Reading up the thread, it's clear that there are some who still feel that Pochettino is doing no more than what Nigel Adkins was doing. Personally, I think he's brought a combination of something more and something different. Saints still pass the ball around, they still get forward in numbers, and when they counter-attack, it's like a cavalry charge. But there's an extra bite in the play. It's a wee bit quicker, stronger, and more aggressive too, without being unfair. Pochettino hasn't changed much, but he's built upon the foundations of Nigel's team, and they look better for it. As others have said, Nigel is a true Saints legend and will always be so. One could say his dismissal absolutely locked that reputation down tight, never to be tarnished. In a fashion, it's better he left SFC that way.
Moi? Maybe a little. I know a lot of Citeh fans who have larger it up all week. Revenge is a dish best served very loud!!!
Our team of Choirboys have been transformed into tough little street fighters and it needed to happen.
Agree TSS I'll always remember what Nigel did for our club but the players seem to have moved up a gear under MP. One again NC seems to have called it spot on!
But in the right way...they are making it hard for the opposition to play, but are not being dirty or collecting lots of cards. It's the same group of thoroughbreds as before, but they now have the bits between their teeth.
I was so pleased that this thread was started by Schad in the way it was. NC may make mistakes but it is implausible that he is motivated by anything other than a desire to fulfil ML's vision of a successful Saints. Many doubted the wisdom of his decision, and I was ambivalent at the time. Those who then suggested that it was Nicola's ego at work made me wonder if the was any rumour or gossip that they wouldn't repeat as fact! Yet again, NC seems to have got it spot on. It's not disloyal to say so. Nobody will forget Nigel. Any suggestion that we would is incomprehensible.
Adkins is a great manager and did a fantastic job for us. He was learning and would have kept us up and most people would have kept him as our manager, but I think most will admit that they can now see a bit of what Cortese was seeing. Poch has upped our game and has even coped with the absence of some of our better players. I just wish we could hear more from our manager. For obvious reasons, all we hear are pre- and post-match interviews. I miss Nigel's interviews..I'd love him back as our spokesman
Crikey you lot are a fickle bunch with incredibly short memories. I am 100% behind the new manager, early signs are he could be a bit special and I really hope he is. I also understand why Cortese's did what he did ... but in my view the decision to sack Nigel was wrong, regardless of how well Pochetinno does. Nigel's acheivements had earned him the benefit of any doubt and the right to be given the season minimum ... possbly even the Autumn had we stayed up. Besides, none of us have the foggiest idea how Nigel would have done if he'd been left in place. Signs were that Nigel had got it sussed and the performances against Arsenal and Chelsea were as good as those against Man Utd and Man City. He might have even won both those games as well as beating Wigan ... we'll never know.
Have to say, would a Nigel Adkins Saints have surrendered the 3-1 lead? We will never know for sure but IMO Pochettino has brought something extra to our play, we didn't look for one minute as if we wouldn't win, we've heard he has introduced more fitness training, and I can certainly see a difference. He is the man to take us forward, and anyone who still doubts Cortese and his ambition are deluded.
Yeh slight over reaction from some fans ie CBK "Shouldn't you be down St Mary's now, licking Cortese's toilet seat ready for his next visit? **** him! Doesn't matter I said that because he can't even speak ****ing English. "we've got to support the new manager, regardless. boycotting a game is pointless." No we don't. I'm not going to. If that makes me a crap fan in anyones eyes, I don't give a single ****." St Godders of Windsor "As a mark of respect for Nigel and to show our anger at Nicola I would suggest.... ....that nobody wears their team shirt or colours to the Everton game. We can support our players and encourage our new manager but Nicola will be able to see with his own eyes just how angry we are with him." I shall be wearing black as today is a very sad day in the history of Southampton FC."
At first, I was shocked and upset and a bit fearful, imagining the team falling apart. And I wondered what NC was thinking of. However, the more the media and pundits started turning on Cortese, the more I wanted to circle the wagons round him...he hadn't let us down before. Then I started getting interested in our new manager...it was important he was successful as there was nothing we could do about Nigel's sacking. Doesn't mean that I don't appreciate everything that Nigel did, but life and football moves on.
I do find it hilarious reading some of the post's on here now, i was one of the "negative's" back in december time and i was called all sorts of things for saying NA wasn't up to it and with the amount of money spent and quality of players we had we should of been much higher up the table. Then all of a sudden NA started to get things right we wern't letting in goals and we were getting results i was at that point told i didn't have a clue and if all saints fans were like me we'd all be idiots. NC decided to then sack NA and bring in a unemployed argentinian who didn't really speak the lingo i went on record to say i was upset about this and NC really doesn't give a toss about the saints fans,i was of course bambarded by the saints and NC can't do no wrong brigade saying it was in the best interest of the club and it was natural progression this by the way was the same set of posters who told me they would rather be relegated than see NA sacked. i lost alot of respect for these posters and that is the reason i visit less often because half of you on here are yes men and its very very sad.
So this post (which was actually quite difficult to read) is saying you bitched and moaned about Adkins, then when he was sacked you bitched and moaned about it, and now you're bitching and moaning about people for not bitching and moaning? Damn, it's a real shame you don't visit much any more.
You ever been to the pub and sat with a couple a guys and one bloke is talking so much **** its unbelivable and the other guy is there laughing and saying yeah every 5 seconds well in that situation i'm the guy who would say shut up you numpty you have no idea what you are talking about.However alot of the posters come across on here are the guys who laugh and say yeah. they have no real opinion just try to say the right thing.
Also what is wrong with moaning when your team is underperforming then when they are improving moaning that the chairman has sacked the manager.
I must say I like this pochettino guy and think it was probably the right decision. However, the way cortese did it was atrocious... There can't be any denying that! IMO Adkins should have got a lap of honour or something at the Everton match, or at least a mention in the program. The club didnt do anywhere near enough to thank him ?
I was in the pub the other day when everyone was having a nice evening except one guy sitting in the corner complaining about "all these f*cking English, coming in, taking our jobs, our houses and our land... we need to take Kernow (Cornwall) back for ourselves..." and so on. For most of the evening he was just ignored but as he got louder and more drunk he was eventually made to leave. Saint Kitch's pub analogy reminded me of this incident...
