Oddly enough, I started watching Saints the game after Adkins took over at the bottom of League 1, so I've been here exactly as long as he has. This is a genuine question; to those who were here then, was the reaction the same when Pardew went?
No, not really. People were upset and angry, but not at this level. However one thing that's familiar is people saying "we're doomed now". How did that end last time?
Don't think so. Results were poor at the time, many rumours of disruption at the training ground and Pardew being focused on other things, especially the people he associated with in his free-time. Plus, I had admired what Adkins had done at Scunthorpe long before he was linked with us, so at that time, it seemed logical to replace Pardew with Nigel. To me, today's announcement makes no logical sense from a football standpoint, let alone a personal one.
There was a reaction, but it was very short lived after Adkins came in because the majority of us were in agreement that Cortese got it right. This seems to be a bolt fom the blue. Adkins was presiding over some excellent performances and decent results and there hasn't been talk of any sort of unrest. Great crediit to NA as he's probably knwn about this for some time, yet has done his job with poise and dignity.
When Pardew went there was a logical explanation. For this there isn't one for me especially with who he's appointed.
Pardew went, for whatever reason, in a hurry. There was no replacement waiting and poor old Dean Wilkins had to try and fill in. This is different, as it is obvious that is has been planned for a while and Nigel Adkins has known what was about to happen for at least the last week. This, I'm afraid, is how football works nowadays.
Nah the fans reaction wasn't as vicious as this, we could kind of understand that time - we were underachieving.
Had a decent season with Pardew and he gave us a great day at Wembley, but not such a shock as our journey had hardly started. We have achieved our major target now and face losing it. The response to Nigel's sacking is, however, more visceral. Loved having him as a manager and can't bear to see him cheerfully leading another team (though I do hope he gets another job for his sake). Many managers are respected, but few are loved. Nigel was loved. However, I love Saints more.
I bet his phone's been ringing itself off the hook today. He'll be in a job within a fortnight. Thanks for the answers, guys. Sounds like it was less of a shock when Pardew went. I hope that in a couple of years people will be looking back on this as a step forward. Doesn't feel like that at the moment but the new guy may step up to the mark and shoot us up the table. If he does, I suspect all will be forgiven. Vin
More likely in a couple years we'll be looking back at what might have been. I hope I'm wrong, but I've been around for many a bad decision, but this really takes the biscuit. You'd think I'd be coming round a bit by now, but I can see nothing bad things coming of this. Everyones favorit second team yesterday, but today, times have changed.
Chelski have a good manager lined up. It wasn't great when AP left tbh, and remembering that is kind of getting me through, the thought that maybe NC knows best? How can anyone do a better job than NA though? And at such a strange point in the season. I predict a down turn in performances.
No, I personally never liked Pardew and he wasn't universally *loved* by the fans, other than the Le Tissier offspring. Nige was universally loved by all but a couple of pillocks on the Facebook page.
Hmm, that tells you something. I don't want the club to be everyone's second favourite team. Second favourites, of the kind you're writing about, win bugger all. On the Solent phone-in this evening the commentators were suggesting that the best Southampton FC could ever do was 9th or 10th in the Premier League. Which kind of shows how stuck in the past they are.
When Pardew left it was a bloody shock as it was so unexpected. However it was known that Cortese was not exactly enamoured with Pardew anyway. So in some ways a few of us may have guessed it would happen at sometime just not when it did. This is whole different ball game we have had such a ride with Nigel and he had endeared himself to the fans. Which was so different compared to Pardew. I would liken it to maybe when wee Gordon came to us although not sure if that is a good comparison.
There was a difference in that Pardew was underachieving given the money spent for L1 and his team seemed to commit more fouls than our opponents. He wasn't given much time though, that season. Lots sang his name at the next couple of games as he was popular, but we moved on pretty quickly.
When Pardew was sacked fans were annoyed because we were longing for stability, all be it he was quite successful. With Nigel it is far worse, fans have a far more emotional connection to Nigel not to mention his amazing achievements and extremley likeable persona.
