Good post, Godders. One of a number of realist articles that are starting to crop up on here now. What I'm going to say next is going to really annoy you, but I'll say it before he does and automatically attracts all the usual crowd having a go at him who put the thread out of business as a discussion about football: this is an argument along the lines of what GMI has been banging on about for ages. Arguably while a lot of fans were 'sleepwalking', he was getting pissed off with that mentality.
I'd suggest the excessive whinging and whining at supporters on an online forum throughout the day, who are coming to terms with the reality of the situation we are now in, would make your comment more applicable to you. I'm no less upset about NA, but what can I do? They are the same players with some new coaches. We all follow Southampton....
It's funny. If I had one player I would want to give every chance in the world for sentimental reasons it would be Billy Sharp. And if there were one person on that team who I think has been the most loyal and whose loyalty played a huge role in Saints' turnaround, it would be Kelvin Davis. And yet no one appeared to have much problem with Sharp going out on loan or Davis losing his position. I think the consensus on Davis is that he's not good enough for Premier League and should be replaced and the only ones who wanted Davis in goal were those who thought Gazzaniga and Boruc were even worse. No one said that Davis should start because he dropped down to L1 with Saints when he could have played Premier League and we owe that to him even if we go down. De Ridder plays hard, he's never done anything wrong but some fans can't wait to see him go. Jason Seaborne was playing well until he had a horrible head injury but no one wants him playing. Hooiveld and Fox were immense for Saints to get them to the Premier League but no one is complaining that they don't start. The list goes on and on. Not telling anyone they are wrong for feeling Adkins was mistreated or that a line has been crossed. But I do feel like this needs pointing out. We want NC to be more loyal to NA than either of them were to the players, and that does seem a little inconsistent.
This whole point is negated by the fact that those players aren't good enough for the premier league, and have shown evidence of that. Adkins for me has shown evidence that he very much is capable in the premier league.
But then your criticism is really more that you think Cortese has made a terrible football decision because NA was the right man for the job. That is different than saying Cortese should keep Adkins because he should be loyal.
That is my argument. The loyalty factor doesn't play too much into it for me. I just feel like its a horrendous gamble which we have taken for no real reason. I said in a different thread, that if this had happened in the summer after we have secured our PL place then it wouldn't have bothered me as much. It's the fact we are mid-season, just as we are improving and had put together a great run. He has no experience of english football, doesn't know our squad that well and it is towards the end of the transfer window, so he won't have any chance to bring in the players he wants anyway. I just think the whole thing is absolutely ludicrous to be honest. Naturally, I will wait and see how it turns out, because what else can I do as a fan? Maybe this guy is the right man to take us forward long term. But I just feel like this is such an unnecessary gamble. The fact that a very talented, enthusiastic and all around great guy was horrifically stabbed in the back just makes it worse.
It's not inconceivable that both statements are true. Which is why some of us can't help wondering what in God's name Cortese thinks he's doing. Has he stabbed a decent man in the back, and then replaced him with someone who doesn't even speak English? Or has he taken a ruthless but inspired business decision? I'm not sure yet, but the whole thing has left a very unpleasant taste in my mouth.
I think that's inevitable when you are deprived of the facts. People make up their minds when they have an absence of fact. I suspect NC is possibly wondering why people are going overboard when all he has done is try to improve the club. Of course, he may fully understand, but tough decisions have to be taken, and he is under no obligation to explain his actions either.
I don't think Cortese really cares what the fans think. And that's fair enough, he doesn't have to justify himself to any of us. But even if his judgement turns out to be sound, and I really hope it does, I won't enjoy the rest of this season quite as much now as I would have done if Adkins was still our manager.
Think that's true for the next couple of games but footie fans have very short memories if they are winning.
It was. It is not anymore. Football has changed massively over the last 25 years and now that old football club we had is going to change/is changing. We have a choice: follow tha change, or don't follow it.
