Matt Phillips £6m official bid

[RonManager]

Simon Peach ‏@SimonPeach
#SaintsFC have made their interest in Blackpool's Matt Phillips official today by placing a £6million bid.

[Colinjb]

Would be a great signing. We need a quick winger.

We need a few defenders first mind.

[S-Clarke]

A fair wad of cash right there, but he's that direct, pacey right winger we need - who can also play left. Exactly the sort of player we need.

Can also play up top and through the middle with a real goal threat. I rate him very highly, if only we'd have signed him when we were interested before - 800k would have got him then...!!!!!!

[hypochondriac]

I think it goes to prove that all this talk of fancy big name wingers is just that- talk. Our business is to sign promising championship players and hoping that they fulfil their potential. Get in a couple of CBs and we will see how it goes.

[The9]

Are they still talking about having a Premier League Div 2,cos we'd p155 that with the Championship players we're trying to get in...

[Matthew Le God]

Are they still talking about having a Premier League Div 2,cos we'd p155 that with the Championship players we're trying to get in...

Norwich signed a lot of the best Championship and League One players, they ended up mid table in the Premier League last season. Just because they are signed from the league below doesn't mean they aren't already good enough. Lambert hadn't played above League One before 2011/12 and ended up the Championship's top scorer and voted the best player in the league.

[S-Clarke]

Look at players like Pilkington, plucked from L1 after a bad injury but he always had class. Stands out in the PL as a real quality player, had a great season last year. Phillips has the potential to do that, and more. Don't see a problem with this policy if I'm honest.

Good resale value and a good life-span in the team, could stick together for years.

[The9]

I think it goes to prove that all this talk of fancy big name wingers is just that- talk. Our business is to sign promising championship players and hoping that they fulfil their potential. Get in a couple of CBs and we will see how it goes.

I'm not convinced we haven't expressed some interest, no harm in having put feelers out in case we have to hit the panic button in January...

[The9]

Norwich signed a lot of Championship players, they ended up mid table in the Premier League.

Well done, and how did Derby do with it?

[hypochondriac]

Look at players like Pilkington, plucked from L1 after a bad injury but he always had class. Stands out in the PL as a real quality player, had a great season last year. Phillips has the potential to do that, and more. Don't see a problem with this policy if I'm honest. Good resale value and a good life-span in the team, could stick together for years.

I didn't say I had a problem with the policy, just that that is clearly what we are going for and IMO it is more of a risk than other ways of doing it, though possibly with a greater chance of it coming off.

[Golden Balls]

Would be very pleased with this but think Blackpool will reject

[hypochondriac]

I'm not convinced we haven't expressed some interest, no harm in having put feelers out in case we have to hit the panic button in January...

Oh possibly but clearly no way we are signing a load of those players wo have been linked. The best of the championship was always going to be the most realistic options.

[badgerx16]

Most in the office say we are welcome to Phillips, it's Tom Ince they want to keep hold of.

[Matthew Le God]

Well done, and how did Derby do with it?

Our business is to sign promising championship players and hoping that they fulfil their potential.

Did they sign the best in the Championship? Clyne, Phillips and Rodriguez were all considered the best in their positions in the PFA vote for Championship team of the year.

Plus, you seem to have forgotten/were unaware that Matt Phillips has already played 27 Premier League games in 2010/11.

[Pugwash]

Cue Holloway spitting vitriol on SSN tomorrow...

[pimpin4rizeal]

think we would have been better off going for ince blackpool fans think hes in a different league to phillips. from the little ive seen ince looked the better player

[shurlock]

Oh possibly but clearly no way we are signing a load of those players wo have been linked. The best of the championship was always going to be the most realistic options.

£6m -structured or not- is alot of money for the best of the championship - that money would go a lot further on the continent. More proof that English players are poor value.

[The9]

Oh possibly but clearly no way we are signing a load of those players wo have been linked. The best of the championship was always going to be the most realistic options.

More likely to get them, good potential upside and could prove to be excellent - but is that the ONLY kind of player we want and wouldn't a bit of knowledge be a useful thing to be able to teach all these promising players?

[hypochondriac]

£6m -structured or not- is alot of money for the best of the championship - that money would go a lot further on the continent. More proof that English players are poor value.

