Ralph Hasenhuttl

[Tom & Gerry]

1 hour ago, Toussaint said:

I was responding to the "high risk strategy" of signing young players, he is not in that category. I don't think I made my point very well, but I was trying to get across it's not the  young players we signed that are the issue, it's the 2 or 3 key roles we didn't fill that are the issue, for me anyway. 

We didn't sign them because we signed young players instead but either way it will be the strategy that has failed if we have to sack Ralph and will not in any way be a cause for celebration. 

[notnowcato]

1 hour ago, Toussaint said:

I was responding to the "high risk strategy" of signing young players, he is not in that category. I don't think I made my point very well, but I was trying to get across it's not the  young players we signed that are the issue, it's the 2 or 3 key roles we didn't fill that are the issue, for me anyway. 

2 or 3 key roles?  Striker, 100% with you.  Maybe an AM but Joe A is settling in now and I thought he played a good game on Wednesday, more to come I think.  Even Stu A is looking like he's about to hit some form again.  Central midfield and central defence, when all fit, looks the best we've had for a number of seasons.

[Toussaint]

16 minutes ago, Tom & Gerry said:

We didn't sign them because we signed young players instead but either way it will be the strategy that has failed if we have to sack Ralph and will not in any way be a cause for celebration. 

Again, I wasn’t offering an opinion on Ralph, just on the high risk strategy bit.

[Toussaint]

4 minutes ago, notnowcato said:

2 or 3 key roles?  Striker, 100% with you.  Maybe an AM but Joe A is settling in now and I thought he played a good game on Wednesday, more to come I think.  Even Stu A is looking like he's about to hit some form again.  Central midfield and central defence, when all fit, looks the best we've had for a number of seasons.

Well you have 2, I said 2 or 3. I hope your right about Aribo.

[DT]

8 hours ago, Ex Lion Tamer said:

With Wolves deciding to keep their caretaker manager having considered bringing back Nuno, I wonder if there simply aren't any good enough managers available the moment, so we're sticking with what we know for now

I think the board are half-hoping Ralph gets poached. Compensation to us rather than to him.

[manji]

13 minutes ago, DT said:

I think the board are half-hoping Ralph gets poached. Compensation to us rather than to him.

The owners don’t have a problem with Ralph it’s Semmens they are pissed off with. He blew the chance to get two attackers in right at the end of the window.

[Wade Garrett]

35 minutes ago, manji said:

The owners don’t have a problem with Ralph it’s Semmens they are pissed off with. He blew the chance to get two attackers in right at the end of the window.

Fuck me, they’re easily pleased then.

[DT]

37 minutes ago, manji said:

The owners don’t have a problem with Ralph it’s Semmens they are pissed off with. He blew the chance to get two attackers in right at the end of the window.

How did he do that? Genuine q

[Harry_SFC]

55 minutes ago, manji said:

The owners don’t have a problem with Ralph it’s Semmens they are pissed off with. He blew the chance to get two attackers in right at the end of the window.

Doesn't surprise me. It was a massive f*ck up on his part and could well contribute to us getting relegated. 

Edited 21 October, 2022 by Harry_SFC

[egg]

56 minutes ago, manji said:

The owners don’t have a problem with Ralph it’s Semmens they are pissed off with. He blew the chance to get two attackers in right at the end of the window.

Interesting. Any idea why he's not been canned? 

[saint1977]

1 hour ago, manji said:

The owners don’t have a problem with Ralph it’s Semmens they are pissed off with. He blew the chance to get two attackers in right at the end of the window.

There isn’t a ‘surprise face’ emoji but if there was that’s what I would added. How did MS mess up the striker signings? Gapko I think was holding out for MU/Chelsea and Delap hasn’t pulled up trees at Stoke. Definitely needed a couple of strikers though, one of them a main striker to work with Che. 

[SuperSAINT]

2 hours ago, manji said:

The owners don’t have a problem with Ralph it’s Semmens they are pissed off with. He blew the chance to get two attackers in right at the end of the window.

[Golac's Cunning Stunts]

3 hours ago, manji said:

The owners don’t have a problem with Ralph it’s Semmens they are pissed off with. He blew the chance to get two attackers in right at the end of the window.

