New manager

[saintant]

58 minutes ago, DrunkenSaint said:

That would be fine with me if they play a good style of football like the high press. The Bournemouth manager was pretty unknown and they play a good pressing style of football. I do wonder why we didnt keep following up by getting in high pressing managers, we bought it to the premier league when Poch came to us, Koeman played the pressing style slightly different and Ralph brought it back after a few disasters, that style of football is becoming pretty popular over in Germany. It's certainly a better style than the style we currently play now. Maybe there is a hidden gem abroad that would be willing to rebuild a team in the Championship, Leeds managed to get Bielsa so why not.

Michel of Girona continues to make a name for himself and prefers the popular 4-2-3-1 formation. Probably not on our radar though.

[johnnyboy]

3 minutes ago, saintant said:

Michel of Girona continues to make a name for himself and prefers the popular 4-2-3-1 formation. Probably not on our radar though.

I thought he was doing great work , but isn’t Girona part of the City Group so maybe looking to the Pep replacement eventually?

[Saint_clark]

8 hours ago, OldNick said:

I think those are good points, but the fans have to accept he plays a turgid style. I also point out he was relegated at Sunderland

I think it's nonsense that his style of play is negative. Similar to Koeman for me, just taking advantage of pace and strength to get the ball into attacking areas as regularly as possible. 

I also point out he's won a European trophy with West Ham.

[Farmer Saint]

24 minutes ago, Baird of the land said:

Have you a link this news story?

No. But it's true, and I've covered how and why I know previously.

Edited 5 December, 2024 by Farmer Saint

[FarehamSaintJames]

He isn’t going. He just isn’t.

[Saint_clark]

1 minute ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

He isn’t going. He just isn’t.

Yep, we need to come to terms with it. The board have decided they're keeping him even after relegation, their target is to be in the Prem for the 27/28 season and anything that happens in the interim is irrelevant. 

[Gloucester Saint]

27 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

Yep, we need to come to terms with it. The board have decided they're keeping him even after relegation, their target is to be in the Prem for the 27/28 season and anything that happens in the interim is irrelevant. 

Up to the fans as well. If protests and empty seats get onto Serbian national TV and press from Dragan’s domestic rivals, he won’t like it one bit. Rasmus will cop it and then do what every bullshitting little political rat does in the workplace and push his mate Russell under the bus as soon as they find a way to it under PSR. 

If the crowds don’t turn the pockets of dissent from the last two home games into something more substantial, they’ll lose what’s left of their club. No other top flight or good-sized Championship club would let what Martin is doing for his own agenda at their expense run on for months and years. Mass boycott would be even better but our fanbase doesn’t stick together like it did in the 90s and 00s, lacking the humour and bite we had.

The threat of people’s kids watching Bournemouth, Brighton, because they don’t want to watch that dreadful slow, loser crap for playing style should be motivation to help force SR to flush the toilet on Russell.

Gauntlet is there for our supporters - our generation did our bit with first Branfoot and then later Lowe. Their turn now. 

Not having a go at you at all Saint Clark, I know you can’t stand him as much I cant, but I can see in your mindset and others that the bastards are wearing you down. Don’t give Martin and Ankerson what they want. We shouldn’t give them a millimetre, neither of them have the club of our parents at heart. 

Edited 5 December, 2024 by Gloucester Saint

[die Mannyschaft]

Surprisingly, some fans like possession football,  it's even coached at all levels. Hours of boring world cup, champions leaque and Premier leaque football over the years won't get fans of many clubs complaining.  

Edited 5 December, 2024 by die Mannyschaft

[Gloucester Saint]

1 minute ago, die Mannyschaft said:

Surprisingly, some fans like possession football,  it's even coached at all levels. Hours of boring world cup, champions leaque and Premier leaque football over the years won't get fans of many clubs complaining.  

Passing and moving is lovely to watch, what we did under Lawrie when I first watched, Nicholl, Ball. WGS, Poch, Ralph - we pressed but then zipped it around in midfield and opposition half. Koeman - we passed and moved.

Don't confuse a zippy passing game with ponderous shit leading to leaking 2 a game and no goal threat like our dickhead of a manager does. Clough’s Forest counter-attacked but they passed it than anybody. 

