Saints CEO Martin Semmens interview - 26th July 2020

[Matthew Le God]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p08lwtj2

Edited 26 July, 2020 by Matthew Le God

[benjii]

#Gaoout

[washsaint]

For the first time in several years it feels like we are a club on the up: from Semmens down.

He spoke about our identity - something that has been missing for 3 years.  Genuinely excited to see what the new season will bring.  COuple of quality additions and we really should be pushing for top 8 again.

[ErwinK1961]

Semmens is great. Nice to have someone in charge who doesn’t talk bollocks and/or riddles

[The Cat]

Just now, ErwinK1961 said:

Semmens is great. Nice to have someone in charge who doesn’t talk bollocks and/or riddles

The first thing I thought after listening to that too. No avoiding questions, straight answers. He spoke really well.

[davefizzy14]

Martin Semmens always speaks very well

[Charlie Wayman]

Thanks for posting. Nothing revelatory on offer and a tad over optimistic about getting the fans back in but comes across as a straightforward honest bloke. 

[Suhari]

Good interview: really positive stuff.

But still no mention of the 5 Pledges. #waiting

 

[SuperSAINT]

Really good interview, but anyone who's seen him during the forum/Q&A's will know that's no surprise

[Bailey]

Good, open and honest communication. Refreshing and welcome. 👍🏻

[hypochondriac]

It's night and day between him and krueger. Everyone at the club is very impressed with him. 

[SuperSAINT]

5 minutes ago, Bailey said:

Good, open and honest communication. Refreshing and welcome. 👍🏻

Bailey's back! - Don't see you much around here much these days.

[rooney]

enjoyed that. Thanks for posting MLG.

[Snopper]

We seem to be in good managerial hands - just need to have the same confidence in the ownership.

[dronskisaint]

Sound common sense approach, gives me confidence in our management and team structure...particularly after this lockdown.

[trousers]

New interview...

 

Edited 23 January, 2021 by trousers

[Snopper]

Should play that every week - keep the bedwetters quiet?

[It's There]

Great listen.Martin Semmens speaks so much common sense!

[Badger]

9 minutes ago, It's There said:

Great listen.Martin Semmens speaks so much common sense!

Great improvement over Ralf K's soundbites, and Cortese's silence, not to mention Rupert's bluster.

[Dusic]

The Athletic suggested Semmens as a ppssible replacement for Woodward at Man Utd, as part of a larger article about EW's situation.

Not suprised as think he comes across very well, calm, credible and likeable. Hopefully we get a takeover to help him out.

It says:

Southampton’s Martin Semmens has impressed many at Premier League level throughout the pandemic and could be an option if United are looking to poach a chief executive from another club. While it is unclear whether he would want the job, he has been pursued by other top sides in the past.

Paul Barber, chief executive at Brighton, is another name mentioned within the industry as capable of making the step up. He has worked at the FA and Tottenham and has developed a reputation as an elite administrator.

 

Edited 23 April, 2021 by Dusic

[SuperSAINT]

Couldn’t blame him if he left.

[Chris cooper]

Wouldn’t that be terribly saintly !

[JustinSFC]

These type of rumours about top level club executives don't get into the mainstream unless it's deliberately leaked.

If this is even halfway true, I reckon we've got a pretty serious buyer lined up with his/her own independent vision and will bring in their own people from top to bottom.

That is exactly what we need, we need to rip up the script and completely root and branch start again.

I'm pretty excited about what might be coming because it can't get any worse.

[SuperSAINT]

6 minutes ago, JustinSFC said:

These type of rumours about top level club executives don't get into the mainstream unless it's deliberately leaked.

If this is even halfway true, I reckon we've got a pretty serious buyer lined up with his/her own independent vision and will bring in their own people from top to bottom.

That is exactly what we need, we need to rip up the script and completely root and branch start again.

I'm pretty excited about what might be coming because it can't get any worse.

It most definitely can.

[JustinSFC]

21 minutes ago, SuperSAINT said:

It most definitely can.

What can?

[Snopper]

In a curious kind of way I wonder whether Martin Semmens is more important to hang on to than anyone else - he`s seriously impressive.

[Turkish]

 

5 hours ago, SuperSAINT said:

It most definitely can.

 

[SuperSAINT]

21 minutes ago, Turkish said:

 

 

Indeed.

[S-Clarke]

I rate Martin to be honest. I know a lot of people generalise it by saying ''the board are rubbish/the board need to back him'' - but it's not the board per-say, the problem lies with the ownership.

In my opinion, what Martin has done with the club in light of no support from the owner has been mightily impressive - especially in the current climate as well. It would be pretty typical for us to lose one of the few good things in the running of the club, but retain what we want rid of.

Edited 23 April, 2021 by S-Clarke

[Toussaint]

Won't ever happen, Saints losing our best talent to rivals? unprecedented. Rest easy

[OldNick]

would be a terrible loss imo

[skintsaint]

20m buy out clause in his contract hopefully..😄

[Saint86]

If Semmens is on his way then i'd say its fairly likely that Ralph will shortly follow/precede him.

[Charlie Wayman]

On 23/04/2021 at 18:50, S-Clarke said:

I rate Martin to be honest. I know a lot of people generalise it by saying ''the board are rubbish/the board need to back him'' - but it's not the board per-say, the problem lies with the ownership.

In my opinion, what Martin has done with the club in light of no support from the owner has been mightily impressive - especially in the current climate as well. It would be pretty typical for us to lose one of the few good things in the running of the club, but retain what we want rid of.

Yes but good managers challenge owners not just whimper and cowtail. If he knew that it was impossible to run a club sustainably in the PL then he should have said so at the beginning. By not doing so he has been complicit in our decline

[Daft Kerplunk]

Seeing as Martin Semmens was instrumental in the selling of the club to Gao, hopefully he can take him with him...

[Billy the Kidd]

2 hours ago, Charlie Wayman said:

Yes but good managers challenge owners not just whimper and cowtail. If he knew that it was impossible to run a club sustainably in the PL then he should have said so at the beginning. By not doing so he has been complicit in our decline

Im not sure how we would know what the manager has or has not challenged.

Was he doing really well challenging our owners during 2020?

[Charlie Wayman]

1 hour ago, Billy the Kidd said:

Im not sure how we would know what the manager has or has not challenged.

Was he doing really well challenging our owners during 2020?

Fair point. The question is, has he ever asked Mr Gao for funds to buy better quality players and pointed out that if we stand still or make do and mend the outcome becomes inevitable? 

If he walks away for a better offer this summer as rumoured it would confirm that he has had enough of the financial restraints placed on him by Mr Gao* and that he has asked for more money but been rebuked.

*My way or the highway 

[Billy the Kidd]

1 hour ago, Charlie Wayman said:

Fair point. The question is, has he ever asked Mr Gao for funds to buy better quality players and pointed out that if we stand still or make do and mend the outcome becomes inevitable? 

If he walks away for a better offer this summer as rumoured it would confirm that he has had enough of the financial restraints placed on him by Mr Gao* and that he has asked for more money but been rebuked.

*My way or the highway 

YEah, i agree - but i think he is also personally invested in us, which is why I dont think he wants to walk away. There is a point though that he may want to walk if he feels he cant get more out of this current squad, which may be the case in hand. But if they back him in the summer, which I have a feeling they will do ok, my thinking is we can do better next season.

I’m quite looking forward to it.