Nigel Adkins axed

Biz.Kid09 said:
Pochettino: "I know about the #saintsfc squad because I've been researching them for several weeks'. Several weeks.

:/

I suppose seven weeks ago they weren't in great form but surely when Adkins turns it around like he has done recently you support him?
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Sounds like the decision to replace Adkins could well have been made a while back and so it was irrelevant whatever form they picked up.
 
What a joke, back-to-back promotions and 15th in the league (above clubs like Villa and Newcastle who have both placed in the top 6 this decade).

This will all end in tears, a no-name foreign manager who will have the fans and media on his back from day one. He is not going to take Saints on to "bigger and better things" unless he gets massively backed in the transfer market, in which case who is to say Adkins couldn't have done the same? I don't know what people expect, in my mind a team that was in League One 2 years ago should be happy to avoid relegation from the Prem and then use that as a stepping stone, not the moon on a stick.

I'd imagine there won't be a shortage of Championship clubs looking at him with a view to getting promoted.
 
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[ASSE]Hinchy;23583256 said:
Fans have still got to get behind the new manager. It's totally counter productive not to do so, particularly as the TV money for next season could make a dramatic difference in the club's future.
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This is spitting in the face of every fan who has defended and got behind Adkins all the way through the difficult run of the premier league. The chairman couldn't have stuck the middle finger up to every single fan more effectively.

drunkenmaster said:
At some stage every great manager who was ever a manager had only 3 years experience, and most have been fired, some multiple times. Without knowing anything about him you've decided he's a yes man like Steve Kean?

Without knowing any back story, was Adkins firing ridiculous, most likely, is that the next guy's fault? Chelsea's results while showing a lack of support for the manager isn't helping them, does it make sense, that since he's been fired and the next guy is here, to turn on him before he's done anything?

What if he improves Southampton significantly?
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Next guy has turned the chairmans head with "I could have won away at Chelsea".

The next guy deserves nothing unless we win every game from now until the end of the season, and even then it is a tough one to accept. Why? Because he had done NOTHING before then. Yes every manager has to be that inexperienced guy, but why replace a manager who is working well with the resources at the club and getting results with this ****. Hasn't won anything, hardly kept Espanyol going in the right direction, hasn't developed the right to manage in the premier league at all.

For all I care he is the Spanish Steve Kean because he hasn't in the slightest bit done it and had done nothing to deserve the chance with us. Adkins has built this team and knows what he was doing, we are going to end up with everyone good sold, some idiots bought in and relegated.

This is exactly like the feeling you must wake up with every day Wenger is still in charge at Arsenal, it makes me want to cry and hide under my desk after 3 hours.


[ASSE]Hinchy;23584161 said:
Sid Lowe's piece on Pochettino and his Espanyol experience

We'll just have to wait and see. Fingers crossed it works out, but I'm obviously very disappointed that we have got rid of Adkins.
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The article says he doesn't even speak English :mad:

I can't think of anything that could be worse.

HangTime said:
What a joke, back-to-back promotions and 15th in the league (above clubs like Villa and Newcastle who have both placed in the top 6 this decade).

This will all end in tears, a no-name foreign manager who will have the fans and media on his back from day one. He is not going to take Saints on to "bigger and better things" unless he gets massively backed in the transfer market, in which case who is to say Adkins couldn't have done the same? I don't know what people expect, in my mind a team that was in League One 2 years ago should be happy to avoid relegation from the Prem and then use that as a stepping stone, not the moon on a stick.

I'd imagine there won't be a shortage of Championship clubs looking at him with a view to getting promoted.
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Summed it up nicely. Adkins will be at a new club soon enough, we'll be playing them and end up back in L1, after this that is where we belong.
 
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I am actually genuinely surprised, he had them getting some good results, and to come back from 2-0 down at the home of the European champions is some feat. Deserved more time imo.
 
Southampton Football Club has this morning appointed Mauricio Pochettino as First Team Manager, having relieved Nigel Adkins of his managerial duties.
Forty year old Pochettino has earned a reputation as one of the most talented young coaches in European football thanks to an impressive spell in La Liga with Espanyol.

The Argentine was widely linked with a future role at one of Spain’s top clubs, but having left Espanyol in November now joins Southampton to continue his top-flight managerial career.

Pochettino will take charge of training on Saturday ahead of his first game as Southampton First Team Manager on Monday evening (21st December) against Everton in the Barclays Premier League.

The Club would like to thank Nigel Adkins for his service over the past three seasons, and wish him well for the future.

Executive Chairman, Nicola Cortese said:

“This decision has been made with the long-term ambitions of Southampton Football Club in mind. Whilst we acknowledge the contribution Nigel has made during the past two years, for the Club to progress and achieve our long-term targets a change was needed.

