Nicola Cortese looking for return to football in England.

[Jonnoj]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1cb4IKt1ls
This is the guy that ran Southampton from league one to the prem and hired Pochettino.

If I was Shad Khan and it was my money I think I might get him in ASAP.

[Milo]

Very interesting thread! Beginning to think of some solutions for the next five years and find a Rigg-like figure to help Tony Khan.

Must admit don't know much about him. Certainly dresses to impress. Will read up on him..

[Woolly Mammoth]

We don't want someone to help the Chairmans son, we want somebody to replace him.

[Milo]

Seemed to be a bit of a back seat driver when Pardew was in charge, but the fans seemed to love him?

[twang]

Got huge respect for him and what he did with Southampton. Seemed to work very well with the managers there and had a working structure in place with clear responsibilities. I really hoped Khan would bring Cortese in when he first took over as that would have made so much sense. If we could get him now I'd be delighted.

[snarks]

No he was not well liked at Southampton, and was considered a bit of a see you next Tuesday by those he worked with. He wouldn't brook any criticism of himself or things he did and managed to fall out with most which was why he was moved on.

(I worked with a former director of the club, and got this first hand)

[Yamus]

Wouldn't Huw Jennings know more about him

[Milo]

No he was not well liked at Southampton, and was considered a bit of a see you next Tuesday by those he worked with. He wouldn't brook any criticism of himself or things he did and managed to fall out with most which was why he was moved on.

(I worked with a former director of the club, and got this first hand)

Very helpful! Thanks. That's a shame.

Only downside is that potential Directors of Football with previous experience at this level are pretty rare (I would imagine). So, if we are to formulate a 5 year plan of our own we need to have one or two candidates to suggest or else it's just "you say get a new DoF, but who? It's not that easy finding one!" Etc etc.

Additionally, if you are to be successful and get your message across, the chances are pretty slim you will make a lot of friends at board level. So although it's important to take an Ex-Director's view into account.. it's probably more important to listen to people at various levels of the club.

Part of the FFC issue is that the club is (reportedly) run top-down by the owner's son. We actually need someone with some experience to crack a few eggs at the top level and shake things up.

[Statto]

Additionally, if you are to be successful and get your message across, the chances are pretty slim you will make a lot of friends at board level. So although it's important to take an Ex-Director's view into account.. it's probably more important to listen to people at various levels of the club.

Agree

I expect whenever someone walks into an organisation and does things better than the existing management have been doing it, the existing management are going to be a bit sour about that.

On the other hand, the man is a Swiss-educated investment banker. Which to me does sound like a description of a complete see you next Tuesday.

[snarks]

As you say Statto, Cortese was a banker, who had no experience of a football club when he started, and had the luxury of starting in League 1, without the same level of FFP. Saints, having just been bought by Liebherr as they were in danger of folding, had money to throw at it, and did so. Pardew was a shrewd choice as Manager, but the stories were that at the beginning, Cortese would play games on whatever management video game was available, and demand Pardew pick the team based on his play station experience.

When he started investing in the facilities, he did a really good job, the training ground at Staplewood is now fantastic, with a pitch that is identical in size and grass to St Mary's. His idea was to have pitches that mirrored other clubs pitches so they could train on those coming up to "big" games.

[Milo]

Admittedly, turning up in an expensive Italian suit for an informal interview on a park bench does speak volumes!

[davew]

No he was not well liked at Southampton, and was considered a bit of a see you next Tuesday by those he worked with. He wouldn't brook any criticism of himself or things he did and managed to fall out with most which was why he was moved on.

Perfect credentials then for joining us!!

[Woolly Mammoth]

No he was not well liked at Southampton, and was considered a bit of a see you next Tuesday by those he worked with. He wouldn't brook any criticism of himself or things he did and managed to fall out with most which was why he was moved on.

Perfect credentials then for joining us!!

064.gif ha ha yes nice one davw, "a Banker will lend you money if you can prove you don't need it".