THE DEMISE OF HASENHUTTL

What has gone wrong?   Last season it looked like he was going to take Saints back to being a force to be reckoned with but this season he just can't seem to get things right.   And don't know if it's just my imagination but to me he just looks a shadow of last season's Ralph when walking the touchline, you can almost read his mind thinking that he doesn't know what to do.

Can it all be down to the departure of his assistant??

I am now really in two minds as to whether I want Ralph out.  If I could believe he can rekindle the old spark in himself and the team then of course Saints should keep him.......... but if things are now going to drag on as they are then he needs to go.     Of course, it might be impossible to get a good replacement, but at least a new manager might be able to get some life out of the team and stop them going down this season.   But I think a change would need to be made before the end of November if the new guy were to have any impact in the transfer window.  And please Saints don't just let someone already at the club step up into the job.

Sorry guys just been busy so not logged on much, plus the football doesn't exactly inspire enthusiasm.

It is odd as he was full of energy when he arrived and while I think Rohl was more instrumental than first thought Ralph must played his part. Think he might feel really let down by the club and realised that top structure is hopeless, no vision and no willingness to spend money. He was promised money, we all knew needed a CH and DM and ended up with Danso on last day of transfer window. Bought two strikers when we could have survived with one so must be wondering what he can do.

That said he is the one who played Gunn when McCarthy should have been starting, played people out of position with the Everton game the worse with Cedric left back and Armstrong RB, just nuts, The failure against Leicester to change the formation when Bertrand got sent off, JWP has been poor this season yet seems untouchable and those decisions that fans wonder about will be more critically reviewed by the players. At the end of the day the squad is full of at best mediocre players, that said a good manager works on the sum of the parts to produce a team that can get results. Are Burnley and Sheff Utd squads better than ours yet their managers know how to get a performance

Now see Pochitino sacked by Spurs so what's the point?

The reality is who is better and available, potentially Alladyce who would at least get the team playing a system where everyone would have a job to do ,know exactly their role and may keep us up. A foreign manager but who? I think knowledge of the English game is actually important and we will need to bring in decent championship players who can defend and an enforcer in midfield, no way Gao will spend much in January.

Will be interesting to see if the new DoF is brought in this week as originally reported in Telegraph. Matt Crocker who was at saints before and with FA is a name being bandied about and might be a DOF with some fire may spark Ralph with some to bounce ideas off.

In the circumstances I think best bet is new DoF like Crocker and see if that can get Ralph getting the team to deliver. If that hasn't worked by January then accept likely to go down, don't waste money in January and work on new manager for next season

Thanks Matty, very sensible thoughts.

Well Crocker now officially appointed as Director of Football, unfortunately doesn't start until "early 2020" presumably working his notice. Supposedly will also be appointing someone as head of recruitment. Might all be a bit late with transfer window open in just over a months time. Should have gone for Crocker as soon as Reed went to FA as Crocker had applied for the job Reed got.