NIGE WATCH 3.....

Well, a week may be a long time in politics but for the footballers of Southampton FC, the last two weeks must have seemed like a lifetime. Our new manager Nigel Pearson (pictured) has clearly got hold of them, told them their fortunes and left them in no doubt as to what`s expected of them and who`s in charge. Just the kind of leadership we`ve been needing for so long.

Saturday`s 1-1 draw against the promotion chasing tractor boys of Ipswich saw a totally different team to the one which struggled to attain mediocrity under the caledonain tutelage of the recently departed George Burley. There was total commitment, non-stop effort, no little skill and huge encouragement from a 23,000 crowd who liked what they saw.

As for our Nige, well, we saw a track-suited figure alone in the technical area for the whole 90 minutes - cajolling, encouraging, giving clear unequivocal instructions, showing a passionate will to win, kicking buckets over,jumping up and down and using the kind of language that footballers understand, however uncertain that may be in the case of our midfield quartet which comprises a Colombian, a Moroccan, a Spaniard and a Czech. There can be little doubt that Nigel is already endearing himself to the approving onlookers.

Just one problem - by the end of the game, our Nige had shouted himself hoarse and couldn`t do the post match interviews as he had lost his voice. Excellent stuff, Nige - keep this up and we`ll avoid relegation after all - perhaps. Anyway, have these on me - I think you`re going to need them.