He's average Channon, as his record shows. I don't mean to put the man down, merely those that somehow cling to this dreamlike vestige of belief that he's in any way appropriate to us now....
Koeman's agent on Fox TV in the Netherlands saying Ronald has agreed terms with Everton and they're just finalising the compensation.
Different question; not right for us now but back to back promotions, 3 in 4 seasons is not average by any measure. I think he would have kept us up in the Prem too.
First of all I'm pretty sure, at least I hope, everyone who has said they'd take adkins back is joking. Secondly, not many genuinely think he is a world class manager. It is a matter of respect and admiration both for what he achieved with us aswell his character as a human being. Brilliant man and good manager who has an extremely high opinion of saints fans and the Club. He deserves his somewhat legendary status among saints fans for leading us through one of our greatest times in the history of the club.
He also stated repeatedly in recent months that we needed to spend more on transfers, and that ambition would determine whether he stayed, where ambition meant spending money. We do need to spend more. We need to spend more to keep players, and we need to spend more on acquisitions. That shouldn't be a challenge: not only do we have an injection of an extra 50m or thereabouts coming this season, we were/are owed quite a bit on past transfers. We're off to a decent start in extended contracts, but it'll take a fair bit more to convince people that we're really serious about being a fixture in the upper echelons of the table.
You are right ML, and I was being overly strong in my critique. I did find him terribly cringeworthy, but he did a great job for us during his time here, no doubt.
As with everyone that was involved in our rapid rise up the leagues, they are ALL respected by me. Getting promoted out of the notoriously difficult Championship at the first time of asking was a big achievement and the best of Adkins' career. It's obvious that we have moved on but we should rightly remember the people that got us where we are today.
Yep. Within reason, I don't really care that much who is sitting in our dugout come the opening day of the season. AVB, Flores, Frank DB, whoever the board go with. Or even Ron himself. What I care about is that we sign a top striker and a top right winger. And unless the new man is taken by Cedric, a top RB too. As well as replacing anyone who might leave. Firstly we are now in a position where I think that step up in signings is required, it is time. Secondly I can next season being seriously tough - Liverpool, Utd, City, Chelsea and indeed Everton I think will all be much, much stronger next season. Maybe West Ham too, if they get the right players in. We need to much more this summer than simply replace what we lose.
This is a bit like a messy separation now. You know the bitch is going to leave you, so in the end you just have to go and lack her bags. Lol
Sam Wallace - chief football writer for the Telegraph - with an update: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football...-to-become-everton-manager-as-southampton-tu/ - Koeman has agreed to go to Everton - Saints weren't prepare to get into a bidding war after hearing what Koeman was offered - Saints deny that Les Reed and Ronald Koeman had a rocky relationship - The club are now looking at Unai Emery and Eddie Howe as two leading candidates, among others
Sam Wallace - chief football writer for the Telegraph - with an update: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football...-to-become-everton-manager-as-southampton-tu/ - Koeman has agreed to go to Everton - Saints weren't prepare to get into a bidding war after hearing what Koeman was offered - Saints deny that Les Reed and Ronald Koeman had a rocky relationship - The club are now looking at Unai Emery and Eddie Howe as two leading candidates, among others
Saints will spend what they need on players. Won,t listen to media talk about Korean leaving because of lack of ambition...pure tosh...he left because of wages . Spending more may make it easier to succeed but it's not guaranteed.
I have a horrible feeling this new appointment is going drag on into July [what with Euro 2016 in the way] and we are going to get the usual list. Some ridiculous names, with some being so far out of our league people are just being silly and others so 'not good enough' as to be equally as silly. This will be because 'we are Southampton and we do things our way' - us supporters will just have to wait. In my opinion this bit is worse than the current manager leaving. Then of course the other horrible bit when the new manager is appointed and we get hundreds of posts telling us why he is no good. Oh joyful summer, how I doth love thee - and it's my 54th birthday in July.
I've already said it but we have to at least try for Emery as unlikely as it is. He did turn Everton down but might fancy a crack at retaining the EL