeping the net spend low. Or they sack Puel and get a better man manager who is going to make the present players overachieve.

 

The first one is going to be a huge risk, because I think if we keep Puel we also have to sell players like Bertrand on top of Van Dijk. If it doesn't work out, we have sold our better players and might just be overcome by other clubs like Stoke or possibly even Newcastle etc. If it works out, we have a young, competitive homegrown team.

 

If we sack Puel, then I'm afraid we have a situation where the players might have too much power over who is the manager. We might be good for the short term, maybe even back in Europe, but eventually it will backfire because we chose the older players over a manager who was supposed to youngen the team.

 

Honestly, I'm on the fence. But also I'm edging towards Puel In, just because he has a good track record with young players. I don't think one season of poor results and defensive playing style merits the sack if we still end up comfortable mid-table and there is a feel we are building towards something. Also, most teams usually don't fare too well on their first season in Europe. It takes time to learn to play against the continental sides.

 

Also if we decide to sack Puel, I would get the ex-Fiorentina manager Paulo Sousa.

 

The players always have a say over whether the manager stays. Look at Ranieri, Mourinho.

[beatlesaint]

I agree about the players seemingly taking no notice of him during matches, Ive noticed that too.

Bertrand looks totally ****ed off - whether thats because of the manager or he is fed up of Redmond telling him where he should be and when he should pass all the bloody time who knows ?

 

I have desperately tried to warm to Puel, give him the benefit of the doubt etc but one glaring sign for me that hes bloody clueless is the treatment of Clasie. Now hes not my favourtie player by a long way but he has got better from what I have seen this season. he had a great game at WBA and scored a fabulous goal. His reward? Dropped to the bench and now not even in the squad (Unless he has an injury but I havent seen that mentioned anywhere). Clasie should have played against Chelsea alongside Romeu, two players to upset their play, get tackles in early, he could even have man marked Hazard (or tried to) But instead we go with Boufal and Tadic in the same team, away to the best side in the League ? Madness.

 

He wont change formation during a game, just the personnel. We have reverted to this slow, slow, slow cross field passing and back again.....I'm bloody sure the Cup Final showed the players playing for themselves (and us ?) but not the manager. We were excellent that day and its been repeated very very few times if any since.

Edited 1 May, 2017 by beatlesaint

[danjosaint]

Ref clasie above, didn't he do same for Jayrod after his brace against bournemouth

[SW5 SAINT]

Lequipe saying puel may not be our manager next season

 

So it begins

 

I thought I read somewhere that his wife hadn't settled over here..........

[beatlesaint]

Ref clasie above, didn't he do same for Jayrod after his brace against bournemouth

 

He played in 3 of the next 5 matches and was sub the other two.

[Turkish]

I think this is possible. I don't think he finds it easy to deal with fans' criticism, and the same may be true with some players.

 

I'd be sorry to see him go, but less sorry than when any of the last three went.

 

It's been a strange season. Not bad, but a lot of almost good. Puel has fitted the bill in some ways but his demeanour simply doesn't inspire. I thought it was a language thing, but now I'm not so sure. He's done some good things, but has also looked insecure and unsure when things get tough.

 

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It has been a strange season. At the start of it many people were happy with top half and a good cup run. There is a reasonable chance we'll get that. We've had a cup final, beaten Liverpool home and away in a semi, played at the San Siro and beaten inter Milan at home. Liverpool and inter were some of my best memories in 30 odd years as a fan, yet it all seems flat. It's pretty clear some players are p*ssed off and Puel hasn't been helped by the centre half debacle and the lack of a striker who can stick the ball in the net but we've got a good squad and his tactics have been baffeling at times. He doesn't seem to know his best team or formation and seems to have a habit of dropping players after they've had a good game or when they hit a bit of form. I do wonder if what we've achieved this season is inspite of Puel not because of him.

[BILLY]

Too good for us sadly. Still a bit annoyed we didn't get Favre while it seemed we had a chance, but...