Sorry, don't believe the board don't have a problem with Ralph given his team's performances and results. If they haven't got a problem with that then that is seriously worrying

[Saint Garrett]

I’d love to know where some fans think we should be with the squad we have. Some proper deluded fans out there. We have one of the least experienced/ worst squads in the league, and have the worst selection of strikers. 

Where do fans think we should be? IMO, we’re where we should be. I hope this young side, can grow second half of the season and bloody a few noses. But regardless, without a goalscorer, games we should win it’s quite easy to draw or lose. 

[pimpin4rizeal]

12 hours ago, Sheaf Saint said:

And how is that working out for them exactly? No point signing players just for the sake of it.

We will have had targets who we believed would have improved on what we have. It's frustrating that those deals all fell through, but I'm glad we didn't just go and spunk that money on more dross. 

So you’re happy we didnt make any moves in case we signed some dross?

forest doing poorly isn’t the point at least they were proactive in their recruitment..I used them as an example in reply to us not being able to get any of our targets to wanna come.. we tend to fanny around far to long waiting for the end of the window etc and then this happens 

Edited 21 October, 2022 by pimpin4rizeal

[pimpin4rizeal]

3 hours ago, manji said:

The owners don’t have a problem with Ralph it’s Semmens they are pissed off with. He blew the chance to get two attackers in right at the end of the window.

I think semmens is poor and it would be great to get shot of him, he’s far too soft and unambitious.. I know not everyone agrees with me on cortese but the guy took no shit from anyone .if something was wrong he would want answers and was always demanding 100 percent from everyone. Wish we had that kinda drive coming from the top now instead we have semmens who has wet dreams of selling our young players to Liverpool etc and that’s about all the ambition he has 

[RobM]

You can’t excuse Ralph’s performance on a lack of a striker. We bought a list of defenders, including players with a good amount of competitive experience, and we’ve only kept one clean sheet. 
 

The striker problem is serious and was a failure of our board, but it’s made a lot worse by the fact we keep conceding. It’s not like we are solid defensively and just need to score one to win. 

[Saint Garrett]

29 minutes ago, RobM said:

You can’t excuse Ralph’s performance on a lack of a striker. We bought a list of defenders, including players with a good amount of competitive experience, and we’ve only kept one clean sheet. 
 

The striker problem is serious and was a failure of our board, but it’s made a lot worse by the fact we keep conceding. It’s not like we are solid defensively and just need to score one to win. 

Thought about if we had a threat up front, defences would be more wary / deeper ? As blunt as we are, and no strikers that get in behind, means they just push up and squeeze it. 

[Harry_SFC]

11 minutes ago, Saint Garrett said:

Thought about if we had a threat up front, defences would be more wary / deeper ? As blunt as we are, and no strikers that get in behind, means they just push up and squeeze it. 

I genuinely don't think we've been that bad defensively this season. Lost a lot of games by the odd goal but the centre backs have been our best players. It's obvious where the issues have been. Central midfield (without Lavia) and attack. 

[niceandfriendly]

10 hours ago, Fitzhugh Fella said:

No need for the patronising reply. Yes my comment about working it out for yourself was a little unnecessary, I apologise for that it wasn’t meant to be sarcastic but it did sound it. 

Same to you FF. My apologies for snapping back too hard. 
 

I stand by how stupid it is to call a Saints victory terrible though.  

[Singapore Saint]

7 hours ago, RobM said:

You can’t excuse Ralph’s performance on a lack of a striker. We bought a list of defenders, including players with a good amount of competitive experience, and we’ve only kept one clean sheet. 
 

The striker problem is serious and was a failure of our board, but it’s made a lot worse by the fact we keep conceding. It’s not like we are solid defensively and just need to score one to win. 

Besides which Ralph's tactics are wrong: score a goal and defend like mad 🙄

[Toussaint]

11 hours ago, pimpin4rizeal said:

I think semmens is poor and it would be great to get shot of him, he’s far too soft and unambitious.. I know not everyone agrees with me on cortese but the guy took no shit from anyone .if something was wrong he would want answers and was always demanding 100 percent from everyone. Wish we had that kinda drive coming from the top now instead we have semmens who has wet dreams of selling our young players to Liverpool etc and that’s about all the ambition he has 

He seems to be a bland, corporate type, and under his watch we have become a bland corporate club. I’m pretty sure on a business level he is happy to finish anywhere outside the bottom 3. He’s said as much, but I’ve always thought spending just enough to avoid relegation is Russian Roulette. Maybe this is where the perceived friction is in the camp? I’d prefer someone with a bit more about them that helps us re establish our identity and spirit, with  Much less focus on the peripheral touchy feely crap and more focus on the first team and set up which feeds directly into that.

