SOUTHAMPTON FC VS SUNDERLAND AFC My last effort went really well, and I need something to help me procrastinate so I figured I'd have another go. This time with colours and stuff. Southampton prepare for what seems likely to be Mauricio Pochettino's last match in charge, as he is expected to follow Nicola Cortese out the door. Also, if you believe Twitter, this is the last game of every single one of our first team players, so let's hope they all have a nice farewell. EDIT: Turns out Pochettino isn't leaving! The media/twitter still say all of our players are, so it's a definite goodbye to Rickie, Luke, Adam et al. Saturday 18th January 2014, the Stadium of Light, 12.45 Kickoff. Live on BT Sport 1 Match Officials: Referee: Chris Foy Assistant referee: P Kirkup Assistant referee: A Garratt Fourth Official: M Jones Form guide: Southampton - DLWLLW Sunderland - DDWDLW Match odds: Sunderland 11/5 Draw 23/10 Southampton 6/4 TEAM NEWS: The big news for Southampton is VICTOR WANYAMA IS BACK IN TRAINING Though it's unlikely he'll be fit enough to play. Dani Osvaldo is still suspended, but other than that, Southampton should have no new problems. Sunderland likely have Cuellar and Westwood out (source) and maybe a couple more. PREDICTED TEAM GK: Boruc RB: Clyne CB: Fonte CB: Lovren LB: Shaw CM: Schneiderlin CM: Cork RM: Rodriguez LM: Lallana AM: Davis ST: Lambert Predictions, discussion or whatever below.
12:45 Sunderland v Southampton Referee Chris Foy Assistants P Kirkup & A Garratt 4th Official M Jones http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb/referees/appointments.html
I haven`t a clue how this is going to go - hoping for a siege mentallity !. Travelling down tomorrow to make a weekend of it in South Shields. I`ll run the South Shields Parkrun on Sat morning with a Saints shirt on - the locals are usually friendly !
Last Season`s white one actually. I`m trying to get my son to run it too, but the curry and beer will have taken it`s toll no doubt.
Very good. I have a coffee in front of me. Good job I wasn't drinking from the cup, is all I can say. How are you feeling about it today, LTL. You expressed more than most how upset you were yesterday. Feeling any less at odds with it all..? I'd feel a tad better if this bloody rain would just let up for a few days. Where's Noah when you need him..?
I think it was a case of wittering more than most really TSS! I'm feeling calmer about life, mainly because I get the impression we can hold on to MP - losing him I fear would be the start of a minor implosion. Thing is, in situations like this, we can only call upon experience to relate to it - About 15 years ago, I helped found a business that had a very rich parent company sat above it (bear with me on this!). Although we had a great deal of autonomy, we were also ultimately beholden to, and financially reported to, our parent company, who didn't quite 'get us'. We were the peculiar, but relatively successful child, that they left well alone in the main, as long as the figures worked. We also had a very charismatic chairman, half Turkish half English, who was brilliant and had vision, but bloody hard work sometimes, and prone to somewhat egotistical rants and raves. Anyhow, we pulled down as much financial support as possible from the parent company, until it transpired that one of the directors of *our* business was a little dodgy and that the figures weren't quite as good as reported. The parent company stepped in (oddly enough, we were potentially looking at buying the business out), sacked the visionary chairman, and imposed a new, inexperienced, and unlikely managing director upon the company. Basically there was a LOT of emotional reaction to this - the directors were called up for crisis meetings with the parent company directors. I remember saying to them about their decision "it doesn't just feel like you're helplessly watching your baby walk toward a cliff, but that your relatives are pushing it over the cliff". There were MULTIPLE threats to resign and about three or four of the staff quit - it was a great place to work and the parent company were (and still are) hugely successful - but their loyalty was with the man who brought them in and sold the vision. BUT The upshot of it was, although there was a generally unsettled feel about the place for a while, and the new MD had one HELL of a job to win over the staff (not least the rest of us directors that ultimately decided to stay on) it did all settle down, and yes it was different, yes the MD did turn out to be not the right man for the job in the end (he got sacked about 3 years later with a massive pay-off), yes a lot of people ultimately moved on (including myself). But it was the forerunner to that company now being far more successful than it's ever been, and also one of the most successful (per capita) divisions of the parent company. So that's where my (slightly emotionally driven) reaction was from. It feels awfully similar. BUT the incredibly long-winded message being, it will probably all work out just fine! Blimey, that was one hell of a waffle!
Hey, I'm glad you took the time to get it off your chest, LTL. As it happens, there is no reason why SFC cannot carry on, after a little soft-shoe-shuffling, and become more successful. We don't have to come all the way from League One to do it now. I would say that there has been a definite line drawn on the progress. End of Phase I. I wonder what Phase II will bring..?
We should beat Sunderland if you went by league position alone, but they are having a bit of a resurgence. I think with all the upheaval I will be very proud of the lads if they get a win. COYR
I get the impression for the time being it'll be "business as usual, let's sort it all out in the summer". (Though I think Luke or Rickie may go this month). Anyhow, back to point. As Fran says, it'll say a lot for the character of the boys if they can get a win this weekend. So I'm going for a nervy 1-1