 

I think the club has to decide if they want to keep Puel and plan for the long term by bringing through academy players and keeping the net spend low. Or they sack Puel and get a better man manager who is going to make the present players overachieve.

 

The first one is going to be a huge risk, because I think if we keep Puel we also have to sell players like Bertrand on top of Van Dijk. If it doesn't work out, we have sold our better players and might just be overcome by other clubs like Stoke or possibly even Newcastle etc. If it works out, we have a young, competitive homegrown team.

 

If we sack Puel, then I'm afraid we have a situation where the players might have too much power over who is the manager. We might be good for the short term, maybe even back in Europe, but eventually it will backfire because we chose the older players over a manager who was supposed to youngen the team.

 

Honestly, I'm on the fence. But also I'm edging towards Puel In, just because he has a good track record with young players. I don't think one season of poor results and defensive playing style merits the sack if we still end up comfortable mid-table and there is a feel we are building towards something. Also, most teams usually don't fare too well on their first season in Europe. It takes time to learn to play against the continental sides.

 

Also if we decide to sack Puel, I would get the ex-Fiorentina manager Paulo Sousa.

 

Yeah get a new manager ASAP, start preparing for next season straight away. Players don't need to overachieve, just not underperform, play to their expected levels and we'd easily be a couple of places higher in the league and may have even got through our Europa League group if we hadn't been so negative at home and constantly tinkered with the team.

[tobes8]

So basically what some want is a new manager but if we are not challenging at the top, getting to cup finals, playing the same team every week,

playing fantastic football every week, not conceding goals, buying loads of players, not letting anyone go until their contact runs down because they don`t want new one,

manager making the subs that the forum want (have i missed anything... experts? ) and if this does not happen they will be calling for a new one before christmas..

 

No just want to play some exciting football... obviously you're well happy with the tepid, sideways football we play. Nothing against puel but he's out of his depth, has a poor coach in black by his side and seems like the players can't be arsed. But as I've spent I **** load of cash watching saints I'll say what I want.

[angelman]

To be very brief....

 

League Cup - obviously had a brilliant run and enjoyed.

Europa League - shocking tactics led us to being knocked out

FA Cup - let's not even go there.

League - the position might be about right, or maybe 1 place higher, but the points tally is pretty dire considering the progress we have made. Boring football for large parts of this season Hull game was the most boring game that I have watched in a long time and I fell asleep at half time. Shame I didn't fall asleep for the rest of the game. We started the season off really badly with some weird formation that no one wanted or could play.

 

So you can look at this season and ask whether the EFL Cup final is enough, as the other cup competitions certainly weren't nor really the league. If we finish 8th/9th then that might gloss over some things. However, I suspect that we will finish bottom half.

[Shroppie]

It has been a strange season. At the start of it many people were happy with top half and a good cup run. There is a reasonable chance we'll get that. We've had a cup final, beaten Liverpool home and away in a semi, played at the San Siro and beaten inter Milan at home. Liverpool and inter were some of my best memories in 30 odd years as a fan, yet it all seems flat. It's pretty clear some players are p*ssed off and Puel hasn't been helped by the centre half debacle and the lack of a striker who can stick the ball in the net but we've got a good squad and his tactics have been baffeling at times. He doesn't seem to know his best team or formation and seems to have a habit of dropping players after they've had a good game or when they hit a bit of form. I do wonder if what we've achieved this season is inspite of Puel not because of him.

I'd agree with most of that. In a couple of games - can't remember which now - something seemed to change mid-game and we got results. That was despite there being no obvious input from Puel and there were rumours that the team changed formation themselves, ignoring Claude.

 

If true, that may I dictate a lack of strong influence and motivation and maybe problems when players are string characters themselves, or disagree with Puel. Fonte? Bertrand? Boufal?

 

I think he has got us playing some tidy football, but incisiveness and end product have been the problem. And, compared with Koeman and especially Poch, he lacks imagination to read the game and change things.

 

I won't be devastated if he stays, but he will need a fresh start and to demonstrate that he can inspire and lead the players. But Black has to go.

