Who'd blame George for leaving Saints?

9:44am Monday 28th January 2008

HAVING been in football so long, I have probably experienced more highs and lows than most.

Nothing ever really surprises me.

One thing that has been consistent is that the timing of events do not always suit everyone.

Way back in my time, I remember getting a call from the then Newcastle Untied chairman Lord Westwood, famous for wearing a black patch on one eye.

He asked if I wanted the Newcastle United job. What a question to ask a lad from Gateshead who used to be passed over the heads of the crowd to watch the last ten minutes!

But my answer was I'm sorry my Lord, you probably noticed we just won the semi-final of the Cup and are due to go to Wembley soon.' The other occasion was when I was offered the Manchester United job. For various reasons, I had to decline, but that's another story for another time.

The mention of Lord Westwood always brings back a smile.

He famously answered an angry press man who was demanding that the chairman should do something about the useless manager and the way the team were playing was disgraceful by saying you obviously haven't been looking at the directors' box because I have recently been movingmy patch from one eye to the other!' So back to what has happened at St Mary's this week.

After lots of speculation about the Scottish job, in the end the consensus of opinion was that George was the right man.

His credentials are good having been a league manager for 16 years including a successful spell in Scotland.

He has improved the teams at every club he has been at, particularly with the way he expected his teams to play.

We all felt for him when we lost out on penalties at Derby and, of course, it has to be remembered his three most prominent players went off to the Premiership at the beginning of this season.

Coupled with the many injuries, particularly in the centre of defence, it has not been an easy season.

But even his biggest critics down here would have to admit there has been, and still is, a possibility we can get back in those play-offs bearing in mind the terrific run we had at the end of last season.

Who can blame George for taking on this position?

I can't. I was privileged to serve both England and Northern Ireland and it is effectively the pinnacle of a manager's career to work at international level.

In George's case, of course, it is his own place of birth and he will not have to learn about the passion and expectation level that their amazing fans have.

What else will change in his life?

For as long as he can remember, he has had at least one game a week and no matter how laid back any manager appears to be, believe me after a game it takes a long while for the adrenaline to stop pumping.

His new post will enable him still to be at a game or two or more every week.

A secretary at the SFA will contact the club which George wants to visit, he will get one of the best seats in the ground and will have access to all the boardrooms.

He can afford to relax, take in the spectacle and not have the pressure on the journey home.

He will find there is a big gap between November and February but he will be able to visit tournaments taking place in other parts of the world and possibly be able to look at other countries who will be in his group for upcoming World Cup games.

When his games actually take place, however, that spotlight which is divided around the 92 in England and however many in Scotland each Saturday all condense into one onto him.

The whole nation expects and no matter what the bookmakers will say or the pundits, the fervent, passionate Jocko supporters will expect their teamto be beat anyone, be it Brazil or Holland, the latter who happen to be in their group.

Let's face it, it's not as if George is following failure after a change because Alex McLeish only failed at the very last fence against Italy.

At one time Scotland looked as is if they would be the only British nation at the Euro finals - what a sad reflection none of the home countries will be taking part.

So we say to George, good luck, he goes with the blessing of the club and certainly that was the feeling I got from everyone round the training ground when I joined Leon Crouch and Lee Hoos as we went to talk to staff and players on Thursday after it had been formally announced that George had been appointed.

Both Leon and myself assured the staff they would have full support.

We reminded the players that George had gone with our best wishes.

Often the atmosphere when a manager leaves is down with groups whispering and all sorts of theories being expounded as to why the manager left, usually after being sacked or moving to another club.

However, professionals realise this is different and such an honour.

In a perfect world, it would have happened in the summer and George would have been presented with a much harder decision to make because we could have been promoted come May.

Usually an international appointment is made at that time of the year because contracts at national level usually cover two or four years periods, in other words qualifications for Euros and the World Cup.

The atmosphere at the training ground was first class. John Gorman and Jason Dodd took on the role of organising and taking the training.

I handled the media, who were more than anxious to have interviews on what is always a press day, and between all of us we were able to satisfy everyone - except of course the people who insisted upon names being mentioned as George's successor.

I understand their role and their problems and I just simply had to say that every name that had appeared in the media so far was pure speculation, either by imaginative press people themselves or planted there by agents or individuals.

It is bound to be the case until a final decision is made. But I, on behalf of the board, would remind everyone to be realists.

My phone actually went off in the middle of a TV interview I was giving for Sky.

I put it to my ear and said Fabio, stop bothering me please!' But to be serious, we have to remember we are a Championship club, albeit with fabulous facilities worthy of any Premiership club, and that is the plus point for anyone coming in.

We have continued to try and retain Premiership habits but with this being the third year after relegation, we need to remember we have seen the end of the parachute payments.

Yes transfer money has come in but it only helps to run the club on a day-to-day basis.

A lot of players have come in in recent years and most people would agree I'm sure George's last acquisition, Andrew Davies, looks very promising for a 22-year-old.

But the new appointment will have to be aware of the financial realism.

And whilst Leon and the other board members are continually striving to bring in new investment, many have been mentioned in that area but none have so far stepped up to the table with anything apparently that was a realistic bid.

So the phones will continue to ring. I have had calls from top Premiership managers who have been asked to recommend certain people.

Also from many managers who are out of work, and believe me there is more than you think, and then there are third party calls from people who are in jobs at present but view Southampton as being a much better proposition than the one they are with.

There will be no panic measures taken.

It has already been documented thatmy short address to the playing squad on Thursday was to remind them how difficult games at this level can be and ask when we watch the Cup draw on Monday, do they want to see Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea or Man United drawn out against Bury or Southampton?

We all know what the answer to that should be, particularly our older, fantastic, loyal supporters who would love another day or whole weekend celebration, which actually went on for weeks when I think back.

And who knows, if everyone is focused from the directors box to the bench to the terraces, it may still be possible.

That's what the Cup is all about and, whilst talking about that, I'm sure everybody else connected with the club wish Havant & Waterlooville every success today.