 

Edited 22 October, 2022 by Toussaint
Why do you only find the errors when you have already posted??

[Turkish]

1 hour ago, Toussaint said:

He seems to be a bland, corporate type, and under his watch we have become a bland corporate club. I’m pretty sure on a business level he is happy to finish anywhere outside the bottom 3. He’s said as much, but I’ve always thought spending just enough to avoid relegation is Russian Roulette. Maybe this is where the perceived friction is in the camp? I’d prefer someone with a bit more about them that helps us re establish our identity and spirit, with  Much less focus on the peripheral touchy feely crap and more focus on the first team and set up which feeds directly into that.

 

This. I’m sure he’s a nice enough chap, but he’s a marketing guy, he’s got zero experience of running a football club and neither has Steele. Whilst that’s not the be all and end all you can tell they’re corporate types out of touch with the fan base and don’t really get us or football fans in general. I can’t think of many specialised industries where youd get people in very senior positions with no industry experience. Yes I get at that level is about strategy and leadership not knowing Kevin and Sue from Shirley are pissed off because they can’t get an extra large twix in the kiosks but they seem to think we are an Arsenal or Chelsea with corporate and day trippers lining up to come along but we aren’t. The easiest customer to get is the one you already have but they seem oblivious to this and instead intent on doing as much as possible to annoy the existing fan base. 

[Lighthouse]

2 hours ago, Toussaint said:

He seems to be a bland, corporate type, and under his watch we have become a bland corporate club. I’m pretty sure on a business level he is happy to finish anywhere outside the bottom 3. He’s said as much, but I’ve always thought spending just enough to avoid relegation is Russian Roulette. Maybe this is where the perceived friction is in the camp? I’d prefer someone with a bit more about them that helps us re establish our identity and spirit, with  Much less focus on the peripheral touchy feely crap and more focus on the first team and set up which feeds directly into that.

I don't really know what this means, if I'm honest. In what way have we become bland and corporate, in a way that we weren't before? What is it you would expect from Semmens to reestablish identity and spirit? What is the 'touchy feely crap' we've become too focused on?

[em00jie]

6 hours ago, Singapore Saint said:

Besides which Ralph's tactics are wrong: score a goal and defend like mad 🙄

It’s not like we score goals for fun though is it! Scoring goals is a weakness of ours, and will continue to be until we get the attackers we were clearly trying to get in the summer signed. It’s not unreasonable to try and protect a slim lead on the rare occasion we do score is it?

Edited 22 October, 2022 by em00jie

[capitalsaint]

16 minutes ago, Turkish said:

This. I’m sure he’s a nice enough chap, but he’s a marketing guy, he’s got zero experience of running a football club and neither has Steele. Whilst that’s not the be all and end all you can tell they’re corporate types out of touch with the fan base and don’t really get us or football fans in general. I can’t think of many specialised industries where youd get people in very senior positions with no industry experience. Yes I get at that level is about strategy and leadership not knowing Kevin and Sue from Shirley are pissed off because they can’t get an extra large twix in the kiosks but they seem to think we are an Arsenal or Chelsea with corporate and day trippers lining up to come along but we aren’t. The easiest customer to get is the one you already have but they seem oblivious to this and instead intent on doing as much as possible to annoy the existing fan base. 

Bang on.

[Andrew Watson]

A second post running, I agree with Turkish. Typical pair of Tory money men, says it all really.

[Saint86]

14 hours ago, RobM said:

You can’t excuse Ralph’s performance on a lack of a striker. We bought a list of defenders, including players with a good amount of competitive experience, and we’ve only kept one clean sheet. 
 

The striker problem is serious and was a failure of our board, but it’s made a lot worse by the fact we keep conceding. It’s not like we are solid defensively and just need to score one to win. 