 

We can still march on, but need to be more together than we are at the moment.

 

 

 

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[mrfahaji]

Our league position perfectly sums up our season really. Things could still go either way, there is still opportunity for us to finish 8th and give his supporters reason to say "I told you so", but equally we could fall several places before the end of the season and give the doubters reason for added scepticism.

 

My concern about our current situation is that this season has had plenty of moments, but they tend to be short lived, maybe even "false dawns". We certainly weren't helped by the fixture congestion this year, but even so I'd have hoped for a few more positive runs. Although we have a habit of getting a result when we look to be struggling for form, we seem incapable of sustaining good performances over a longer term.

 

I have regularly questioned whether our players are good enough, as we surely have the poorest team since Pochettino joined, not helped by losing VVD. I'm willing to give Puel the benefit of the doubt here, because we have won games with Clasie and JWP in midfield, and with Stephens and Yoshida at CB, and with J-Rod or Long up front. However, I have been alarmed recently by his insistence to persevere with Tadic, Boufal and Redmond. We've seen it doesn't work not once but twice, yet does it again with the same outcome. A home draw against Hull is poor, but forgivable if we play well and get unlucky with missed chances etc. Sounds like that was far from the case (and would still be relevant even if the penalty had been scored).

 

I have been excusing some of our results, I'd argue for good reason, but we can't continue to not quite be good enough. It's no good being valiant losers to the top six if we can't put teams below us to the sword.

[mrfahaji]

I'd agree with most of that. In a couple of games - can't remember which now - something seemed to change mid-game and we got results. That was despite there being no obvious input from Puel and there were rumours that the team changed formation themselves, ignoring Claude.

 

If true, that may I dictate a lack of strong influence and motivation and maybe problems when players are string characters themselves, or disagree with Puel. Fonte? Bertrand? Boufal?

 

I think he has got us playing some tidy football, but incisiveness and end product have been the problem. And, compared with Koeman and especially Poch, he lacks imagination to read the game and change things.

 

I won't be devastated if he stays, but he will need a fresh start and to demonstrate that he can inspire and lead the players. But Black has to go.

 

We can still march on, but need to be more together than we are at the moment.

 

 

 

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Not saying you're wrong but how do these rumours start? Players changing formation themselves sounds quite a major and severe thing to happen! Sounds like the sort of thing started by a Puel-doubter who can't bear to give him credit!

 

As regards Eric Black, again I certainly don't have any reason to like him or advocate his work, but equally what evidence is there that he is a problem? Track record perhaps, but isn't it otherwise just a hunch?

[Shroppie]

Apologies if already posted

http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/southampton/news/45599/

 

 

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[James]

The problem we have with replacing Puel is that it will undoubtably take our board a month or so to get the right man in which could (as it did last summer IMO) derail our preparations for next season especially given I am anticipating another huge turnover in playing personnel over the summer. If we are to replace him (and for the sake of long term progress I think we should) then I hope we do it soon after the season ends.

[Shroppie]

Not saying you're wrong but how do these rumours start? Players changing formation themselves sounds quite a major and severe thing to happen! Sounds like the sort of thing started by a Puel-doubter who can't bear to give him credit!

 

As regards Eric Black, again I certainly don't have any reason to like him or advocate his work, but equally what evidence is there that he is a problem? Track record perhaps, but isn't it otherwise just a hunch?

I think Black's track record says it all.

 

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[GGalpin]

Apologies if already posted

http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/southampton/news/45599/

 

 

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Soccer-Rumours.com is a windup site. This was posted today, for example: http://soccer-rumours.com/?story=10&buying=2&selling=1&player=10&alias=0&bid=35

[Saint-Fred]

Oo

Apologies if already posted

http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/southampton/news/45599/

 

 

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Errr ...they missed the bits about the flowing football, loads of chances and now we have Gabi back we will probably win the champions league with the genius that is Claude Puel?

