Uncle Buck
Ghost Writer
- Jul 7, 2003
- 28,071
What is Sir Clive up to?
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pardew faces the sack
- Thread starter empire
- Start date
- Jul 7, 2003
- 47,501
The key temptation for Capello is surely going to be the potential next season for the revival of the big Hampshire footballing derby, between two of the county's footballing GIANTS. It's like the Glasgow, Merseyside, Milan and Buenos Aires classicos all rolled into one.
Come on, Aldershot Town, make it happen
Come on, Aldershot Town, make it happen
Barrel of Fun
Abort, retry, fail
A message from Nicola Cortese
It was a proud moment for Markus and me when we acquired ownership of this great football club and the pace of positive change over the last ten months has been impressive.
First, and very importantly, we stabilised the Club on and off the pitch and began to provide the business with the direction it had lacked for so long. I have since appointed a new First Team Manager, strengthened the playing squad and, more recently, established a Football Development and Support Centre.
Behind the scenes a huge amount of work is being carried out to improve every facet of the Club's operations.
Reflecting on the season just ended, we finished 7th in League One, thereby missing out on the play-offs which was obviously disappointing despite the ten point deduction. Nevertheless, we made good progress, particularly in the second half of the season, and we won the Johnstone Paint Trophy on a special day at the home of world football.
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In recent days, there has been much speculation in some of the tabloid national and local press about the position of our First Team Manager, Alan Pardew. This speculation could be interpreted as a deliberate attempt to unsettle both the Club and Alan. Without exception it has been ill-informed.
In addition to this, various figures with past associations to the Club have been quick to voice their opinions, among them a long time former manager, and former players, one of whom was associated with a so-called consortium which delayed for an important few weeks last summer our plans to stabilise the Club.
These commentators are each entitled to their opinions of course. However, I must tell them that running a major football club such as Southampton is a rather different matter from writing about doing so. I am sure that readers of this message will reach their own conclusions.
One of my early actions was to eradicate the politics that had cast a shadow over Southampton for so long. However, it seems that those same people are trying to continue behind the scenes. I can assure the supporters of Southampton Football Club that I will not be influenced or driven by people who seek to harm the Club in the pursuit of personal agendas - whoever they are.
Our fans and staff should be reassured that I will only make decisions affecting our future based on sound football and business thinking and not on the whims of a local newspaper keen to maximise readership or pundits whose agendas are unclear. Furthermore, I will not respond to every piece of idle speculation. We have too much development work to do to waste time on such pursuits, and my time is dedicated to that work.
As a local paper, I would have hoped that it would provide the local community with news, rather than gossip. However, I am not so naïve as to expect such speculation to stop.
I spoke in January of how I feel this Club to be my baby. Southampton Football Club has been my way of life for over a year now and I have seen what started as my vision for this Club begin to develop into reality. I will continue to follow my principles with the same conviction, vision and ambition that I applied when I attracted a meaningful source of finance to save the Club and take it forward, and will not be deterred from that.
So, for the avoidance of any doubt, our policies and decisions will only be made by me and the Club's Executive Committee and only in the interests of the Club as a whole. This is our guiding principle.
Yesterday I completed a thorough review of the First Team with Alan and we are clear and agreed on our plans and objectives for the coming season. Any significant developments affecting the First Team will, as usual, be announced in a timely way on the Club website.
We will also be making announcements soon via the website on season tickets, match tickets and packages, together with news on the new home kit, which next season will not carry the name of a commercial sponsor.
Beyond next season, reaching the Premier League remains our stated and primary objective. We are also committed to developing a style of play that is compelling to watch - a style that ultimately becomes known as the Southampton Style. Inevitably, this will take time, patience and diligent application, but everything we are doing is geared to achieving this. To get there will require open minds, expertise and clear thinking and we have that.
Both Alan and I share these objectives and targets. Although getting the football side right is a serious business, Alan and I have a lot of fun doing it and we are developing a mutual trust.
We also intend to devote meaningful resources to developing our own playing talent and to have a seamless approach to our football from the youngest players through to the First Team.
In the business, our executive management has been strengthened and our staff numbers have been increased. We will soon start on the work to turn our training ground into a state-of-the-art facility. The new Football Development and Support Centre is beginning to take shape. Further physical enhancements are soon to start within the stadium.
There will be an array of commercial initiatives designed to strengthen the Club and give improved service to our fans and customers. In fact, every aspect of the Club is now subject to a programme of continuous improvement.
Everyone at the Club will now be working hard to prepare for a critical new season in which expectations across the fans, our staff, the management and the owner will be high - mine and Alan's included.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank our staff throughout the Club for their tireless efforts during a very demanding time for all concerned. May I also wish you all a great summer as we look forward to the new season and further success for the Saints.