Honestly this comment is ill-judged imo. Defenders and goalkeepers are only part of a team's defence. A lot of it comes down to how the team is set up (I.e. Defensive / attacking), how much possession they have, and what formation / cover the defence gets, what threat do they pose the opposition etc. If we signed haaland, kdb, and foden, do you seriously think our defensive record wouldn't improve? 

You can't win games without scoring goals (ahem puel) and we are weaker than average (for the prem) throughout our attack and attacking mids - and it is therefore hard for us to carry the same threat as other teams. As a consequence we have to take more risks, commit more men forward etc. 

Our defensive players are the only part of the team I would say are actually very good. Well if they were all fit anyway.... 😢

ABK, Salisu, KWP, Livramento, Perraud, and Caleta Car are all more than good enough / above average players for a mid table / top 10 prem team imo. I also think bazunu is good enough for that level and he clearly has a lot of potential given his age. 

Our issue (has been said time and time again), is our only good CMs are lavia and JWP.

And our only decent threat attacking players are aribo and Adams. Stu to a degree when he's fit.

The rest of our attack/midfield - Ely, edozi, djenpo, Adam Armstrong, mara, diallo, ANM, Walcot etc. can at best be described as average players for a team fighting relegation. Which is where we basically are (at least with these injuries) and is fundamentally why we are struggling... We have no (good) depth at CM, and a very blunt attack that basically relies on Che's (very good) target man skill set, and then getting a load of very average attacker's around him in the hope they occasionally score. 

And our injuries reads like a list of our best players... Tino, lavia, ABK, kwp... 

I honestly don't know what our fans expect. If we can get to the world Cup and not be in the relegation zone then we've done well. SR have a long project and the fans need patience. 

There is no miracle manager waiting around the corner who can fix the deficiencies in our squad... Our recruitment needed to strengthen the attack this summer, and only having lavia as our anchor man was a serious error. 

Edited 22 October, 2022 by Saint86

[Wurzel]

2 hours ago, Saint86 said:

 

.........................

I honestly don't know what our fans expect. If we can get to the world Cup and not be in the relegation zone then we've done well. SR have a long project and the fans need patience. 

I'd have settled for  getting to the Europa Conference, but the World Cup? That would be fucking amazing!!!! #WTFILN

Edited 22 October, 2022 by Wurzel
#

[Toussaint]

2 hours ago, Lighthouse said:

I don't really know what this means, if I'm honest. In what way have we become bland and corporate, in a way that we weren't before? What is it you would expect from Semmens to reestablish identity and spirit? What is the 'touchy feely crap' we've become too focused on?

Yes you do

[Lighthouse]

8 minutes ago, Toussaint said:

Yes you do

Nope, genuinely not a clue. What is our CEO doing which you regard as being too corporate and bland?

[Dragon_man]

Semmens isn't here for the fans. That's blindingly obvious. His goal is to avoid relegation and sell players to preferably make money and/or at least reinvest to stay in the premiership. End of.

In some ways that's realistic. Until a Middle East sheik or US billionaire comes along, that's as good as it gets.

However, he could have a strategy to try and get that so that we could truly develop. Alternatively we could be more aggressive and hope to do a Leicester. Some ambition can pay off ... Brighton, Fulham, Brentford are looking promising. Not just results, but more exciting and consistent play.

I believe SR, Semmens and RH will be happy to avoid relegation, hence no action on changes. They probably believe that's very doable too, even from this position. No burning platform for them, especially as our fans are unlikely to make any noise about it.

So for us fans, that's about it. As they have more or less said - Suck it up or Foxtrot Oscar.

Edited 22 October, 2022 by Dragon_man

[Chris cooper]

8 hours ago, Toussaint said:

He seems to be a bland, corporate type, and under his watch we have become a bland corporate club. I’m pretty sure on a business level he is happy to finish anywhere outside the bottom 3. He’s said as much, but I’ve always thought spending just enough to avoid relegation is Russian Roulette. Maybe this is where the perceived friction is in the camp? I’d prefer someone with a bit more about them that helps us re establish our identity and spirit, with  Much less focus on the peripheral touchy feely crap and more focus on the first team and set up which feeds directly into that.

