Confidence

I have to say that despite all of the goings-on at SMS during the last few months, I actually felt reasonably upbeat and quitely confident about the new season. I had seen enough in the pre-season friendlies to make me think that we may surprise a few teams. I wasn`t over duly worried that we would probably lose some of the high earners as long as we kept Andrew Davies and Stern John. All in all making the best of a bad situation I thought, events over the last 36 hours have give my (misplaced?) confidence a kick up the ass. The likely loss of AD for £1.5M, the "Surman to Reading" rumours, JPs somewhat downbeat comments after the game and his body language on the touchline yesterday (after being so animated during the pre-season games) really worry me. Yesterdays first half was probably the best football that I have seen from a Saints team for many years, but is this going to be enough?

I have to say that despite all of the goings-on at SMS during the last few months, I actually felt reasonably upbeat and quitely confident about the new season. I had seen enough in the pre-season friendlies to make me think that we may surprise a few teams. I wasn`t over duly worried that we would probably lose some of the high earners as long as we kept Andrew Davies and Stern John. All in all making the best of a bad situation I thought, events over the last 36 hours have give my (misplaced?) confidence a kick up the ass. The likely loss of AD for £1.5M, the "Surman to Reading" rumours, JPs somewhat downbeat comments after the game and his boy language on the touchline yesterday (after being so animated during the pre-season games) really worry me. Yesterdays first half was probably the best football that I have seen from a Saints team for many years, but is this going to be enough?

If they play like that for 90mins, against teams who can't bring Bent, Jerome AND Phillips off the bench then yes (IMO) it will be. We carved them apart at times and if SJ had scored the header we would surely have won.

Once the window shuts and the uncertainty goes it will be easier to be a Saints fan.

I thought JP made basic errors yesterday, to have no striker on the bench was strange, and there seemed to be no plan B once we were chasing the game. Had NP or GB done the same thing, there would have been no end of stick for them on here. I hope he's a quick learner because I was worried by his tactics yesterday, following a good first half. The game panned out, if we're honest, as most thought it would. Lots of pretty football early on, but men against boys at the end.To have any chance of staying up, the coach needs to be on top of his game, every game, with this young side, and in my opinion he wasn't. Not saying we would have won or got a point, but we just seemed to drift towards a defeat without giving it a right go.

I thought JP made basic errors yesterday, to have no striker on the bench was strange, and there seemed to be no plan B once we were chasing the game. Had NP or GB done the same thing, there would have been no end of stick for them on here. I hope he's a quick learner because I was worried by his tactics yesterday, following a good first half. The game panned out, if we're honest, as most thought it would. Lots of pretty football early on, but men against boys at the end.To have any chance of staying up, the coach needs to be on top of his game, every game, with this young side, and in my opinion he wasn't. Not saying we would have won or got a point, but we just seemed to drift towards a defeat without giving it a right go.

I agree with every word, a very accurate summary of the game.

I have to say that despite all of the goings-on at SMS during the last few months, I actually felt reasonably upbeat and quitely confident about the new season. I had seen enough in the pre-season friendlies to make me think that we may surprise a few teams. I wasn`t over duly worried that we would probably lose some of the high earners as long as we kept Andrew Davies and Stern John. All in all making the best of a bad situation I thought, events over the last 36 hours have give my (misplaced?) confidence a kick up the ass. The likely loss of AD for £1.5M, the "Surman to Reading" rumours, JPs somewhat downbeat comments after the game and his boy language on the touchline yesterday (after being so animated during the pre-season games) really worry me. Yesterdays first half was probably the best football that I have seen from a Saints team for many years, but is this going to be enough?

You've just written my post, from being quietly optimistic and generally pleased with the low key determined approach from R.L. i'm beyond rage with the thought of Davies leaving for 1.5M. I am a realist, i know we need money but if R.L. / J.P and good old Barclays plc cant see that to get the boy back on the pitch and performing will increase his value in January to a least 3M+ shows either an even more desperate need for finance than we can comprehend or complete stupidity from all the above mentioned.

Madness.

