A crisis has developed at Southampton FC after the departure of successful executive chairman Nicola Cortese. He is seen as the driving force behind the club’s recent success. The circumstances of his departure are far from clear, but it is evident that he has fallen out with the owner Katrina Liebherr.
A crisis has developed at Southampton FC after the departure of successful executive chairman Nicola Cortese. He is seen as the driving force behind the club’s recent success. The circumstances of his departure are far from clear, but it is evident that he has fallen out with the owner Katrina Liebherr.
It is believed that Liebherr wanted to cash in on the progress of the club she inherited and Cortese argued for a more patient approach which would maximise Southampton’s value as a Premier League club. There were also disputes about how much money Cortese would receive in the event of a sale.
One concern was whether manager Mauricio Pochettio might resign in a show of solidarity with Cortese. However, he has said that he will stay because of his professional responsibility to the club and the fans.
Another concern is that Katrina Liebherr might engage in a fire sale of players to cash in on her family’s investment, but this now seems less likely. The fear that some players might want to leave if the manager went because they identify closely with him has now receded.
Liebherr inherited the club from her father in 2010 and has no interest in football. The family of Swiss industrialists put in £38m to take the Saints out of administration and League One.
Saints legend Matt Le Tissier has tweeted, ‘We lost an executive chairman. I’m not sure it’s the big deal that Nicola Cortese’s PR people are making out.’