I noticed that gomarchingin's thread was shot down in flames earlier for suggesting that Adkins could be sacked after the first 4 games. However, I feel he raised an interesting question, over just how secure Adkins is after these first 4 matches. Just to confirm, I am neither of the 'Adkins Out' brigade, nor the 'Adkins will stay for evermore' brigade, though it would be nice for Adkins to stay for evermore. The reality is that after 4 games, we are bottom, with 0 points. Looking at it in more depth though, we gave a performance worthy of a top-4 team in 2 games, against the best 2 teams in the country, nearly getting a result. But against Wigan we were substandard, and today, we were undeniably terrible. Nicola Cortese is understood to be ruthless in reaching his aims. Cortese aims higher, much higher, than a relegation-scrapping Premiership side. For this reason, I feel the opinion that Adkins' time is running out is to some extent justified, Cortese will not put up with 0 points for much longer. Even if the opinion of rational Southampton fans is that Adkins should stay, Cortese may not see it that way, and at the end of the day, it is Cortese's decision. In my opinion, the next 2 games, home to Villa and away to Everton are crucial for Adkins keeping his job (in the eyes of Cortese). If we lose the next 2 games, regardless of our performance, I believe he will be sacked. If we win them both however, he should be very much secure and able to carry on without huge pressure. For me, any area in between is a grey area, and here perhaps Adkins' job security may be defined by the performances as well as the results. I feel that this is a topic worth discussing, and gomarching in was perhaps unfairly persecuted, so this is why I felt the need to raise this question. In Adkins we trust. In Cortese we trust.
NC isn't an idiot. He knows how good the top three are and unfortunately we didn't get anything against them, which was expected. It's teams around us we're expected to be beating.
Okay, this is a reasoned post. Thus far, I would be unhappy if Adkins was to go. If we fail to win any of the next 3, or lose all 3 - I could totally understand Nicola getting trigger finger and getting rid of Nigel. I really like Nigel, he is a top bloke etc. and what he has done for us is immense - but football is all about looking after #1.
I agree with one key sentence from the OP. if we lose to villa AND Everton then it may be trouble for Nigel.
His thread wasn't shot down for suggesting that Adkins could be sacked, it was the "to whom will the clappers owe their allegiance?" line.
Nigel will be our manager at the start of next season, that is my honest opinion. I honestly believe that survival is The Don's target for this season and that we will survive relegation.
I too would be unhappy to see him go, not just for the sentimental value of him having risen us from the ashes, but also for footballing reasons such as the fact that he has just brought a new team together who need time to gel and so on. However, it is not us who decide, it is Cortese, who it would be fair to say does not feel as much sentimental value as the rest of us. I know (in response to RLGB) Cortese is certainly not an idiot, he is far from it, but the Premiership comes and goes for a season so quickly, I would not be completely surprised (though I would be disappointed) if Adkins were to go, should our form not pick up very soon, on the basis that the new manager will need time to settle in (i.e. Adkins replaced Pardew very early in the season, though whether this was for footballing reasons is debatable).
We see knee-jerk decisions in football all the time. I would be distraught if Adkins were sacked, but stranger things happen every season. We still don't know why he sacked Pardew. I think Cortese will have patience, considering we reached the Premier League two years ahead of schedule, but I'm not certain about it.
Eh, we kept Paul Hart for many, many games (at least 8, having lost the 7 opening games of the season) until we sacked him, so I think Adkins should be fine.
It won`t happen, but if NA went, what would any other manager do with our players ? It`s ridiculous to contempalte removing him. NA has no experience at PL level, and he is learning, as are the players. The wins will come ! Keep the faith !
I'm sorry people, but my heart will talk instead of my head here. I think that Adkins is a superb manager, who has done wonders for this club, I don't think it would be fair on him if he gets sacked after 6 or 7 games.After 10 games , f we're bottom then, unfortunately he will have to go, I think. It would be a huge shame if he did go, as he is my hero and my favourite manager of all time. He is a top, top bloke, a true gentleman.If there were more people like him living on this planet then the world would be a better place. No doubt, if he does get sacked then 90% of my interest in Southampton FC this season will evaporate.I'm not a glory hunter and I never will be, I've been supporting my team since I was about 7 and I've really enjoyed supporting them over the last 3 years ever since Markus and Nicola took comand of our club. I never used to listen to what saints managers said before and after matches in their interviews (except Gordon Strachan ) as all they came up with premeditated cliches and generic sayings. You might say that Nigel says the same things all the time, but at least he is funny and quirky with it. If he goes, we will lose a superb manager and person. We need to have stability, just like they've done at Man Utd, Arsenal and Everton. Look at what these clubs and what they have achieved over the years. Fergie was almost going to get sacked if he hadn't of won the FA Cup, and that took him a long time until things got moving in a good way Man Utd and Wenger hasn't won a trophy since 2005 and he is still at the club. We need to keep Nigel as he believes in our vision, he wants to implement it and he wants to suceed and he will. I hope that Cortese isn't as stupid as some of the people on here asking for Nigel to get sacked, I don't think he is as stupid at all, I'm pretty sure of it. They are both legends and we need them at this club so get behind them you boring, negative glory hunters.
I don't think anyone is seriously suggesting that NA job is at risk at the moment. I remember a period when we changed managers every year for a decade;it didn't end well as I recall.....
Stability has been the key to our success and I do not think Cortese would have backed Adkins so strongly in the market if he did not have faith in him, unlike Pardew who was clearly not his man, nor his appointment. I would not thin anything would happen before end of November however poorly we are doing but football and fans are fickle.
I am a huge admirer of Nigel Adkins and love the job he has done for us from the moment he walked through the door. However you can't get away from the fact that football is a results driven business. Continued POOR results would lead to an inevitable conclusion, so I sincerely hope we get points on the board before NC begins getting twitchy! (No reference to 'arry here!)
If we are bottom at Christmas there is still no-one available that will be better than Adkins so what's the point of sacking him? No manager from Europe is going to come for anything other than a 5 month payday if we are at the bottom and there sure aren't any home grown english managers around that will be available that are better. The options will be limited to replacing him with a manager who puts all the youth back into the reserves and spends straight away on experience and old journeymen. For me I think Adkins will still be our manager whether we survive or not because there is no point replacing him with any short term option just like we aren't wasting money on short term signings. We are investing in the future throughout the club including our manager.
Guys, girls, everyone. We've had one poor result in four games. That's the Wigan game. 1 in four. That's it. Let's keep perspective and faith.
Nigel remains the best man for the job and deserves every chance he gets as he has earnt the right however modern day football is a trecherous place and Nicola is no pussycat and we have not seen how he himself is going to react under pressure as since he arrived its been only up up and away.Its a time for patience all round and we have some talented players but confidence is key and somehow we have to stop shipping goals otherwise i will begin to worry for the gaffer
Silly question: Would it be the end of the world if we went down? I don't think so. We'd probably lose Ramirez but I reckon Lallana would stay; Rickie too. We'd be straight back up.
