Yesterday, Southampton’s chairman Nicola Cortese resigned. Depending on how long you have been trailing this story, he is either being tempted to take up the chef exec job at struggling Milan, or has found working under owner Katharine Liebharr too much. It’s also possible that Ms Liebharr has insisted on a return on her family’s two rounds of investment in the club and forced his hand.
Five years ago Cortese was a working in Switzerland as a banker and acted on behalf of the now-deceased and father of Katharine, Markus Liebharr. They successfully put a deal together to buy Southampton FC and rescue the club from administration (liquidation is not inevitable, some clubs survive). Cortese had no previous experience in the football industry.
Southampton are a small club who seem cursed to produce incredibly talented youth players, only to see extraordinarily bad executives spurn their bounty. I remember writing about their ‘blood on the boardroom carpet’ six years ago.
A year ago this Saturday, Cortese sacked Nigel Atkins, the manager who won them two successive promotions and put them in a comfortable position on the FA Premier League. Cortese was to 2013 what Vincent Tan is to 2014, the butt of a thousand jokes, but none of us were reading the script.
Cortese’ next move was to appoint Argentine Mauricio Pochettino, the 40-year-old recently sacked manager of Espanyol. Southampton haven’t looked back, despite the words “Hooiveld” and “Fox” regularly featuring on team sheets.
Pochettino is now one of the hottest properties in football but he’s not the story, his former boss is. In appointing a young, low-profile, manager, Cortese tackled square-on the biggest problem in football – the vast risk invested on the shoulders of one man, the manager. A football manager is expected to be a master of tactics, a motivational dressing room speaker, a media communications expert, a scout and pretty much guru of everything.
None of them are good at all of this. As a consequence, clubs invest vast proportions of turnover on player wages and transfers, with haphazard diligence being carried out. The man ultimately responsible for approving this spend is more likely to be a shouty media darling, spending an average of 2.5 years at the club, than someone who has experience of long-term strategic planning.
Cortese figured that what he really needed in a manager was a tactical head, someone who could run a technical team, consulting with scouts, coaches, nutritionists and fitness trainers, and come up with what American football teams call a playbook. You want to play at Old Trafford? This is what worked when small teams visited the Bernabeu last season. Playing teams’ taller/faster/luckier with referees than you? You’ve got to see how these guys are leveling the playing field in Uruguay.
Football clubs need their manager to be Master of Tactics, and if they can concentrate him on this, they’re doing better than 90% of clubs in the game. They don’t need someone ‘connected’ to agents in value markets, this attribute can be recruited easily. They don’t need a good media talker. Despite being able to speak English, Pochettino gives press conferences through an interpreter. Yet the fans love him!
Clubs don’t need someone to play to the galleries, or someone with the ability to induce affinity from his public, most of the time results will keep (most) fans onside.
With his technically-proficient and happy-to-be-working-anywhere manager installed, Cortese had all operations working as he wanted, including the inordinately expensive recruitment process. Sacking a good and successful manager in Atkins was the most ballsy and innovative thing to happen in English football in decades, but he was operating in an industry which is the biggest financial basket case in sport. So, despite his clarity of vision, the Southampton gig was never going to last.
Today’s newspapers predict a mass exodus as Pochettino and Southampton’s gifted players head for the exit, good news for Joos and Danny, perhaps, but you feel for the beleaguered fans, who were shown a glimpse of how things should be done, but for years will wonder, what could have been?
The rest of us can ponder the opportunity available due to entrenched inefficiencies in football.
“You should always have pressure on you”, Stefan Johansen, 15 January 2014. I like this guy already.
Last shout for North America based Celtic fans for the Feile, which starts in Philidelphia tomorrow. Full details of the events can be found here. it’s bound to be a great weekend so get along if you can.
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From FF
________________________________
Our ‘Legends’ owe it to us to speak out and unite fans
Enough is enough.
Hmmmmm.Surely, no one has achieved “legend” status at sevco yet? Elbows would probably have been the first “TUPE legend” but it looks like he might not be around to complete that tricky second season – as he is one of the few valuable assets!
Wow.. there’s a thought!
Away to bed with a smile…..
BCW
The best thing about all this, is the stupid twats will believe him.
Not a care about the fact they have contracts, any just get rid, dearie me >}
HH
……………………………………
Corkcelt
weeminger posted something about sale and leaseback earlier, reckons it won’t happen, he did say that planning permission would be easier and quicker.
Something is happening for sure, we will just have to wait and see how it pans out >}
HH
Thers none so blind!!!!