[Roboze]

solskjaer? looking for a Prem role something to prove, probably have his pick of the Utd youngsters for loan deals..... just a thought

[Gloucester Saint]

26 minutes ago, Roboze said:

solskjaer? looking for a Prem role something to prove, probably have his pick of the Utd youngsters for loan deals..... just a thought

Prefer Cooper but OGS would be alright. Anyone who doesn’t enjoy 30 passes between centre backs, a goalkeeper slice and a goal conceded would be 100% upgrade right now.

Edited 5 December, 2024 by Gloucester Saint

[HarvSFC]

2 hours ago, DrunkenSaint said:

That would be fine with me if they play a good style of football like the high press. The Bournemouth manager was pretty unknown and they play a good pressing style of football. I do wonder why we didnt keep following up by getting in high pressing managers, we bought it to the premier league when Poch came to us, Koeman played the pressing style slightly different and Ralph brought it back after a few disasters, that style of football is becoming pretty popular over in Germany. It's certainly a better style than the style we currently play now. Maybe there is a hidden gem abroad that would be willing to rebuild a team in the Championship, Leeds managed to get Bielsa so why not.

It's very strange. No forward planning was made regarding Martin's appointment last season. There needs to be a level of context to understand what tactical setup would be best suited to a club of our size. Just to let Ankersen know, it isn't total football. We're never going to be able to outplay Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United, even Bournemouth these days. Because, we don't have the resources to do so and therefore aren't able to attract the level of player needed to outplay a De Bruyne in the centre of the pitch.

But, what we could have done is outworked a lot of teams with pressing tactics. On occasion hard work beats talent, but at the moment we're trying to play a talented style against teams with greater talent than us and that's why we're losing every week. Although I was bored of this style last season. We got fortunate on a few occasions against much weaker squads with late goals.

Watching Bournemouth is also quite annoying. They made a left field appointment, that was criticised by many when they replaced a successful manager at the time in O'Neil with a relatively unknown Iraola at the time. However, the people who are paid to make the decisions at Bournemouth clearly did their homework, they didn't just settle for staying in the Premier League, although Martin Semmens would say they should feel fortunate just to be up here. No, they wanted to go higher and now they're sitting in 9th after beating Tottenham.

It's a very comparable situation to when we replaced Adkins with Pochettino and there are hundreds of managers out there who are better than Martin. Who, exactly, I don't know, but I'm not paid to know. But, Sports Republic just appoint managers from Luton and Swansea. Recruit players who won't ask for too much in wages (barring Ramsdale) and accept that we're relegated, when no other Premier League club would accept so. 

A lot of the Martin defenders keep pointing to next season being better also. We'll likely be up against Ipswich again, a possibly established club in Wolves or Palace, or Leicester again and then going up to the Championship is potentially the bankrolled Wrexham and Birmingham. Oh, and we won't have Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Stuart Armstrong, or Adams next season either and with those players Martin was only able to achieve 4th place. So, who knows where he would finish with a weaker 11.

 

[St. Ciervo]

Any manager will be better at this point for my own sanity. A ficus in a sport coat perhaps.

[Weston Super Saint]

9 hours ago, Saint_clark said:

Yep, we need to come to terms with it. The board have decided they're keeping him even after relegation, their target is to be in the Prem for the 27/28 season and anything that happens in the interim is irrelevant. 

Like being in the Prem?

Maybe I'm not smart enough to understand 'the master plan', but wouldn't being in the Prem in the 27/28 season actually be worse than looking to stay in it for the 25/26 and 26/27 season?

One, or most likely two more seasons in the Championship, would mean even less to spend due to PSR (innit) than we've had available this year as well as less income from TV money, parachute payments, sponsorship etc.  Great that the plan is to be in the Prem in the 27/28 season, but that is likely to mean straight back down again for the 27/28 season.  I assume we'll plan for that by buying Championship players for the following season in the Summer of 27 (just like we did this summer!)?

 

[Bakovnetski]

How about a real connection with Saints....

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/djamel-belmadi/profil/trainer/14645

 

[Badger]

Interesting that Alfie House should run an article on Danny Rohl, a bloke who was RH’s assistant for half a season.

https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/24774266.valery-claims-rohl-one-making-decisions-southampton/
 

Purely by chance of course, nothing in it, the timing of it, or the thinking behind it.