 

Saying we don’t want or need experienced prem players at this club we need young quality .. ie (re sale value) at the fans forum ..people will argue we have the experience in the likes of Jwp etc .. he isn’t a captain and his game is suffering massively since Romeu left … semmens is a mediocre businessman with mediocre ambition! Get shot along with Ralph and let’s get someone in who really wants to take us foward . 

[Wade Garrett]

I thought Semmens spoke a load of rubbish at the fans forum.

He’ll be no loss to the club.

[SotonianWill]

22 hours ago, Lighthouse said:

Nope, genuinely not a clue. What is our CEO doing which you regard as being too corporate and bland?

added £1,000 padded seats in the kingsland 

[Lighthouse]

11 minutes ago, SotonianWill said:

added £1,000 padded seats in the kingsland 

Right…. So the character and soul of the club that people lament having been lost mainly consists of old people with piles?

[nta786]

3 hours ago, Lighthouse said:

Right…. So the character and soul of the club that people lament having been lost mainly consists of old people with piles?

Come on Lighthouse, we know football clubs are corporate businesses and will want to constantly make money but they are slightly unusual because they are also established communities there to provide joy for its fans, not customers.

I can give a number of reasons why the club over the year has been considered soulless and bland, and I'm not just talking about the shite we are witnessing on the pitch:

1) As mentioned installing padded seats on Block 31, forcing loyal customers out unless they pay the price rise and then charging fans £60-£90 on matchdays. I doubt any fan even requested that but the club thought let's see if we can milk the fanbase more for it... 

2) The Block 1 fiasco - the club riling up our own fanbase, accusing them of "27 missiles" or whatever it was and now relocating season ticket holders and dampening the one of few sections where we had an atmosphere 

3) Away tickets - constantly taking the smallest allocation possible and making us look as small time as possible, all because we fear we might have a 100 unsold tickets 

4) Charging £5.50 for a pint for which we we have to queue 40 minutes for - I believe we are 6th highest in that regard and most expensive outside London

5) The Gasworks rubbish - how did we ever want to charge our fans £200 or whatever it was for exclusive access to an overrated sports bar and then charge £30 for some "Hampshire burger" and other stupidly marketed items? To the clubs credit fine they've removed the membership but I know the prices haven't changed. 

6) Matchday prices - our prices are ridiculously high and we are possibly the only club where we have about 7/8k tickets go on general sale every time. How about the club half those prices and enforce a postcode rule with collection at SMS or a proper purchase history that is monitored to prevent any away fans coming into the home end? 

7) General feel of the club - why not put on free pints or free coaches for its fans? Would it kill to lift the mood once in a while? Instead we probably make sure the away fans in the hospitality are well fed. 

All the above is exacerbated by being crap on the pitch and Semmens smugness at the fans forum.

 

Edited 23 October, 2022 by nta786

[Master Bates]

I got a new thing innit Bruvs and sistas,

Get on the train, RALPHAMPTON! RALPHAMPTON! RAPLHAMPTON!

3 GAMES UNBEATEN,
WE HAVE GONE 3 GAMES UNBEATEN,
3 GAMES UNBEEEEAATEN,
WE HAVE GONE 3 GAMES UNBEEEEAATEN 

[Weston Super Saint]

19 minutes ago, Master Bates said:

I got a new thing innit Bruvs and sistas,

Get on the train, RALPHAMPTON! RALPHAMPTON! RAPLHAMPTON!

3 GAMES UNBEATEN,
WE HAVE GONE 3 GAMES UNBEATEN,
3 GAMES UNBEEEEAATEN,
WE HAVE GONE 3 GAMES UNBEEEEAATEN 

Which, when you think about it, is a miracle given that we have (allegedly), without doubt, the worst squad in the league, the board are completely inept and the manager gave up almost two years ago and has spent that time looking forward to his retirement.

3 games unbeaten and a draw against top of the league with our current handicaps is a great achievement.

[rooney]

Tatitical genious. Defencive first half as he knew the arse would tire because of all their games played and he was right. They were on their knees 2 nd half and we put in a shift.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[spyinthesky]

To be fair to Ralph if he has lost the Dressing Room, it hardly shows in recent performances.

[Saint Garrett]

Another very decent performance by the manager. Great week for him no doubt about that. Imagine if we had a goalscorer…! 

[Saint86]

1 minute ago, Saint Garrett said:

Another very decent performance by the manager. Great week for him no doubt about that. Imagine if we had a goalscorer…! 

