http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/article/southampton-fc-appointment-of-chairman-1296942.aspx Southampton Football Club: "Southampton FC announces that club owner Katharina Liebherr has taken on the role of non-executive Chairman. This follows the resignation of Nicola Cortese. A search has begun for a Chief Executive Officer who will take over." Katharina Liebherr: "With great regret we have accepted the resignation of Mr Cortese. He has done a wonderful job and we very much wanted him to stay. A search has now begun for a successor. It is business as usual and we will ensure that the manager, team and staff at the club have all the help and support they need." DTLW
I know he wont read this but oh well. Thanks for everything Nicola, worked with vision and determination and transformed the whole feel of the club. Wherever he ends up I'm sure he'll be a success.
****. I'd really like to know exactly what's gone on. I can only see bad things happening now, how on earth can we get someone with Cortese's vision?
At the end of the day the club isthe important thing. Will forever be grateful to NC but wish him well and we move on. He's left us a great framework to build on.
Luke Shaw on Twitter: "Gutted with that news, but would just like to thank Nicola Cortese for everything he has done for me and the club! All the best to him!"
Tony Evans of The Times: "Southampton thing been rumbling for a long time. They've made a bad mistake. Liebherr only interested in selling club."
Katharina is a businesswoman and I suspect will be pulling out all the stops to keep MP to keep his value in the club. "Mauricio, what's happened has happened. Now what do we need to do to keep you here?". Could be an interesting conversation with positive implications. Vin
Unless the framework pisses off because it was only here to buy into Cortese's plan. Who knows what the plan is now, if there is one at all? Not optimistic.
All rests on the Liebherrs' motives... perhaps they thought that having a non exec chairman and CEO is a more sound, accountable and sustainable structure than one man calling all the shots. We'll see.
I just hope there is some substance to this Wang Jianlin rumour, as for Chief Executive.... look no further, I'd be delighted to be given such an opportunity.
My gut feeling is that Cortese didn't want to leave but felt the position was untenable. If she can play hardball with cortese how can we expect her to bend over backwards to keep Poch happy? I've got a bad feeling about this, given that his resignantion potentially started in Nov when we were 3rd. Perhaps she was lining up a buyer when we were in a high position?