“Mauricio is a well-respected coach of substantial quality who has gained a reputation as an astute tactician and excellent man manager. I have every confidence that he will inspire our talented squad of players to perform at the highest possible level.

“He also shares my belief that the most successful clubs are built by nurturing young players through a development system that provides a clear path to the First Team, thereby creating a culture that keeps them at the Club for the long term. This is an approach he has employed with great success in the past and I look forward to him bringing that experience and expertise to Southampton.”

Southampton First Team Manager, Mauricio Pochettino added:

“This is the kind of opportunity that any coach would relish. Southampton is a club with great heritage, and an even more exciting future. There is a clear vision to take the Club to a new era of sustained success in the Premier League, and beyond, which I’m delighted to be part of.”
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Get the impression this was lined up (and written up) ages ago and somebody didn't edit/check the release properly before putting it on the website.
 
lemonkettaz said:
Football is a joke at times.

Feel sorry for Adkins, Southampton aren't doing too bad.. and what do the board want? Them to be top 4??

Stupid.
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Yeah that's what the one man board wants (Cortese) I just don't see how we could do 4th this season. Or next season with the new guy seeing as his best was 8th, in Spain...
 
Shocked isnt the word i would use when hearing about this...what utter madness Soton have got themselves into. Just as they were starting to play well, they go and sack the manager??.

And this new guy cant speak english??...**** me this has backfire written all over it.
 
I thought the 'cant speak english' thing was a joke, but no, he actually needs a translator for interviews.

I can only imagine how fantastically motivating a translated team talk must be for a team, must really get the emotion across.

Absolutely bizarre, turned the club into a laughing stock frankly
 
I cant decide whether the board are dumb as **** for releasing the fact that the decision was made before Christmas or good for being honest about it (although why they didnt get promote an interim manager for a few weeks I dont know, but its another - one of the many - plus points for Adkins that he still did his best in that period)

Still think its a stupid mistake and they are going to struggle badly now (apart from the difficulty with the language /translator etc). I have a soft spot for Southampton, but this just sounds inept - and wouldnt be too sad to see them relegated now

Adkins takes over at Villa and manages to relegate Southampton on the last day :D
 
BBC seem to be reporting it was announced before Adkins was told.

If true that's ****ing disgusting behaviour and I feel ashamed to call myself a supporter of such a club.

Even Adkins was caught cold. As the news began to leak out of St Mary's on Friday morning, it became clear the man who led the club from the lower reaches of League One to the Premier League in less than two years had not been told.
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I wonder what the players will make of this, especially the British ones. I guess Lambert might profit from not being randomly benched but I think from day 0 it is almost a no-win situation for the new guy:

-Replacing a seemingly popular man who always seemed to hold himself with dignity and a positive attitude is never going to be easy
-Regardless of how good he turns out to be at least in the short term there will be the distraction of fans chanting Adkins name etc (and potentially booing poor performances/results)
-The media is usually pretty sharp at getting stuck in to foreign coaches with poor English and no experience of British football, especially those with little pedigree who have replaced a 'good honest British gaffer'.
-Saints are not the worst team in the league but realistically even if he is a good manager he is not going to miraculously turn them into a top 8 side overnight. It's virtually impossible for him to be successful (in terms of what Cortese seems to want) but very easy for him to be a flop.
-Communication with players will take a bit of work

I'm sat here trying to think of foreign managers with bad English and little pedigree who have been a genuine success in the EPL. Most of the foreign (non-native English speakers) 'successes' (I use the term lightly) don't fit the bill:

-Wenger: Good English
-Mourinho: Good English and CL winner
-Mancini: Won things in Italy
-Jol: Decent English and played in England before
-Benitez: Won things with Valencia
-Martinez: Good English
-Hiddink: Great English and impeccable track record managing in several countries
-Ancellotti: Won things with Milan
-Gullit: Decent English and played over here
-Ranieri: Won things in Italy

-New bloke at Saints who's name I've forgotten already: Ermmmm.... kinda did OKish with Espanyol without ever being in danger of I dunno, getting in the Europa league or winning a cup?

How Adkins can get sacked ahead of Paul Lambert beggars belief.
 
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I would give everything for the starting eleven to get on the field monday night, get into a huddle then walk off on tv.

Oh Lambert is dropped as a tactical plan opposed a whim, comes on fresh and bullies a tired defence, worked against Chelsea, struggled against West Ham but I think the new guy will just pay everything for someone spanish and rubbish :(

Still cannot fathom how Paul Lambert is still in management and Adkins isn't.
 
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