Southampton dump Nigel Pearson for Jan Poortvliet

[Royal Rother]

Southampton have a vision....

"Southampton have announced a surprise managerial shake-up with the little-known Dutchman Jan Poortvliet to replace Nigel Pearson as manager at St Mary's.

Pearson's contract will not be renewed when it expires next month after Southampton only narrowly avoided relegation from the Championship. In his place Poortvliet, who this season managed Helmond Sport to seventh place in the Dutch second division, will form what the Saints are calling a "continental" style coaching partnership with Mark Wotte, who has been coaching at Al Ahli Doha in Qatar.

"Our view on that was that we would need to adopt a European style coaching system comprising head coach with the objective of linking the academy to the first team, so that in essence all the players are going to be training and working together under the eye of the head coach," said the Southampton chairman Michael Wilde.

"The board believe that this will create opportunities for our younger players which might not occur within the traditional English management structure."

The 52-year-old Poortvliet will focus on the first team, while Wotte - a former Director of Football at Feyenoord - will concentrate on the club's academy."

[Kes]

I hope Southampton get relegated for doing this.

[Salford Royal]

Something smells very fishy about this. Is he the managerial equivalent of Ali Dia?

Poorvliet's managerial history is:

F.C. Den Bosch
RBC Roosendaal
Stormvogels Telstar
Helmond Sport

Massive pedigree. Massive clubs.

Saints are in deep, deep shit. Lol.

[readingbedding]

Same visionaries that employed Sir Clive Woodward as the Football Emperor of Southampton.

Say no more.

It might work out for them though, at least this man knows something about the game.

[Stranded]

Basically Soton are completely screwed financially and this is a cost saving measure - the wages for both is less than Pearson's wage - bring the academy and first team together will also save them cash with regards to day to day training facilities etc....

[Thaumagurist*]

.

[Royal Rother]

That must be about the same number of clubs that Nigel Quashie has had.

[Thaumagurist*]

.

[Silver Fox]

1991-1994: Mark McGhee
1994-1997: Jimmy Quinn/Mick Gooding
1997-1998: Terry Bullivant
1998-1999: Tommy Burns
1999-2003: Alan Pardew
2003-Present: Steve Coppell

Just 6 managerial changes in 14 years. Good work, probably more stable than that MASSIVE club.

5 managerial changes in 14 years, Spacey would have your guts

[Huntley & Palmer]

Basically Soton are completely screwed financially and this is a cost saving measure - the wages for both is less than Pearson's wage - bring the academy and first team together will also save them cash with regards to day to day training facilities etc....

Was thinking that, sounds like a huge cost cutting exercise

[biscuitsrus]

Who cares I don't.

[Royal Rother]

Maybe you should because it's a fate that could have befallen us without the prudent financial management that is in place at this club of ours.

[ShrewsandRoyals]

Stewart Henderson is the reserve team coach that is supposed to be taking on more responsibility too.

[papereyes]

How much are Southampton in debt?

Remember Sheffield Wednesday are still paying off old debt from expensive failures signed in the past.

They got shafted by the managerial things around 2004.

Sturrock and Wigley were incompetent rather than expensive but Harry? Christ, the man's a charlatan.

[Deathy]

Doesn't look like it's going very well for Poorvliet?