Night all. Night wee Oscar my hero God bless x
This whole players being asked to take a pay cut smacks of Steak Bake not having the balls to name the players that need to be sold/released. Similar to when Duff & Duffer went into oldco after Admin, we had the pay cut farce instead of swinging cuts in playing squad.
Hi corkcelt, do they maybe also have income from the 2 SC semis due played in mid-April….wonder to what timescale the ole SFA will process payment?
Sale and lease back?
Who is selling and who is leasing?
As the eloquent bomber man says Whurs radio deeds??
Is it time for this yet?
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oavMtUWDBTM&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DoavMtUWDBTM
Couple of true stories from work
Fellow says I’m thinking of emigrating to Australia cos of the higher wages, someone says but over there the cost of living’s a lot higher. Doesn’t matter says he everything else is much cheaper.
Someone else says “Did you hear Billy has come out and said he’s gay”. The old dear next to me says “Oh my what a shame, his poor wife will not know which way to turn”
prestonbhoys@sftb
You guys are probably correct. My question, a 23 year old footballer who is an International footballer who has not played for 3 months??? Remember back when you were 23, could you have played 90 mins against any opposition? I certainly could have. Sorry for the late reply, biscuits and cheese were brought by mrsweefra, mmmmmmmm. :))
Weefra HH supporting Wee Oscar.
Slow roast or flash fried ?
Probably prefer slow roast :-)
Is it time yet for howwwwlllllinnngggg?
What is the official time on CQN for Moonhowling?
Immediately after sunset on any given evening or after the time that Cinderella turns into a pumpkin?
Weefra….
Haven’t read back.
Did you get the dug?
Just a wee thought.
All clubs have to submit projected accounts to the sfa, not too sure for how long in the future, but something tells me it’s 3 years.
Now, a schoolkid would be able to see that if you are losing a mill a month, you will go bust, yet the sfa can’t see this, and issue them a licence.
That is a case of serious mis administration if you ask me, and yet the silence is deafening.
Maybe it’s about time all the clubs showed their balls and took the sfa to task, the game in scotland is a laughing stock.
HH
see its been a quiet day————-http://homepage.ntlworld.com/s.burns/images/portrait-james.JPG
not sure if “braw” covers today ….but braw it is ……awfy braw then …. :)
23:28 pogmathonyahun
How do you even come across this kinda stuff pmsl
All I could think about was Craig White walking roon the big hoose
WeefratheTim
Agree with you mate…….get him on the park and give the support something to cheer.
TOOTING TIM
Seems they are also due £300k from Jelavic’s move to Hull.
Or eight days losses,depending on how you look at it.
Just putting this out there in the weird wide world, but just read elsewhere that Ream Ger RIP is an anagram of Grim Reaper. Oo-er missus…
RYECATCHER
Strictly speaking,a moonhowling session disnae start till FFM or PETEC start.
Beware of imitations!
BobbyM
Me thinks it’s BDO who are due the cash.
HH
Td67 – my uncle & wee cousin are Calford from the Bramalee.
BobbyM
And don’t forget ACGR >}
HH
THE EXILED TIM
And I would agree!
However,it seems that the 10% sell-on is split between newco and oldco.
And no,I don’t know why that should be,nor why it should even be allowed.
Nothing to see here,etc.
TET
What incarnation will be liquidated first ? At the rate BDO it could be Sevco.
Auldheid
Is the CST meeting just a turn up at the door event or do you require tickets?
THE EXILED TIM
ACGR is a mere novice at the game. PETEC and FFM along with CANAMALAR and a few others who have dropped away for various reasons are the stars of the show!
Wasn’t too long ago the early-morning crew were scared to read back overnight on a Friday morning. We’re being sanitised,I tells ya!
It’s very important to remember (as if it wasn’t totally obvious) that I rarely know what I’m talking about.
However, now that I’m here on my laptop (not doing the work I’m meant to be doing) and not my phone I’ll flesh out my previous post.
When it was first discovered that Damille were the buyers a fair few folks were puzzled as it seemed they were a mere 4 years old and are in the process of shutting up shop. That’s because they’re now on the next investment vehicle Damille Investments II. My limited knowledge of these things is that they seek investors by promising a reasonable return over a short lifespan.
So this brings me back to Sale/Leaseback vs straight sale.
Damille would need both time and money to get control in both situations it seems they have the money. My thinking earlier was a bit muddled, as I had kids running round my feet, I don’t think time’s a factor after all.
