1. Log in now to remove adverts - no adverts at all to registered members!

Saints appoint Johannes Spors as Group Technical Director

Discussion in 'Southampton' started by tomw24, Feb 7, 2025.

  1. st_brendy

    st_brendy Well-Known Member Forum Moderator

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2011
    Messages:
    23,710
    Likes Received:
    12,022
    I suspect it would be both. That would be harsh on Still, because he's so new to the job. But I can see there being very minimal patience within the stands, and so if we do start poorly, I can see Still and SR and the players all getting stick.

    I do agree though that this has to be SR's last chance. (And if they think that too, it might just scare them into rejecting all offers for Fernandes unless a ludicrously high one is received.)
     
    #241
    LincolnSaint likes this.
  2. St. Luigi Scrosoppi

    St. Luigi Scrosoppi Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 26, 2011
    Messages:
    11,929
    Likes Received:
    8,372
    Think small. You know it is the Southampton way.
     
    #242
  3. Libby

    Libby Derby County, we're coming for you

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2011
    Messages:
    86,609
    Likes Received:
    92,303
    This times a million. Great opportunity for Still to get the fans on side.

    Losing it would be unthinkable.
     
    #243
    TheRealSaints likes this.
  4. Libby

    Libby Derby County, we're coming for you

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2011
    Messages:
    86,609
    Likes Received:
    92,303
    Also this. But sadly a lot of our fans are indeed ****ing idiots.
     
    #244
  5. - Doing The Lambert Walk

    - Doing The Lambert Walk Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2011
    Messages:
    40,849
    Likes Received:
    25,628
  6. RSS

    RSS Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 25, 2011
    Messages:
    11,631
    Likes Received:
    9,948
    I do find it weird how quickly teams always come in for our sporting directors or whatever title they get,...given our downward trajectory as a club in the past 5+ years. Why not Bournemouth, or Brighton or Brentford etc.
    Or maybe theirs are all taken too and we just don't hear about it and they are just much better at replacing them?
     
    #246

  7. Saints Fan4Life

    Saints Fan4Life Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2011
    Messages:
    18,083
    Likes Received:
    11,752
    I wouldn't lose any sleep.
     
    #247
  8. Saintmagic

    Saintmagic Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 5, 2011
    Messages:
    23,948
    Likes Received:
    17,871
    SR get a lot of blame but ultimately the 3 football guys they put in charge in their tenure (Shields, Wilcox and now Spors) all are clearly highly thought of with Shields and Wilcox moving on to much bigger clubs and Spors being linked with a much bigger club. They all could possibly leave after a couple of months or a season in Wilcox’s case.

    The failures have really been when there hasn’t been a DoF or whatever title you want to give those 3 (first season we went down when Shields left we didn’t replace him when he left in like October, last season we didn’t replace Wilcox)

    Clearly it’s not just SR who think these guys are good, and I’ve said before that they take too long recruiting replacements when they leave. Whether that’s because they are aiming too high and waiting for the “right” appointment (which with the 3 mentioned they possibly have appointed) or they think we can get by for a while without one I don’t know. If it is the latter then hopefully they’ve learnt from the 2 seasons we didn’t have one that that is not going to work. Whoever is appointing these guys clearly has some sort of eye for it based on where they have left to/being linked with
     
    #248
    Last edited: Oct 23, 2025 at 12:45 PM
    BackFromBeyond likes this.
  9. Ronnie Hotdog (MLsfc)

    Ronnie Hotdog (MLsfc) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2012
    Messages:
    9,048
    Likes Received:
    9,453
    Whilst it's too early to say how good a job Spors has done, this would be ****ing annoying. There is so little stability at the club with constant changes, whether they be managerial or director level.

    Feels like everything is going against us at the moment.
     
    #249
  10. Le Tissier's Laces

    Le Tissier's Laces Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2011
    Messages:
    44,259
    Likes Received:
    51,315
    I think it would be a huge shame. Yes, he dropped a stinker on the striker side, but it’s the first time there’s been a coherent strategy to our recruitment in ages, and he’s brought in some very good players, rather than a bunch of misfits. We just haven’t worked out how to play them yet (which is the manager’s job).
     
    #250
  11. Le Tissier's Laces

    Le Tissier's Laces Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2011
    Messages:
    44,259
    Likes Received:
    51,315
    Plus that would likely mean Rasmus back in for January, so you know, be very careful what you wish for here…
     
    #251
  12. tomw24

    tomw24 Well-Known Member Forum Moderator

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2011
    Messages:
    70,588
    Likes Received:
    39,465
    Except we'd be looking for yet another DoF. This would undoubtedly be a blow and would set us back months. We need stability there.
     
    #252
  13. Saints Fan4Life

    Saints Fan4Life Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2011
    Messages:
    18,083
    Likes Received:
    11,752
    We need stability in the management as well, doesn't stop people calling for Still Out ;)
     
    #253
  14. tomw24

    tomw24 Well-Known Member Forum Moderator

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2011
    Messages:
    70,588
    Likes Received:
    39,465
    I was waiting for that! But in my defence, Spors has gone out and got players that Still wanted in terms of being able to fit his style of play. With the exception of Downs, I think it's fair to say the signings that Spors would have more input in look good (Scienza, Jander and Quarshie) and it's still too early to write Downs off.
     
    #254
  15. - Doing The Lambert Walk

    - Doing The Lambert Walk Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2011
    Messages:
    40,849
    Likes Received:
    25,628
    The revolving door of football execs and coaches is bad news, whatever you think of the isolated recruitment of a striker in the summer
     
    #255
  16. Libby

    Libby Derby County, we're coming for you

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2011
    Messages:
    86,609
    Likes Received:
    92,303
    His job to appoint the manager as well though? So if the manager fails that also reflects on him?

    I still think it's too early to judge someone in that position. Been some good and some bad but ultimately I'll reserve judgement until 3 windows have passed (if he's still here of course).
     
    #256
    Le Tissier's Laces likes this.
  17. Libby

    Libby Derby County, we're coming for you

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2011
    Messages:
    86,609
    Likes Received:
    92,303
    Yeah massively agree with this. Doesn't reflect well on the environment at all.
     
    #257
  18. Saints_Alive

    Saints_Alive Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 4, 2011
    Messages:
    32,016
    Likes Received:
    37,063
    For me the good outweighs the bad so far but it is a little early to judge yet.
    Good: getting excellent prices for outgoing players and all of the signings except one.
    Bad: Jack's contract extension, letting Dom Ballard go, Downs (although he might come good, he was not the striker we needed now).
    Undecided yet: Will Still's appointment.
     
    #258
  19. Libby

    Libby Derby County, we're coming for you

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2011
    Messages:
    86,609
    Likes Received:
    92,303
    I think he made a lot of good signings (on the face of it at least, early days still) but it struck me on Tuesday night just how small a side we are and how much we lack physicality and we didn't really address that this Summer.

    Can't remember if it was Spors or not but I'm sure somebody at the club mentioned physical profile would be a priority in the Summer?
     
    #259
  20. Ronnie Hotdog (MLsfc)

    Ronnie Hotdog (MLsfc) Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2012
    Messages:
    9,048
    Likes Received:
    9,453
    Yeah there was definitely an acknowledgement that our squad lacked physicality and that we would be addressing that in the window. I think Martin even mentioned it on his MNF appearance.

    It started quite well with Quarshie but we somehow ended up with an attacking united of Armstrong, Archer and Scienza.
     
    #260

Share This Page