Swindon Town V Southampton Official Matchday Thread

[Benzel]

That was madness. What the fuck!
Could've perhaps have left Connell on til HT. But Kerrouche did enough to justify it. Positive 2nd half. Saints were different class.

[flammableBen]

Not really saying much, playing down PDC involvement, saying it was between Clarke and the fittness coach and Di Canio was trying to diffuse it.

[Batch]

Wray:

- There was an incident and wrong to say too much now before both sides heard.
- Argument started between fitness coach and Clarke.
- PDC trying to get Clarke into tunnel behind closed doors - miss-understanding ensued.
- Not too much to say until both sides heard.

- Wray checked Clarke while he was back on pitch and he was angry. Was trying to check whether Clarke was going into the dressing room. Decided best he left via another exit.

[Nemo]

- Wrong to say too much now.
- Disagreement with fitness coach prior to Di Canio after the game
- Thinks Di Canio was acting as peacemaker (!)
- Will be listening to both sides of the story tomorrow
- He went out on the pitch to speak to Clarke to try and get him in
- Sounds a bit (and this is my speculation, he's not said anything to this effect) like he's trying to hang Donatelli out to dry to protect Di Canio

[STFC Bart]

Think Di Canio is a complete headcase- looks like from the video he was doing the manhandling

[flammableBen]

Yeah, not sure this peacemaker idea really adds up with the video.

[Gnasher]

Di Canio will survive this. Clarke won't.

[Luci]

I hope Wray has seen the coverage before the interview.  Could prove embarassing

[chalkies_shorts]

Yeah, not sure this peacemaker idea really adds up with the video.

I agree but Jeremy Wray has bought himself a few hours to get a proper story out there.

[Riddick]

no the video seems to disagree with his views!

Wray is doing his best to play it down

[reeves4england]

Updates please, no radio t'hand.

Warys' interview went something like this...

Di Canio initially tried to clam things down after the argument between Clarke and the fitness coach. Wanted them to get down the tunnel and sort it out away from the public eye. Clarke wouldn't go and it blew up down the tunnel.

Wray says Clarke is at fault for not coming down the tunnel. Members of the management team were angry with him but should have dealt with it in another way. Paolo was quite right to try and get him down the tunnel, and is right to be frustrated that this wasn't sorted out down the tunnel. What happened after that needs to be investigated and discussed.

It's unfair to pick on Di Canio, and to suggest this was caused by him.

[cheltred69]

Random thoughts from tonight:

Most one-sided 45 mins I can remember for a long while.  Soton passed the ball with ease, they moved off the ball and we were chasing shadows. When we had possession we were static and ended up giving the ball away too easily.
Second half was better but we still didn't really threaten and Soton were simply cruising in first gear.

Kennedy was a liability in defence, too often not marking, too slow and hardly made a tackle - he has a good cross but not good enough for the main job of a defender.  Gabbilondo was covering him most of the time so wasn't a threat going forward.
P Smith looked very short on confidence and flapped a number of times in addition to the error for the 2nd goal - surely time to rest him now.

Connell ran around a bit but didn't look to have a lot of spirit about him, but he wasn't alone there and a very odd decision to sub him so early.
Kerrouche looks totally out of it.  His positional sense is nearly as poor as Dossevi's and his control not great. Surely he's not good enough for League 2.  Well taken free kick but not sure it was a foul in the first place.

I thought J Smith had a solid game and McCormack impressed again when he came on.
Ritchie seems to be the only attacking player who showed any real spark for us.

[Nomoreheroes]

Wray interview:

- Getting all facts tomorrow
- Clarke and fitness coach argument
- DiCanio tried to make it private
- Better sorted out behind closed doors
- Not apportioning blame yet. It would be unfair
- Clarke shocked and angry when Wray talked to him on pitch
- DiCanios team were angry with Clarke
- Original spark was that Clarke had given his all and felt his legs were heavy because he'd done too much running
- Wray not commenting on what happened in the tunnel
- DiCanio frustrated its been played out in public.
- Wray says it won't affect DiCanio's position

[Dirk Diggler]

Unfortunate, but it will blow over. Both will make an apology tomorrow and Clarke & Kerrouche will play on Saturday. Not sure Connell will play for us again mind, and he really seems to have something about him!

[Sippo]

If you look at the video the manager has his arm around the player. As if trying to get him down the tunnel. Clarke has obviously lashed out. I personally think Clarke thinks he's better than he actually is.