Nathan Jones

[CB Fry]

Bournemouth are going down Bielsa or no Bielsa. They haven't got the players. A bit like us.

[baggytrousers]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/11/nathan-jones-southampton-manager-intensity-luton

[Paul.Studio]

After watching Wednesdays game (especially first half) Nathan Jones is probably about the best manager who would want to come here. Calculated gamble from the club. A good hungry excellent man manager who may keep us up. If not, what better bloke to have in the championship next year but last year's championship manager of the year! I wish him well and give him all my support!

 

[egg]

I've just watched the press conference in full. I may have misjudged this bloke, I like him and he's got more than a bit about him. Straight talking, talks a lot of sense seems realistic but is confident that he can do a job and improve us. It'll be an interesting ride.

[Sheaf Saint]

31 minutes ago, egg said:

I've just watched the press conference in full. I may have misjudged this bloke, I like him and he's got more than a bit about him. Straight talking, talks a lot of sense seems realistic but is confident that he can do a job and improve us. It'll be an interesting ride.

I think a lot of people have. There seems to have been a general assumption from many that because he's only ever managed Luton and Stoke he must be shit, without bothering to understand what specific traits and qualities he has.

I'm not expecting miracles, but even just a minor improvement here and there will pay big dividends right now. We've played some good stuff at times this season and there is talent in the squad, so it won't actually take much to flip those 1-0 defeats round and turn them into 1-0 wins instead (although this may depend on who we sign in January, of course).

I'm feeling more optimistic about the rest of the season now than I was this time last week, that's for sure.

[egg]

21 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

I think a lot of people have. There seems to have been a general assumption from many that because he's only ever managed Luton and Stoke he must be shit, without bothering to understand what specific traits and qualities he has.

I'm not expecting miracles, but even just a minor improvement here and there will pay big dividends right now. We've played some good stuff at times this season and there is talent in the squad, so it won't actually take much to flip those 1-0 defeats round and turn them into 1-0 wins instead (although this may depend on who we sign in January, of course).

I'm feeling more optimistic about the rest of the season now than I was this time last week, that's for sure.

Absolutely, a number of small improvements may just make a big difference. 

I'll hold my hands up and concede that there was contempt prior to investigation on my part. He's got me on side, and hopefully the players too. 

[The Cat]

I need to know whether Nathan Jones is a hipster choice as manager.

The phrase is often bandied around but I'm never truly sure what it means other than "a manager I've never heard of". 

If it had been a bloke who'd done well in the Italian lower leagues I'm guessing it would be a hipster choice, but does the fact he's Welsh and was managing Luton mean he's exempt from this label?

[Toadhall Saint]

48 minutes ago, egg said:

Absolutely, a number of small improvements may just make a big difference. 

I'll hold my hands up and concede that there was contempt prior to investigation on my part. He's got me on side, and hopefully the players too. 

You’re not the only one. At least you have the good grace to admit it 👍

[Lee On Solent Saint]

14 minutes ago, Toadhall Saint said:

You’re not the only one. At least you have the good grace to admit it 👍

Think I was in the what the fuck have we done camp too. However, like others, after listening to the guy I feel that this could work out. Still a huge risk, but if we stay up, I think we could build something up again.

[goodymatt]

It’s very interesting that Jones mentioned his father in law was giving him pointers whilst watching the Newcastle game “for when he goes in”. So perhaps the rumours of us approaching during the summer were correct and it’s not that he wasn’t ready to accept (as rumoured) but that perhaps we weren’t ready to make that call on Ralph at that time?

Might just be a slip of the tongue (or maybe they watched the game back on demand together?), but it could suggest he’s been waiting in the wings for a bit. Hopefully that means he’s seen a fair amount of us this season and has a head start on what he thinks we need to change, outside of the obvious no clean sheets and no goals. I’m sure we would all love to see an identity back in this team, when Ralph and Poch instilled our new ways of playing it was a breath of fresh air.

I think this video has been shared before on this forum (perhaps even on this thread), but it’s a 2 hour podcast (also on apple etc) interviewing our new manager on his playing career and managing career, whilst he was taking a break post Stoke sacking. I’m half way though so far and it’s proving a good insight into his character and background. Well worth a watch even though it’s a long one.

