Although I agree with you to a point, I don't understand why SAS would want to work closely with the majority of the candidates who are left. As someone who works for themselves would you seriously hire any of remaining candidates to work for you after seeing what we've seen? Managing a portfolio needs a lot more business acumen than what we've seen from the candidates so far.

Someone cynically posted during the first series when SAS's son was involved in a task "there's the real Apprentice". Yet despite reading this comment, I have always believed SAS's reasons for choosing previous candidates were because he felt he could give them a helping hand. This year it wouldn't surprise me if the winner is chosen because SAS knows it's way beyond their capabilities and hopes they will do a Michelle and walk out of the job. I might be being a tad cynical now, but, it's a win win for SAS as he's fulfilled his contractual obligations, raised his profile and can get on with finding someone more suitably qualified to manage the portfolio.

As for employing any of the ones that are left - probably Claire. Given that in an apprentice you don't really want the finished article with set ways of doing things, I feel she has shown enough initiative and common sense, ability to learn from criticism and feedback and enough ability in communication to work with. She has a few rough edges but that's the job of the mentor/employer to try to smooth those off.

Time will tell though, there are still a few weeks and tasks left to turn it all on its head.

I must admit, I don't agree with you on all of these.

1. I usually feel the sacking should be based on the tasks rather than the boardroom performance, but Nicholas' defence in the boardroom was so jaw-droppingly stupid he really did deserve to go for that alone.

3. Kevin was atrocious, granted, but Ian really was worse.

4. Not to sure about this one. Claire was obnoxious and contributed a lot to the failure of the task, but Simon did crumble very badly under pressure.

5. Either Jennifer or Lindi could have gone. Given that Lucinda had put Lindi in charge of the sales side, and given the 24-hour pants hotline in Week 2, I think on balance Sir Alan got it right.

8. Actually I thought Helene should have gone. She made the crucial decisions that led to the failure of the task, and I have to say I can't see that anything she's done in the whole series has ever been done well.

9. Depends what you feel it should be based on. Based simply on the task, Raef as PM was more culpable than Michael. Based on performance over the series to date, Michael should of course have been history.

Absolutely. Raef thought of the idea for Singles Day and made the successful pitch. Raef got the cheap cow hide. Raef took the decision to go with the expensive wedding dresses, a successful gamble.

The truth is Raef has been poor in only 2 tasks - Week 1 and this week, so no luck was involved in him not coming into the boardroom in between.

Sir Alan does not benefit from the viewing of 9 - 1 hour cleverly edited episodes of The Apprentice to base his judgement like we do, but purely to his own perception and that of his 4 trusted advisors, Nick + Margaret and the other 2 (behind the 2 other cameras).

Based on this it is entirely believable that Raif would be a good choice for firing being a Tory style toff completely in the moulding of Boris Johnson and other Tory boys of the time.

So basically you think Raef was fired because of broadly drawn stereotypical assumptions about who he was rather than with any sort of actual reference to his contributions the past nine weeks in to the show, and furthermore, that this is acceptable?

If that is the reason behind his firing, then SAS is an inverted snob who needs to take his head out his backside.

Besides which he is about as fair removed from the 'Boris Johnson mould' as you can get. He bears no resemblance to him whatsoever...

It's sad but I think it's true. I also think that Sir Alan misjudged what the public perception of Raef would be.

Well, in that much we agree at least....I think his appearance on Jonathon Ross and comments about Raef there were damage control, although how we are expected to believe he always thought Raef was a 'lovely, lovely bloke' after he spoke to him like he was a piece of dogs poop on his shoe when he fired him is anyone's guess....my thoughts are he has realised his faux pas only after seeing the series and peoples reaction to it.

Now you talking Muttley.

I think SAS realised that most of the public are on Raef's side. He under estimated 'the Raef effect'.

Well, he has a need to be worried if they offer Raef a TV programme based on 'Eloquence and Style'. It will be a thrill to see who wins in the ratings. No doubt Raef will be fun and witty at it. Words are indeed his tool. Probably that's why SAS ran scared. Shame on him.

Babeth

That sounds fabulous....

I agree with you there, Raef defended himself in a true gentleman fashion. Unfortunately SAS did not see apprentice material in him.

I am not sure what is going on with SAS & Michael but I don't think Michael has any chance of becoming the apprentice.

I think SAS has quite a narrow perception of the kind of person he wants tbh, and Raef didn't fall within that remitt quite clearly.


I don't think he does either, however the fact that he has survived this far does reflect quite poorly on SAS's decision making skills.

Fantastic post Muttley76.

Hopefully in the next series we'll get the real SAS back who fires people for "proper" reasons and not to please the TV producers.