The Chinese Have Spoken

Which is precisely the point Barry. You might want something but that isn’t to say you will get it.

Well now that Eric Black has gone I suppose there is a vacancy for a corrupt, underhand nob head at our club…

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Not getting onto this Reed Son band wagon until someone

  1. sends me a pitchfork

  2. shows an earlobe match

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Important Statement from the club

CORPORATE STATEMENT

TO STRIVE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CLUB’S SUPPORTERS,
SHAREHOLDERS, POTENTIAL NEW INVESTORS, SPONSORS,
EMPLOYEES AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING THE LOCAL
COMMUNITY, TO RE-ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN SOUTHAMPTON
FOOTBALL CLUB AS A FINANCIALLY ROBUST BUSINESS.
A BUSINESS WHOSE PRINCIPAL ASSET IS A STYLISH AND
ENTERTAINING FOOTBALL TEAM THAT EVOKES LOYALTY, PRIDE
AND PASSION ON THE PART OF ITS FOLLOWERS. A TEAM THAT
IS GENUINELY CAPABLE OF FINISHING AMONGST THE TOP TEN
CLUBS WITHIN THE FA PREMIER LEAGUE AND REACHING THE
LATTER STAGES OF THE FA AND LEAGUE CUP COMPETITIONS
EVERY SEASON

(From our 2006 Annual Report)

So it would seem, nothing really changes

They probably think they’re really clever and original and us yokels will clap like seals at such wonderment.

Anyone stalking SMS today?

Picking up odd taxi driver rumour think it is just a tour party but thought I should put a time stamp in case

I annoy Pap because we enjoy watching Sherlock on Netflix. One of his catch lines is “we need to get all the facts of the case first”.

Which got me thinking about our current “mess”.

We have very few facts and an awful lot of assumptions. Fact wise on the pitch we are in trouble - no dispute, but then whether that is solely the manager or a fear factor is speculation based on observation of our “lack of tactical nous” “don’t know our best team”. Plenty of threads about that.

Off the pitch the assumption is that Gao has bought the club and is doing nothing - either we are being asset stripped or flipped or are some sort of PR or even simply getting cash out of China, plenty of assumptions, but no FACTS.

We only have one fact, buried in Ralph’s monotone that it is “business as usual/self sustainable” AND that Gao is investing in off the field areas.

All of the fanbase is worried, obviously, but many have taken that a step further and convinced themselves that everyone is sitting around stripping assets and ignoring the on-field problems.

In other words, Ralpph may have added to that with his interviews - fans right now want ON PITCH action not “expansion plans for the Commercial Side of the business.”

Now I worry that some of our fans - and fiverweb/the Ugly - may give themselves medical/mental issues as they continue to explode with all these assumptions.

Meanwhile, when reviewing the lack of facts - and some “odd” moments in the last week - I wonder whether Assumptions are making an ass of u and me.

Putting the mirror up for a moment. Just WHAT are the board and Gao doing? Why (apart from our assumption of cashing in) would Katherina sell out? Why would Gao accept her keeping a minority stake? Why would Ralph still have a job? What is Gao’s ACTUA value add?

Nothing cries the mob.

Or is it?

The On Pitch situation is very worrying. The squad needs holes filling at the worst time of the year - January - all the leaks are that 2 players are inbound this week. There WERE signs of improvement in the 1st half Saturday (but not in the second obviously) so MAYBE there have been “other problems” aroound the squad.

Anyway, I have a sneaking suspiscion that the club are now looking for a new Jack Schitt. I think they are doing something - “To Improve our Commercial Side” - which of course could reduce the reliance on “Moneyball”. I also suspect that it is the kind of stuff that is written in Business Plans and involves more than a PR statement before it can be closed. There are slightly more indications that this is an assumption that could be safely drawn from Ralph’s interview than the assumption they are doing nothing.]

The CURRENT list of replacement managers with EPL or even “Relegation” experience do not fit “the Southampton Way” - Mark Hughes and a biinch of Shawcross & Walter’s clones? Seriously?

I would also assume that they are VERY concerned with the On Pitch situation because it would utterly wreck Gao’s plans and investment value.

I just think they may not be stupid and still have a plan.

We are expecting a dicking on Sunday. I bet the Board are looking for “An Improvement Trend Continuation”.

I also expect a new source of leaks to pop up - stuff they cannot put into the press but show they are doing “stuff”.

I seriously doubt that MoPe is going anywhere. I ASSUME they have seen something because I do not for one moment think Bazza is more clever than all of them put together. (But Bazza has been right in pointing out we are shit at the moment).

No, I don’t know what that means.

And yes I have heard a very odd rumour that Ralph was in town while Utd & Liverhampton were here, and no, nobody “saw” him. It was the lastest in a long line of odd rumours last week.

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Maybe the reason for the board meeting that @dubai_phil was on about last week

Stand by for a further meltdown.

What the fuck had this lump done to desrve this? They remind me more like the tory party everyday, Katherina Liebherr legacy and Les’s for that matter will live long in the memory of shitness.

Remind me again where the club finished every year of Kat’s reign?

It only took 3 minutes

Where are we know, she has her silver and she has fucked off, Les is being rewarded for failure, you couldn’t make it up, showers of pricks., what next our Chinese owners win an award for conversation and fiscal honesty?

But you seem to be saying all of the time she had ownership we were shite?

As far as I can see it her main fault in BS’s eyes is that she isn’t a Billionaire.

All that proves is things can get worse, they have haven’t they?

Things can get better, stay the same or get worse. What is your point? You have been telling us that her legacy is shite. Are you unhappy about 4 top 8 finishes and a cup final in which we turned over Liverpool in the semis?

At last, the Chinese have spoken. Full statement below.

I must say it’s very polite and they seem relaxed, happy and would like to share that feeling with all the fans.

Anyway, here’s the statement.

新年快乐

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Blimey they are ambitious. I feel bad about some of the things I thought now.

That said I will not share my seat with a sardine.

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Just realised. We are coming into the year of the dog. We have a dog for a mascot. We are fucking sorted.

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