Odd, watching this now: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20097300 Nigel certainly stayed true to himself.
In ine with this tribute and the many others placed here, I too, feel shocked and regretfully ashamed of the club I have known and supported since 1956. Whilst recently for various reasons I have not been able to get to SMS, every match day has brought with it the tensions of will they/wont they get something today, so even if not investing the money and time the thousands of loyal Saints supporters have done over the years, the emotional investment is still very strong indeed. So to hear out of the blue and denying to myself that the rumours on the subject of Nigel over recent weeks were even remotely true, this has been the biggest shock of all and one which I regret to say leaves me feeling ashamed. Nigel came across as a fast learner, a sincere man and one totally committed to his cause. He wasn't one of the ego trip boys, he was a person who recognised the strength and meaning of the word TEAM. Together, Everyone Achieves More. Some have been saying for a while now that the Saints were not being taken notice of by the media especially by the BBC, well that's changed now, for the very worst of reasons. Personally I wish Nigel every possible success in his new role which will not be long in coming, I'm sure. For the players who have committed their efforts in response to his coaching and methods, I wish them every success as they grapple, again, with a new manager. For the chairman and CEO, I wish you had behaved very differently and hope that you will not regret the day you committed this dreadful act. You did not do this on behalf of the fans, that much is clear. You have now put the future of this club firmly in your own hands and the new manager cannot be blamed for any failure this time. You have set an example of ruthlessness which beggars belief in dealing with one of the most principled and successful managers we have had in recent years, bearing in mind where we were two years ago. It would be an irony if Nigel ends up with a Premier club that stands between Saints and relegation at the end of the season and he leads them to victory. As the saying goes 'Beware of what you wish for'.
Nigel Adkins, you will always be a true Saints legend. Cortese, what the **** have you done? Seriously considering sending back my season ticket in protest.
I'm a little shocked how some have reacted. Remember you support Southampton and not Adkins. Firstly, Without the financial has backing that Nige had we would not have got anywhere and secondly every one of us has questioned some of Nigels team selections, substitutions and tactics this season especially. We all knew that Cortese was ambitious and he is putting plans in to place to make this club great. He may be a hard nosed son of a gun but I would rather that than some of the other idiots out there. What we are all shocked at is the timing and the manner of the situation. Now none of us know whether Nigel was set a target to get to 'x' amount of points by January or whether Nigel has failed to attract the calibre of players we are looking for so I think it's best we all just move on and look to the future. Of course no-one should forget what Nigel has done. He did deserve more but don't desert the club. We need to give the new man time. If he is a drastic failure then rant and rave as much as you feel necessary!
I am so disgusted shocked and sadend by the news. was just wondering what the backlash will be on monday. I for one will be going however during this game i would like to show my frustration and feelings. I personally would love if we sang one Nigel Adkins for the full 90. any other thoughts.
Should certainly show we remember Nigel and what he's done, but nothing is the teams fault. Hope the fans get nicely distracted by a couple of Saints goals.
"Isn't it fantastic to see Southampton Football Club back in the Premier League?" please log in to view this image
I am also haunted by the words Adkins used at the end of last season where he talked about "when the time comes he hoped it would be done in the right way...." It's quite possible that NC had already made clear that Premiership survival was not going to be enough and that to keep his job he needed to achieve rapid progress this season. Obviously NC took his time getting the right man after Pardew and he has probably taken his time again. We will never know of course, but that interview, at the very moment of his triumph, seems very relevant today.
It's actually where Nigel says... be true to yourself afterwards, that really gets to me. Because there are so many angry people and bullsh*****s out there who blame everyone else for their lives not being quite as perfect as they might be, when it is actually down to their own lard arse attitude. I don't include anyone who is not able to pull themselves up by their own efforts, through disability or unavoidable circumstances, but those who constantly bitch and moan when their lives are actually quite tolerable, if seen in a positive light. I doubt if Nigel even feels sorry for himself today or at the very most he felt it for 5-10 minutes and then looked in the mirror and thought of his own mantra. I wish him the very, very best [again].
I've thought about that too today, CF. In fact, it was one of my first thoughts when I read the news.
We have no evidence that it wasn't done in the right way, only our own shock because we didn't see it coming. I wouldn't be surprised if Nigel has been in the picture for at least a week, going by some of the elliptical comments he has made about transfers and so on. As I said on another thread, if he did know in advance, he maintained a heroic level of dignity through these last few days, and remains an example to us all.
Adkins left a message for our players as he took his belongings and left - from Staplewood: please log in to view this image
When i watch Saints play these days, you can see they all play for one other and the team spirit that has grown since Adkins arrived is amazing. A family club we are touted as, i honestly felt that was happening, that players were proud to be Saints together. I'd hate to see them come monday without that same spirit, although i fear it might start to fade wihout Nigel there. Hope I'm wrong.
I cannot believe how shocked i am at todays noon announcement. Me, my son, my dad, my best friends, work mates all over the world, we all support Saints and calls and messages havnt stopped all afternoon & evening. Went down the local pub for usual Friday pre tea pint this evening and the whole pub was talking about Nigel getting the boot, and all as shocked as me. This is nothing like when Alan Pardew got sacked - was in Malta at the time and it was a shock but none of us had feelings for AP like we have for Nigel Adkins. Nigel Adkins has to be one of the most popular managers football has ever seen. I am as tough as nails but i loved the guy and so did 30,000 others who sang his name every game with real meaning - especially on away days. What about at The Hawthorns a couple of months ago - crap night, bad traffic jam getting there, team playing crap, 2-0 down - but the whole away support singing There Is Only One Nigel Adkins all through the game. You cannot invent or buy loyalty like that - it is earned as we knew Nigel had something special and the team would respond. And they did after that game. Tonight i hate that little Italian **** Cortose - but i love Saints and will get over it. I will never, ever forget what Nigel Adkins did for Saints though. Top top man.
Was Adkins even told when news started leaking out? The BBC don't think so, and I think that's a disgusting way to treat him. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21084754
I was in my local earlier, obviously not a hotbed of Southampton support but I told a guy who is a Bristol City fan and whose dad is a skate about the news from Southampton. He was totally gobsmacked and disbelieving, and for a few minutes was almost as upset as me. Such is the genuine rapport and admiration Nigel generated from fans of clubs normally quite hostile towards us.
