I'm not so sure, like others have said the timing seems to indicate a deliberate leak and a show of brinksmanship. In other news, MLT has been fairly tactful in his response to this on twitter, pleasantly surprising.
Not for the first time someone has mentioned Corteses' ego, when has there ever been any evidence of any egotism, for that to be apparent he would have been boasting to the world what a good bloke he is and what a lot he has achieved, as far as I know the most emotion he has ever showed was at Wembley after the JPT Cup win. A self satisfied smile after a win at St.Marys is the best you ever get.
Seems that Ben Smith has very good sources at the top for Saints, wouldn't be so sure, unfortunately. I just hope the two parties can reach some middle ground.
The owner controls the clubs and owns the assets and liabilities. Thus IMO, any club's finances are only as secure as the owner allows them to be. We know the owner fitness test is useless, so there is nothing stopping the Leibherrs from selling to a Fernandes or some sketchy mobster. A bad chairman can be fired, and you have to just hope the owners will recognize what is happening and make the right move. A bad owner, the fans and everyone else are just screwed. As an example, look at Tom Hicks and how he screwed over Liverpool. And Corinthians. And the Texas Rangers. And the Dallas Stars.
Decision on Nicola Cortese's Southampton Football Club future 'soon' as contract break looms: http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/sa..._as_contract_break_looms/?ref=fb#commentsList
"The breaking of this news could put pressure on the Liebherr estate to keep Cortese in charge, depending on whether there was a ground swell of support for him." I doubt it'd make much difference, but might as well try to make our voice heard on Sunday.
We all know how tough Cortese is at negotiating transfers etc within the club, so it stands to reason he is going to be just as tough when negotiating for funds to carry on his ambitions for the club with the trust. We are very lucky to have such a person in charge and I hope he doesn't walk away. That said his stuborn streak can also be counter productive and ruffles feathers which don't always endear our club to the wider world. The press ban, programmes sellers, lack of info coming from the club, Le Tiss & Benali to name a few. Hopefully it is just a negotiation ploy and we will continue to get investment from the trust and if Cortese has to put a member of the family on the board or run day to day things past someone, then so be it. No one person should have absolute power and by conceeding this little bit of ground, the Liebherrs may wish to comit further.
"But he has also been accused of lacking respect for the history and traditions of the club, falling out with former players, the media and fans' groups." What was our white shirt with the stripe about then? It was about time somebody did something about freeloading ex players. The Echo just had to get a dig in about the media but the Echo count for nothing they are just a loss making local rag on its knees and destined for the scrap heap. Fans' groups? FFS they aren't suggesting the Liebherrs are worried about upsetting Nick the Dick are they?
"The media" isn't just The Echo, there was that PR nightmare over press photographers two or three years ago.
The Times' Football Editor, Tony Evans, who broke the story, says Saints fans should be worried. He says that he rates Cortese very highly as a chairman and so do other club owners - he won't be out of work for too long. Evans says for Nicola to stay at Saints it would need a significant change and losing Cortese would be a massive blow to Saints.
Tony Evans has also been answering a few questions. When asked what Cortese wants, in order to remain at SFC, he says "stability". Also says that Cortese wants Top 10 and Europe and the Liebherr's don't appear to be lending their backing to that. Other comments: "I'd be very optimistic if he stays. Fair budget in summer but ownership flaky." "The owner's heirs have been taking bad advice, I suspect"
It doesn't sound good but lets remember theres always a reason why those who shouldn't know things know things. We don't motives people have for leaking things. All we have to judge on is that Cortese won't be mucked around but he will fiercley want to stay and 'take southampton to the next level'. If doesn't that's a massive blow but at the moment it's not confirmed. All we can do is make our voices heard on sunday I can't be there but if you can make sure he knows what we think. Probably won't make much difference but you never know.
From those comments it sounds like the Liebherr's don't want to invest a particularly large amount in the future then.
