Southampton Banter Archive May 27 2014

27 May 2014 23:14:24
My perspective on the manager shortlist:

lennon: untested at top level. Hardly sexy football in a league that Bournemouth would stroll to the title. too temperamental.

mackay: spent poorly. played average football at best. insulted he's in the bookies running.

hughton: not good enough for Norwich. Poor style. another insult from the bookies.

koeman: we would just be a shop window for him. Not convinced his style or ethics would fit.

yakin: good record. exciting prospect. untested in England and doesn't speak English. could be good but we see punts like this every season and more often than not, they backfire. I would be concerned about loyalty if he was any good.

maclaren: top choice for me. worked under Ferguson for a long time with the best ever man United squad. has had his moments some of which brought harsh and unfair criticism. generally done very well since the England job bit him in the arse which was a poison chalice for anyone. great job at FC twente and now has turned Derby into a quality possession side similar style to saints. he's won trophies and played in Europe. worked with Les reed at the FA. He's English.

Oh, and as for Benitez and Mancini, get real. their salary would be astronomical. They spend money like it's going out of fashion. The club isn't big enough to fit their ego. They both clash with players. simply won't happen.

Just don't think much of McClaren. Was hopeless for England, Wolfsburg, Twente (second time around) and Forest, and has somewhat ridden on Clough's coattails in turning an already decent young Derby side into a slightly better young Derby side (albeit one that still failed to achieve anything). Even Boro fans were glad to be shot of him when England came calling, and he won the League Cup with them.

I'd take Yakin. I'd take Thomas Tuchel. I'd take Jorge Sampaoli (Chile coach). And I'd take Tata Martino. All available (Sampaoli after the World Cup). All progressive coaches whose teams play technical, attacking football in a style not dissimilar to Pochettino's - I think Saints should be looking to build upon the positive, modern footballing style he's left behind, and that means a coach cut from the same cloth, which many of the alleged candidates are not.

A couple of other names being mentioned: Sherwood is a chancer, not a manager. Oscar Garcia sounds interesting on paper - former Barcelona youth coach, preaches the "Barca way" - but Brighton fans shed no tears when he resigned. Is he any good? I don't know.

And I'd avoid Laudrup at all costs, if even half the stories of the way he conducted himself at Swansea have any truth to them.

Sadly, I have no confidence in the current Saints board to make an appointment of sufficient calibre to keep the club moving forward (although how they plan to do that while selling their best players is a whole other issue). I fear they'll make an unimaginative, unambitious, cheap and wholly mediocre selection, in keeping with the way the club has been headed since Cortese took his Power Rangers and stomped off.

I have to agree with most of what you say. Some interesting names there.

Perhaps Stevie Mac isn't an exciting name, but perhaps I'm feeling insecure and want an English manager that might show a bit of loyalty and not leave us the minute a plastic club come calling. Plus I was impressed watching Derby last season. With good young players who knows how far he could take us. my guess is nobody can take us further without Lallana etc.

Oh and please not Guy Poyet. I couldn't stand to see his smug face even if it was lifting trophies lol.

27 May 2014 22:15:04
Good to see that some fans have taken a positive approach despite the fact Poch has left.

I for one am shocked by the decision, I think it is the wrong move for MoPo, Spurs and Saints. I wish him all the best, and I am not angered by his hunger to go on to manage Spurs, unlike some fans on Twitter.

Think we can replace him also, and think that Murat Yakin could potentially be a good replacement. With this though I hope we do go for Frank de Boer as I reckon he could be persuaded to join, though that might be wishful thinking. I guess there is nothing wrong with trying and being ambitious though.

If Lallana and Shaw leave, so what? I will admit that I would love them to stay and be loyal to the club, but you wouldn't blame them for wanting to play CL whilst also receiving a higher pay check now would you? Big clubs have to be adaptive to change.

No one is bigger than collective group, it would be boring to not have this drama.

So, Onwards and Upwards Saints, COYR!

- Ed

27 May 2014 21:43:17
Ronald koeman is also being talked about, your views?

As long as we keep playing football the same way with the same commitment and with the same squad we can only improve. The only problem is, we'll probably lose a couple of great players if a strong manager isn't appointed promptly. Let's hope we get a Koeman or a Yakin in soon.

