ADKINS OUT???

It's in the Telegraph as well but until it's officially confirmed by the club (as I doubt they'll deny anything, they play their cards very close to their collective chests at that place) then I'll treat it as media speculation. I personally think Nigel's time here is up but, at the moment, it's just rumours and speculation.

Still in charge - for now. I get the feeling that, lose on Saturday and Mr. Adkins' tenure here is over. I hope he can turn things round, starting Saturday, but I doubt it. Hopefully it will stop people saying Cortese is a ruthless 'hire them and fire them' type of chairman when, in reality, he's sacked two guys - Wotte because the Dutchman was part of the old regime and Pardew because the latter was talking to Newcastle about the position there, without Cortese's knowledge.

well he is under immense pressure, has to win saturday or be sacked, then away to QPR where a defeat will get him the sack, then Newcastle and Norwich at home where he will need probably a win and and a draw. So probably a minimum 10 points from next 5 games to stay in the job, bearing in mind we have 4 from 10 games it doesnt look good. Could we get 3 or 4 wins, well on paper if you look at the home games no reason why not except we have been under performing all season so would have to be a complete optimist to think we will, I have seen to many games this season to believe that will happen.

Could actually be a bad call by Cortese, a new manager often gets an initial lift and with the fixture list in front of them could have been the boost to go on a decent run. After this liverpool away, shame that is the game Adkins would have looked out for and probably wont be there other than as a fan.

From 'Weston Saint' on the TSW board:

According to my information today at the game Cortese did not have a crisis meeting with Adkins last Tuesday. Adkins took a training session and he and Cortese exchanged a few words. I am told the meeting has been set for the end of the month with some of the board members to review our position. This has come indirectly to me from Les Reed. I have no reason to doubt it but like all second hand info it should be treated with the usual caution.

Reed also confirmed he has no input with regard to the first team.

Interesting.

perhaps they could get Reed to confirm he has nothing to do with the transfers as that is what has messed us up.

Be more than happy if they sack reed and bring in a proper Technical Director who has experience in top leagues and soem decent contacts. Reed failed at charlton, failed at FA and assistant manager at Bishop Stortford, just how did he become our Executive Director?

Watched the Swansea game on Sky and they showed Cortese in his seat in deep conversation with a middle-aged guy, maybe fifties/early sixties. Any idea who he was?

SaintMike wrote:Watched the Swansea game on Sky and they showed Cortese in his seat in deep conversation with a middle-aged guy, maybe fifties/early sixties. Any idea who he was?

Les Reed, I'd guess. According to the "mong board" (TSW) Cortese was seen in deep discussion with Reed.

Interesting article on reed, certainly cannot be described as modest and on paper you would say makes an impressive CV but for me when you dig underneath in footballing terms he hasnt achieved much to be where he is at saints. That figures for me, Cortese would have been impressed by the CV and being from the FA a real yes man so no doubt fawns around cortese.

http://www.2ndyellow.com/2012/five-minutes-of-your-time-please-les-reed/

I see Wet Spam won again today. So Fat Sam's teams might play a bit of 'anti-football' and be slagged off by Saints fans for doing so, but it's obviously working because they have won five games, and drawn three, and are on 18 points and up to 6th. It's better than our abject crap (yielding a poor 5 points, 8 defeats, one win and 2 draws, with 29 goals conceded) so far. Screw 'pretty' football and shove the 'Southampton Way' where the sun doesn't shine because it is NOT working.

Well has always been on a tightrope and needs to put in a run of convincing results to win over Cortese and any journo will run this story while Di Matteo is available with the obvious connections.

Losing to sunderland would not have helped as not winning at Stoke after being 3 - 1 up, Jan is a tough month so think Villa away and Everton home are minimum 4 points or he will be gone in fact if we get tonked on saturday, and with Jos, Yoshida and Boruc a possibility he could well be gone. If he survives January, think he will be okay for rest of season.

need to fill some space on the sports pages as clearly not a lot of transfer activity at the moment.

rubbish paper, rubbish story

Always thought January would be a difficult month so win against Villa, draws against Arsenal and Chelsea looking good so far. If we can beat Everton on Monday then he couldnt have done much more. interview with Yoshida on Sky sports yesterday showed Adkins positively, annoying at times, is welcomed by the players and perhaps why he can generate the team spirit.

Worried that seems to be a lot of rumour aorund this and bookies have suspended betting on Adkins being next anager to be sacked.

If this is the case Cortese will, rightly, get all sorts of stick on Monday

Absolutely gutted as now confirmed officially by saints. Cortese is a complete kn*b and now we have an unknown spanish guy who was sacked by Espanyol.

Will kick off on Monday night

Adkins has been sacked. What the f***? Just when Saints have started doing well. I hope Cortese knows what he is doing. And who the f*** is this Argentine bloke taking over?

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/saints/news/10171479.Saints_sack_Adkins_and_appoint_Pochettino/?

If Saints go down then Cortese is surely going to have a red face!!!

It's insane. Apparently Pochettino doesn't even speak English.

A comment on Echo website....

Very very regrettable, thank you Nigel for everything you've done for Southampton FC.

BUT, there's clearly a plan to move on to bigger things and the Chairman wants a higher profile manager who can attract the best players in Europe.

It's not right, it's not fair but the best analogy is the 'Saints players for England' thing, they just get picked. Cortese is trying to kick us on to the next level and we have to support him.

No Chelsea type histrionics please, that will do no good for anyone other than our rivals.

All the very best Nigel, a true Saints legend!

From The Independent.....

Pochettino's appointment comes out of nowhere, and few in England will be familiar with his previous roles.

During his playing career he represented Espanyol, Paris St Germain and Bordeux. He also represented Argentina, amassing 20 caps in an international career that will be best remembered on these shores for the moment he took down Michael Owen at the 2002 World Cup. David Beckham scored the resulting penalty as England won 1-0.

Pochettino has only managed at Espanyol, where he spent three years in charge. During his first season he steered them away from the relegation to a comfortable position, a finish they also enjoyed during the 2009/10 campaign.

However a disastrous start to the 2010/11 campaign in which Espanyol accumulated just nine points from 13 matches saw Pochettino sacked.

Tweet from Tony Husband, BBC......

Spanish reporters speak highly of the new manager. Will help if language barrier is lifted soon though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauricio_Pochettino

I see he was a central defender...wonder if he's fit to play??

Oh well, it should be interesting. I just hope it works out. Good luck to the new guy, and good luck to Nigel, too.

The fact that Cortese has risked everything on a manager with just 3 years experience who at best has been average says it all. Real ambition/vision by Cortese and would have persuaded a top proven manager to come to Southampton. He wants a yes man installed who will allow him to maintain his control freak approach. No doubt more signings soon based on Cortese's "knowledge". I suspect have been more fall outs with Adkins who has resisted as best he can the influence of Cortese on first team issues hence the change.

Cortese spouts off about the Southampton way but personally he can keep his version of the Southampton way. No respect, no loyalty, no honesty. That is the Cortese (typical banker) way. I expect the Liebherrs will sell the club in summer and whoever new owners are first thing I hope they do is ditch Cortese.

Not just the fans who will be shocked but so will the players. The only player who will be happy will be Ramerez as another South american and Adkins has picked based on his performances not his price tag or reputation. Previoulsy was looking forward to who we would bring in over next couple of weeks now concerned over who we might lose. Predict Newcastle, as well as others will bid for Lambert and Lallana, and wouldnt be surprised to see them ask to go.