As to the timings of the sackings - was Cortese supposed to wait until Saints went into a definite downward spiral before he sacked Pardew or Adkins..? No. Unlike other chairmen, what Cortese does is seize an opportunity to make changes that directly contribute to bringing success nearer. It's a harsh business world that he inhabits but, for example, keeping Nigel might have cost the club and owners extra money. Pochettino is not only taking the club higher, he will possibly make more money for the club by taking them to a higher league position. Of course, we'll never quite know whether Nigel could have done this too, but the decision was made and from this standpoint, I believe it was a good one. Yes, the decision was harsh, but the timing was inspired.
It's a problem from a customer point of view. Not the only one who feels this, just the only person on this forum. Not saying we should have signed Gorkks.
I think my main gripe with cortese is how the corporate the club feels now. I hated the sacking of the programme sellers because these were people who had been around the club for decades who knew loads of the fans etc. I also don't like how we wear red and no stripes now. I know that may seem insignificant but for me soo much of football is about identity and the idea of the players now wearing the strip players of the past have worn is part of the identity and tradition of the club. I feel however this is just the way football has gone, we're 'customers' now and its all just buissiness. Gone are the days of a club really being a proper part of the community with local working class lads playing for them. Its all corporate and cortese feels he has to embrace this (or proberly never really apreciated this side to the game) like every other chairman. This isn't a criticism of cortese but the modern game and I can't help but feel less connected to my club now.
If it is a choice between hard nosed financial safety and what went on before, I know where my loyalties lie, even if I don't like it, if it means my team are safe and successful then it is fine by me. Maybe if NC finally realises his mission, we will all appreciate what he has done, because it would appear, that is what we want too.
very few supporters are happy with thier chairman, yet it does seem NC bases his disicions on what is best for the club, which is all we can ask for. I just hope that he allows MP sign the players that he wants.
I don't understand this belief that the manager needs to sign his players. I fully support the modern system of a recruitment team, provided the manager is part of that team.
The advantage of transfers going through a committee and handled by the CEO is it stops managers getting backhanders like some that we all know but don't wish to be done by naming the obvious ones. No one going to get one over on NC
No no don't get me wrong I fully suport him and hes doing the right thing. Perhaps I wasn't very clear. I don't like the way the whole game has gone corparate that's where my criticism lies. Now cortese has certainly embraced the corporate side of things in things like getting rid of the programme sellers and changing the kit. These are the right thing to do from a buisiness point of view. I just wish the game didn't mean we had to do things like this to keep up. But we do and that's the way of the world so Cortese is doing a good job as far as I'm concerened. I just wish football was less of a buisiness but again thats a criticism of football not Cortese, I'm being very idealistic here I realise.
I don't think Cortese is ignorant of this feeling at all. It's just more a case of 'Wake up and smell the coffee, things have moved on'. He came and said if you want a club to tinker along and maybe one day get to the championship and maybe have a season or 2 in the Prem then this is fine but football has moved on and if you want your club to do well, be permanent Premier League and safe then all these old fashioned beliefs have to be trimmed at the very least and everything else has to get up to speed with how modern football is. It's probably why 'ambassadors' that didn't exactly do much for their perks were very quickly pounced upon and he is pushing into new media capabilities and revenue streams. We may well end up being ahead of many of the big clubs in terms of how we bring things to the masses. MUTV years ago was a big thing but these days 'The Southampton Way' is a start to get those people who are 'busy busy' to have access to the club on smartphones I'm very media savvy and embrace things like facebook and ebay and lots of other smartphone apps to get my business out there. Cannot stand them myself. My phone only texts and rings but I do it all because it is THE way at the moment and it is getting bigger. Us guys on laptops are now out of date believe me People are always on the move these days and they are connected all the time while they are moving, not sitting down to use laptops.
Nicola cares about Southampton and wants us to be the best, but he is not sentimental about it. He wasn't a fan before he came here, though is now a nervous wreck on matchday We were in a mess when he came and he had to sort it out...sometimes he looks to save relatively small sums (such as the programme sellers and no free parking) and we don't always like it, but that comes with the man I'm afraid. There is a saying...'you don't know what you've got till it's gone'...remember that when you look at other Chairmen who may care deeply about their clubs but haven't a clue.
I was very concerned about the manager change this year. I was worried that MP did not the experience to get points right from the start. At the time we could not afford to have a 5 game warm up period. i was worried we would go down. NC was correct and it now makes me more confident the next time he decides to make a big decision. He obviously thought about it and discussed it with many. I like that it was not rushed although it did feel a bit like that at the time. Compared to the former leader I know (Lowe) he is the clearly the best. Nice to see non-Saints supporters are seeing it as well.
I'd go along with MIsaints point of view on that. I thought the fact he wouldn't do the interviews in English would help the medias dislike campaign, which would also hinder our battle against relegation. Never had a bad word to say about NC though, what he has done since 2009 has given him the right to make these big calls, he simply has not put a foot wrong with dragging our club in the big time. Markus would be proud of the way you have conducted yourself as chairman, of that I am sure.
the echo are ****e he is putting our money back into the club the car park has got us £5000 a week, people were parking there and walking into town for work. the kits have been changed like every other club does? they are not failed transfer bids-cortese just wont be taken for a ride.
I think the Echo is not so critical of the present regime now. Sometimes people are oversensitive...I've seen angry responses to merely factual articles. As for Mauricio's lack of English...he appears eloquent and charming in Spanish...comes over better than a stutterer in English. However, if the club want him to speak English. they should just suddenly remove his interpreter (the equivalent of chucking a kid in the water)....though I would miss him. He is Mauricio's voice in the same way as the computer is for Stephen Hawkins.
Takes two to tango, same as MLT, how good would it be if everyone was on the same wavelength, maybe time will heal.
Yep. Both sides of these disputes have probably to some degree been at fault. Both sides probably feel they don't need to make the effort to make up. The thing they can't see is that it benifits everyone if they do so, oh well we can but hope.
Saintsfan4life. Don't forget to asnwer the other points raised if people come back with a response or debate your points. Jen and I both made valid points about your other areas you haven't liked Cortese doing and it is always worth responding fully, even if you don't have a retort or simply don't agree. It keeps the deabte going. You just picked out one on both of our replies. For instance, you raised Gorkks asa failed transfer, but then said you didn't think we should have signed him. If that's the case, then why is that a reason for not liking Cortese's decisions. None of the players you mentioned should have been signed IMO, and weren't.