You've just written my post, from being quietly optimistic and generally pleased with the low key determined approach from R.L. i'm beyond rage with the thought of Davies leaving for 1.5M. I am a realist, i know we need money but if R.L. / J.P and good old Barclays plc cant see that to get the boy back on the pitch and performing will increase his value in January to a least 3M+ shows either an even more desperate need for finance than we can comprehend or complete stupidity from all the above mentioned.

 

Madness.

It also makes you wonder why these high earners that we cannot get rid of are sitting around doing nothing whilst being paid their high wages. Why are they not in the squad? Why are we not making them EARN their money.:confused:

It also makes you wonder why these high earners that we cannot get rid of are sitting around doing nothing whilst being paid their high wages. Why are they not in the squad? Why are we not making them EARN their money.:confused:

cos they are sh*t and the kids are better, pretty simple really.

I have to say that despite all of the goings-on at SMS during the last few months, I actually felt reasonably upbeat and quitely confident about the new season. I had seen enough in the pre-season friendlies to make me think that we may surprise a few teams. I wasn`t over duly worried that we would probably lose some of the high earners as long as we kept Andrew Davies and Stern John. All in all making the best of a bad situation I thought, events over the last 36 hours have give my (misplaced?) confidence a kick up the ass. The likely loss of AD for £1.5M, the "Surman to Reading" rumours, JPs somewhat downbeat comments after the game and his body language on the touchline yesterday (after being so animated during the pre-season games) really worry me. Yesterdays first half was probably the best football that I have seen from a Saints team for many years, but is this going to be enough?

You mirror my own feelings and I feel as if the stuffing has been knocked out of me.

If Davies does go then you feel the correct price would at least take some of the pain away. The fact JP has clearly stated he knew nothing of this possible deal leaves me bemused and to hear, if true, that Young Pulis may come as makewight would astound me.

Yes Davies may want to go if offered the chance but for posters to say clause etc does not ring true because we are talking Stoke here and he is better than that. Yes my confidence knocked for six.

cos they are sh*t and the kids are better, pretty simple really.

Sorry it`s not that simple. Whatever you think of (for example) Euell, he is experienced he is capable of score goals from midfield and he is earning high wages. Why not at least have him on the bench and earn some of his money?

I have to say that despite all of the goings-on at SMS during the last few months, I actually felt reasonably upbeat and quitely confident about the new season. I had seen enough in the pre-season friendlies to make me think that we may surprise a few teams. I wasn`t over duly worried that we would probably lose some of the high earners as long as we kept Andrew Davies and Stern John. All in all making the best of a bad situation I thought, events over the last 36 hours have give my (misplaced?) confidence a kick up the ass. The likely loss of AD for £1.5M, the "Surman to Reading" rumours, JPs somewhat downbeat comments after the game and his body language on the touchline yesterday (after being so animated during the pre-season games) really worry me. Yesterdays first half was probably the best football that I have seen from a Saints team for many years, but is this going to be enough?

No.

Euell is an especially good example for supporting saintkip's point, not yours. He is experienced, yes, but experienced in being utter turd.

Euell is an especially good example for supporting saintkip's point, not yours. He is experienced, yes, but experienced in being utter turd.

lol

I would rather attend a pool party hosted by barrymoore than watch the mule trot around the centre circle again like he did last season

lol

 

I would rather attend a pool party hosted by barrymoore than watch the mule trot around the centre circle again like he did last season

I wish that I could dismiss the problems with throwaway "witty" remarks like some posters on here. I am not a great fan of (for example) Jason Euell but he has had a long career in professional football so he can`t be a "turd" or Micheal Barrymores pool pal. We employ him and we are paying big wages. When he has played in pre-season he hasn`t done too badly. He did (please correct me if I am wrong) score goals in friendlies. WHY IS HE NOT EARNING HIS WAGES???

cos they are sh*t and the kids are better, pretty simple really.

Maybe we should sell the kids instead then?

