Eterna (apparently a luxury Swiss watch maker) have become a new commercial partner for Saints (perhaps Nicola wanted a new watch). We will get a new clock at the ground and timing system on the screens.
No surprises to see that they are a Swiss company I wonder if we can negotiate a deal such that their clocks stop at 88 minutes...
Just reread the watch story and no mention of what watch it was: "To Markus, that trust with his closest friend was all important and absolute. So, if I may, to my second and final story, and I am very grateful to Markus's partner, Lore, and to Nicola for their kind permission to enable me to tell you this story. It concerns a watch, or at least at the beginning of the story two watches. I think this story tells you about Markus as a thoughtful man. I believe it tells you Markus knew a lot more about himself than he was letting on. A few weeks after the Wembley final, Markus and Nicola were having one of their constant discussions about the further progress and development of the club. Markus was convinced that this season the Saints would gain promotion, if not actually win the League One title. Markus said to Nicola, 'Starting this season I will buy you a special new watch every time we win a trophy, or a title, or gain promotion.' Nicola said 'That's fine Markus, but every time you must also buy the very same watch for yourself, so that we can both wear the watch commemorating every success.' Markus readily agreed with this. Then, more recently, Markus spent a few days with Nicola's family on holiday. He said he was going to physically go to buy the first two watches in the very near future. Nicola replied 'Really, ther's no rush Markus, there's a long season ahead.' Then, nearly two weeks ago Markus flew into England for his first league match of the season. At this point he had not been well. In the event, Markus was not well enough to actually attend the game. But he still managed to attend Nicola's birthday party that evening, Saturday, August 7. Markus said to Nicola 'I wanted to show you, in person, the book containing a description of the model of watch I want to buy for you and for me.' Yet again, Nicola said to him 'There is no rush.' As Markus was leaving that Sunday for Switzerland, Markus opened the car door so that he could show Nicola a photograph he had taken of the watch being advertised on an airport posterboard. Markus had only days earlier walked painfully across from one side of Zurich Airport to the other to buy the watch. Because the model of the watch was so new, he was told at the airport shop that it was only available from headquarters. Markus immediately phoned through an order for the watch, for his collection later from a shop in the centre of Zurich. That Sunday, after the first match of the season, was to be the last time Markus and Nicola saw or spoke to each other. On the Monday, despite Lore's plea for him not to travel alone, he drove himself from his main home the 80 miles to his apartment in Zurich. From there, he took himself to the shop to buy the new model of watch that he had reserved some days earlier. He returned to the apartment and spoke to Lore and said simply 'I have got the watch, I have got the watch for Nicola.' "He passed away just a little later that evening." It turned out that he had only bought a single watch. It seems that he never intended to buy one of the watches for himself. To Markus, it was so, so important that he got the watch for Nicola, even though it seemed at the time that he could have waited for nine months. Why did Markus not buy that watch for himself, why did he not buy the two watches as they had agreed? Only Markus knows the full answer to that one, but I'm sure we can all reach our own conclusions. It was a mark of this delightful man that he was pre-occupied with doing thoughtful acts for others, especially his dearest friend Nicola, even while he was suffering pain and discomfort." I haven't read that for a few years and it has convinced me more than the signing of Ramirez and the new facilities that Cortese is here for the long haul.
That guy really knows how to tell a story. I bet you have to drag him off the stage on open-mic nights.
A very poignant story and shows how great their friendship was. He could have afforded to get someone else to do it for him, but wanted it to be a personal act. We have been collateral beneficiaries of this friendship.
Read that very same article this morning, while trying to find out whether the new clock partners are the same as in the story. It wouldn't surprise me. One thing that may not be obvious, that comes out of the story, is that, if Nicola Cortese is such a nasty piece of work, how can he have such a deep and fond friendship with anyone at all..? And that gives an answer to the lie that several people put around about the bloke. He's almost certainly no better or worse than anyone else, but just not to their taste. And it seems a shame that he gets such personal abuse when all he is trying to do is make Southampton FC the very best football club it can possibly be.
I think we can knock that on the head in a stroke........so don't be alarmed.....I'll get me coat be off in a tick.........
[video=youtube;d8O8DIZywms]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8O8DIZywms&feature=player_embedded[/video]
Eterna have donated a Kontiki watch (about 2.5 K) signed by Saints 1st team for raffle for Saints Education programme...if anyone is interested.
