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Thread | Was it wrong to dispense with RM this season?
at 13:19 18 Feb 2025
This is a question that is now arising in my mind from a football and SFC perspective.
There was no doubt that having got us promoted,(albeit through the back door of the play-offs), RM was right to be given the chance at this level. It had become clear though, that his tactics (or some would say a lack of them) and refusal to adapt was resulting in the same outcome. Now, how much of that was down to him or the quality of the players that he had at his disposal is a moot point.
I have seen that Ramsdale and other players recently indicate that they were bought into his style and regretted his departure. Now some could read that as RM being "soft" with the players and that is why they liked him!
I think it is fair to say most Saints fans were realistic about this season. I doubt many, other than the deluded, thought we would have anything other than a relegation fight on our hands. But, equally, I doubt that many of us foresaw or expected the nightmare shambles of a season that this has become in every quarter of Southampton FC - both on and off the pitch.
The appointment of Juric appears to have only served to make things worse in terms of the team and players. It could be said that he was given a poison chalice (and maybe I am being harsh), but at the minimum you would have hoped he would have brought some unity and cohesion even if the results did not change. What I see is a disorganised shambles, with poor man management and players that now appear to believe in nothing and can't wait to get out of this season and probably out of the club. This is then reflected in the supporters who must wonder what it is exactly they are supporting?
The booing of Smallbone was awful and whilst he was having a poor game so were many of the others and many have been poor now for the best part of a season. But, really I believe that booing was a reflection of the frustration now amongst all fans. I actually wonder why we are bothering to turn up? - there is no joy or entertainment or fun in watching this car crash of a mess.
Kat Liebherr to Gao to SR have an awful lot to answer for. Between them they have managed to bring a once proud club down to the level of embarrassment even more so than the administration years. [Post edited 18 Feb 13:23]
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Reply | Does Juric know what he is doing?
at 23:05 15 Feb 2025
We seem to be the only club grumpy where we select a manager that is worse than the previous one. He is clueless. But, I am sure SR have told him he will be in charge next season. The whole damn club from top to bottom is a mess. God knows why we are continuing to watch them. In all my years, through the many ups and downs I have never ever known a season as bad as this where every sinew of the club both on and off the pitch feels completely and totally rudderless. |
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Thread | Burnley and yesterday
at 22:39 9 Feb 2025
I have supported Saints since being a school boy and attended to games to various degrees for almost 50 years.
This weekend I travelled the 240 miles down south and just got back this evening after seeing family as well.
I can safely say that yesterday's game is probably my final one for this season. There is no way that I am investing any more money into the club with what remains of this season. May be it is just me, but yesterday almost highlighted the abject state of our club, the team, the players as individuals.
Walking to the game I cannot recall an FA Cup game on a Saturday afternoon where there was no atmosphere, no sense of interest or appeal in the city or to the supporters and as it so proved with a crowd of around 15k.
The game itself was fairly mundane though both sides did engineer some chances with little real cutting edge. What was the defining moment though was the Burnley goal - not that they scored a scrappy one to win it - that almost seems to be a given when we play Burnley - but the lack of response and the attitude of our players - you would think with minutes to go and 1-0 down in a cup game they would show some effort, desire and passion - but no, not a scrap of it. With 3 minutes on the clock they were pointlessly passing it around the back with no sense of urgency to move it or thrust the ball forward. The moment Burnley scored they visibly gave up - all of them!
In all my time of supporting and watching Saints I have never seen such an abject group of players to wear our shirt and carry our badge.