I wish that I could dismiss the problems with throwaway "witty" remarks like some posters on here. I am not a great fan of (for example) Jason Euell but he has had a long career in professional football so he can`t be a "turd" or Micheal Barrymores pool pal. We employ him and we are paying big wages. When he has played in pre-season he hasn`t done too badly. He did (please correct me if I am wrong) score goals in friendlies. WHY IS HE NOT EARNING HIS WAGES???

Perhaps the manager / chairman has said he won't feature for us this season...

No matter how much anyone gets paid, it's hardly going to motivate them to put in a stunning performance having been told something like that...

Sorry it`s not that simple. Whatever you think of (for example) Euell, he is experienced he is capable of score goals from midfield and he is earning high wages. Why not at least have him on the bench and earn some of his money?

I agree. Towards the end of last season, i thought Euell was the only one to show a bit of determination to get stuck in and fight. Not sure why he is no longer in the sqaud?

Maybe we should sell the kids instead then?

I think thats Ruperts plan all along. Play the kids put them in the shop window and if any are doing well sell them in January.

Perhaps the manager / chairman has said he won't feature for us this season...

 

No matter how much anyone gets paid, it's hardly going to motivate them to put in a stunning performance having been told something like that...

It seems that the financial situation is ruling everything at the moment so on a financial front why are we paying big wages to players that we are not playing. I know that there are contractual obligations (ha bloody ha) but this does not make any sense at all. Whatever anybody says about how good the kids are -and I don`t disagree - logic says that if we can`t get rid of our high wage earners we should bloody well use them!:confused:

It seems that the financial situation is ruling everything at the moment so on a financial front why are we paying big wages to players that we are not playing. I know that there are contractual obligations (ha bloody ha) but this does not make any sense at all. Whatever anybody says about how good the kids are -and I don`t disagree - logic says that if we can`t get rid of our high wage earners we should bloody well use them!:confused:

I agree.

That's why I am even more astounded by some of the comments made regarding some of our more senior players during pre season.

I think thats Ruperts plan all along. Play the kids put them in the shop window and if any are doing well sell them in January.

Lowe's plan is to sell anything that moves and has a pulse.

Lowe's plan is to sell anything that moves and has a pulse.

Rules you out then....

we were always going to lose more than 2 games this season, we have just got a couple out of the way early !!! Been to both games and the West Ham game and am not in the slightest bit worried .......... yet

I have crossed swords with miserableoldgit from time to time, but I must say that I agree with him on this situation to the letter. I also agree with the further comments of the following few posters, until the one by saintkiptanui.

There comes a point with long suffering fans when they say enough is enough. I was really very angry that Andrew Davies was to be sold, as like others I had reasoned that it was possibly unavoidable that we had to sell some players earning over a certain amount and play the kids instead to keep going. But I had likewise thought that we were to keep at least one of the top strikers, the best goalkeeper and Andrew Davies at least. To have rumours surface the day after those about Andrew Davies, that we are to sell Andrew Surman too would be intolerable.

I am beginning to feel more and more vindicated about not buying my ST now. I had intended to go to every home match, but I'm starting the think the unthinkable; that if after a few heroic defeats the kids go into freefall because of loss of confidence, it will no longer be something that I would enjoy watching and I may very well decide to spend my time on Saturdays in other ways. I'm hoping that this feeling is induced by the way that the club is being run (or misrun) by Lowe and Wilde and that it will pass when I calm down. The team might get lucky and not have the injuries to key players that will really tell now that we are almost threadbare and they might win as many as they lose and stay midtable.

Or better than all of that, somebody else will take over running the club, the shysters will all go, the club will be reunited, the team strengthened and we go forward together to the sunny uplands that are the Premiership.

The thing i cant get my head round is that sure we all knew this would be a tough season and we would have no money to buy anyone. But the 4 months Lowe has been back we were all lead to believe the finances were getting under control. We had the many comments from Wilde telling us the bank agrees with their vision and so on. We released quite a few players and even spent a bit on a few signings. But now all of a sudden things seem to have got worse from out of nowehere. We have a young squad that must be on peanuts, in fact a few must still be on youth contracts. We have a manager who comes from the dutch 4th league so he can't be costing much. We have shipped a few players out on loan, made loads of people leave within the club/company to cut costs, shut corners and so on. So if we are now in such a bad place we must sell off 2 of our youngsters then to me that just doesn't add up. But if this rings true then again i can't imagine it will be long before the Lowe out protests restart especially if we go on a really bad run on the pitch. I was confident we would survive before i read we could lose those 2. But selling them i don't see how that will increase our chances of surviving so thus i find it baffling anyone would think that is good buisness practice.