Edited 6 December, 2024 by Badger

[Turkish]

22 hours ago, DrunkenSaint said:

That would be fine with me if they play a good style of football like the high press. The Bournemouth manager was pretty unknown and they play a good pressing style of football. I do wonder why we didnt keep following up by getting in high pressing managers, we bought it to the premier league when Poch came to us, Koeman played the pressing style slightly different and Ralph brought it back after a few disasters, that style of football is becoming pretty popular over in Germany. It's certainly a better style than the style we currently play now. Maybe there is a hidden gem abroad that would be willing to rebuild a team in the Championship, Leeds managed to get Bielsa so why not.

Been popular in Germany for a long time. Unfortunately for us Pep has made everyone think they can play like Man City and the possession based game is hipster with dozens of Pep wannabes trying and failing to copy it. 

[Turkish]

35 minutes ago, Badger said:

Interesting that Alfie House should run an article on Danny Rohl, a bloke who was RH’s assistant for half a season.

https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/24774266.valery-claims-rohl-one-making-decisions-southampton/
 

Purely by chance of course, nothing in it, the timing of it, or the thinking behind it.

he left under a cloud, there is no way he'd back back if we were still owned by Goa and the old leadership team, SR might not care about the history, pretty sure McCarthy is the only player left. 

Edited 6 December, 2024 by Turkish

[Badger]

3 minutes ago, Turkish said:

he left under a cloud, there is no way he'd back back if we were still owned by Goa and the old leadership team, SR might not care about the history, pretty sure apart from McCarthy is the only player left. 

This is something previously alluded to, but nothing further. Care to elaborate? 

[Chewy]

I noted this quote with interest: “I enjoy working with him, I am learning every week. Every game is different, every approach, and all the tactics are different.”

[Saint_clark]

On 06/12/2024 at 07:05, Weston Super Saint said:

Like being in the Prem?

Maybe I'm not smart enough to understand 'the master plan', but wouldn't being in the Prem in the 27/28 season actually be worse than looking to stay in it for the 25/26 and 26/27 season?

One, or most likely two more seasons in the Championship, would mean even less to spend due to PSR (innit) than we've had available this year as well as less income from TV money, parachute payments, sponsorship etc.  Great that the plan is to be in the Prem in the 27/28 season, but that is likely to mean straight back down again for the 27/28 season.  I assume we'll plan for that by buying Championship players for the following season in the Summer of 27 (just like we did this summer!)?

 

I agree but it seems more and more like that is what they've committed to.

[Dr. Kucho]

23 hours ago, Badger said:

Interesting that Alfie House should run an article on Danny Rohl, a bloke who was RH’s assistant for half a season.

https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/24774266.valery-claims-rohl-one-making-decisions-southampton/
 

Purely by chance of course, nothing in it, the timing of it, or the thinking behind it.

Rohl’s doing a good job at Wednesday and would be a good replacement for Martin. Problem is he has never failed at a club so Wankerson wouldn’t be interested. 

[miserableoldgit]

On 05/12/2024 at 22:16, die Mannyschaft said:

Surprisingly, some fans like possession football,  it's even coached at all levels. Hours of boring world cup, champions leaque and Premier leaque football over the years won't get fans of many clubs complaining.  

I don't necessarily have a problem with it, providing that you had the players capable of playing it properly.......we don't.

[Pamplemousse]

My biggest reason for not sacking Martin (up until now, it's obvious we need to make a change regardless) has been a lack of a viable replacement.

It seems we either go from the Championship again (my pick would be Carrick) or we either go down the route of someone from Europe, someone unknown. Moyes/Potter wouldn't come here in a million years.

[chownie20]

If he's gone and we have no replacement ready it's a complete f up. Lallana isn't a manager and doesnt have a team of coaching staff. This needs careful planning, handling and timing this time,  not like Ralph / Jones / Selles.

 

 

Edited 8 December, 2024 by chownie20

[SaintNewForest]

On 06/12/2024 at 18:38, Turkish said:

he left under a cloud, there is no way he'd back back if we were still owned by Goa and the old leadership team, SR might not care about the history, pretty sure McCarthy is the only player left. 

McCarthy, Stephens, Bednarek, Smallbone are all still kicking around from that early Ralph era.