I am not convinced by Juric any more than I was of the previous recent incumbents. Nothing has changed that much, if at all, but I am starting to wonder whether these players, this club is becoming unmanageable. There is a whole malaise running through every sinew of the club. I was always proud to be a Saints fan but right now I am embarrassed. These players, these owners, the guardians of our club have turned it into a sham. |
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Reply | Burnley next game
at 22:16 2 Feb 2025
I bought a couple of tickets when they became available for members irrespective of any results. I don't think it will be the most entertaining cup tie with their stingy defence and our generally shot shy attack (though we have started scoring a few more goals recently). |
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Reply | Happy Anniversary
at 17:15 28 Jan 2025
One of the most memorable days during my time as a Saints fan. They were heady days in the 80's under McMenemy. He had presence, gravitas, respect and he knew how to handle players and the media etc. I appreciate it was different times then and no social media or Sky etc and we cannot really compare with now, but it has never felt as good as that period - for those of us fortunate enough to have been around to have seen and experienced it. |
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Thread | The difference between us against Man U and Bournemouth against Newcastle today
at 23:17 18 Jan 2025
I know to praise Bournemouth is now almost sacrilege but there were clear differences in attitude and approach.
- Bournemouth did not sit and rely on one goal and put their chances away
- they did not sub the players that were on top
- they did not stop running until the final whistle
What a manager they have as well. Has to be the best signing they have ever made. |
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Reply | FA Cup tomorrow
at 00:33 12 Jan 2025
I don't think anyone will be surprised if we lose - it won't be a cup shock - perhaps only the margin of a defeat could show us up. Whereas Brentford and Frank are regarded more highly than us. |
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Reply | Who is up for this?
at 11:18 5 Jan 2025
The club will get wind of this potentially happening and everyone will be searched and it will not happen....................but something like this does need to happen. |
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Thread | MOTD
at 23:18 4 Jan 2025
I dared to watch MOTD. Danny Murphy (who I am not a fan of and always has a downer on us even when we are ok) and Micah Richards assessment was so right. The players attitudes stank today. As both pundits said, they did not even do the basics which you should expect no matter who the manager or style or tactics.
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Reply | Russell Martin must feel as though he’s won the Euro Lottery
at 19:32 4 Jan 2025
The problem is, as it was a problem when they finally decided to dispose of Ralph is that, they do it without planning a proper replacement. After Ralph it was Jones and Selles. This time it is Juric. But how many of us really knew who Juric was? What evidence was there that he would be better than what we had? I don't blame Juric but suddenly the style is changed with players that had been drilled to play a certain way for ages at a time when the team is rock bottom.
The people running this club seem to be a mix of inept and incompetent.
The players don't seem to be able to play any style - is it simply they are not good enough or is it simply they have now given up. It is a complete and total mess and we know now that we will be the team with the lowest points total ever and possibly the worse goal difference. When it comes to making bad records we appear to be adept at it. |
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Reply | The problem is at the very top
at 17:50 4 Jan 2025
Why is there such a lack of resilience and fight in our players? You can blame the managers, the owners etc but look how easy Brentford scored early and continued to do so. Look how little we offered in midfield and going forward. Yes, the quality etc may not be there but you see lower league sides play against PL sides in the cups and show fight. Our players show none whatsoever - is that all the managers or is it that their morale is so low they just cannot lift themselves, or do they simply not care? |
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Thread | Feeling of desperation for our club.
at 17:32 4 Jan 2025
I have seen all sorts of highs and lows in my lifetime as a Saints fan but I am struggling to think of a time where I have felt as low and depressed about our team, our club and SFC as I do now. I don't think I even felt like this during the Branfoot era or the administration and points deduction period.
I really see no hope whatsover. The players have given up, if indeed they ever started, the morale and motivation is beyond rock bottom. We are clearly heading towards beating the Derby record - another sorry record to be apportioned to our club for our rivals etc to take years on the p*ss out of us.
I see no indication and have zero confidence in those supposedly managing and running the club and as long as they are in charge I cannot see anything changing/improving - but like looking for a shining white knight on the brow of a hill all is see is a grey sky. Marcus Liebherr did so much for us, sadly his daughter was not careful about who she handed the reigns to - first Gao and then this sorry lot.
I have never been in favour of it before because I always felt you had to get behind the team but I am not even sure the players give a jot for Saints or SFC. They show no fight, no resilience, no interest and therefore I think it needs a total boycott of a home game. I know that will be nigh on impossible to achieve but somehow we need to show enough is enough.