It was a proud moment for Markus and me when we acquired ownership of this great football club and the pace of positive change over the last ten months has been impressive.
First, and very importantly, we stabilised the Club on and off the pitch and began to provide the business with the direction it had lacked for so long. I have since appointed a new First Team Manager, strengthened the playing squad and, more recently, established a Football Development and Support Centre.
Behind the scenes a huge amount of work is being carried out to improve every facet of the Club's operations.
Reflecting on the season just ended, we finished 7th in League One, thereby missing out on the play-offs which was obviously disappointing despite the ten point deduction. Nevertheless, we made good progress, particularly in the second half of the season, and we won the Johnstone Paint Trophy on a special day at the home of world football.
Article continues
Advertisement
Download Mirror's Edge Now
In recent days, there has been much speculation in some of the tabloid national and local press about the position of our First Team Manager, Alan Pardew. This speculation could be interpreted as a deliberate attempt to unsettle both the Club and Alan. Without exception it has been ill-informed.
In addition to this, various figures with past associations to the Club have been quick to voice their opinions, among them a long time former manager, and former players, one of whom was associated with a so-called consortium which delayed for an important few weeks last summer our plans to stabilise the Club.
These commentators are each entitled to their opinions of course. However, I must tell them that running a major football club such as Southampton is a rather different matter from writing about doing so. I am sure that readers of this message will reach their own conclusions.
One of my early actions was to eradicate the politics that had cast a shadow over Southampton for so long. However, it seems that those same people are trying to continue behind the scenes. I can assure the supporters of Southampton Football Club that I will not be influenced or driven by people who seek to harm the Club in the pursuit of personal agendas - whoever they are.
Our fans and staff should be reassured that I will only make decisions affecting our future based on sound football and business thinking and not on the whims of a local newspaper keen to maximise readership or pundits whose agendas are unclear. Furthermore, I will not respond to every piece of idle speculation. We have too much development work to do to waste time on such pursuits, and my time is dedicated to that work.
As a local paper, I would have hoped that it would provide the local community with news, rather than gossip. However, I am not so naïve as to expect such speculation to stop.
I spoke in January of how I feel this Club to be my baby. Southampton Football Club has been my way of life for over a year now and I have seen what started as my vision for this Club begin to develop into reality. I will continue to follow my principles with the same conviction, vision and ambition that I applied when I attracted a meaningful source of finance to save the Club and take it forward, and will not be deterred from that.
So, for the avoidance of any doubt, our policies and decisions will only be made by me and the Club's Executive Committee and only in the interests of the Club as a whole. This is our guiding principle.
Yesterday I completed a thorough review of the First Team with Alan and we are clear and agreed on our plans and objectives for the coming season. Any significant developments affecting the First Team will, as usual, be announced in a timely way on the Club website.
We will also be making announcements soon via the website on season tickets, match tickets and packages, together with news on the new home kit, which next season will not carry the name of a commercial sponsor.
Beyond next season, reaching the Premier League remains our stated and primary objective. We are also committed to developing a style of play that is compelling to watch - a style that ultimately becomes known as the Southampton Style. Inevitably, this will take time, patience and diligent application, but everything we are doing is geared to achieving this. To get there will require open minds, expertise and clear thinking and we have that.
Both Alan and I share these objectives and targets. Although getting the football side right is a serious business, Alan and I have a lot of fun doing it and we are developing a mutual trust.
We also intend to devote meaningful resources to developing our own playing talent and to have a seamless approach to our football from the youngest players through to the First Team.
In the business, our executive management has been strengthened and our staff numbers have been increased. We will soon start on the work to turn our training ground into a state-of-the-art facility. The new Football Development and Support Centre is beginning to take shape. Further physical enhancements are soon to start within the stadium.
There will be an array of commercial initiatives designed to strengthen the Club and give improved service to our fans and customers. In fact, every aspect of the Club is now subject to a programme of continuous improvement.
Everyone at the Club will now be working hard to prepare for a critical new season in which expectations across the fans, our staff, the management and the owner will be high - mine and Alan's included.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank our staff throughout the Club for their tireless efforts during a very demanding time for all concerned. May I also wish you all a great summer as we look forward to the new season and further success for the Saints.
Are there any other Alan's at the club with whom he would be discussing the team and future plans?
redneb
Active member
Southampton | News | Latest News | Latest News | Driving The Saints Forward
It would have caused uproar if AP had gone. The issue was clearly a personallity clash (two strong ego's) which I imagine yesterdays meeting would have ironed out. The fans would have gone mental unless he was being replaced by f***ing Mourinho or something.
