Nicola Cortese

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Yesterday I floated the idea of a McNally departure. I wasn''t necessarily being serious, but was pointing out that the buck does stop at the board / chief exec.

If relegation occurred though, as a result of not dismissing Hughton, it would have to be something to think about. Another poster said that it was a terrible idea as we wouldn''t be able to get somebody with his CV.

Nicola Cortese is on the brink of walking out of Southampton. His achievements are the equal of McNally''s here, a double promotion to the Premier League and then mid-table finishes.

He is the man that made the bold decision to dismiss Pardew and replace him with a foreign manager.

So if it did get to the point where relegation occurred under Hughton, and if this did make McNally''s position untenable (even if just as the fall guy to protect the rest of the board), then there is our replacement..... Nicola Cortese.

He also has his head screwed on financially:

"Clubs spend money they do not have; they spend next year’s income. They spend money that will not arrive for two years and say, "But we''ll have some success and bring in more cash to cover the shortfall". It cannot be sustained. In good times you need to be saving money for the bad times. If we reach the Premier League, I would like to be in a position where we did not need parachute payments. In good years you should put money away for the bad years"

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Sorry didn''t realise this had already been discussed.

[NWC 239]

Nigel Atkins, and he''s already gone!

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I always get Pardew and Atkins mixed up for some reason.