An interview coming up on Sky where Punch going to talk about being fined by Cortese for criticising him on Twitter. Already said that he thinks Nigel could do a job for Reading and said he got Saints where they are now, but club ambition is European football.
The players have probably been put through SAS interrogation training to make sure they respond correctly. Be a while before Shaw is let loose.
Sky have a very annoying habit of saying 'coming up' when they mean 4 hours later. Will keep you informed.
May be some more later, but he has just said that sometimes passion makes you do things that you shouldn't. He is grateful to the club for letting him turn it round. Getting a contract was a worry to him, so he is pleased to have the stability that a new contract gives him. He didn't mention it, but they said in the introduction that although close to bottom three Puncheon said that Saints were aiming for Europe next season. It's part of a longer interview with Jim White.
This was ages ago. Punch criticized Cortese and he was dragged into his office so fast his feet didn't touch the ground, but came out best of pals and into the 1st team. the rest is history.
Puncheon said Nigel is a great manager and a great guy who will do well and he expects him to have job offers. But said, the club is aiming for "the next level" and obviously believed Mauricio is the man to get us to the next level.
I just get a really big cringe when our players talk of Europe. We are arse deep in a relegation battle, we are not aiming for anything but survival. If this season ends well then I'll welcome dreams of an European adventure, but I think it just makes us look rather silly at this time.
This is what happens when you have been subjected to the Nicola Cortese hypnosis technique. Would rather our players were confident than running scared as long as they don't get over-confident.
Longer bit of interview just been on. Nothing contentious...new manager instilled belief, everyone supports the plan, great players...one of the youngest squad in the league. Said that when teams get promoted, players are often ousted, but the Chairman believes in the players and is tying them down to longer contracts...mentioned there will be more signing.
Yeah, I think we could so easily be setting ourself up to have egg on our face if we get relegated, but we've come this far and there's more potential in us yet. If we do get into Europe, and past more than just the first stage of whatever European competition we're in, would that warrant a name change to History in the Making?
Read this post earlier and meant to respond, but was distracted. I don't have a problem with SFC having an eye on what they want to achieve next season. This is the medium term aim. The short term aim is to survive this season, but there must be an idea of where the club wants to go, and so if players are looking further forward, then there is the carrot for them. Let me give you a blatant scenario. If talented and wanted players are going to be signed by SFC over another club, they need to know where the club wants to go, and what part they may play, if they get their own act together. Now we know Saints have an aim to go as high as they can. Some of us believe it, some of us are sceptical. But, with that scenario, you can at least see that someone like Puncheon, if asked, is going to talk about further plans, rather than just concentrating on survival. Certain players, possibly even like Puncheon, aren't going to be first choice, in any case, should Saints become shoe-ins for Europe every season. There'll be an awful lot of comings and goings before even the long term plans start to come online.
If the question was asked at the end of the season, with us managing to stay up, I'd agree with you. But with nine to go, firmly bedded in a relegation fight, I find it frankly a bit of a daft thing for them to say. Its almost delusional, or are we too good for this fight? If we are I'll stop worrying about it.
I'd prefer you to write a response to me, rather than to edit mine with your comment if you don't mind. It could get rather confusing.