And I agree with you here too. Clearly though we have a preference for signing young British potential. That won't come cheap.

[ThreeSixty]

think we would have been better off going for ince blackpool fans think hes in a different league to phillips. from the little ive seen ince looked the better player

Ince is more 1 dimensional imo

Phillips more cut out to make the jump.

[Pat from Poole]

Ince probably is the better player, but if he's anything like as disloyal as his father, he wouldn't be with us for long.

[Mustapha Fag]

no pleasing some people

they cry out for pacey winger, put a bid in for one who's a top talent in the league below the Prem, not good enough, we need full blown internationals with Premier league experience, think some need to lower the expectation levels a tad

[Matthew Le God]

Ince is more 1 dimensional imo

Phillips more cut out to make the jump.

Phillips has already had a season in the Premier League, playing 27 games. Ince has yet to do so, although it is likely he will also end up in the Premier League at some point.

[hypochondriac]

Did they sign the best in the Championship? Clyne, Phillips and Rodriguez were all considered the best in their positions in the PFA vote for Championship team of the year.Plus, you seem to have forgotten/were unaware that Matt Phillips has already played 27 Premier League games in 2010/11.

Why have you quoted my post with the9's?

[S-Clarke]

I think Phillips has a bit more of a presence about him. Stronger, a bit quicker and pretty ''bulky''. Ince is fairly small and doesn't have the same sort of physical presence, although from what I've seen he looks to be a bit better technically.

[The9]

£6m -structured or not- is alot of money for the best of the championship - that money would go a lot further on the continent. More proof that English players are poor value.

Can't argue with that but stockpiling them means that if they are good and we do sell them on they'll be worth proportionately more as well...

Maybe Cortese's got the £15m for Oxlade-Chamberlain stuck in his head, and Adkins knows how to teach under 27s who are new to a division, he doesn't want too many who can impart their own advice. Risky strategy for someone who hasn't been there yet himself.

[Hockey_saint]

Andy Cole came from Bristol Citeh and I remember him running riot for Newcastle...ok, so he burned out towards the end (when he renamed himelf Andrew) but I think it's a reasonable example.

[hypochondriac]

no pleasing some peoplethey cry out for pacey winger, put a bid in for one who's a top talent in the league below the Prem, not good enough, we need full blown internationals with Premier league experience, think some need to lower the expectation levels a tad

Who said he isn't good enough?

[Matthew Le God]

Why have you quoted my post with the9's?

Because it is relevant to my final sentence, Phillips isn't just a Championship player, he has good experience already as to what he can do in the Premier League.

[Dig Dig]

I think Phillips has a bit more of a presence about him. Stronger, a bit quicker and pretty ''bulky''. Ince is fairly small and doesn't have the same sort of physical presence, although from what I've seen he looks to be a bit better technically.

I agree with this although I only became aware of Ince towards the end of the season and in the play off's. I recall Phillips having a bigger impact consistently throughout their season. Perhaps the Ince hype is only based on a handfull of games and as you said, he looks very lightweight.

[The9]

Did they sign the best in the Championship? Clyne, Phillips and Rodriguez were all considered the best in their positions in the PFA vote for Championship team of the year.

Plus, you seem to have forgotten/were unaware that Matt Phillips has already played 27 Premier League games in 2010/11.

I'm more than aware that we have now got half a team of players who have been relegated from the Premier League already. Rodriguez was so good last time that he was loaned to Barnsley rather than be allowed a league match for a relegated team.

[hypochondriac]

Because it is relevant to my final sentence, Phillips isn't just a Championship player, he has good experience already as to what he can do in the Premier League.

If we sign him then Phillips is a promising championship player (albeit with one season in the Premier League) who we hope will fulfil his potential.

[S-Clarke]

I agree with this although I only became aware of Ince towards the end of the season and in the play off's. I recall Phillips having a bigger impact consistently throughout their season. Perhaps the Ince hype is only based on a handfull of games and as you said, he looks very lightweight.

Ince really came into the forefront in the 2nd half of the season and established himself as a starter. As you said, Phillips was much more influential over the course of the entire season. Let's not forget his spell at Sheff U in L1 as well, an amazing month there where he ripped the league apart.