 

[Lighthouse]

12 hours ago, DT said:

Will be a bit jealous if Bournemouth get Bielsa tbh for all of the good mood music so far with Jones

I'll be delighted. They have worse players than Leeds did last season, they'll be conceding four or five every game.

[capitalsaint]

1 hour ago, egg said:

Absolutely, a number of small improvements may just make a big difference. 

I'll hold my hands up and concede that there was contempt prior to investigation on my part. He's got me on side, and hopefully the players too. 

Same here!

[FarehamSaintJames]

Just listened to his first press conference. Wow he is impressive, big fan, certainly getting fans inside straight away.

If anyone has doubts just have a listen 👍🏻

[davefizzy14]

I was very impressed by his first press conference

[Mixedkebab]

He just needs to address saying “look” before every answer to a question 😡

seems sound enough other than that 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

1 hour ago, The Cat said:

I need to know whether Nathan Jones is a hipster choice as manager.

The phrase is often bandied around but I'm never truly sure what it means other than "a manager I've never heard of". 

If it had been a bloke who'd done well in the Italian lower leagues I'm guessing it would be a hipster choice, but does the fact he's Welsh and was managing Luton mean he's exempt from this label?

Although data analytics is growing, I'd say that underpinning the operational structure of the club with them, would be seen as hipsterish.

Moneyball/ soccernomics has been around for a while, but again would still be seen as being left field enough to be hipsterish.

That oversupport of new things, in the face of conflicting evidence is both culty and hipsterish.

Bielsa is a big inspiration to a lot of coaches, and was loved by lots of Leeds fans. But a lot of those inspired coaches built  on his principles. He gave the foundations, but couldn't adapt them successfully enough to stay in post.

RalphBall was super when it worked. Had we better quality players, maybe it would have worked more. But in needing automatons to implement it, that quality might have been hard to keep. Either way, Ralph had an underlying tactical principle that he couldn't adapt successfully enough to stay in post.

Data analytics cover an increasingly massive data set. But it's still developing the ton of other variables that can impact a game, let alone a club. Not the only band wagon you'd want to jump on.

If everyone adopted a data led approach, with the same data sets, there would be a push for the next development beyond it.

Jones maybe isn't the coolest of hipster choices. But the amount of scrutiny he's been under to get the post is considerable, and very solidly based in hipster areas. He's not here because of his big name playing career, his stellar contacts, or previous high level success. He's here because the data underpinning his approach, and the ethos he's built at his club, match SRs.

I hope he's the bestest manager we've ever had.

[leeham_69]

On 10/11/2022 at 21:03, Polaroid Saint said:

 

 

Surely this is the song needed? 

 

"All he needs is just a little time"...

 

 

 

Wow - so obvious!! - just play it on repeat for 90 minutes! Nice pickup.

[CB Fry]

 

Not sure anyone has already uploaded this but he's a right trickster here. Plus Cohen as well who I assume is the same guy in our staff now.

I was actually trying find if the Luton fans sing a variation of the Bananarama song to him, they should have, its very chant-able. But I can't find it.

[Badger]

Think he’s come across well in the interviews I’ve seen, better than most of those seen whilst he was at Luton, possibly being more relaxed with the deal done. Can see why he fits the model SR are trying to build.

Critical though is getting the players on board, and he’s got the WC break to do that. But he appears a good communicator which is a great start. 

Whilst I’d have been happier with more experience at her helm, I’m cautiously optimistic. 

But no matter how good the potential is, his first half season will largely be defined by recruitment in January. 

Edited 12 November, 2022 by Badger

[skintsaint]

He'll try his hardest, get the players to try their hardest, keep clean sheets and score more goals. 

Any of us can sit there and say that, proof will be in the pudding by the end of Jan. Still not convinced by this bloke but not much I can do but pray he does well.

[miserableoldgit]

Dion Dublin has just said that we will be relegated.....that's that then.....

[whelk]

The sages on Sky Sports FFS. Clueless cunts throwing out cliche after cliche. 

[Saint_clark]

1 minute ago, whelk said:

The sages on Sky Sports FFS. Clueless cunts throwing out cliche after cliche. 

Any chance of a summary please for those of us not able to watch?

[Patches O Houlihan]

2 hours ago, goodymatt said:

I think this video has been shared before on this forum (perhaps even on this thread), but it’s a 2 hour podcast (also on apple etc) interviewing our new manager on his playing career and managing career, whilst he was taking a break post Stoke sacking. I’m half way though so far and it’s proving a good insight into his character and background. Well worth a watch even though it’s a long one.