Next season will be quality. COY SAINTS
It would have caused uproar if AP had gone. The issue was clearly a personallity clash (two strong ego's) which I imagine yesterdays meeting would have ironed out. The fans would have gone mental unless he was being replaced by f***ing Mourinho or something.
Next season will be quality. COY SAINTS
fire&skill
Killer-Diller
Gone by December, wherever they are in the League. 'No smoke' etc.
- Jul 7, 2003
- 47,501
"the Southampton Style"
What a bunch of pretentious tossers.
Can't wait to see how they get on when there's actually pressure on them this time round.
What a bunch of pretentious tossers.
Can't wait to see how they get on when there's actually pressure on them this time round.
The Wizard
Well-known member
- Jul 2, 2009
- 18,398
Southampton | News | Latest News | Latest News | Driving The Saints Forward
It would have caused uproar if AP had gone. The issue was clearly a personallity clash (two strong ego's) which I imagine yesterdays meeting would have ironed out. The fans would have gone mental unless he was being replaced by f***ing Mourinho or something.
Next season will be quality. COY SAINTS
- Jul 7, 2003
- 47,501
the new home kit, which next season will not carry the name of a commercial sponsor.
A charity then? Like, Pompey? Or maybe all the ones Pompey robbed?
A charity then? Like, Pompey? Or maybe all the ones Pompey robbed?
Icy Gull
Back on the rollercoaster
- Jul 5, 2003
- 72,015
Unfortunately it sounds like the chairman has his head screwed on. We'll have to revert to hoping Pardew "freezes" when the pressure is on and he has the biggest budget in the division. How long did it take him to get Reading up?
Minimum of 4 points again for us next season though as the Albion certainly OWN Pardew
Minimum of 4 points again for us next season though
as the Albion certainly OWN Pardew
The 'Southampton Style' from the 4 or 5 games I've seen this season seems to largely involve HOOFING it to Lambert, who wins it and scores. It ought not to be THAT hard to introduce this STYLE across the club's teams.
Actually they do have a Plan B, for when Lambert is not playing. It largley involves HOOFING it aimlessly up the pitch, and losing.
Actually they do have a Plan B, for when Lambert is not playing. It largley involves HOOFING it aimlessly up the pitch, and losing.
- Jul 7, 2003
- 47,501
That is what I thought it was from seeing a few of their games, glad to have cleared that up. Don't forget the occasional set play too (belt the corner to Lambert: score), or free kick (give it to Lambert, score).
All Hail the Southampton Style
In fairness, Southampton's deluded fans provided me with one of the biggest laughs of the season.
They were winning 5-1 at Bristol Rovers and Huddersfield were losing 3-2 to Walsall going into the 90th minute - which would have meant Southampton being only 5 points behind Hudds in 6th, with a game in hand.
Saints Web
The fun starts on page 9, but I think the post by "Smirking Saint" at the very top of page 10 almost made me SHIT myself with laughter.
They were winning 5-1 at Bristol Rovers and Huddersfield were losing 3-2 to Walsall going into the 90th minute - which would have meant Southampton being only 5 points behind Hudds in 6th, with a game in hand.
Saints Web
The fun starts on page 9, but I think the post by "Smirking Saint" at the very top of page 10 almost made me SHIT myself with laughter.
Nice to see Cortese slagging off Le Tiss in his statement, too.
That'll win him some fans.
That'll win him some fans.
Spider
New member
- Sep 15, 2007
- 3,614
Why is all I can think of the words "Poyet's Brilliant Contacts"?
I think it sounds like the chairman is good with words. Where does he actually give his support to Alan Pardew? Where does he say that Pardew has his confidence and is there for the long term?
He is muddying the water with comments about hidden agendas of commentators, accusing the local paper of rumour-mongering, is making it clear he will decide things (and trying to win fans over with promises that he is only doing it for the good of the club so when he does fire Pardew fans' anger at the decision may be tempered with his supposed motivation and not think it was personal).
They have the same aims, doesn't mean they're working well together. In fact, sincve they "are developing a mutual trust" even though they've been working together all season, and given the digs about finishing seventh and the money spent in the window, I'd say this is simply a PR stunt.
He is just biding his time to get rid of Pardew after realising that acting now would turn the fans against him.
Icy Gull
Back on the rollercoaster
- Jul 5, 2003
- 72,015
Dick Knights Mumm
Take me Home Falmer Road
The chairman does talk the talk. But he must know that "Southampton" and "Style" have no business being in the same sentence.