[Harry_SFC]

1 hour ago, Pamplemousse said:

My biggest reason for not sacking Martin (up until now, it's obvious we need to make a change regardless) has been a lack of a viable replacement.

It seems we either go from the Championship again (my pick would be Carrick) or we either go down the route of someone from Europe, someone unknown. Moyes/Potter wouldn't come here in a million years.

I've got no issue with going from the championship again, provided they've shown to be a decent manager. RM certainly wasn't a standout when we appointed him, his Swansea team had let in shed loads of goals which their fans warned us about.

Edited 8 December, 2024 by Harry_SFC

[egg]

7 minutes ago, chownie20 said:

If he's gone and we have no replacement ready it's a complete f up. Lallana isn't a manager and doesnt have a team of coaching staff. This needs careful planning, handling and timing this time,  not like Ralph / Jones / Selles.

 

 

I disagree. All this "we can't sack him until we have someone better ready to go" is nonsense. Nobody says that in any other walk of life. If a leader in industry is consistently failing and/or alienating the customers they'd be gone regardless of who's available to take over. If your missus is making you unhappy, you won't cling on until you've lined up a replacement. I just don't get why people think that it should be different in football.

He wasn't good enough last season. He was never going to be good enough this season. He has failed. 

Get him gone now. Bournemouth and Brighton have shown that good managers can be sourced. The right man is out there, and let's face it, Lallana couldn't do any worse as a caretaker - we're down and out. 

 

 

[Barsiem]

I'm hoping West Ham lose on Monday, Lopetegui gets sacked and we can somehow convince him to work for us until the end of the season...

Otherwise I'd want Will Still, but doubt he'd leave Lens for us, particularly as he's only been there 6 months

[Galway saint]

Maybe an experienced hand like steve mclaren or tony pulis

[Viking Saint]

Peter Bosz for me, though very doubtful whether he'd leave PSV to come here.

[madge]

Reckon we’d go for someone like Stephen Schumacher….. on a short term basis. Always thought he's tactically adaptable.

or lallana till the end of the season.. who knows… but we won’t be getting a big name

[Golac's Cunning Stunts]

59 minutes ago, egg said:

I disagree. All this "we can't sack him until we have someone better ready to go" is nonsense. Nobody says that in any other walk of life. If a leader in industry is consistently failing and/or alienating the customers they'd be gone regardless of who's available to take over. If your missus is making you unhappy, you won't cling on until you've lined up a replacement. I just don't get why people think that it should be different in football.

He wasn't good enough last season. He was never going to be good enough this season. He has failed. 

Get him gone now. Bournemouth and Brighton have shown that good managers can be sourced. The right man is out there, and let's face it, Lallana couldn't do any worse as a caretaker - we're down and out. 

 

 

Agreed. I’m self employed and would be out on my arse if I underperform.

As for Lallana couldn’t do any worse, I agree. Would also add that me and you couldn’t do any worse either!

[ChrisPY]

Have City got any young, talented coaches who fancy taking a step into management? 

[Whitey Grandad]

1 minute ago, ChrisPY said:

Have City got any young, talented coaches who fancy taking a step into management? 

What type of football do they play?

[FarehamSaintJames]

Graham Potter - manager.

Dan Ashworth - DOF.

[saints-til-i-die]

Gary Caldwell is doing a great job at Exeter. More possession based like the club want (would fit the profile of players we have) but not so ridiculous dangerous as Martin’s style. Doing well with a club that spends no money at all. Just a thought.

[saints-til-i-die]

I think we need a manager prepared to manage in the championship if Martin does go.

[saintant]

2 hours ago, Pamplemousse said:

My biggest reason for not sacking Martin (up until now, it's obvious we need to make a change regardless) has been a lack of a viable replacement.

It seems we either go from the Championship again (my pick would be Carrick) or we either go down the route of someone from Europe, someone unknown. Moyes/Potter wouldn't come here in a million years.

There is always a viable replacement for any club that decides to sack its manager as history proves time and time again. Up and coming managers are out there including ones who would jump at the chance to come here even in our current predicament. The obvious difficult part is identifying them and SR do  not have a good track record but we live in hope that lessons are being learned.

[egg]

13 minutes ago, Golac's Cunning Stunts said:

Agreed. I’m self employed and would be out on my arse if I underperform.