Quite where we go from here, I have not got a clue.
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Thread | Is there anything positive about SFC at the moment?
at 11:49 2 Jan 2025
As I was driving into work this morning, on the radio there was something about footballing sculptures and what is the best and worst...........surprise, surprise there was a resounding view that the initial sculpture of Ted Bates was considered the worst (though it has since been replaced).
The other day Danny Murphy (can't stand the guy and he hates us) was saying that Saints are the worse side since Derby to grace the PL.
We cannot get a win for love nor money.
We are languishing and firmly routed at the bottom.
We have the 2 x 9-0 record defeats
and it goes on and on. No one could ever accuse us Saints fans of picking an easy team to support and watch. I know we have had some good times in the past and I have been lucky enough to witness some of them, but I cannot recall a time where the brand and name of SFC seems as low as it is now........I am not even sure it was as low as this during the administration years?????? |
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Reply | 2024 - the year for Saints
at 09:40 31 Dec 2024
I recall during the back end of our season in the Championship that I did not want to go up. I enjoyed most of the championship season, but I also knew we did not have the team or the set up to compete in the PL. I think the majority of Saints fans knew that.
The Wembley day was fantastic, a memorable day and it was a case of wanting to win it but knowing that we were not ready for the next level.
The disappointment is not that we are in the relegation zone - I think most fans expected that we would be or that relegation would be the most likely outcome - I think the disappointment is that I did not think we would be as bad as are or have been this season and often against even the most mediocre of opposition. |
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Reply | Who is conducting transfer negotiations in January?
at 09:07 31 Dec 2024
I hope we don't buy anyone this January. This season is a lost cause now and we would be better keeping our money and starting to focus on the summer window and the next season. I won't object if we off-load a few in this window. |
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Reply | Anybody still of the opinion that it was all Russell Martin’s fault ?
at 19:04 29 Dec 2024
Don't disagree with that grumpy. He should have gone probably around the Leicester game but I think he deserved to be given the chance. I still believe that with this squad relegation was the likely outcome whoever was in charge but I did think we would have more points and be in the fight into the new year. |
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Reply | Anybody still of the opinion that it was all Russell Martin’s fault ?
at 18:51 29 Dec 2024
As I think I said in a previous thread regarding RM, I don't think it was all his fault at all and to be fair he should be respected for what he did post our last relegation and the promotion we achieved albeit via the back door of the play-offs. What RM has to accept responsibility for was his steadfast refusal to try any new tactics or adapt to the changing situation in games, opposition etc which ultimately led to his downfall.
I suppose what is now being shown is that even with a change of manager and change of tactics there is little likelihood that our fortunes are going to change. In fact, for the life of me I cannot even see where we will get our next point let alone a win. The squad is so far away from being able to compete at this level and in that respect you have to question SR because it was suicidal to go into the PL with this squad without purchasing some experience especially up front..
I cannot help but feel that the season is over/written off, if indeed it ever started. All that is left is whether Brentford can break their failure to win away this forthcoming weekend - you wouldn't bet against it, would you? After that, what will be the motivation for fans to turn up and what will be the motivation for the players to risk injuries etc for what is now an inevitable outcome. As regards RM or Juric - we will never know whether they would have been good enough if they had a squad that could compete at this level. |
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Reply | New Manager Bounce
at 17:15 29 Dec 2024
I was thinking the same Butty. Does it say more about our players and squad when they take over or do we choose the wrong managers? To be honest, I almost feel like giving up now because nothing this club seems to do in recent years feels for the long term betterment of the club, the team or the supporters. May be I am over- reacting but I just have no idea where we are going - obviously the championship, but with what??????
I am wondering what the motivation is to pay and attend any more matches this season as for the life of me I cannot see a win or even a draw from anywhere. Brentford have not won away yet..........would you bet against them not breaking that run next week?????? |
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