Suffice to say - in Ralph we trust.

.

Edited 23 October, 2022 by Saint86

[saintscottofthenortham]

5 hours ago, SotonianWill said:

added £1,000 padded seats in the kingsland 

I sat in one of these for Chelsea game and have to admit… probably worth it. 😂

[notnowcato]

2 hours ago, nta786 said:

Come on Lighthouse, we know football clubs are corporate businesses and will want to constantly make money but they are slightly unusual because they are also established communities there to provide joy for its fans, not customers.

I can give a number of reasons why the club over the year has been considered soulless and bland, and I'm not just talking about the shite we are witnessing on the pitch:

1) As mentioned installing padded seats on Block 31, forcing loyal customers out unless they pay the price rise and then charging fans £60-£90 on matchdays. I doubt any fan even requested that but the club thought let's see if we can milk the fanbase more for it... 

2) The Block 1 fiasco - the club riling up our own fanbase, accusing them of "27 missiles" or whatever it was and now relocating season ticket holders and dampening the one of few sections where we had an atmosphere 

3) Away tickets - constantly taking the smallest allocation possible and making us look as small time as possible, all because we fear we might have a 100 unsold tickets 

4) Charging £5.50 for a pint for which we we have to queue 40 minutes for - I believe we are 6th highest in that regard and most expensive outside London

5) The Gasworks rubbish - how did we ever want to charge our fans £200 or whatever it was for exclusive access to an overrated sports bar and then charge £30 for some "Hampshire burger" and other stupidly marketed items? To the clubs credit fine they've removed the membership but I know the prices haven't changed. 

6) Matchday prices - our prices are ridiculously high and we are possibly the only club where we have about 7/8k tickets go on general sale every time. How about the club half those prices and enforce a postcode rule with collection at SMS or a proper purchase history that is monitored to prevent any away fans coming into the home end? 

7) General feel of the club - why not put on free pints or free coaches for its fans? Would it kill to lift the mood once in a while? Instead we probably make sure the away fans in the hospitality are well fed. 

All the above is exacerbated by being crap on the pitch and Semmens smugness at the fans forum.

 

1 I love a padded seat, block 31 for me. All fans have a choice, no fan has their name on a seat. 
 

2 Any evidence to suggest it wasn’t 27?

3 Saving money, cool. 
4 Is this a surprise. Of course it’s cheaper up north, but yeah get yourself worked up while happily see your house price much higher than rose up north. 
5 Again, no one was forced. Does sound like a fuck up though, misreading the customer base. 
6 Match day prices really are not “ridiculously high” for the location and product. 
7 Free pints makes everything ok?? Jeepers.

 

[Dellman]

20 minutes ago, Saint Garrett said:

Another very decent performance by the manager. Great week for him no doubt about that. Imagine if we had a goalscorer…! 

Yes, and next season our young team will have bonded and a goal poacher will have been added and we will be the envy of all the 'smaller clubs'. who will say 'How have Southampton done this?' and the answer will  be 'the Club kept a cool nerve when the young ones were learning and the fan base was losing their nerve'

[Wade Garrett]

I’m no fan of Ralph, but credit where it’s due.  That was a great second half performance.

[Sarisbury Saint]

4 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said:

I’m no fan of Ralph, but credit where it’s due.  That was a great second half performance.

Agreed. Still a lot of work to do though.

He has rode his luck well in the last 3 games.

We looked like a different team second half, we played the ball forwards and looked more positive.

[Sheaf Saint]

Pleasing to see he reacted to their dominance and made an early tactical change. Once we switched to a back 3/5 we really started to get a foothold in the game. 

I'm wondering if, like with Puel, Ralph has been forced to try and play more defensively recently due to us failing to sign a striker and/or AM in the summer and missing some key players, but because that is contrary to his normal philosophy it has just taken some time for it to begin to work for him.

[Lord Duckhunter]

56 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said:

I’m no fan of Ralph, but credit where it’s due.  That was a great second half performance.

He’s been very good the last 2 games. Tactically spot on and a bit of fight from the players. Great decision to play Lyanco at full back, and got his subs right again. Let’s hope he doesn’t go all “Ralph” and start dicking around next week.