..there was a large outcry last year when Nigel Adkins was relieved from his duties and replaced by a lad who didn't speak a word of English. A few protests along the way. Were your Club owners right?
Good. I'll give you the long answer to the question then. 99% of Saints fans were over this question within days of it happening. We re-adjusted and got on with it. The media, on the other hand, made more and more of it. In the end they bothered to start asking Saints fans what they thought, and couldn't get a controversial answer. So they fished around until they found one of the 1%, and then ran with that. Basically, Saints fans have been patiently waiting for the rest of the football world to catch up. Yes, it was a shock, but it was the correct decision. And now, even the 1% are on-board. Poch does speak English quite well, just not to the media. Everywhere else though, including on the training ground.
Oops! It was meant to be in the right spirit! Last year old Nigel was replace after doing "relatively well". Your new manager seems to have taken you to a new level completely. I was just wondering how the pre-Adkins supporters now feel. On a humanitarian ground it was a bad sacking. But in football terms it has proved successful. Humanitarian v Football There's only one winner!
If I appear a little short of patience it's because this topic was done and dusted months ago. Now if you want to ask us what we think of Poch, go ahead. You'll get decent answers.
I think I know the answer to that It's just that footies a fickle old game. The Adkins sacking was a real shocker to the football world - he was achieving "relative success". So for the board to go out and appoint a new manager was a really bold decision.
I can't spell it at this time of night and after a bottle of red He's a bloody good manager whatever his name is
Sums it up fairly well, you could hardly accuse Nigel of doing a bad job, indeed by many he is still considered a Saints hero for bringing us to the Prem, thus it still seems a harsh decision, but one that has been vindicated. For some it took days, others weeks and for a few it took months, but now a very very firm majority feel it was the right decision. The 'Manager doesn't speak English' is a bit of a tired subject around here really, because we all know he does, but outside of Southampton everyone (Somewhat understandably) don't look beyond face value and think that just because he doesn't conduct his media appointments in English means he can't speak it. In reality he had a perfectly adequate grasp of 'footballing' English when he arrived, within a couple of months had a good feel for conversational English and now speaks it fairly well. Not so much of a problem when opposition fans make a joke or two that he can't speak it, but has become rather frustrating that the media, who really have no excuse for their ignorance, still act as if he can't speak a word and communicates to the players using hand gestures and by drawing things in the mud with a stick. So yeah, I understand why you'd feel it would be received as a light-hearted joke but that topic will only cause exasperated groans rather than chuckles down here, I'm afraid.
I fully admit Mikey I am only going on what I see on MOTD Onto the real stuff though, we are down your patch on Sunday and it will be a huge battle - on the pitch I mean!!!
I expect it to be quite a tight match. Two passing teams [yours the superior there] who'll close down any opportunities [that's our department] and who like to dominate possession [that's up for grabs]. I like Michu, I like Dyer [the little robber], and where's Gary Monk these days..? I think we'll just about continue our winning streak.
Monk - out of his depth now. A great servant for the Club, but........................... Young Nathan, still pick pocketing a few Premiership defences.......... The Saints - will be favourites at home. Doing well this season. The Swans are playing well but have already played Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs in the first 6 matches. It's goint to be a cracking match. We may start an off the wall match thread on your forum - as long as you chaps don't mind
We always produce our own match thread, and you'll probably find we'll have one started up by Wednesday evening or Thursday, so by all means come in on that.
Will be an interesting one on Sunday, in theory you are the prototypical team that our system is built to scupper, whilst up against the likes of West Ham and Sunderland who played the game on the edge of their own box and then just knocked it long, playing a team like Swansea seemed a dream. Now that it's here it doesn't feel like it will be much easier. Unfortunately I don't think your Europa tie will factor too much as I'd hazard a guess that Laudrup will be trotting out a half strength team for that one, so I imagine it will be full strength and fit squads on display. On paper I'd be pretty happy with a draw in this fixture, but we're just starting to ease into a harder run of fixtures that gradually gets tougher and tougher right through to the new year, and in those circumstances I'm really looking for a win in this one.