[shurlock]

Phillips has already had a season in the Premier League, playing 27 games. Ince has yet to do so, although it is likely he will also end up in the Premier League at some point.

So? Were they 27 starts? So indispensable that Holloway saw it fit to loan him out to a L1 side.

[The9]

Because it is relevant to my final sentence, Phillips isn't just a Championship player, he has good experience already as to what he can do in the Premier League.

Yes, he got relegated. As did Fox, Cork, K Davis, Butterfield, arguably Rodriguez and possibly Richardson. EDIT : Oh and Puncheon, can't forget Puncheon...

Now that doesn't make them bad players, but it does show that we have a squad full of players who no-one else in the Prem has taken that gamble on.

[pimpin4rizeal]

i think they will rip our hands off for this 6m. phillips was loaned out to sheffield utd at the start of last season then made his impact when he returned

[shurlock]

Yes, he got relegated. As did Fox, Cork, K Davis, Butterfield, arguably Rodriguez and possibly Richardson.

Now that doesn't make them bad players, but it does show that we have a squad full of players who no-one else in the Prem has taken that gamble on.

And dont forget Barney played three times for Spurs

[The9]

Andy Cole came from Bristol Citeh and I remember him running riot for Newcastle...ok, so he burned out towards the end (when he renamed himelf Andrew) but I think it's a reasonable example.

That was in 1993. You could count the foreigners in the Prem on the hands of a short bus queue back then. The overall standard has gone up massively, not to mention that the example is 20 years old and Cole was previously at Arsenal and stuck behind long time Prem strikers Alan Smith and Kevin Campbell at the time and there were only 2 subs. He was tangibly far too good for Bristol City (and my City-supporting student housemate knew it).

[The9]

And dont forget Barney played three times for Spurs

I hadn't, but it's about as relevant as Aaron Martin's form will be to Saints Prem results this season, at the moment.

[pimpin4rizeal]

i think a lot of those 27 appearences in the premier were from the bench hes scored just the one premier league goal.
im in 2 minds about this signing the times ive seen him he looks all pace and power but not a lot of technique

[SB]

Only scrolled through the post, however 6 million for MP would be quality, fast attacking winger, just what we need! The signings so far like Clyne & J Rod are fantastic bits of buisness, don't underestimate this signing if it happens. On a final note, I'd rather potential and talent, than a has been and average joe.

[wild-saint]

if not phillips then who do we feel is good enough to play for us?

[shurlock]

I hadn't, but it's about as relevant as Aaron Martin's form will be to Saints Prem results this season, at the moment.

Precisely. MLG in pig-headed, literal-mindedness shocker.

[pingwing]

SIGN HIM UP

Pretty much the perfect price, any more and we are looking silly, any less and they are. Should slot perfectly into the squad and wage structure (if all is true).

I have all my fingers crossed for this one.

[BlakeySFC]

Would be chuffed if we pull this off, but can't help thinking WE NEED CENTRE BACKS

[AussieDog]

I think he would be a good signing - but considering we're light on cover at the back, it's not the signing I was hoping for.

[shurlock]

More likely to get them, good potential upside and could prove to be excellent - but is that the ONLY kind of player we want and wouldn't a bit of knowledge be a useful thing to be able to teach all these promising players?

If we're going to go young, I'd prefer to do it with wingers and attackers. Hopefully our CB targets have a bit more experience. Saying that, if we're going to overpay for domestic talent, I'd prefer to spunk money on a British CB though if you believe reports we've been linked with quite a few foreign CBs.

[itchen_dan]

Think he'd be a fantastic addition to the group. Intact, I KNOW he'll be a fantastic addition!! Been wanting him for ages. Quick, direct, drives towards defences, links with the strikers, good cross and scores goals! Perfect for the new system!!

If we can get him in before City then that'd be just the ticket!

[Dig Dig]

I think he would be a good signing - but considering we're light on cover at the back, it's not the signing I was hoping for.

Weird approach to it, signing a RM is likely to have zero impact on our ability to sign a CB as well.

[BlakeySFC]

Fee agreed according to @Saint_Elvis on twitter.

His words: 'Those asking source etc. agent of player, deal should be sealed by friday midday.'

This isn't a known twitter bulls**tter so there may be some legs in this...