It all really depends on how much of a return they want vs what they put in. For the sake of argument let’s say the value of Ibrox and MP is £40M. I don’t see them getting much more than £20M based on £2M rent for 20 years (that was a model proposed some time ago I think) but I assume they’d need to put some of that back to the club, as it’d still be operating and they wouldn’t get away with just stuffing it all in their pockets and walking away.
So what about a quick sale at 75% value and walk away completely with the full £30M? Probably complete fantasy land, however Damille Investments II Ltd state on their website that one of the investment models is property.
Remember these people have connections to those that came before. They’re not walking in blind unaware that there’s no real growth potential in the Scottish football. They know that all they have is their saleable assets and they’re going to sell them.
ryecatcher
He’s in the hands of the SSPCA at the mo. They will keep us updated.
bcw
Soooo looking forward to seeing some new blood. Think this guy will be a revolution with Pukki. Something in the ole blood rings something special with these two. Of course IMHO. :)
Weefra HH supporting Wee Oscar.
ha ha
we are the silly boys
ha ha
we tried to make a noise
we had a chance to make a team
but surrendered to the spivs
cos were the sevco deadco silly boys
Get It Right Up Yeez
bournesouprecipe
22:55 on 16 January, 2014
TOSB
settings > general > keyboard > autocorrect > off
……………………………………….
Thank you Sir. I’ve just followed your instructions and now it’s just dawning on me that my default excuse no longer applies when I make a spelling mistake in future. Doh!
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS ……
Seems they are also due £300k from Jelavic’s move to Hull.
That will be to Oldco NIL not Servco
Any 10% sell on for jelavic should go to hearts for lee Wallace. Or the face painter who was left out of pocket!!! (Kevin bridges courtesy of….)
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nMybWCHWEao
Mind he’s always saying about the guy who can get you ANYTHING for forty quid…..used…. Very used ‘football’ team anyone?
Naw? Me neither!!!!
Night Timville Hhappy Hhowling!
HH jamesgang
WeefratheTim
I’m hoping Pukki gets a boost from his goal and performances in Antalya. The wee man was smiling and looked happy in the tournament.
BobbyM
If you don’t know >}
BCW
Sevco without a doubt.
weeminger
Problem I have with that, is who is going to buy ibrox, I can see MP getting sold quick time.
Unless a new saviour is on the horizon, and is willing to plough in squillions and take them back to where they think they belong……my take is they are fecked.
They could get anohter world record mind you, they could win the bottom tier of scottish football in their first attempt of trying >}
HH
PMTYH, good podium, who’s Bob, the lucky fella?
Pretty good day today with the huns getting more anorexic by the minute. I spent an hour on hun media reading their varied pish and wishing I could respond, alas, a pleasure no longer in my grasp. I had a right good go at the two office huns yesterday, they’re still waiting on the South African crook to come rescue them. Imagine their confused look when I told them he aint coming………………………………Nice:-)
Ah well, its good to see another round of angst, pain and delusion from the children of hell.
Happy days. I like it, in fact, I like it a lot.
A Celtic day.
Sale & leaseback – two words that have been mentioned on here, two words that are music to my old ears. When that final fire sale happens i will bid £10k for that loving cup and I promise you it will be in Heraghty’s Bar.
TET buddy, I sent a text to your Emerald Isle number. When you extricate yourself from the cave have a look. I’ll be in touch re ra sclaffbaw.
Still waiting on a combo picture of pool and fleg…………………………………?
BobM will be wanting it back after my visit to spanya.
On the Paul67 theme of wayward boreds ….dontcha just love boreds:)
Here’s one on Cardiff’s bored…
Five days after chairman Mehmet Dalman reassured Cardiff fans that their hero, manager Malky Mackay, would remain in place for the foreseeable future, Mackay was sacked by Malaysian owner Vincent Tan. But then Dalman has a way of knowing whose side to be on when it comes to the rich ans powerful.
Take his role at scandal-tainted mining group ENRC. Dalman faithfully served the interests of the three central Asian oligarchs who controlled ENRC from when it was floated in 2007. He had previously been an adviser to one of the trio. When the oligarchs forced out 2 independent directors in 2011, Dalman stayed. Indeed, he became chairman in February 2012, paid ₤530,000 a year — compared with just ₤130,000 as a non-exec—with a supposed mandate to clean up the mess.
An internal investigation revealed allegations of fraud and corruption. The SFO moved in and Dalman moved out in April 2013 with the mess worse, not better. The oligarchs’ response was to screw the shareholders with a cut-price buyout. Clearly Dalman knows how to give the rich what they want.
The rest of us can ponder the opportunity available due to entrenched inefficiencies in football.
..heh heh “I’m just saying”…..