[CB Fry]

Oo

 

Errr ...they missed the bits about the flowing football, loads of chances and now we have Gabi back we will probably win the champions league with the genius that is Claude Puel?

No one said anything remotely like this.

 

I think you need to calm down sweetheart.

[Shroppie]

Soccer-Rumours.com is a windup site. This was posted today, for example: http://soccer-rumours.com/?story=10&buying=2&selling=1&player=10&alias=0&bid=35

Fair enough....

 

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[Mr Saints]

The problem we have with replacing Puel is that it will undoubtably take our board a month or so to get the right man in which could (as it did last summer IMO) derail our preparations for next season especially given I am anticipating another huge turnover in playing personnel over the summer. If we are to replace him (and for the sake of long term progress I think we should) then I hope we do it soon after the season ends.

 

The board will already know if Puel is going to be here next season IMO. They seemed to be blind-sided by Koeman's departure but if Puel is off this summer I'd hope it gives us a lot of time to be pro-active this time around.

[Matty's Caddy]

Another well observed comment. I honestly can't believe that people think he's the future.

 

I can't believe holjberg (sp) is the future either

[70's Mike]

Depends on Board ambition, if they really want to "March On" then , imo, he has taken us as far as he can, Atkins was sacked for that reason.

i would like to see him gone, fed up with being out thought in home games where we are so predictable and the worst thing for me is the subs, like for like never positive like two up front

at home basically boring

[supersonic]

I'd like to see Puel given another season. We've had a good year, but not a brilliant year and we, as fans, have been spoilt recently.

 

The main reasons we aren't further up the table are:

 

1) We were painfully short of goals at the beginning of the season and that was made worse when our only goalscorer picked up a long-term injury. The lack of a goalscorer was proven to be the problem when we signed MG.

 

2) We sold our captain and solid CB in January without replacing him, only for our other CB (and best player) to pick up a long-term injury forcing us to play an academy youngster to get by.

 

none of the above are Puel's fault and I challenge you to find a manager that wouldn't struggle in the above circumstances.

 

Another top-half finish and a cup final that we should have won (thanks lino) given the rotten luck we've had this year means he deserves another season.

[Red]

Been supporting Puel all season. Think he was dealt a bad hand with players sold last year and then the CB fiasco. Seen some good signs at times but all too infrequent, sadly. I can accept a manager making the wrong decision once or even twice regarding team selection but now I feel that he doesn't learn from his mistakes. Midfield is overrun with poor personnel decisions just like the weekend. His comments about Long are ridiculous and unnecessary. He shouldn't be saying what he is. What's the benefit? If he wants rid he should wait until the end of the season. I do not understand the logic of basically saying you want to sell a player, publically, at this stage.

It's for those reasons I've reluctantly come to the conclusion that he probably needs to go. The fan base is divided. All this leaves me feeling like next year will be miserable at st Mary's. £600 is a lot of money for me. I've never been so bored watching the football I've had to this year. I don't think I can justify the cost. I can take losing but I can't face being bored.

 

It's my opinion and I'm entitled to it, whether you agree or not.

 

This - as I said on another thread, I am missing our attacking style of play - even if we lost it was nearly always an exciting game to watch - now I'd rather watch paint dry, and when you pay nearly £500 a game (live abroad) it's hard to justify. I have been to less than half the games this year compared to other years, and our home form has been woeful. What on earth is the point of playing one up front at home to Hull?? Rather we went for it and lost.

[Dusic]

Its pretty clear that he is a massive step down from Pochettino and Koeman.

 

Not saying we would have got a Manager as good as either of those again, but for a PL club that finished 6th and has a good reputation, there must have been better candidates than Puel.

 

He has lost what made us good, high tempo, pressing football playing to the strengths of the squad.

 

Im not a major Puel out person, but I don't think he has done much this season to provide any sort of indication that he is capable in the long run of doing anywhere near the sort of job that our last three Managers have done.

 

If he left this summer, very few people would be disappointed and actually it would be quite exciting which is a shame to say.

 

Can you imagine the fans every singing about Puel? That probably speaks volumes.

