Indeed. I see that the PL finishes a week later this season, and as such the final day falls on the same day as would usually be the Championship play-off final. Therefore the final will be a day earlier this season. Saturday 24 May. Team X loses play-off final. Sunday 25 May: PL season ends. Saints announce departure of Juric. Monday 26 May: Saints announce manager of Team X as Juric's replacement. What a bank holiday weekend that would be for Team X...
That worries greatly. Always thought he was with us even with all the talk on here that he was taking a backward role.
I'm sure we will but if it's not certain we need to be weighing up other options. Want the new manager in way before pre season starts. If Rohl is our number one target and wants to come too please don't quibble over a couple of million trying to be clever with our league status. Just get it done.
I suppose John Eustace would be another possible candidate who is also currently involved in the play-off picture. I didn't mention him earlier because quite frankly I know almost nothing about him as a manager. But I recall that there was a little bit of noise that we were interested in him to replace Martin?
He was described as 'Mr football' across the entire group by Kraft (I think) a few months ago. Obviously impossible to know if that's changed as the club only announced a change with Kraft didn't they?
Yeah but Kraft has publicly announced to be gone, and companies house does, from my experience, take a while to update. We've had no such public announcement regarding Ankersen (as far as I know?)
We've been told that his role is now looking after Goztepe. Honestly, Spors isn't going to come into that role and take it without full control on Saints stuff. We need to stop worrying about Ankersen.
Not really a second string championship team, more like a title chasing championship team. Last year they were prem and we were championship.......
In some way we need to stop making him the fall guy. They're all responsible for this **** show. They're all equally culpable. Yes, he has without a doubt the most punchable face in the group but it's not all on him. You're letting the others off too easy on vague promises that they'll get it right next time. As it is, are they not stating Spors is "Group Sporting Director?" Doesn't sound like he's all about Saints to me.
I know the focus is obviously on Downes because he's gone so spectacularly from hero to bellend this season. But lets not ignore the positive side of Juric's comments: Bednarek turned down a move to Roma, to stay with us, Championship-bound Saints. How often in recent years have our players turned down moves to big clubs when they came calling? Answer: never. Stu Armstrong ditched us for Vancouver Whitecaps ffs. Captain for next season, no question.
I think that there are comparisons that can be made between Juric and Harry Redknapp. Both seem to have arrived at unfavourable opinions of the players rhey have inherited There are players who may be good but who Juric sees as unreliable and not capable to being in the trenches in a relation battle. I envisage that Juric will not chop and change the squad beyond a coterie of players. Those loyal to Martin will have to prove themselves again and I expect that the attitude of fringe players has certainly influenced their departure. It seemed as one point that everyone was being linked with a move away from.St Mary's. There will be a core who will be seen by Juric as reliable. I am not expecting players from outside the core to get much chance yet I think the performances will improve.....albeit I expect that Juric will , deep down, have a poor opinion of his playing staff.
I don't think he turned Roma down as such, just we didn't accept a bid for him and Janny B just got on with it. That was my interpretation either way. But Bednareks redemption has been one to study. I've said it before, but it really shows that any player can come back from being hated and derided by their own fanbase. He really has become one of my favourites, amazingly.
Bedders might not be at the top of the best quality CBs in the PL but the experience, passion and commitment is there. Fair play, he came back from Villa and more often than not gives 100%. That's all I ask of a Southampton player.