 

I've just watched this two hour podcast in one sitting. I would wholeheartedly recommend every Saints fan watches it. Whether they are dismissive of the appointment or optimistic.

We cannot know how things are going to progress for Saints over the next months (and years?) and whether this will prove to be a good appointment or not. However, watching this video will give you a genuine insight into what it is like to be a working class kid who leaves school at 16, has to work his way up from non-league, playing for two sides in Spain without a support network, and then play in a winning team in a play off final in his home city. 

He started coaching football when he was 18, and started recording training sessions in a journal at 26, knowing that he would never be good enough to play Premier League, but wanting to be the best coach and man manager that he could be after his playing career ended. He played professionally until he was 39. He's only 49 now, so should still relate to our young players. 

His lack of top level experience is obviously a key issue. But if you watch this video you'll understand why Rasmus hired him, why he could be a great fit for Saints, and will at least give you hope after we've lost again due to a poor referring decision or a jammy goal against the run of play. We could get the feel good factor we had when Ralph started, coupled with a guy who's good at managing players on a one to one level. We could see a couple of our players develop considerably.

I can see why the Luton fans, and even some Stoke fans have been wishing him well.

Fingers crossed we don't get smashed at Anfield this afternoon

 

[saint1977]

25 minutes ago, miserableoldgit said:

Dion Dublin has just said that we will be relegated.....that's that then.....

If there aren’t two first team strikers, a 10 with guile/change of pace and a DMC coming in January we will be. Jones could be Fergie Mk2 but it would beyond any manager. Can see us loaning a lot of players out to free up wages like Diallo, AA, Ely (would be a free in the summer) and Aribo. Can’t see the latter being a Jones player. Loan out some of the youngsters Shields bought in bar Lavia as we are so light in MC. A couple of the players coming in could be loans as well. Ings transfer record needs to be broken (£20m) a couple of times to boost the quality levels. 

Edited 12 November, 2022 by saint1977

[cloggy saint]

20 minutes ago, miserableoldgit said:

Dion Dublin has just said that we will be relegated.....that's that then.....

He should check out Saintsweb for a dose of positivity.

[whelk]

3 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

Any chance of a summary please for those of us not able to watch?

Some here but basically most of Saintsweb reaction

 

[skintsaint]

Why did Ralph get the chop says Merson...4 wins in 26 mate. 😅

[MarkSFC]

It's very easy to look at the table, look at our current trend, lack of firing strike, and the new (supposedly) unproven manager and say we are guaranteed to go down. But. 

We are only 3 points behind 12th placed Leeds (they have a game in hand though) and that's clubs like Liecester Everton West Ham and Villa. All clubs who people will expect to survive but we have a massive opportunity to develop and improve than perhaps they do, for two reasons, firstly, we have a young group who will develop for sure and secondly a new man in charge who is clearly extremely driven to succeed and has a clearly defined way of working (that he has tested for long enough) and so I see it very differently. 

It wont be straight forward of course but it's very lazy from pundits as per usual. 

Look at the context rather than the headlines for the true picture. 

In spite of my reasonable optimism for the chance of good improvement to come we do still need a new striker (and for Jones ro get a song out of Adams ans Armstrong).

There's still 24 games and 72 points. We probably need no more than 28 points. 7 wins, 7 draws 10 losses...

Very doable at the minimum. 

One loss today of course🤣

[CB Fry]

3 minutes ago, MarkSFC said:

It's very easy to look at the table, look at our current trend, lack of firing strike, and the new (supposedly) unproven manager and say we are guaranteed to go down. But. 

We are only 3 points behind 12th placed Leeds (they have a game in hand though) and that's clubs like Liecester Everton West Ham and Villa. All clubs who people will expect to survive but we have a massive opportunity to develop and improve than perhaps they do, for two reasons, firstly, we have a young group who will develop for sure and secondly a new man in charge who is clearly extremely driven to succeed and has a clearly defined way of working (that he has tested for long enough) and so I see it very differently. 

It wont be straight forward of course but it's very lazy from pundits as per usual. 

Look at the context rather than the headlines for the true picture. 

In spite of my reasonable optimism for the chance of good improvement to come we do still need a new striker (and for Jones ro get a song out of Adams ans Armstrong).

