Cortese departure would leave Saints in the lurch

When news emerged today of Mauricio Pochettino’s announcement that he would resign if executive chairman Nicola Cortese leaves the club, it was the latest event in the ongoing saga of backroom politics that has plagued Southampton Football Club since the days of Rupert Lowe’s reign as chairman.

More than this, it highlights the potential for a worrying destabilisation to occur if Cortese’s autocratic style of handling the football club is not met.

Memories of the turbulence of 2008 and 2009 (following Southampton’s spiral into administration and managerial problems) are still fresh in the memories of many supporters.

And should Cortese leave the club at the end of May, Southampton’s deserved survival in their first season back in the Premier League after a seven-year absence will no longer be such a cause for celebration.

The Italian Cortese has certainly been an influential figure since being handed the role as executive chairman in July 2009 after Southampton’s acquisition by the Swiss businessman Markus Liebherr.

Although they worked in tandem for just under a year, following Liebherr’s sudden death in 2010, Cortese was granted final approval on all major decisions regarding the club’s future.

Cortese has regularly spoken of a ‘five year plan’ to return Southampton to the Premier League, and results on the field show this to be a resounding success.

Back to back promotions, assured survival in the top flight for next season and extended contracts for some of the club’s brightest talents all point to a tenure of achievement, but it is his relationship with the Liebherr Trust which is thought to be causing the current friction.

Cortese is approaching a break in his contract and allegedly wants assurance over the Trust’s commitment to his ambitious plans for Southampton’s future. Should the Trust choose to pursue other options Pochettino has affirmed that he will follow Cortese out the door just months after the former replaced the popular Nigel Adkins as Southampton manager.

The precariousness of this situation is representative of the power the chairman holds on the south coast. Cortese’s authoritarian rule at Southampton has meant he has been no stranger to polarising opinion within the club during his time on the south coast, coming to blows with supporter groups and former icons like Matt Le Tissier and Francis Benali.

He is known for his ruthless business-like approach to Southampton’s affairs (no doubt a consequence of his background in banking), an approach which has seen high staff turnover rates, the introduction of administration charges when buying tickets and the charging of blind fans who previously received tickets free.

Moreover since the club’s takeover in 2009 his ongoing feud with the iconic Matt Le Tissier has led to a string of hostile remarks from the former player and the public cancellation of ‘clear the air’ talks.

Le Tissier claims that there is a great deal that is not known about Cortese due to his strangehold behind the scenes, leading him to say that ‘he [Cortese] is not a very nice human being. It’s as simple as that.’

One of the most controversial domains of Cortese’s power remains the recruitment of new players.

Transfers are ostensibly discussed between the manager, Cortese and a scouting department which reports to the executive director Les Reed.

Whilst Southampton have certainly made some key signings this season in the shape of Gaston Ramirez and Jay Rodriguez, question marks remain over Cortese’s influence, especially in the case of Vegard Forren.

Purchased in the January transfer window, the player has yet to make an appearance for the side, and it is believed that then manager Adkins was not in the loop at all on the day the deal was completed.

Divisive or not, Southampton fans will be undoubtedly concerned by the rapid developments at the club regarding the executive chairman, especially following three years of unyielding success.

“Should the Trust choose to pursue other options Pochettino has affirmed that he will follow Cortese out the door”

Should the Liebherr Trust decide to pursue other options once Cortese’s contract expires, neither of the original duo who were involved with the club’s 2009 takeover will remain, leaving questions over the Trust’s commitment to the ambitious strategy laid out for Southampton’s long-term future.

Should Cortese choose to leave Southampton he will destabilise a club just regaining its feet in the Premiership by sparking the resignation of Pochettino.

More worryingly this uncertainty seems to be diffusing throughout the squad; Morgan Schneiderlin, who recently signed a new deal and was voted fans player of the season, has expressed his concern with the backroom affairs. Equally, promising defender Luke Shaw has already been linked with Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur in the wake of news about Cortese this week.

Whilst he may be growing disillusioned at the club, Cortese’s stabilising role is what is required to cement Southampton’s place in the top flight, and Southampton fans will be hoping he will remain at the club at the end of May.

In a month which has seen the retirement of numerous icons of football like Sir Alex Ferguson and David Beckham, Southampton FC will be hoping that Cortese does not follow suit and leave the club in turmoil once more.

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