27 May 2014 20:08:31
Just want to say that really enjoyed Poch's time as manager and really hope that he enjoys great success in the future wherever he goes after he is sacked by Levy for not achieving Champions League football by Christmas.

He is a fantastic football man and I hope that he doesn't suffer as a result of Levy's trigger finger!

Anyway good luck Poch, thanks very much and look forward to taking six points off you next season.

The Swiss fella Yakin sounds interesting, onwards and upwards!

P. s. If you are thinking of posting a load of abuse directed at either Poch or the board, why not have a night away from the laptop? Save the rest of us reading, petulant, ill conceived bile.

Whilst it's not what any of us wanted to hear, the gamble is there's to take whereas Saints now have an opportunity to seek out someone more established who will relish the chance on taking the helm at an up and coming club. Plenty of mention of Yakin already, and why not, he did wonders for Basel, and is Swiss so will work well with the hierarchy.

Now that it's happened, whether or not they had truth to Poch's departure I have noticed what may have been hints going back the last few weeks. Poch's translator left his post about two weeks back, then there was Rodriguez's interview with talksport acknowledging that there had been no developments as far as the players were aware. Given that Saints have negotiated with Spurs, it would suggest that the groundwork for his move would have been taking place already. It may feel like a very dark transitional period for the club at the end of a fantastic season but there is no better time to do it then now.

Agree gutted he's gone, but will be remembered for getting us our highest ever points tally, unless we smash it again next year! COYR!

27 May 2014 20:01:33
on the plus side it looks like Liverpool won't match our evaluation of Lallana and Man Utd has given Evra a 1 year deal so doesn't look like Shaw's off for the time being and I doubt we will sell until we have a new manager so probably after the world cup

The board will sell Shaw and Lallana not a new manager

27 May 2014 19:06:30
Just seen malky mackay 5/1 on please god no surely we can do batter than that?no disrepect to him

I don't think you're being disrespectful Smirky, I think you're being honest - good on ya. I'm in agreement, that would not be a good appointment

27 May 2014 18:35:53
Now he's gone let's move fast and sign up laudrup. He's available has the values we need and probably more exsperience. Come on you saints board we don't need the merry go round managers that are out there at the moment or Macllaren from Derby - we need class and someone who plays the game the right way! And that's Laudrup.

I was keen on loudrup till I heard he cancelled training when it rains

Not sure laudrup would be best. Did leave under a cloud at swans. Yakin does sound an interesting prospect. would even take benite.

Agreed yakin does sound interesting plus he is Swiss

27 May 2014 18:25:45
So who is it going to be nt?

27 May 2014 18:21:31
So Poch has gone then. It's a great shame. But before everyone jumps the gun I should point out just a few things;

We don't know why Poch left, whether or not it had been all but decided since Cortese left, whether it was more down to Spurs then Saints etc.

This squad was built a long time before Pochettino and it'll take a lot more then his leaving to dismantle it. Fire-sales at top - financially sound clubs - do not occur. No team gets pulled apart in one transfer window, if anything it happens in 3 or 4. So no need for immediate panic.

We still do not know the ambitions of the board, so statements about how they are going to pull it all down are too quick. Poch leaving could be illustrative of a lack of ambition, or far more simply, it could show that he wanted to go to Spurs. We must still wait until a new manager is appointed, his calibre, as well as our activity in the transfer window, buying and selling, to be shown what lies ahead for saints.

We don't know what this means for the club long term, this could be bad or it could be good. We were here before Poch and we'll be here after. Be patient.

Yes, I'm devastated by Poch leaving, I thought he was a great manager and looked a decent bloke. I thought if he stuck around for the long term we could have had great success. But there are plenty of great managers about at the moment. We still have a great team and are still in a good position. I believe, and have done for a while, that Shaw will leave, but that's good business if we can get near what's quoted for him. I'm not sure on Lallana, but I'm more inclined to think he stays then goes.

Do not go all doom and gloom on me now fellow Saints. To be critical and pessimistic is easy, let's try and be a bit more hopeful as we have done in recent years.

