If any Saints fan was unsure of whether ex Chairman Nicola Cortese has the best interests of Southampton Football Club at heart, they now know the answer.

There is an old saying that if you can't say anything good, then don't say anything at all, this old adage does not seem to translate into Italian very well judging by Nicola Cortese's interview published on the BBC Website this morning.

Only a brief piece Im told a prelude to a bigger one to be aired later, never the less it makes statements that are clearly designed to make sure that Katharina Liebherr and her new board cannot get on with the job of running the club without the spectre of Cortese hanging over their heads, something he is clearly determined to make sure happens.

It is not so much an interview but a bragging session as evidenced by this snippet from the BBC Interview.

"Cortese, who took charge of Southampton in 2009 when they were in League One, said he was confident none of his players would have left if he had still been chairman and was never worried about losing star names."

That is clearly trying to set a benchmark for Ralph Krueger and his board, the inference is clear, if they sell one player thats one more than Cortese would have let go.

His next statement clarifys that

"We created those talents," he told BBC Sport.

"It was key to keep them.
"You don't produce them just to sell, otherwise you give away your ambition."

Again the inference is clear, he had ambition he would have kept them, if even one goes then Katharina Liebherr doesnt have the same ambition.

However he doesn't let facts get in the way of his viewpoint when it comes to his viewpoint of just how great he was as Chairman of Saints, just who the "WE" who created those talents is not clear, but of the home grown players heavily linkied with a move, only Luke Shaw was not a first team player before Cortese arrived.

"I didn't have written offers, but I obviously had phone calls. My answer was that it was not going to happen for at least the next two seasons. The other chairmen respected that. Until the day I left, there were no offers."

This contradicts the view of Neil Ashton who earlier in the week in a gushing pro Cortese piece recounts how the then Saints Chairman ripped up a written transfer offer in front of a young player to dramatically emphasise that he Cortese would not listen to offers, strange that Ashton should think that he had recieved those offers.

Was Cortese really so arrogant that he thought his word alone would be enough to keep at bay the biggest club's in the land if they wanted any of our players,as we have seen countless times even at the biggest club's, if a player wants away then there is little a club can do to stop it.

What that statement does show though is that Cortese is talking a good talk, but he never had to walk his own walk, his mettle was never tested, OK well it was once, Alex Oxlade Chamberlain being evidence that perhaps Cortese could not just click his fingers and treat players like his own property.

Im saddened that Cortese should feel the need to give this interview, what good could it do for anyone, it puts pressure on the Club's new board and merely serves to stir up elements of the club's support who still believe that Cortese was a man who could back up all his fine talk about the Champions League etc with actions.

In my mind it is the interview of a man who is very bitter, who harbours a grudge against Katharina Liebherr and by proxy Southampton Football Club, perhaps he would have done well to take a lesson from a man who he himself sacked ruthlessly Nigel Adkins' our ex and current Reading manager gave a lesson in decency and humility in his last months at Saints as clearly his Chairman was working behind his back, he did his job well even with the embarrassment of having to manage for the final time with his successor watching from the stands.

There should now be no shred of doubt that Nicola Cortese does not now have the interests of this football club at heart, in fact clearly the opposite, if he wanted it to succeed then he would not be making these comments.

Photo: Action Images

Whatsforpud added 15:03 - May 23 A couple of people here have said that Cortese would not have let Pochettino's contract run down like it has. Well he only left a short while ago - he could have extended it while he was here.
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montecristo added 08:49 - May 25 I have a letter from the Daily Mail s sports editor , signed personally by him claiming that both Shaw and Lallana will be off this summer, according to the Mail s "excellent sources".I rather wonder whether these sources were Dodd and Williams I just dont buy the club s explanation for their dismissal. The reason they gave is something that ordinarily would be rectified by instruction , not by a sacking! If in fact the Mail turns out to be correct what does that say about the attitude of the club as regards the fans? It would be the ultimate betrayal if the players were allowed to leave.I cant help thinking that the Mail is probably right on this one its backed up by the Telegraph and Saints have ,ade no move to stop the constant stream of negative reporting., nor could they if what is being printed is in fact true. If its not true, then they should have asked their lawyers to deal with the defamation being printed. Neither Krueger nor Reed seem to have adequate CVs for the posts they now hold Reed in particular inspires no confidence whatever. What is he doing on the Board for gods sake!!! He is just a football coach who never made it as a player made a career out of youth coaching, and that merits a seat on the board, not to mention being put in charge of player transfers??? I am beginning to understand why Cortese left, he probably could see that the Saints story was going to unravel, and so it seems to be proving. There is no excuse for not agreeing terms with Pochettino unless of course the club intends to sell its best players this summer.We all know that Cortese would have seen to it that Pochettino was tied down to a long term contract before the season even finished, he did as much for all the players. he would not have wanted the current scenario when just about every player is being linked with a move away. How does anyone suppose that will assist the club in recruiting top players to the club this summer? It is just plain stupid. Too many Saints fans are over deferential in my view, it doesnt matter who is in the hot seat they swear blind loyalty to whatever regime is in place without questioning events or decisions. I want the club to achieve Markus Liebherr s dream and they are not going to do it by selling our best players. if the owner doesn t want to invest, then at least put the club up for sale dont flush the supporters aspirations down the toilet, they are the life blood of the club and deserve respect. I have been promised a reply by Jordan Sibley, but it had better be good or I will send the letter to the D telegraph, i JUST DONT LIKE DISHONESTY.

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montecristo added 08:50 - May 25 I have a letter from the Daily Mail s sports editor , signed personally by him claiming that both Shaw and Lallana will be off this summer, according to the Mail s "excellent sources".I rather wonder whether these sources were Dodd and Williams I just dont buy the club s explanation for their dismissal. The reason they gave is something that ordinarily would be rectified by instruction , not by a sacking! If in fact the Mail turns out to be correct what does that say about the attitude of the club as regards the fans? It would be the ultimate betrayal if the players were allowed to leave.I cant help thinking that the Mail is probably right on this one its backed up by the Telegraph and Saints have ,ade no move to stop the constant stream of negative reporting., nor could they if what is being printed is in fact true. If its not true, then they should have asked their lawyers to deal with the defamation being printed. Neither Krueger nor Reed seem to have adequate CVs for the posts they now hold Reed in particular inspires no confidence whatever. What is he doing on the Board for gods sake!!! He is just a football coach who never made it as a player made a career out of youth coaching, and that merits a seat on the board, not to mention being put in charge of player transfers??? I am beginning to understand why Cortese left, he probably could see that the Saints story was going to unravel, and so it seems to be proving. There is no excuse for not agreeing terms with Pochettino unless of course the club intends to sell its best players this summer.We all know that Cortese would have seen to it that Pochettino was tied down to a long term contract before the season even finished, he did as much for all the players. he would not have wanted the current scenario when just about every player is being linked with a move away. How does anyone suppose that will assist the club in recruiting top players to the club this summer? It is just plain stupid. Too many Saints fans are over deferential in my view, it doesnt matter who is in the hot seat they swear blind loyalty to whatever regime is in place without questioning events or decisions. I want the club to achieve Markus Liebherr s dream and they are not going to do it by selling our best players. if the owner doesn t want to invest, then at least put the club up for sale dont flush the supporters aspirations down the toilet, they are the life blood of the club and deserve respect. I have been promised a reply by Jordan Sibley, but it had better be good or I will send the letter to the D telegraph, i JUST DONT LIKE DISHONESTY.

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