As for Lallana couldn’t do any worse, I agree. Would also add that me and you couldn’t do any worse either!

I think anyone with a modicum of tactical and management ability would get them to stop doing things they can't do, get them fitter, stop blowing undeserved smoke up their arses, get them pressing effectively, get them moving as well as passing, get them making effective runs, etc, etc. 

We can do better. RM can't. Someone else can. 

[saintant]

10 minutes ago, egg said:

I think anyone with a modicum of tactical and management ability would get them to stop doing things they can't do, get them fitter, stop blowing undeserved smoke up their arses, get them pressing effectively, get them moving as well as passing, get them making effective runs, etc, etc. 

We can do better. RM can't. Someone else can. 

The fitness level is not easy to rectify during the season when games are coming thick and fast - it might be possible to make some improvement but the real hard yards have to be put in pre-season and it increasingly seems our coaches didn't work the players hard enough or in the right way. If you look at Strachan's time here we were among the fittest teams around but all the heavy lifting took place pre-season.

Edited 8 December, 2024 by saintant

[Harry_SFC]

2 minutes ago, saintant said:

The fitness level is not easy to rectify during the season when games are coming thick and fast - it might be possible to make some improvement but the real hard yards have to be put in pre-season and it increasingly seems our coached didn't work the players hard enough or in the right way. If you look at Strachan's time here we were among the fittest teams around but all the heavy lifting took place pre-season.

Indeed. Just look at Pochettinos pre-season in 2013. The players absolutely hated it, but it got them incredibly fit and we could press for days. In my eyes the players have it so easy with RM, they're all his mate and there's no accountability what so ever. 

[whelk]

29 minutes ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

Graham Potter - manager.

Dan Ashworth - DOF.

Potter turned down Leicester so won’t want to take us. Woudl be v happy if we did get him

 

 

[whelk]

Why is Peter Reid never mentioned?

[chownie20]

It'll be Corberean, Eustace or Carrick. All equally less qualified in the prem than RM. But probably more tactically flexible.

I wouldn't mind Carrick - but just seen Wet Spam are in for him. 

Edited 8 December, 2024 by chownie20

[CB Fry]

3 hours ago, Harry_SFC said:

I've got no issue with going from the championship again, provided they've shown to be a decent manager. RM certainly wasn't a standout when we appointed him, his Swansea team had let in shed loads of goals which their fans warned us about.

Exactly. These demands for some perfect "viable" replacement seem to be completely ignoring the recruitment of Russell Martin himself - he was hardly some no-brainer outstanding unquestionable viable appointment. Most fans either shrugged, hadn't even heard of him, or thought he'd be shite.

He wasn’t the name on everyone's lips that's for sure.

Someone will have to trawl up all the forum posts on here from Summer 23 all agreeing that "it HAS to be Russell Martin he's the only guy we should go for" (don't bother we all know there weren't any).

So fuck knows why Russell Martin's replacement is being held  to a higher bar than he was himself.

Especially as Russell Martin has proved to the single worst manager in Premier League history.

Edited 8 December, 2024 by CB Fry

[Lord Duckhunter]

39 minutes ago, chownie20 said:

All equally less qualified in the prem than RM.

“Qualified” is doing a lot of heavy lifting here. 

[saintant]

40 minutes ago, chownie20 said:

It'll be Corberean, Eustace or Carrick. All equally less qualified in the prem than RM. But probably more tactically flexible.

I wouldn't mind Carrick - but just seen Wet Spam are in for him. 

Russell's qualifications in the prem based on his tactics and results so far only seem to impress SR. I can't believe Dragan continues to allow this charlatan to manage a football club that he's put a lot of money into for little or no return.

[capitalsaint]

On 06/12/2024 at 18:42, Badger said:

This is something previously alluded to, but nothing further. Care to elaborate? 

Seconded! I’ve always wondered what happened there.

[hypochondriac]

3 hours ago, chownie20 said:

If he's gone and we have no replacement ready it's a complete f up. Lallana isn't a manager and doesnt have a team of coaching staff. This needs careful planning, handling and timing this time,  not like Ralph / Jones / Selles.

 

 

If you listen to Adam Blackmore it sounds very much like they made up their mind a month ago and are looking for a replacement quickly. That's probably because they want to avoid what you suggest.