The thing i cant get my head round is that sure we all knew this would be a tough season and we would have no money to buy anyone. But the 4 months Lowe has been back we were all lead to believe the finances were getting under control. We had the many comments from Wilde telling us the bank agrees with their vision and so on. We released quite a few players and even spent a bit on a few signings. But now all of a sudden things seem to have got worse from out of nowehere. We have a young squad that must be on peanuts, in fact a few must still be on youth contracts. We have a manager who comes from the dutch 4th league so he can't be costing much. We have shipped a few players out on loan, made loads of people leave within the club/company to cut costs, shut corners and so on. So if we are now in such a bad place we must sell off 2 of our youngsters then to me that just doesn't add up. But if this rings true then again i can't imagine it will be long before the Lowe out protests restart especially if we go on a really bad run on the pitch. I was confident we would survive before i read we could lose those 2. But selling them i don't see how that will increase our chances of surviving so thus i find it baffling anyone would think that is good buisness practice.

If there's anyone there to do them!

I have to say that despite all of the goings-on at SMS during the last few months, I actually felt reasonably upbeat and quitely confident about the new season. I had seen enough in the pre-season friendlies to make me think that we may surprise a few teams. I wasn`t over duly worried that we would probably lose some of the high earners as long as we kept Andrew Davies and Stern John. All in all making the best of a bad situation I thought, events over the last 36 hours have give my (misplaced?) confidence a kick up the ass. The likely loss of AD for £1.5M, the "Surman to Reading" rumours, JPs somewhat downbeat comments after the game and his body language on the touchline yesterday (after being so animated during the pre-season games) really worry me. Yesterdays first half was probably the best football that I have seen from a Saints team for many years, but is this going to be enough?

Frankly no.

The whole total football ideal along with its new management was a cover up for what is in reality a team put together on a shoe string for economical reasons.

As good as our youth players are, without a splattering of experience and quality we are basically doomed.

Its understandable that two defeats have left people feeling down, but it really is early days. These two games, and next week away to Derby, were games we might have expected to get one point frrom at best. It just happens they have come together at the start of the season - and that is bad as it could be damaging the confidence of the players, but as soon as they get a win attitudes will change. To lose 2-1, is a loss of points, as much as if it was 3-0, but it does not indicate that the team are being outplayed, despite the stronger opponents of Birmingham, or the home advantage of Cardiff. Both games could easily have been draws if fortune had been different.

People should keep their confidence, at least until the end of Sept. If we are still in the bottom three by then, there will be reason to worry, but to predict doom after two games, is simply foolish as those who are doing it leave themselves open to looking exactly that, if the team start to get results against the less fancied sides.

Its understandable that two defeats have left people feeling down, but it really is early days. These two games, and next week away to Derby, were games we might have expected to get one point frrom at best. It just happens they have come together at the start of the season - and that is bad as it could be damaging the confidence of the players, but as soon as they get a win attitudes will change. To lose 2-1, is a loss of points, as much as if it was 3-0, but it does not indicate that the team are being outplayed, despite the stronger opponents of Birmingham, or the home advantage of Cardiff. Both games could easily have been draws if fortune had been different.

 

People should keep their confidence, at least until the end of Sept. If we are still in the bottom three by then, there will be reason to worry, but to predict doom after two games, is simply foolish as those who are doing it leave themselves open to looking exactly that, if the team start to get results against the less fancied sides.

TBF it is not the results that are the problem. I was not expecting us to pull up trees, and as I indicated in the original post, the style of football actually gave me a quiet confidence about this season. It`s just that I felt that the squad was now fairly set and was looking forward to AD coming back. Losing him and possibly AS is the unsettling factor. It makes you wonder where the selling will end.