Southampton chairman Nicola Cortese has handed in hs resignation at the South Coast club, in another twist in the ever on going Soap opera at Southampton Football Club.
Cortese looks set to make way, which may also see current manager Mauricio Pochettino leave his post at St Mary’s.
The Argentine boss stated last May, that he too would walk away from the club, if chairman Cortese resigned from his post.
He stated in an interview…
If (he) Cortese doesn’t work here… I would not understand a Southampton with Nicola being here,” he said.
“The person who has put his faith in me at Southampton is Nicola Cortese.”
And it now appears that Southampton fans worst fears maybe confirmed, after today’s announcement.
Cortese is not in discussion with another club in Italy, despite several media reports.
Cortese considered leaving in May of last year after stressing to owner Katharina Liebherr that he was concerned about the future direction of the club.
The former Banker took control of the club on behalf on the Leibherr family in 2009, when the Saints were a League One side, and still in Administration.
Cortese then hired and fired several managers, before appointing Nigel Adkins, who guided the Saints to promotion to the Barclays Premier League during the 2011/2012 campaign, leading the Saints to two promotions in two years, in what was an increadible effort for a club who almost went out of business.
The Saints started that campaign in a stable manner, but the controversial Cortese sacked the popular Nigel Adkins in the January of last year, replacing Adkins with Mauricio Pochettino, a man who spoke very little English.
However, Cortese’s decision was justified, as the Saints finished 14th in the table, after claiming some big scalp’s, with wins against the likes of Manchester City, Chelsea, and Liverpool.
Southampton have been on a strong financial footing ever since then, spending £72 million on recruiting players. Jay Rodriguez from Burnley for £6m in June 2012, Gaston Ramirez from Bologna for £12m in August of the same year and then Dani Osvaldo for a fee reported to be close to £13m last summer.
Saints also splashed the cash on Victor Wanyama and Dejan Lovern, as they looked to build a squad capable for European Football.
Southampton then started the season in a superb fashion, losing just two games by November, and sitting third in the League, however, the Saints have dipped in form of recent late, winning just one game in 10, and slipping to ninth.
By Ben Reardon
@BenReardon1
