Did all the coaching staff we hired in the summer leave when Ralph left as well? Can’t remember who, if anyone, did
I know as fans, most of us don't want relegation. I personally am not too fussed. I mean we could stay up this season, finish just below mid table next season, flirt with relegation the following etc. Is that fun, is that success? The league gets harder and harder, Newcastle have joined the big 6, so it's now the big 7. Best most teams can do is finish mid table. Maybe SR do not fear relegation in the same way as we do. It can almost be like a reset. We have signed a lot of youngsters and we are using a lot of them. They are gaining experience. Now often teams will loan players to the championship to get experience, just look at Tella. Maybe SR don't care and have factored in a possible relegation, the players we have recently signed will be on cheap wages, some will be sold for a profit. They will have a season in the prem in a scrap, then can kick on in the championship. Maybe they have got Jones in as they have decided he is the man for that eventuality, who knows. And if we somehow turn it around this season, then it's all good and they can either make a change in the summer or stick with the guy who managed the great escape of 22/23. None of us have any idea what they are doing and what there plans are, we don't even know how deep their pockets are.
One left after 6 weeks (just another in a long line of backroom departures across the club since SR took over), whilst the other 2 (Selles & Martin) are still here - albeit with reduced roles now.
Never mentioned this at the time, because info from unnamed sources is often questioned, and I just didn't think anyone would believe it. But a friend of a friend works for Saints, think they're an analyst or part of the coaching setup, not 100% sure, but apparently when Jones first joined he was asking for pressing drills and that his style is for the players to press. When asked what kind of pressing style, where, when etc, apparently he just said 'I just want them all to press all the time'. The person in question wasn't impressed. Can understand why now. Also - apparently he was up until 3am in the bar before the Liverpool game. No suggestion he was drinking or anything like that, but doesn't sound like the best preparation. Of course he could have been chatting about tactics etc with his team, but who knows.
Pop Quiz and just for fun: Would you rather... a) Keep Jones and make 3 or 4 decent signings? b) Sack Jones and continue with the current squad? I know it's a stupid, unrealistic question, but it's a mental break from the doom and gloom for 2 mins!
I’m thinking about doing a Sportato post, but I fear it’ll just descend into unhinged ranting territory. I’ve genuinely never been this angered by a decision by the club.
100% A. This squad goes down regardless of manager. As bad as Jones has been, if we get 4 good players he may change tactics and give us a slim chance.
If the signings included a 20 goal a season striker, a goalscoring and genuinely creative 10 and a midfield enforcer and leader then i'd say A but as that would probably cost upward of £70m and highly unlikely I will say B.
a) If we keep jones and make 3 or 4 decent signings we will probably go down anyway because you'd need an entire new team that are suitable for the tactics Jones deploys. 3 or 4 players are unlikely to be able to make enough of a difference given the formation and tactics that don't work for the majority of our players. Not to mention the lack of motivation or spirit or any of that leadership material that Jones doesn't have. b) If we sack Jones and continue with the current squad I think we would probably go down anyway as we just don't have enough goals in the team and the players were struggling before Jones came in too. c) The only possibility I can see that could see us staying up now is if we do both, and obviously get in a manager that fits the squad and can push us forward.
B) The squad is ****e for sure, but this dickhead has actually made us worse. Why the **** we would allow him a transfer window. He could have the Argentina team and make them worse