Wait and see you are dreaming I predict Saints will lose most of the first team this summer. If the players don't want to stay not much you can do to prevent them leaving. We will do well to stay in the Prem next season.

27 May 2014 18:11:57
He's just been announced as the new Spurs boss on a 5 year contract. So that ends that debacle. Personally after reading the statement released by RK I hope they do make a move for someone who impresses the players and importantly the fans. Fingers crossed for Laudrup. I feel he is cut from the same cloth and could take this club forward. Here's to hoping.

27 May 2014 18:07:27
Poch has gone what do we do now?

27 May 2014 18:02:00
he's gone : (

27 May 2014 18:00:25
He's gone official

27 May 2014 17:22:40
Don't know why everyone is so down about MoPo he himself hasn't said anything and we have rejected most bids don't be down till it happens

27 May 2014 13:15:58
why would poch go 2 the spuds they spend all their money last season like lottery winners with the bale money so nothing in the kitty for him 2 buy they are a team living on past glories with no future where as we are on the up if everyone at the club stayed for one more season to see how far the dream can grow into reality their value will only go up not down stick with the program.
coyr

27 May 2014 12:51:33
Poch will never stay if you spell his name Pachettino!

27 May 2014 09:48:43
The one thing that dose niggle me if Pochettino new he'd be off this summer why did he play weak teams in the cup games and stop us from a chance of Europe?

That is very good question. I think we can assume one of two things; Either he thought the team he put out at Sunderland was strong enough to win (unlikely). Or he didn't carless about the cup and wanted the best possible finish for us therefore enhancing any potential move in the summer (most likely). We don’t know the full facts but there are an awful lot of questions that now need answering from the board. If it turns out that in fact we did offer Poch a really strong contract extension with certain assurances, then the guy is a snake and good riddance because if he’s a success at Spurs, he’ll do the same to them. However the most likely outcome is that in fact we did offer Poch a contract extension with little assurances about selling our best players therefore our ambition does not match his. We’re in a real muddle and the board need to act quickly or face a fan revolt which doesn’t help anybody. I have to say that I had my doubts about KL the minute Cortese left the club. Let’s be honest, we’ve been walking a tight rope since the day ML passed away. I’d rather see a board and a chair person with a ‘In it to win it’ type attitude. KL do us a favour, put the club up for sale and get out whilst things are still civil.

I couldn't agree more I am slightly miffed that Cortese made no attempt to buy the club with backers.

27 May 2014 08:06:14
Looks like Poch is going to go. If he has gone Katerina abd Krueger better pull something out the bag. If they don't what's the point in them staying. Sell on and move on. Let someone own the club with passion like Markus and Nicola.

Listen up everybody. It's not all down to a lack of ambition. It could be that MoPo was always going to leave, and that nothing would change that - whatever the Board proposed. Also the FIFA FFP rules caps smaller clubs like us. Unless we can dramatically increase our turnover, we cannot over invest in the team - or we'll get penalised. I'm not happy about it, but criticising KL/The Board is a bit childish. I could only dream of being here, when not that long ago, I was sat watching us beat Torquay on pens for the JPT Cup! Where were you all that night?

Katharina and ralph are amateur's

26 May 2014 23:54:44
Given how speculative the many articles have been concerning Poch since January it's hard to know which way to look. If this is indeed to be the outcome then the club should rightfully inform the fans now before Tottenham announce his arrival. I would imagine their silence up to now points very much towards lining up a successor. People question KLs commitment too much, the board have been honest thus far, and a lot of us including myself have got caught up easily in the belief we can break the top 4. We don't have the squad depth for this yet, and that's going to take time to develop irrelevant of how much money is spent on 2-3 world class players.

Nobody has asked Liebherr to spend huge sums by premiership standards on players, just maintaining what we spent in the last two years would be fine and spent wisely would progress us. But even that in spite of increased revenue doesn't seem enough apparently to keep Poch, or conversely, Liebherr is refusing to allow expenditure and just wants sales.

I feel it's too easy to blame the board at this stage because they're not saying anything. But they will not make statements on idle speculation. I get that we want answers to a lot of things but that will only come when there's actually something happening. If Poch is going we will be told in due course. If after the World Cup players are going we will see it on the OS. Until these things happen we can only wait with bated breath.