Koeman poll

there's a saying involving baby and dishwater - I like your faithfulness

 

Although I am not privy to the goings on in the board room, and therefore cannot know for certain how much input Ron had into who we purchased in the summer and how much we spent, my assumption here is that he is relatively blameless in this area. Given the chance, I am sure he would have liked more money to have been spent - what manager wouldn't?

On that basis therefore, now that he has generally realised that Tadic on the left is miles better than Tadic on the right, my only major gripe with him is his use of substitutions. But that is nothing new over the past ten games. I didn't really like them last year either.

For me, our issues stem from a lack of quality investment. Both in the first XI and the squad as a whole. So I don't see why Ron should be made to pay for that. Fortunately I have faith in the powers that be that to an extent that will rectified before 31 January (not totally fixed, but at least a plaster over the wound). Time will tell though if my faith is misplaced. I will be one very unhappy bunny come 1 February If signings haven't arrived.

 

Magath

 

God no

 

Trouble is the Premier is results driven, if you don't get results you get driven......... away.

 

Kat being spotted talking to him would tie in...

 

Ye, have seen that mentioned, but surely not?

 

That would show our ambition ...

 

Well I'd wager an awful lot of people would suddenly be missing Koeman here if that came about. Be careful what you wish for....

 

Let's hope she was saying what SaintDon is saying... "sorry Felix, you have a great name, great glasses and yes, Danger Mouse is making a comeback, but the Premier league is results driven. Your results were ****"

 

I'm perfectly fine with hiring Magath, on one condition: we fire him before he ever manages a game.

 

Those words are pretty much the reason why I raised the issue of possible replacement in the first place. The grass isn't always greener.

 

Well Felix is a renowned disciplinarian and one of the rumours I read was the senior players were upset with the club discipline and I'll say it again, one shoe may not fit or suit you but for the next person that tries it on it might be perfect. You never know in football.

 

What about the cheese?

 

No, I'm not for sacking at the moment. I would stick with Koeman for the season, and then we can see. I'm not really fussed about this slump in results. We're a good team with good players and we'll turn it around eventually and I don't think for a second that we'll get relegated. This season will probably prove to be a bit of a letdown after the two successful seasons before, but no big deal. We're certainly not entitled to be 7th or 8th on the table, it's a very competetive league and there are many strong teams and they all have a say. It's a game of small margins. We have a somewhat weaker squad and our manager has some trouble getting his decisions right, and of course we've ended behind a number of teams that are on a similar level as us. I don't see it as a major issue. As we sort some of our problems, we'll get better, and higher on the table.

And also, what happened with sticking with your manager? Year and a half in the seat, and we're talking about the sack at the first sight of trouble. Give the man more time, he deserved it.

That being said, I'm very unhappy about Koeman's unwillingness to give minutes to youth players. I can see that the board would be unhappy with that as well, like Guan says. If it continues for the rest of the season, I would sack Koeman because of that, and not because we had a bad season. Southampon FC is based around certain principles to which the manager must adhere to, and the promotion of academy players is very much one of those principles. If the manager won't do that, we'll find the one that will.

 

The King of Cheese? He's a failure in the UK and too old-school so I wouldn't pick him myself.

Then again I don't understand the support for Koeman on here when we are so, so, poor at the moment, plus if you listen to him he's got Harry Redknappitist, none of it can be laid at his door - I hate that.

 

There's a difference between maintaining team discipline and being a disciplinarian, though. Compare Poch to Magath; both with reputations for working players very hard, but a mile of difference in terms of how former players regard them.

Hire Magath and Mane/Wanyama won't be the only players pushing for the exit. Players absolutely loathe him, and not without reason...he has a long and storied history of forcing injured players to work past their breaking point.

 

If it was just a slump in results i would be inclined to give him time. But, it seems like other things are not right at the club. Who knows what will happen

 

You never know, that is true. When I go shoe shopping I buy ones that I think will fit and look good. I never buy the ones that don't look like they'll be comfy.

 

This is so true. Rumours of things like the Guan comment add to the pressure and possibly are worse than having a bad run.