[Forester]

I'd like to see Puel given another season. We've had a good year, but not a brilliant year and we, as fans, have been spoilt recently.

 

The main reasons we aren't further up the table are:

 

1) We were painfully short of goals at the beginning of the season and that was made worse when our only goalscorer picked up a long-term injury. The lack of a goalscorer was proven to be the problem when we signed MG.

 

2) We sold our captain and solid CB in January without replacing him, only for our other CB (and best player) to pick up a long-term injury forcing us to play an academy youngster to get by.

 

none of the above are Puel's fault and I challenge you to find a manager that wouldn't struggle in the above circumstances.

 

Another top-half finish and a cup final that we should have won (thanks lino) given the rotten luck we've had this year means he deserves another season.

A very fair assessment. In my opinion, what many of the Puel critics like to side step is the fact that we sold Big Vic, Pelle and Mane and we are told that Liverpool are a shadow of themselves without Mane....

[Pamplemousse]

Lequipe saying puel may not be our manager next season

 

So it begins

 

I've translated the actual article

 

https://www.lequipe.fr/Football/Actualites/Claude-puel-sera-t-il-la-pour-une-deuxieme-saison-a-southampton/797506

 

Will Claude Puel still be at Southampton next season?

 

Having arrived last summer as Southampton's manager, Claude Puel is experiencing a difficult end to his first campaign abroad.

 

Bogged down in mid-table (9th position in the Premier League), Southampton has little to play for. After the 0-0 draw at home against Hull this Saturday, Claude Puel was heckled by supporters for the first time since his arrival. The League Cup final against Manchester United is a distant memory and the French coach is no longer certain to be in charge at the start of next season.

 

 

The actual article contains some errors (like saying our match against Hull was 1-1 rather than 0-0) but there are zero sources at all and it seems to be merely speculating if he will be in charge, rather than offering anything concrete.

 

I've also translated the comments

 

Do you think Southampton should be in the top 4? I think they are in their place in the top 10.

 

For me he's had a respectable first season, with a bonus cup final too, not to mention having to play all of his squad

 

If he comes to Paris, he can't do any worse than Emery

 

They're in their place, they need to buy Ben Arfa and Benzéma

 

They're currently 9th, as in the last 4 years, and it's not over yet, they were League Cup finalists with fewer resources than the London clubs, Liverpool teams and the other two from Manchester, they're in their place. And with no offence to a certain president of a French club, it's he who was in charge of a club who were Champions League semi-finalists

[Jarakka]

The players always have a say over whether the manager stays. Look at Ranieri, Mourinho.

 

Sure, I just don't think it's healthy for the club to have the players to dictate whether a manager should stay or go.

[Lord Duckhunter]

Looking through the posts on here & other threads the consensus seems to be that Poch is a fantastic manager, one of the best around.

 

His first full season in English football he had playing in his side . Artur B, Shaw, Lovren , Clyne , Morgan , Big Vic, Lallana , pre injury JRod & Rickie . How many of them wouldn't walk into our present side? Bertrand ahead of Shaw maybe and possibly Gabbi over Rickie ( although personally I wouldn't ). I think it's pretty unarguably the fact that the others are far better than we've got now.

 

So with one of the present games top managers who already had half a season in English football, with a group of players far superior than Puel has, where did we finish ....8th , that's where. Plus a pathetic cup exit at Sunderland

 

I point this out not to compare Poch with Puel as there's clearly no comparison, but to add a bit of realism to the debate. Some people's expectations are way too high. If Poch with that squad could only manage 8th, realistically why does this season come as a surprise to anyone.? If 8th with that group was great, why is 10th or 11th with a cup final suddenly manager out territory. We could even still finish 8th, as we sit 9th . Which of course is only 1 place below the great season Poch had.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Saint Albert]

I noticed that the Sun has picked up on the L'Equipe story. it does not add much to it though.

 

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/3453355/claude-puels-future-as-southampton-boss-under-threat-according-to-reports-in-france/