There's still 24 games and 72 points. We probably need no more than 28 points. 7 wins, 7 draws 10 losses...

Very doable at the minimum. 

One loss today of course🤣

28 points total or 28 more points?

I mean, you're wrong either way but good to know what I'm aiming at.

[CB Fry]

6 minutes ago, MarkSFC said:

It's very easy to look at the table, look at our current trend, lack of firing strike, and the new (supposedly) unproven manager and say we are guaranteed to go down. But. 

We are only 3 points behind 12th placed Leeds (they have a game in hand though) and that's clubs like Liecester Everton West Ham and Villa. All clubs who people will expect to survive but we have a massive opportunity to develop and improve than perhaps they do, for two reasons, firstly, we have a young group who will develop for sure and secondly a new man in charge who is clearly extremely driven to succeed and has a clearly defined way of working (that he has tested for long enough) and so I see it very differently. 

It wont be straight forward of course but it's very lazy from pundits as per usual. 

Look at the context rather than the headlines for the true picture. 

In spite of my reasonable optimism for the chance of good improvement to come we do still need a new striker (and for Jones ro get a song out of Adams ans Armstrong).

There's still 24 games and 72 points. We probably need no more than 28 points. 7 wins, 7 draws 10 losses...

Very doable at the minimum. 

One loss today of course🤣

I also don't get why we have "more of an opportunity to improve" than Leicester or Everton or Villa or whoever. This is not looking at the context or the bigger picture it's just you being an optimist. 

Those clubs don't even need to improve that much to finish safe of relegation anyway.

We need to win maybe 6 more games to stay up, most teams that get to 9 wins these days stay up. It's not impossible but its difficult to really see 3 clubs significantly worse than us. We could do with Brentford and Fulham having particularly bad second halves of the season. 

The gamble is that our new rookie manager is perfect for our rookie squad and it's a perfect plan by SR.

An upset today would help, for sure.

[Turkish]

Well he’s got 6 weeks to get the lads together then couldn’t wish for a better run of games.

Lincoln

brighton

fulham

Forest

everton

 villa

Brentford

wolves 

go to the looking at 12-15 points from those if we we’re going to have any chance of staying up

[trousers]

3 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Well he’s got 6 weeks to get the lads together then couldn’t wish for a better run of games.

Lincoln

brighton

fulham

Forest

everton

 villa

Brentford

wolves 

go to the looking at 12-15 points from those if we we’re going to have any chance of staying up

I can't see us getting any points vs Lincoln to be honest

[AlexLaw76]

4 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Well he’s got 6 weeks to get the lads together then couldn’t wish for a better run of games.

Lincoln

brighton

fulham

Forest

everton

 villa

Brentford

wolves 

go to the looking at 12-15 points from those if we we’re going to have any chance of staying up

We have some good players, we can be better than where we are.  I think we will do well enough in that lot to give us confidence of staying up.

[Dusic]

Probably hard for the Forest game on 4th Jan but considering the WC break surely we should have some players in by the Everton game on 14th Jan.

We can't afford to mess about and wait til deadline day this time. If that means overpaying then its a punishment for not doing the job in the summer.

As others say, the problem this season is that a few of the teams right down there now are sides like West Ham and Villa who we know won't go down. Its annoying that Fulham and Brentford are already 7 points ahead of us. We areally need to beat both of them in that little run.

Bmth will be down there, Wolves struggle to score but Forest are improving, Leeds score goals, Everton will probably spend in Jan and the likes of West Ham, Villa, Leicester, Palace won't go down.

IMO its 3 from Saints, Forest, Wolves, Bournemouth, Everton and Leeds unless Fulham or Brentford hit a horror run at some point, which they havent really shown any sign of.

[Barsiem]

10 minutes ago, Dusic said:

Probably hard for the Forest game on 4th Jan but considering the WC break surely we should have some players in by the Everton game on 14th Jan.

We can't afford to mess about and wait til deadline day this time. If that means overpaying then its a punishment for not doing the job in the summer.

As others say, the problem this season is that a few of the teams right down there now are sides like West Ham and Villa who we know won't go down. Its annoying that Fulham and Brentford are already 7 points ahead of us. We areally need to beat both of them in that little run.

