Was just wondering if i offered you now Promotion through 2nd place would you take it. Or would you gamble and try and go for the title?
I'm not a gambling man, and seeing as anything I say will have no effect, I'm going to find a picket fence somewhere to sit on. If this thread is still easily found after Friday I might give you an answer then.
I don't think it is necessary to say take second. We are in a good position and it may just depend on the Reading result where we finish, although there still could be more twists and turns.
What matters is what NA would do, and I am sure we all know that he will send his team out to try to win EVERY match, which would mean Saints finish the season as Champions. Is he a gambling man? I don't think so. But he is a very positive man and expects his team to produce match winning performances based on the preparation done behind the scenes and on the training pitch. I therefore as a admirer of the aforementioned Mr Adkins would not settle for second place.
Second is great and a few weeks ago I would have snatched your hand off, but the closer we get to the end the more chance there is of the title. In the scheme of things though, second is as good as first. I do remember that Cortese remarked on the paucity of cups in our trophy cabinet. Snorted (in a refined Italian way) when he saw a Japanese sword and realised it was just a presentation piece and not a trophy. So guess Nicola would like a Championship trophy to go with the JPT and League 1 runner up cup.
One of the reasons why I wouldn't snatch a guaranteed second place is because Saints have perennially been good at second place. It has only been since Cortese came through the door that we've actually won something for many years. If Nicola won't settle for second, perhaps I shouldn't either.
Not a big gamble though. Bookies have us 4/7 to win the title and 1/20 to get promoted. West ham who have been favourites all season are now 33's for the title!
Adkins doesn't gamble...one game at a time. I think his idea of keeping on an even keel rather than euphoria/despair has worked this season. Also no scapegoats, debrief game and move on. I could bear to be second but not in play-offs.
Well, if I was so narcissistic as to believe that my decision had any effect, then I might think about it more carefully. As it is, how very dare you suggest that I would settle for second? It's glory or death for me!
There's one for the runner-up in League One, but that looked to be newly created. The Championship trophy is the beautiful old First Division trophy. I'm not sure that there is a traditional runners up trophy. I'll have to look that one up.
