A defender. At last. Hooray.

He sounds very handy - the link to The Mirror article that somoene sent round yesterday makes good reading

It couldn't be announced until Adkins left because he clearly knew nothing/had not been involved in it bat all.

So let's not get too excited about the arrival of a player chosen presumably by the Chairman (who is he advised by behind the scenes; that person is responsible for the arrival of several others who have not remotely been worth their fees eg Manyuka, DeRidder, Lee etc) why should he get it right now. On the other hand players like Clyne, Rodrigues and Ramires(actually that may be about it) have made a difference.

I'm afraid that I have no confidence in these sort of judgements going forward

A new foreign manager and a new forren back, at last Saints might get more than 1 point a game and let in less than 2 goals a game.
The King is dead long live the King!

You are clearly, and understandably, very angry ExiledSupporter but is there actually any hard evidence of this NC 'power behind the throne' stuff. Surely NA would have resigned ages ago if he wasn't allowed to choose his own players?

I like the look of this signing and I have to say that if it had been made in the summer (along with a good keeper) we would probably have half a dozen more points now - and the NA sacking would look even madder...

Judging from that photo, this Forren guy's useless with his head.

HA!

Agreed SanMarco, the evidence is circumstantial (tho' NA may clarify this in due course, tho' I also imagine a gagging clause on his severance agreement). But how do you explain the erratic transfer policy which has a) not addressed the priorities in the summer b) allowed a wholehearted player like Billy Sharpe leave on a season long loan and c) import players who are certainly no better than we already had in the squad eg Mayuka and de Ridder before him.

You make the fair point that surely Adkins would have reacted differently as his discretion in transfer target and perhaps even selection (on the bench especially)became increasingly circumscribed. Perhaps he made the entirely rational decision to stick at it until NC (unjustifiably)considered himself as having no other choice but to appoint someone else so that NA would at least get his contract paid up which would not have been the case had he resigned? After all Adkins will have made relatively little out of his playing career, so not a particularly wealthy man by pro-football standards.

He is probably a good signing - the feedback out of Norway is that he is the top player in their league some statements around him being 'good enough for Man U'. He is only 6 1 though so I hope he has a good spring. It is the winter break now in Norway so I fear he wont be match fit for a while.

On the statements above on transfer policy - I would say there is clear circumstancial evidence of more influence from the chairman than the manager on transfers. Note the comments from the player and all the players we have signed recently. They talk exclusively of direct discussions with NC - the vision of the future etc, rather than the manager. Lets compare to say Man U - imagine a player signing and talking of all their meetings with David Gill and never mentioning Ferguson..

Saints getting someone new in to replace someone not as good !
Disgraceful behaviour according to many

Strong circumstantial evidence of the chairman's influence if you ask me.

Nigel had been after Billy Sharp for ages. Would he really have wanted to bring in other strikers then send Sharpe out on loan?

Gaston Ramirez wouldn't have been on Nigel's radar (and he might have made better use of £11 million).

We bring in Japanese players to boost audiences there (doesn't matter if they are any good).

The list goes on and on.