Bmth will be down there, Wolves struggle to score but Forest are improving, Leeds score goals, Everton will probably spend in Jan and the likes of West Ham, Villa, Leicester, Palace won't go down.

IMO its 3 from Saints, Forest, Wolves, Bournemouth, Everton and Leeds unless Fulham or Brentford hit a horror run at some point, which they havent really shown any sign of.

Could be any team from 8th downwards I think…. It’s still quite early in the season and lots of time for the wheels to come off.  You’d imagine we’d do everything we can to get a striker in early.  But it’s always tough in January and esp for strikers.  

[badgerx16]

44 minutes ago, trousers said:

I can't see us getting any points vs Lincoln to be honest

At least for a couple of seasons.

[CB Fry]

51 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Well he’s got 6 weeks to get the lads together then couldn’t wish for a better run of games.

Lincoln

brighton

fulham

Forest

everton

 villa

Brentford

wolves 

go to the looking at 12-15 points from those if we we’re going to have any chance of staying up

That run of games is a great argument for getting rid of Ralph a month ago.

[Saint NL]

Saints should have held out, Potter might be available pretty soon 😳

[lhammondo]

On 10/11/2022 at 20:58, Baird of the land said:

Comparing to Wigley or gray is stupid, both of them had zero managerial experience.

Appointing Nathan Jones is stupid.

[Master Bates]

Could have won that 2nd half, decent.

[Dark Munster]

On 11/11/2022 at 10:34, johnnyboy said:

My thinking is that SR obviously see something in NJ that we don’t , don’t know how much their investment is worth at the moment possibly over £250 million , please don’t quote me on that figure ! But whatever it was there is no way that they  would jeopardise that investment , if they didn’t feel that NJ could keep us in this league , they must have done loads of due diligence on him to put faith in him to deliver our safety in the premier league , people with that sort of money don’t take unnecessary risks, so I’m hoping NJ is the real deal and can take us forward , however I am an eternal optimist! 

They made a massive unnecessary risk in not buying a goal scoring front man this summer.

[Nordic Saint]

4 hours ago, trousers said:

I can't see us getting any points vs Lincoln to be honest

Don't be so shortsighted.

[woodsaint1]

9 hours ago, whelk said:

Some here but basically most of Saintsweb reaction

 

If Michael Dawson says we're in big big trouble, then I'm even more confident that we'll stay up. Stealing a living as a pundit.

Says 'Luton punched well above their weight', but this is a completely different job. Well obviously Michael but yet you give no reason why NJ wouldnt be up to the task. That Soccer Saturday panel is an embarrassment now

[Ralph Fastenbüttl]

I become more impressed by Nathan every time I hear him speak. I can even tolerate the repeated use of religious terminology because I find he engenders a real feeling of respect. You'd think the WC break has come at the perfect time for us. I almost find it hard to believe we won't be a better team come Jan - I guess the question is whether the players are good enough to avoid relegation. Personally I reckon they are.

[alehouseboys]

9 hours ago, skintsaint said:

Why did Ralph get the chop says Merson...4 wins in 26 mate. 😅

Yep, Merson needs one of these

3 hours ago, lhammondo said:

Appointing Nathan Jones is stupid.

And this needs one of those

[aintforever]

He comes across well in the post match interview, hopefully he is exactly what we need. 

It all hinges on who we can bring in in January, a decent striker or two and we have the makings of a side that should stay up comfortably.

[Cabrone]

Sad to see Ralph go but it was time. Best of luck to the new guy, he's going to need it.

[gordonToo]

10 hours ago, aintforever said:

He comes across well in the post match interview, hopefully he is exactly what we need. 

It all hinges on who we can bring in in January, a decent striker or two and we have the makings of a side that should stay up comfortably.

Yes, he talks the talk well. Early days though.

[HarvSFC]

Didn't really take much notice until he said in his post match press conference, but it would have been easier to sit out yesterday's match and take charge after the World Cup with a clean slate and more importantly easier fixtures. The new Wolves manager didn't take charge of their defeat against Arsenal yesterday despite being announced 5 days prior to Jones. The same happened with Emery at Villa also, announced on the 24th October, but didn't take charge of the 4-0 defeat against Newcastle on the 29th, giving himself 13 days to work and learn the squad before his first match on the 6th November. So, he deserves some credit there for not hiding from the Liverpool fixture and making himself accountable, as could have been a far worse start than 3-1.